ARK Invest Files for CoinDesk 20 Crypto ETFs Offering Broad Futures-Based Exposure

Cathie Wood’s ARK Invest has filed registration statements with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for two new crypto index exchange-traded funds based on the CoinDesk 20 index, signaling a major step toward expanding regulated crypto investment products beyond Bitcoin. The proposed ETFs aim to provide diversified exposure to leading digital assets through futures contracts rather than direct, spot holdings.

According to the SEC filings, the first product, called the ARK CoinDesk 20 Crypto ETF, is designed to track the daily performance of the CoinDesk 20 index. This widely followed index includes major cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, Solana, Cardano, Chainlink, Stellar, Bitcoin Cash, Sui, Avalanche, Litecoin, Hedera, Cronos, Uniswap, Aave, Near Protocol, Aptos, Polkadot ecosystem token POL, Internet Computer, and Polkadot. ARK Invest plans to list the ETF on NYSE Arca and achieve its investment objective by primarily holding CoinDesk 20 Index futures traded on ICE Futures, with the remainder of assets kept in cash or cash equivalents. As a result, the fund will not provide spot exposure to cryptocurrencies, instead offering exposure through regulated futures markets.

ARK Invest also submitted an S-1 filing for a second product, the ARK CoinDesk 20 ex-Bitcoin Crypto ETF. This fund will track the same CoinDesk 20 index but remove the performance impact of Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash. To accomplish this, the ETF will take long positions in CoinDesk 20 index futures while simultaneously holding short positions in CME Bitcoin futures, effectively neutralizing Bitcoin-related price movements. Like the first ETF, this product will be listed on NYSE Arca and will focus on futures-based exposure rather than direct ownership of digital assets.

While ARK Invest already offers a Bitcoin ETF, these proposed funds would mark its first crypto index ETFs centered on a broader range of digital assets. The filings also follow similar moves by competitors such as WisdomTree and Grayscale, highlighting growing institutional interest in diversified crypto ETFs and the CoinDesk 20 index as a benchmark for the digital asset market.