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Crypto funds are moving away from giants like bitcoin and ether, piling into lesser-known tokens like bera, near, and canton coin as they try to score bigger gains in a volatile market.
What does this mean?
More than 200 digital asset treasury (DAT) companies, managing $150 billion in capital, are stirring things up by shifting toward riskier digital coins in the hunt for higher returns. Greenlane, OceanPal, and Tharimmune have all adjusted their strategies recently, scooping up tokens like near for its artificial intelligence edge. Supportive US crypto policies under President Trump and solid early returns for pioneering players have fueled this move, along with over $15 billion pouring into DATs via PIPE deals since April from investors like Winklevoss Capital and Pantera Capital. But chasing yield has brought challenges: selloffs have hit DAT-related stocks hard — BitMine and Forward Industries among them — while retail investors have lost an estimated $17 billion. Many DATs now trade below the value of their token holdings, prompting new buyback plans from Forward Industries and ETHZilla, while SUI Group is rolling out stablecoins to help boost shareholder value.
DAT companies now hold about 4% of all bitcoin, 3.1% of ether, and nearly 1% of solana, so their decisions move crypto prices worldwide. Swapping out major coins for riskier tokens adds even more volatility to shaky markets, and stock price swings — plus dilution from PIPE funding — keep things turbulent. It’s a strong reminder that chasing higher rewards means putting up with bigger risks.
The bigger picture: Innovation is rewriting digital investing.
With DATs expanding beyond bitcoin and into AI-powered and stablecoin offerings, the sector is evolving fast. Still, the race for quick gains has exposed retail investors to more risk, highlighting how crucial transparency and risk management have become. As crypto funds flex their muscle, their strategies are likely to keep shaping the sector’s future direction and stability.
