Grayscale has unveiled its newest investment product, the Grayscale CoinDesk Crypto 5 ETF (Ticker: $GDLC), designed to give investors streamlined exposure to the five largest and most liquid cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL), XRP, and Cardano (ADA).
The ETF offers a single-fund approach for those looking to participate in the crypto market without managing wallets, private keys, or crypto exchange accounts. According to Grayscale, these five digital assets collectively represent over 90% of the crypto market’s capitalization, making $GDLC a simple yet diversified gateway into the sector.
The $GDLC ETF, available through traditional brokerage accounts, seeks to “capture broad exposure to the crypto asset class while focusing on the most current market leaders.” It’s built to mirror the CoinDesk Crypto 5 Index, which adjusts holdings based on market capitalization and liquidity.
This means investors can gain exposure to the dominant blockchain ecosystems, Bitcoin’s store-of-value network, Ethereum’s smart contract economy, Solana’s high-speed DeFi layer, XRP’s cross-border payments infrastructure, and Cardano’s research-driven proof-of-stake model, all in one regulated investment vehicle.
The new fund marks another milestone in Grayscale’s expansion into regulated exchange-traded products, following the company’s successful transition of its flagship Bitcoin Trust into a spot ETF earlier this year. $GDLC is intended to provide investors with a simplified, compliant alternative to direct crypto trading, appealing to both institutional portfolios and retail investors seeking safer exposure.
The firm also emphasized transparency, noting that the ETF’s composition and pricing methodology are derived from CoinDesk’s verified market data, ensuring consistent performance tracking of the top five cryptocurrencies by investable volume.
In its official disclosure, Grayscale reminded investors that $GDLC, while exchange-traded, is not registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and therefore does not offer the same protections as traditional ETFs or mutual funds. The company cautioned that cryptocurrency investments involve significant volatility and potential loss of capital, underscoring that $GDLC’s price performance depends on market demand for its underlying digital assets.
With $GDLC, Grayscale continues its push to bridge traditional finance and digital assets, offering a regulated pathway into the most dominant cryptocurrencies without the operational complexity of self-custody.
As institutional adoption accelerates, the new ETF could become a key reference point for diversified crypto exposure, positioning Grayscale as a leader in next-generation digital asset investment products.
