Grayscale Investments has made a groundbreaking move in the world of crypto investing by introducing the first multi-token exchange-traded product in the United States. The Grayscale CoinDesk Crypto 5 ETF, trading under the ticker GDLC on the NYSE, combines the five largest and most liquid digital assets – bitcoin, ether, XRP, Solana, and Cardano. Together, these five tokens represent over 90% of the market capitalization of the digital asset class, making this ETF a diversified and comprehensive option for investors.
CEO of Grayscale, Peter Mintzberg, expressed his excitement about the launch, stating, “We are ushering in the age of crypto index investing. Grayscale will continue to innovate and provide investors with access to the fastest-growing asset class of the last decade.” This move comes after receiving approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission to convert the Digital Large Cap Fund into an ETF and include multiple digital coins in its portfolio.
The introduction of the Grayscale CoinDesk Crypto 5 ETF highlights the increasing interest from both institutional and retail investors in gaining exposure to a variety of cryptocurrencies. With the Trump administration’s decision to allow retirement plans to invest in alternative assets, including cryptocurrencies, the digital asset class is becoming more mainstream.
The fund’s allocation is primarily focused on bitcoin, making up about 70% of the portfolio, with ether accounting for 20%. This product has been in existence in various forms since 2018, but its transition into an ETF marks a significant milestone for Grayscale and the crypto industry as a whole.
Since the beginning of 2025, the GDLC ETF has seen impressive growth, gaining over 40% as many cryptocurrencies reached all-time highs. Surprisingly, GDLC has outperformed bitcoin by nearly 11% since June, with all the other assets in the fund also surpassing the performance of the largest digital token.
In conclusion, the launch of the Grayscale CoinDesk Crypto 5 ETF signifies a new era in crypto investing, offering investors a diversified and efficient way to gain exposure to the top digital assets in the market. With the increasing interest in cryptocurrencies and the growing acceptance of alternative assets, this ETF is poised to attract a wide range of investors looking to capitalize on the potential of the digital asset class.