Bitwise Asset Management on Wednesday launched a decentralized finance (DeFi) index fund, hoping to capture deep-pocketed investorsâ bets on the corner of the crypto markets challenging traditional financial rails.
At launch, the fundâs top holdings include tokens backing an Ethereum-based lending protocol and a decentralized exchange â AAVE and UNI â which each carry an initial weighting of around 25%. Lending protocol token MKR and derivatives protocol token SNX come in around 10%.
Also read: What Is DeFi?
Indeed, Ethereum-based tokens comprise all 10 of the Bitwise DeFi Crypto Index Fundâs positions at launch. Ethereum remains the dominant chain for DeFi with $39 billion in total value locked up, according to DeFi Pulse, despite sky-high transaction fees that can cost users $30 a pop.
For comparison, DeFi protocols had around $1.2 billion in total value locked up around one year ago. Aave alone has over $5 billion locked up now, per DeFi Pulse.
âYouâre seeing the initial flicker of a new technology that could significantly disrupt a lot of what traditional Wall Street makes money on, making it more efficient, more open, more accessible and more functional. And weâre at the early stages of that,â Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan told CoinDesk.
The fundâs long-Ethereum-based protocol weighting is a function of the Ethereum blockchainâs dominance in the DeFi space, Hougan said.
See also: Bitwiseâs Crypto Index Fund Becomes Available to US Investors
The fund, which also includes COMP, UMA, YFI, ZRX and LRC, is the first such offering for accredited investors, according to Hougan. Its assets will be securely stored by California-headquartered Anchorage.
According to Hougan, the fund will be guided by Bitwiseâs public methodology, as well as a five-member advisory council representing a broad swath of venture funds active in DeFi.
Hougan declined to comment on the fundâs current subscription base, but said it launches with seed funding ready.