21Shares and ETF Securities Launch the World's First Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs in Australia

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Apr 19, 2022, 16:48 ET

NEW YORK, April 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- 21Shares AG ("21Shares"), a Swiss-based issuer of crypto Exchange Traded Products (ETPs), and the leading ETF provider, ETF Securities have launched two funds that offer simple, cost-effective and direct access to cryptocurrency investments. ETFS 21Shares Bitcoin ETF is the first Australian ETF to invest directly in bitcoin, and ETFS 21Shares Ethereum ETF is the first to invest directly in ether. Both funds will go live on April 27.

ETF Securities has partnered with 21Shares, the world's largest issuer of crypto ETPs. 21Shares has over $2.5billion in Assets under Management (AUM) and has a current valuation of more than USD 700 million. In total, 21Shares offers over 130 listings with more than 30 products, including the world's only ETP tracking Binance, four crypto index baskets, and two ETP with investor staking rewards (Tezos and Solana). Its products are listed on ten regulated European and Swiss trading exchanges.

Both funds will list on CBOE Exchange (formerly Chi-X). ETFS 21Shares Bitcoin ETF (Code: EBTC) will track the price of bitcoin in Australian dollars. It is fully backed by bitcoin held in cold storage by Coinbase. ETFS 21Shares Ethereum ETF (Code: EETH) will track the Australian dollar price of ether, which is the cryptocurrency of the Ethereum blockchain. It is fully backed by ether held in cold storage by Coinbase.

Graham Tuckwell, Executive Chairman of ETF Securities Australia says EBTC and EETH give investors a way of trading cryptocurrency in a tightly regulated environment, without the need to establish and maintain their own bitcoin or Ethereum wallets, or manage the risks. "Once we decided to build a range of crypto ETFs for the Australian market, there was only one partner we wanted to work with, and that's 21Shares. Its pioneering approach to secure investment in cryptocurrency has been emulated by other fund managers around the world," Tuckwell says.

Four years ago, Hany Rashwan and Ophelia Snyder founded 21Shares to make crypto safe and accessible for all investors, including their mothers. Since then, the company has been on a tremendous journey to stay at the forefront of the market by providing investors with the most innovative crypto Exchange Traded Products (ETP), the broadest token solutions, and more forward-thinking solutions. Today, the company continues to drive rapid, targeted growth through first-of-their-kind products, key markets expansion, and strategic talent additions – all powered by free institutional-grade research to educate investors about the evolving industry.

Hany Rashwan, CEO and co-founder of 21Shares, said: "We're so incredibly excited to be able to offer the first direct exposure Bitcoin and Ethereum ETF in Australia. Australian investors clearly want and deserve an affordable, easy, and professional way to access the growing crypto asset class and we're delighted to continue building accessible bridges into the crypto world. We're starting with Bitcoin and Ethereum but have even more exciting plans for Australian investors".

ETF Securities Head of Distribution Kanish Chugh says bitcoin has been the best performing asset over the past 10 years and ether has been one of the top performing assets over the past five years. "They may be used as an alpha tilts or side bets in a portfolio. They can also be bought as portfolio diversifiers, as they are completely different asset and uncorrelated to shares, bonds and commodities."

Chugh says that for investors looking for exposure to cryptocurrencies, investment via EBTC and EETH overcomes the pitfalls of the cryptocurrency market, including low exchange quality, weak custody arrangements, vulnerability to hacking and the loss of private keys and passwords.

The net asset value of EBTC and EETH units is calculated by multiplying the coin entitlement of every unit by the price of underlying cryptocurrency as measured by CryptoCompare at 3pm Central European Time, converted into Australian dollars.

Press Contacts:
Arielle Sobel
[email protected]

Simrita Virk
Shed Connect
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About 21Shares:
21Shares takes innovation to the next level with the largest suite of cryptocurrency exchange-traded products (ETPs) in the world. In 2018 it pioneered the world's first cryptocurrency index listing on the SIX Swiss Exchange, and it continues powering its cryptocurrency franchise with cutting-edge research and groundbreaking approaches to product strategy. 21Shares aims to provide all investors with an easy, secure, and regulated way to buy, sell, and short cryptocurrency through existing bank and brokerage accounts. 21Shares is a Swiss company registered in Zug, Switzerland with offices in Zurich and New York City. For more information, please visit www.21shares.com.

Disclaimer:
This document is communicated by Shed Connect on behalf of ETFS Management (AUS) Limited (ETFS)(AFSL: 466 778). Under no circumstances is this document to be used or considered as an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities, investments or other financial instruments and any investments should only be made on the basis of the relevant product disclosure statement which should be considered by any potential investor including any risks identified therein.

This document does not take into account your personal needs and financial circumstances. You should seek independent financial, legal, tax and other relevant advice having regard to your particular circumstances. Although we use reasonable efforts to obtain reliable, comprehensive information, we make no representation and give no warranty that it is accurate or complete.

Investments in any product issued by ETFS are subject to investment risk, including possible delays in repayment and loss of income and principal invested. Neither ETFS, ETFS Capital Limited nor any other member of the ETFS Capital Group guarantees the performance of any products issued by ETFS or the repayment of capital or any particular rate of return therefrom.

The value or return of an investment will fluctuate and investor may lose some or all of their investment. Past performance is not an indication of future performance.

This document has been prepared by ETFS from sources which ETFS believes to be correct. However, none of ETFS, ETFS Capital Limited, 21Shares nor any other member of the ETFS Capital Group, nor any third party supplier of any data or index (including CC Data Ltd), nor any of their respective directors, employees or agents make any representation or warranty as to, or assume any responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of, or any errors or omissions in, any information or statement of opinion contained in this document or in any accompanying, previous or subsequent material or presentation. To the maximum extent permitted by law, ETFS, CC Data Ltd and each of those persons disclaim all any responsibility or liability for any loss or damage which may be suffered by any person relying upon any information contained in, or any omissions from, this document.

CryptoCompare's Crypto Coin Comparison Aggregated Index ("CCCAGG") is used with the permission of CC Data Ltd and has been licensed for use by ETFS Management (AUS) Limited ("ETFS") in connection with the EBTC (the "Product"). Neither ETFS nor the Product, as applicable, is sponsored, endorsed, sold or Promoted CC Data Ltd. CC Data Ltd make no representations or warranties regarding the advisability of investing in the Product. Past performance of a Product is not an indicator of or a guarantee of future results. YOUR USE OF CCCAGG, AND ANY INFORMATION INCLUDED IN, RELATED TO, OR DERIVED THEREFROM, IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. CC DATA LTD MAKES THE CCCAGG AVAILABLE ON AN "AS IS" BASIS AND EXCLUDES ALL WARRANTIES AND REPRESENTATIONS, EXPRESS AND/OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE.

Disclaimer:
This document is not an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy or subscribe for securities of 21Shares AG. Neither this document nor anything contained herein shall form the basis of, or be relied upon in connection with, any offer or commitment whatsoever in any jurisdiction. This document constitutes advertisement within the meaning of the Swiss Financial Services Act and not a prospectus. This document and the information contained herein are not for distribution in or into (directly or indirectly) the United States, Canada, Australia or Japan or any other jurisdiction in which the distribution or release would be unlawful. This document does not constitute an offer of securities to sell or a solicitation of an offer to purchase in or into the United States, Canada, Australia, or Japan. The securities of 21Shares AG to which these materials relate have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act. There will not be a public offering of securities in the United States. This document is only being distributed to and is only directed at: (i) to investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the "Order"); or (ii) high net worth entities, and other persons to whom it may lawfully be communicated, falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together being referred to as "relevant persons"); or (iii) persons who fall within Article 43(2) of the Order, including existing members and creditors of the Company or (iv) any other persons to whom this document can be lawfully distributed in circumstances where section 21(1) of the FSMA does not apply. The Securities are only available to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe, purchase or otherwise acquire such securities will be engaged in only with, relevant persons. Any person who is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this document or any of its contents. In any EEA Member State (other than the France, Germany, Italy, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Lichtenstein) that has implemented the Prospectus Regulation (EU) 2017/1129, together with any applicable implementing measures in any Member State, the "Prospectus Regulation") this communication is only addressed to and is only directed at qualified investors in that Member State within the meaning of the Prospectus Regulation. Exclusively for potential investors in France, Germany, Italy, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Liechtenstein the 2021 Base Prospectus (EU) is made available on the Issuer's website under www.21Shares.com. The approval of the 2021 Base Prospectus (EU) should not be understood as an endorsement by the SFSA of the securities offered or admitted to trading on a regulated market. Eligible potential investors should read the 2021 Base Prospectus (EU) and the relevant Final Terms before making an investment decision in order to understand the potential risks associated with the decision to invest in the securities.