Crypto fund issuer Valour today announced the launch of an exchange-traded product (ETP) for Near Protocol’s native token, NEAR.
This groundbreaking ETP will be available on Sweden’s Spotlight Stock Market, offering retail and institutional investors the opportunity to gain exposure to the decentralized application development platform.
NEAR ETP joins Valour’s diverse portfolio of ETPs
Valour already operates one of the largest Solana ETPs, Valour Solana, and offers a suite of staking products, including ETPs for Bitcoin, Ether, and Internet Computer.
Valour’s head of product, Elaine Buehler, emphasized the significance of this new fund, highlighting its potential to grant investors access to an asset renowned for its transformative impact on decentralized finance (DeFi) and non-fungible tokens (NFTs).
Near Protocol, designed to tackle common blockchain development challenges such as user onboarding and multi-chain operations, boasts a market capitalization of approximately $6.8 billion. This positions NEAR among the top 20 digital assets globally, according to CoinMarketCap.
The launch of NEAR ETP comes amid a wave of regulatory approvals in the United States, where investment managers BlackRock, Franklin Templeton, and VanEck recently received preliminary approval to list the first exchange-traded ETH products. Analysts predict this move will pave the way for more crypto exchange-traded products in the US, including potential Solana-based ETFs.
Valour’s parent company, DeFi Technologies, currently manages around $600 million in assets across various crypto-native strategies.
On July 16, DeFi Technologies expanded its footprint by acquiring trading desk Stillman Digital in an all-stock deal. This acquisition is expected to significantly enhance the Canadian crypto platform’s capabilities, potentially positioning it as a formidable competitor to larger entities like Galaxy Digital.
Valour’s new NEAR ETP represents a significant advancement for investors seeking exposure to innovative blockchain technologies, reinforcing the firm’s position at the forefront of digital asset investment products.