Principal Risks
You could lose money by investing in the Fund.
●Investment Strategy Risk – The Fund seeks to provide investment results that correspond to the performance of a bitcoin-denominated investment in the stocks of the Nasdaq-100 Index. The Fund seeks to convert its U.S. dollar exposure to bitcoin exposure by primarily investing in bitcoin futures contracts. The Fund does not invest directly in or hold bitcoin. Investors seeking a direct investment in bitcoin should consider an investment other than the Fund. While the performance of bitcoin futures contracts, in general, has historically been highly correlated to the performance of “spot” bitcoin, there can be no guarantee that this will continue. “Spot” bitcoin refers to bitcoin that can be purchased immediately. The performance of the Fund should not be expected to match the performance of spot bitcoin.
●Bitcoin-Denominated Investment Risk — The Fund seeks to convert its U.S. dollar exposure to bitcoin exposure using bitcoin futures contracts. There is no guarantee that the Fund’s bitcoin futures contracts will effectively convert the Fund’s U.S. dollar exposure to bitcoin exposure.
When the price of bitcoin falls, a U.S. dollar-denominated investment in the stocks of the Nasdaq-100 Index should outperform the Fund. When the value of stocks of the Nasdaq-100 Index falls, a bitcoin-denominated investment in the stocks of the Nasdaq-100 Index will underperform an investment of the same size in bitcoin. The performance of the Fund could be particularly poor if the value of the stocks in the Nasdaq-100 Index deteriorates at the same time that the price of bitcoin falls. Furthermore, when the price of bitcoin remains unchanged, an investment in the Fund should be expected to underperform a long-only investment in the stocks of the Nasdaq-100 Index due to the ongoing costs associated with the Fund’s exposure to bitcoin futures or other factors.
There is no guarantee the Fund will have positive returns, even in environments of sharply rising bitcoin prices.
●Bitcoin Market Volatility Risk – The prices of bitcoin and bitcoin futures have historically been highly volatile. The value of the Fund’s investments in bitcoin futures – and therefore the value of an investment in the Fund – could decline significantly and without warning, including to zero. If you are not prepared to accept significant and unexpected changes in the value of the Fund and the possibility that you could lose your entire investment in the Fund you should not invest in the Fund.
Trading prices of bitcoin and other digital assets have experienced significant volatility in recent periods and may continue to do so. For instance, there were steep increases in the value of certain digital assets, including bitcoin over the course of 2021, and multiple market observers asserted that digital assets were experiencing a “bubble.” These
increases were followed by steep drawdowns throughout 2022 in digital asset trading prices, including for bitcoin. These episodes of rapid price appreciation followed by steep drawdowns have occurred multiple times throughout bitcoin’s history, including in 2011, 2013-2014, and 2017-2018, before repeating again in 2021-2022. In 2023 and over the course of 2024, bitcoin prices have continued to exhibit extreme volatility. Such volatility is expected to persist.
●Equity and Market Risk — Equity markets are volatile, and the value of equity securities and other instruments correlated with equity markets may fluctuate dramatically from day to day. Equity markets are subject to corporate, political, regulatory, market and economic developments, as well as developments that impact specific economic sectors, industries or segments of the market.
●Liquidity Risk — The market for the bitcoin futures contracts is still developing and may be subject to periods of illiquidity. During such times it may be difficult or impossible to buy or sell a position at the desired price. Market disruptions or volatility can also make it difficult to find a counterparty willing to transact at a reasonable price and sufficient size. Illiquid markets may cause losses, which could be significant. The large size of the positions which the Fund may acquire increases the risk of illiquidity, may make its positions more difficult to liquidate, and may increase the losses incurred while trying to do so. Such large positions also may impact the price of bitcoin futures, which could decrease the correlation between the performance of bitcoin futures and spot bitcoin.
●Bitcoin Futures Risk – The market for bitcoin futures may be less developed, and potentially less liquid and more volatile, than more established futures markets. While the bitcoin futures market has grown substantially since bitcoin futures commenced trading, there can be no assurance that this growth will continue. The price for bitcoin futures contracts is based on a number of factors, including the supply of and the demand for bitcoin futures contracts. Market conditions and expectations, regulatory limitations or limitations imposed by the listing exchanges or futures commission merchants (“FCMs”) (e.g., margin requirements, position limits, and accountability levels), collateral requirements, availability of counterparties, and other factors each can impact the supply of and demand for bitcoin futures contracts.
Market conditions and expectations, margin requirements, position limits, accountability levels, collateral requirements, availability of counterparties, and other factors may also limit the Fund’s ability to achieve its desired exposure to bitcoin futures contracts. If the Fund is unable to achieve such exposure it may not be able to meet its investment objective and the Fund’s returns may be different or lower than expected. Additionally, collateral requirements may require the Fund to liquidate its positions, potentially incurring losses and expenses, when it otherwise would