One Fund Discloses $9 Million Ethereum ETF Exit as Crypto Market Downturn Worsens

On February 2, Hong Kong-based Apeiron Capital Limited disclosed in a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing that it sold its entire position in the iShares Ethereum Trust ETF (NASDAQ:ETHA) in an estimated $8.99 million trade during the fourth quarter.

What happened

According to a recent SEC filing, Apeiron Capital Ltd sold all 285,400 shares of the iShares Ethereum Trust ETF (NASDAQ:ETHA) during the fourth quarter of 2025. The fund’s ETHA stake now stands at zero. The net position change for the quarter, including price effects, totaled $8.99 million.

What else to know

Top holdings after the filing:

• NYSE:ONON: $36.99 million (42.8% of AUM)
• NASDAQ:SMMT: $22.90 million (26.5% of AUM)
• NASDAQ:QFIN: $19.80 million (22.9% of AUM)
• NYSEMKT:KWEB: $4.26 million (4.9% of AUM)
• NYSE:VRT: $2.53 million (2.9% of AUM)

As of January 30, ETHA shares were priced at $20.17, down 17.7% over the past year and underperforming the S&P 500 by 32.0 percentage points. One-year losses have since topped 30% amid a broader crypto market rout.

ETF overview

ETF snapshot

• ETHA’s investment strategy focuses on providing exposure to the price performance of ether (ETH), allowing investors to participate in the digital asset market without direct ownership or management of cryptocurrencies.
• The ETF is designed to closely track the value of ether while minimizing operational complexities for investors.
• The fund structure is intended for institutional and retail investors seeking regulated, exchange-traded access to ether, with the expense ratio and operational costs disclosed in official filings.

The iShares Ethereum Trust ETF offers investors a regulated vehicle for gaining exposure to ether, the native token of the Ethereum blockchain, without the need to manage digital wallets or interact with crypto exchanges directly. The fund's substantial assets under management reflect institutional interest in digital asset investment strategies. By streamlining access to ether through a traditional ETF structure, the fund lowers operational barriers and enhances transparency for a broad investor base.

What this transaction means for investors

The price of ether has been heavily volatile since its launch in 2017. Prices nearly tripled between April and September of last year, but they've since collapsed about 50%, including a brutal sell-off in the past week amid broader market volatility. Nevertheless, selling out of an Ethereum ETF is not a referendum on blockchain’s future. It’s more of a decision about where capital works hardest right now.

To be fair, ETHA offers clean, regulated exposure to ether, but it is still a single-asset vehicle tied almost entirely to price direction, and over the past year, that has been painful (as you would expect with ether prices down). ETHA’s NAV fell more than 11% in 2025, and recent losses have pushed one-year declines past 30% as volatility surged and risk appetite cooled. The ETF charges a 0.25% sponsor fee, holds no income-generating assets, and offers no distributions, making patience costly when prices move sideways or down.

Meanwhile, Apeiron’s remaining portfolio is tightly concentrated in operating businesses like On Holding, Summit Therapeutics, and QFIN, where returns hinge on execution rather than sentiment. Ultimately, clearing out a crypto position frees capital for names where fundamentals, not flows, drive outcomes, and having a focused portfolio might help as well.

Jonathan Ponciano has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends On Holding, Summit Therapeutics, and Vertiv. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.