As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 3, 2025

Registration No. 333-289662

 

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

Amendment No. 3

to

FORM S-1

REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

Grayscale Dogecoin Trust (DOGE)

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

Delaware

6221

99-6690727

(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)

(Primary Standard Industrial
Classification Code Number)

(I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 

c/o Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC
290 Harbor Drive, 4th Floor
Stamford, Connecticut 06902
(212) 668-1427

 

(Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Registrant’s Principal Executive Offices)

 

 

Edward McGee

Chief Financial Officer

Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC
290 Harbor Drive, 4th Floor
Stamford, Connecticut 06902
(212) 668-1427

 

(Name, Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent For Service)

 

 

Copies to:

Joseph A. Hall
Daniel P. Gibbons
Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP
450 Lexington Avenue
New York, New York 10017
(212) 450-4000

 

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Registration Statement.

If any of the securities being registered on this form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box. ☒

If this form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐

If this form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐

If this form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

Large accelerated filer ☐

Accelerated filer

☐

Non-accelerated filer ☒

Smaller reporting company

☒

Emerging growth company ☒

 

 

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. □

The Registration Statement shall hereafter become effective in accordance with the provisions of Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933.

 

 

 

 


The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

 

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED NOVEMBER 3, 2025

PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS

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Grayscale Dogecoin Trust (DOGE)

 

Grayscale Dogecoin Trust (DOGE) (the “Trust”) is a Delaware statutory trust that issues common units of fractional undivided beneficial interest (“Shares”), which represent ownership in the Trust. In connection with the effectiveness of this registration statement and the listing of the Shares on NYSE Arca, the Sponsor intends to rename the Trust as Grayscale Dogecoin Trust ETF by filing a Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Trust with the Delaware Secretary of State in accordance with the provisions of the DSTA. The Trust’s purpose is to hold “DOGE”, which are digital assets based on an open source cryptographic protocol existing on the DOGE Network, comprising units that constitute the assets underlying the Trust’s Shares. The Trust’s investment objective is for the value of the Shares (based on DOGE per Share) to reflect the value of DOGE held by the Trust, as determined by reference to the Index Price (as defined herein), less the Trust’s expenses and other liabilities. While an investment in the Shares is not a direct investment in DOGE, the Shares are designed to provide investors with a cost-effective and convenient way to gain investment exposure to DOGE. Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC is the sponsor of the Trust (the "Sponsor"). CSC Delaware Trust Company is the trustee of the Trust (the “Trustee”), The Bank of New York Mellon is the transfer agent of the Trust (in such capacity, the “Transfer Agent”) and the administrator of the Trust (in such capacity, the “Administrator”), Coinbase, Inc. is the prime broker of the Trust (the “Prime Broker”) and Coinbase Custody Trust Company, LLC is the custodian of the Trust (the “Custodian”).

Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for the Shares. The Trust intends to list the Shares on NYSE Arca, Inc. (“NYSE Arca”) under the symbol “GDOG.” The Trust intends to issue Shares on a continuous basis and is registering an indeterminate number of Shares. It is expected that the Shares will be sold to the public at varying prices to be determined by reference to, among other considerations, the price of DOGE and the trading price of the Shares on the NYSE Arca at the time of each sale.

The Shares may be purchased from the Trust only in one or more blocks of 10,000 Shares (a block of 10,000 Shares is called a “Basket”). The Trust issues Baskets of Shares to certain authorized participants (“Authorized Participants”) on an ongoing basis as described in “Plan of Distribution.” In addition, the Trust redeems Shares in Baskets on an ongoing basis from Authorized Participants. The Trust is currently able to accept Cash Orders (as defined herein), pursuant to which an Authorized Participant will deposit cash into, or accept cash from, the Cash Account in connection with the creation and redemption of Baskets, and a third party (a “Liquidity Provider”) that is not an agent of, or otherwise acting on behalf of, such Authorized Participant will obtain or receive DOGE in exchange for cash in connection with such order. However, the Trust is not at this time able to create and redeem shares via in-kind transactions with Authorized Participants. Although the SEC recently approved orders to permit in-kind creations and redemptions by authorized participants for certain spot digital asset exchange-traded product (“ETP”) shares, it is not yet clear whether or how market participants, including registered broker-dealers, will adjust their activities to account for the new orders. In light of the new orders, NYSE Arca may seek the necessary regulatory approval to amend its listing rules to permit the Trust to do so (the “In-Kind Regulatory Approval”). Subject to NYSE Arca seeking and obtaining In-Kind Regulatory Approval, in the future the Trust may also create and redeem Shares via in-kind transactions with Authorized Participants or their designees (any such designee, an “AP Designee”) in exchange for DOGE. There can be no assurance as to when NYSE Arca will seek or obtain such regulatory approval, if at all. See “Description of Creation and Redemption of Shares.” Some of the activities of the Authorized Participants will result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner which would render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the prospectus-delivery and liability provisions under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). See “Plan of Distribution.”

Investing in the Shares involves significant risks. You should carefully consider the risk factors described in “Risk Factors” starting on page 18 before you invest in the Shares.

 

The Trust is an “emerging growth company” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act and will therefore be subject to reduced reporting requirements. Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

The Shares are neither interests in nor obligations of the Sponsor or the Trustee.

The U.S. dollar value of a Basket of Shares at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the trade date of a creation or redemption order is equal to the “Basket Amount”, which is the amount of DOGE required to create or redeem a Basket of Shares, multiplied by the “Index Price,” which is the U.S. dollar value of an DOGE derived from the Digital Asset Trading Platforms (as defined herein) that are reflected in the CoinDesk DOGE CCIXber Reference Rate (the “Index”), calculated at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on each business day. The Index Price is calculated using non-GAAP methodology and is not used in the Trust’s financial statements.

 

The Trust is not a registered investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”) and is therefore not subject to regulation under the Investment Company Act. Furthermore, the Sponsor believes that the Trust is not a commodity pool for purposes of the Commodity Exchange Act of 1936, as amended (the “CEA”), as administered by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the “CFTC”) and that neither the Sponsor nor the Trustee is subject to regulation by the CFTC as a commodity pool operator or a commodity trading advisor. See “Risk Factors—Risk Factors Related to the Trust and the Shares— Shareholders do not have the protections associated with ownership of shares in an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act or the protections afforded by the CEA.”

The date of this prospectus is , 2025.

 


 

table of contents

 

 

Page

Forward-Looking Statements

ii

Prospectus Summary

1

The Offering

8

Risk Factors

19

Use of Proceeds

61

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

62

Business

68

Key Personnel of the Sponsor

111

Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions

113

Description of the Shares

115

Description of Creation and Redemption of Shares

117

Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences

124

ERISA and Related Considerations

130

Plan of Distribution

132

Legal Matters

134

Experts

135

Where You Can Find More Information

136

Glossary of Defined Terms

137

Index to Financial Statements

F-1

 

 

Neither the Trust nor the Sponsor has authorized anyone to provide you with any information other than that contained in this prospectus or any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of the Trust. Neither the Trust nor the Sponsor takes any responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any information that others may give you. Neither the Trust nor the Sponsor is making an offer to sell any security or soliciting any offer to buy any security in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should not assume that the information appearing in this prospectus or any free writing prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the respective dates on the front of such documents. The Trust’s business, assets, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.

This prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell, or an invitation on behalf of the Trust or the Sponsor, to subscribe to or purchase any securities, and may not be used for or in connection with an offer or solicitation by anyone, in any jurisdiction in which such an offer or solicitation is not authorized or to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such an offer or solicitation.

Authorized Participants may be required to deliver a prospectus when making transactions in the Shares. The information contained in the section captioned “Business—Overview of the Dogecoin Industry and Market” is based on information obtained from sources that the Sponsor believes are reliable. This prospectus summarizes certain documents and other information in a manner the Sponsor believes to be accurate. In making an investment decision, you must rely on your own examination of the Trust, the Dogecoin industry, the operation of the DOGE market and the terms of the offering and the Shares, including the merits and risks involved. Although the Sponsor believes this information to be reliable, the accuracy and completeness of this information is not guaranteed and has not been independently verified.

See “Glossary of Defined Terms” for the definition of certain capitalized terms used in this prospectus.

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Forward-Looking Statements

This prospectus contains “forward-looking statements” with respect to the Trust’s financial conditions, results of operations, plans, objectives, future performance and business. Statements preceded by, followed by or that include words such as “may,” “might,” “will,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential” or “continue,” the negative of these terms and other similar expressions are intended to identify some of the forward-looking statements. All statements (other than statements of historical fact) included in this prospectus that address activities, events or developments that will or may occur in the future, including such matters as changes in market prices and conditions, the Trust’s operations, the Sponsor’s plans and references to the Trust’s future success and other similar matters are forward-looking statements. These statements are only predictions. Actual events or results may differ materially from such statements. These statements are based upon certain assumptions and analyses the Sponsor made based on its perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors appropriate in the circumstances. You should specifically consider the numerous risks described in “Risk Factors” in this prospectus. Whether or not actual results and developments will conform to the Sponsor’s expectations and predictions, however, is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including:

•
recent developments in the digital asset economy which have led to extreme volatility and disruption in digital asset markets, a loss of confidence in participants of the digital asset ecosystem, significant negative publicity surrounding digital assets broadly and market-wide declines in liquidity;
•
the extreme volatility of trading prices that many digital assets, including DOGE, have experienced in recent periods and may continue to experience, which could cause the value of the Shares to be volatile and/or have a material adverse effect on the value of the Shares;
•
the recency of the development of digital assets and the uncertain medium-to-long term value of the Shares due to a number of factors relating to the capabilities and development of blockchain technologies and to the fundamental investment characteristics of digital assets;
•
the value of the Shares depending on the acceptance of digital assets, such as DOGE, which represent a new and rapidly evolving industry;
•
the value of the Shares relating directly to the value of DOGE then held by the Trust, the value of which may be highly volatile and subject to fluctuations due to a number of factors;
•
a temporary or permanent “fork” or a “clone”, which could adversely affect the value of the Shares;
•
the largely unregulated nature and lack of transparency surrounding the operations of Digital Asset Trading Platforms, which may adversely affect the value of digital assets and, consequently, the value of the Shares;
•
the limited history of the Index;
•
the lack of active trading markets for the Shares, which may result in losses on investors’ investments at the time of disposition of Shares;
•
the possibility that illiquid markets may exacerbate losses or increase the variability between the Trust’s NAV and its market price;
•
the possibility that there may be less liquidity or wider spreads in the market for the Shares as compared to the shares of other spot DOGE exchange-traded products, if and when the listing of such products has been approved;
•
competition from the emergence or growth of other digital assets could have a negative impact on the price of DOGE and adversely affect the value of the Shares;

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•
the liquidity of the Shares may be affected if Authorized Participants cease to perform their obligations under the Participant Agreements or the Liquidity Engager is unable to engage Liquidity Providers;
•
the possibility that the Shares may trade at a price that is at, above or below the Trust’s NAV per Share as a result of the non-current trading hours between NYSE Arca and the Digital Asset Trading Platform Market;
•
regulatory changes or actions by the U.S. Congress or any U.S. federal or state agencies that may affect the value of the Shares or restrict the use of one or more digital assets, validating activity or the operation of their networks or the Digital Asset Trading Platform Market in a manner that adversely affects the value of the Shares;
•
a determination that DOGE or any other digital asset is a “security” may adversely affect the value of DOGE and the value of the Shares and result in potentially extraordinary, nonrecurring expenses to, or termination of, the Trust;
•
changes in the policies of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) that could adversely impact the value of the Shares;
•
regulatory changes or other events in foreign jurisdictions that may affect the value of the Shares or restrict the use of one or more digital assets, validating activity or the operation of their networks or the Digital Asset Trading Platform Market in a manner that adversely affects the value of the Shares;
•
the possibility that an Authorized Participant, the Trust or the Sponsor could be subject to regulation as a money service business or money transmitter, which could result in extraordinary expenses to such Authorized Participant, the Trust or the Sponsor and also result in decreased liquidity for the Shares;
•
regulatory changes or interpretations that could obligate the Trust or the Sponsor to register and comply with new regulations, resulting in potentially extraordinary, nonrecurring expenses to the Trust;
•
potential conflicts of interest that may arise among the Sponsor or its affiliates and the Trust;
•
the potential discontinuance of the Sponsor’s continued services, which could be detrimental to the Trust;
•
the lack of ability to facilitate in-kind creations and redemptions of Shares, which could have adverse consequences for the Trust;
•
the Trust’s reliance on third-party service providers to perform certain functions essential to the affairs of the Trust and the challenges replacement of such service providers could pose to the safekeeping of the Trust’s DOGE and to the operations of the Trust; and
•
the Custodian’s possible resignation or removal by the Sponsor or otherwise, without replacement, which could trigger early termination of the Trust.

Consequently, all forward-looking statements made in this prospectus are qualified by these cautionary statements, and there can be no assurance that the actual results or developments the Sponsor anticipates will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will result in the expected consequences to, or have the expected effects on, the Trust’s operations or the value of the Shares. Should one or more of these risks discussed in “Risk Factors” in this prospectus, or other uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual outcomes may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are made based on the Sponsor’s beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date the statements are made and neither the Trust nor the Sponsor is under a duty or undertakes an obligation to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, other than as required by applicable laws. Moreover, neither the Trust, the Sponsor, nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of any of these forward-looking statements. Investors are therefore cautioned against relying on forward-looking statements.

iii


 

Prospectus Summary

This summary highlights information contained elsewhere in this prospectus. This summary may not contain all of the information that you should consider before deciding to invest in the Shares. You should read this entire prospectus carefully, including the “Risk Factors” section and the consolidated financial statements and the notes to those statements, before making an investment decision about the Shares.

Grayscale Dogecoin Trust (DOGE)

Trust Overview

Grayscale Dogecoin Trust (DOGE) (the “Trust”) is a Delaware Statutory Trust that was formed on January 27, 2021, by the filing of the Certificate of Trust with the Delaware Secretary of State in accordance with the provisions of the Delaware Statutory Trust Act (“DSTA”). Prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, the name of the Trust was Grayscale Dogecoin Trust (DOGE). In connection with the effectiveness of this registration statement and the listing of the Shares on NYSE Arca, the Sponsor intends to rename the Trust as Grayscale DOGE Trust ETF by filing a Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Trust with the Delaware Secretary of State in accordance with the provisions of the DSTA. The Trust’s purpose is to hold “DOGE”, which are digital assets that are created and transmitted through the operations of the peer-to-peer Dogecoin Network, a decentralized network of computers that operates on cryptographic protocols. There are several key features of the Dogecoin Network. DOGE was created as a parody in 2013 in connection with a clone of the Litecoin protocol, which in turn is a clone of the Bitcoin protocol. All additional DOGE have been created through a progressive mining process. Approximately 151.2 billion DOGE have entered circulation as of September 30, 2025. As of September 30, 2025, the 24-hour trading volume of DOGE was approximately $1.0 billion. As of September 30, 2025, the aggregate market value of DOGE was $35.2 billion. As of October 30, 2025, DOGE was the ninth largest digital asset by market capitalization, as tracked by CoinMarketCap.com.

As a passive investment vehicle, the Trust’s investment objective is for the value of the Shares (based on DOGE per Share) to reflect the value of DOGE held by the Trust, determined by reference to the Index Price, less the Trust’s expenses and other liabilities. The Trust does not seek to generate returns beyond tracking the price of DOGE. There can be no assurance that the Trust will be able to achieve its investment objective. The Trust will not utilize leverage, derivatives or any similar arrangements in seeking to meet its investment objective.

From and after the date of this prospectus, the Trust intends to issue Shares on an ongoing basis pursuant to this registration statement, intends to rely on an exemption or other relief from the SEC under Regulation M to operate a redemption program, and intends to list the Shares on NYSE Arca under the symbol “GDOG.” The Shares will be distributed by Authorized Participants who will be able to take advantage of arbitrage opportunities to keep the value of the Shares closely linked to the Index Price (referred to as the “arbitrage mechanism”). In particular, upon listing on NYSE Arca, the Sponsor expects there to be a net creation of Shares if the Shares trade at a premium to NAV per Share and a net redemption of Shares if the Shares trade at a discount to NAV per Share, representing the effective functioning of the arbitrage mechanism.

Thereafter, it is expected that the Shares will be sold by the Authorized Participants to the public at varying prices to be determined by reference to, among other considerations, the price of the DOGE represented by each Share and the trading price of the Shares on NYSE Arca at the time of each sale.

Until December 31, 2024, Grayscale Investments, LLC was the sponsor of the Trust. As a result of the Reorganization (as defined herein), on January 1, 2025, Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC (“GSIS”) and Grayscale Operating, LLC (“GSO”), consolidated subsidiaries of Digital Currency Group, Inc. (“DCG”), became Co-Sponsors of the Trust. On January 3, 2025 GSO voluntarily withdrew as a Sponsor of the Trust, and effective May 3, 2025 GSIS is the sole remaining Sponsor. Prior to May 3, 2025, all references herein to the “Sponsor” shall be deemed to include both GSIS and GSO as Sponsors unless the context otherwise requires, and on or after May 3, 2025, all references herein to the “Sponsor” shall refer only to GSIS. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Recent Developments” for more information. CSC Delaware Trust Company is the trustee (the “Trustee”) of the Trust, The Bank of New York Mellon is the transfer agent (in such capacity, the “Transfer Agent”) and the administrator (in such capacity, the “Administrator”) of the Trust,

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Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company is the co-transfer agent of the Trust (the “Co-Transfer Agent”), Coinbase, Inc. is the prime broker (the “Prime Broker”) of the Trust and Coinbase Custody Trust Company, LLC is the custodian (the “Custodian”) of the Trust.

The Trust issues Shares only in one or more blocks of 10,000 Shares (a block of 10,000 Shares is called a “Basket”) to certain authorized participants (“Authorized Participants”) from time to time. Baskets are offered in exchange for DOGE. Through its redemption program, the Trust will redeem Shares from Authorized Participants on an ongoing basis.

The U.S. dollar value of a Basket of Shares at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the trade date of a creation or redemption order is equal to the Basket Amount, which is the amount of DOGE required to create or redeem a Basket of Shares, multiplied by the “Index Price,” which is the U.S. dollar value of an DOGE derived from the Digital Asset Trading Platforms that are reflected in the CoinDesk DOGE CCIXber Reference Rate (the “Index”) at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on each business day. The Index Price is calculated using non-GAAP methodology and is not used in the Trust’s financial statements. See “Business—Overview of the Dogecoin Industry and Market—The Index and the Index Price.”

The Basket Amount on any trade date is determined by dividing (x) the amount of DOGE owned by the Trust at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on such trade date, after deducting the amount of DOGE representing the U.S. dollar value of accrued but unpaid fees and expenses of the Trust (converted using the Index Price at such time, and carried to the eighth decimal place), by (y) the number of Shares outstanding at such time (with the quotient so obtained calculated to one one-hundred-millionth of one DOGE (i.e., carried to the eighth decimal place)), and multiplying such quotient by 10,000.

The Trust creates Baskets of Shares only upon receipt of DOGE and will redeem Shares only by distributing DOGE or proceeds from the disposition of DOGE. At this time, Authorized Participants may only submit orders to create or redeem Shares through transactions that are referred to as “Cash Orders” in this prospectus. Cash Orders are made through the participation of a Liquidity Provider (as defined herein) and facilitated by the Transfer Agent, as described in “Description of Creation and Redemption of Shares.” Authorized Participants must pay a Variable Fee (as defined herein) in connection with certain Cash Orders.

Subject to In-Kind Regulatory Approval, in the future Authorized Participants would also be able to submit orders to create or redeem shares through “In-Kind Orders.” In connection with In-Kind Orders, Authorized Participants, or their AP Designees, would deposit DOGE directly with the Trust or receive DOGE directly from the Trust. However, because In-Kind Regulatory Approval has not been obtained, at this time Shares will not be created or redeemed through In-Kind Orders. Even if In-Kind Regulatory Approval were sought and obtained, there can be no assurance that in-kind creations or redemptions of the Shares will be available in the future. To the extent in-kind creations and redemptions of Shares continue to be unavailable for any reason, this could have adverse consequences for the Trust. See “Risk Factors—Risk Factors Related to the Trust and the Shares—The lack of ability to facilitate in-kind creations and redemptions of Shares could have adverse consequences for the Trust.”

The Shares are neither interests in nor obligations of the Sponsor or the Trustee. As provided under the Trust Agreement, the Trust’s assets will not be loaned or pledged, or serve as collateral for any loan, margin, rehypothecation, or other similar activity to which the Sponsor, the Trust or any of their respective affiliates are a party.

Some of the notable features of the Trust and its Shares include the holding of DOGE in the Trust’s own accounts, the experience of the Sponsor’s management team in the Dogecoin industry and the use of the Custodian to protect the Trust’s private keys. See “Business—Activities of the Trust.”

The Sponsor maintains an Internet website at etfs.grayscale.com/gdog, through which the Trust’s annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), will be made available free of charge after they have been filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) in each case following the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. Additional information regarding the Trust may also be found on the SEC’s EDGAR database at www.sec.gov.

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The contents of the websites referred to above and any websites referred to herein are not incorporated into this filing or any other reports or documents we file with or furnish to the SEC. Further, our references to the URLs for these websites are intended to be inactive textual references only.

Trust Objective and Determination of Principal Market NAV and NAV

The Trust’s investment objective is for the value of the Shares (based on DOGE per Share) to reflect the value of DOGE held by the Trust, determined by reference to the Index Price, less the Trust’s expenses and other liabilities. There can be no assurance that the Trust will be able to achieve its investment objective.

While an investment in the Shares is not a direct investment in DOGE, the Shares are designed to provide investors with a cost-effective and convenient way to gain investment exposure to DOGE. A substantial direct investment in DOGE may require expensive and sometimes complicated arrangements in connection with the acquisition, security and safekeeping of the DOGE and may involve the payment of substantial fees to acquire such DOGE from third-party facilitators through cash payments of U.S. dollars. Because the value of the Shares is designed to be correlated with the value of DOGE held by the Trust, it is important to understand the investment attributes of, and the market for, DOGE.

The Trust’s DOGE are carried, for financial statement purposes, at fair value as required by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). The Trust determines the fair value of DOGE based on the price provided by the Digital Asset Market (defined below) that the Trust considers its principal market as of 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the valuation date. The net asset value of the Trust determined on a GAAP basis is referred to in this prospectus as “Principal Market NAV.” “Digital Asset Market” means a “Brokered Market,” “Dealer Market,” “Principal-to-Principal Market” or “Exchange Market,” as each such term is defined in the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Master Glossary. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates—Principal Market and Fair Value Determination” in this prospectus for more information on the Trust’s principal market selection.

The Trust uses the Index Price to calculate its “NAV,” a non-GAAP metric, which is the aggregate value, expressed in U.S. dollars, of the Trust’s assets (other than U.S. dollars or other fiat currency), less the U.S. dollar value of the Trust’s expenses and other liabilities calculated in the manner set forth under “Business —Valuation of DOGE and Determination of NAV.” “NAV per Share” is calculated by dividing NAV by the number of Shares then outstanding.

NAV and NAV per Share are not measures calculated in accordance with GAAP. NAV is not intended to be a substitute for the Trust’s Principal Market NAV calculated in accordance with GAAP, and NAV per Share is not intended to be a substitute for the Trust’s Principal Market NAV per Share calculated in accordance with GAAP.

DOGE History

DOGE is a digital asset that is created and transmitted through the operations of the peer-to-peer Dogecoin Network, a decentralized network of computers that operates on cryptographic protocols. No single entity owns or operates the Dogecoin Network, the infrastructure of which is collectively maintained by a decentralized user base. The Dogecoin Network allows people to exchange tokens of value, called DOGE, which are recorded on a public transaction ledger. DOGE is primarily intended as a parody, or memecoin, with no formal purpose or utility, but it can be used to pay for goods and services, including to send a transaction on the Dogecoin Network, or it can be converted to fiat currencies, such as the U.S. dollar, at rates determined on Digital Asset Trading Platforms (as defined herein) or in individual end-user-to-end-user transactions under a barter system. The Dogecoin Network is based on a shared public ledger, similar to the Bitcoin network. However, the Dogecoin Network differentiates itself from other digital asset networks in that its stated primary function is transactional utility, not store of value. The Dogecoin Network is designed to be a global real-time payment and settlement system. As a result, the Dogecoin Network and DOGE aim to improve the speed at which parties on the network may transfer value while also reducing the fees and delays associated with the traditional methods of interbank payments.

The price of DOGE on public Digital Asset Trading Platforms has a limited history, and during this history, DOGE prices on the Digital Asset Markets more generally, and on Digital Asset Trading Platforms individually,

3


 

have been volatile and subject to influence by many factors, including operational interruptions. While the Index is designed to limit exposure to the interruption of individual Digital Asset Trading Platforms, the Index Price, and the price of DOGE generally, remain subject to volatility experienced by Digital Asset Trading Platforms, and such volatility could adversely affect the value of the Shares. For example, from January 30, 2025 (the commencement of the Trust’s operations) through September 30, 2025, the Index Price ranged from $0.14 to $0.33, with the straight average being $0.21. See “Business—Overview of the Dogecoin Industry and Market—Historical DOGE Prices.”

Several U.S. regulators, including the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“FinCEN”), the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”), the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”), and state regulators, including the New York Department of Financial Services (“NYDFS”), have made official pronouncements or issued guidance or rules regarding the treatment of DOGE and other digital assets. However, other U.S. and state agencies, such as the SEC, have not made official pronouncements or issued guidance or rules regarding the treatment of DOGE. Similarly, the treatment of DOGE and other digital assets is often uncertain or contradictory in other countries. The regulatory uncertainty surrounding the treatment of DOGE creates risks for the Trust and its Shares. See “Risk Factors—Risk Factors Related to the Regulation of Digital Assets, the Trust and the Shares.”

Recent Developments

On October 22, 2025, GSO Intermediate Holdings Corporation ("GSOIH"), a Delaware corporation which was the sole managing member of GSO, a Delaware limited liability company which is the sole member of the Sponsor, consummated an internal corporate reorganization (the "Management Reorganization"). Pursuant to the Management Reorganization, GSOIH transferred a portion of its common membership units of GSO for Class A shares of Grayscale Investments, Inc. ("Grayscale Investments"), a Delaware corporation incorporated in connection with the Management Reorganization, and ceded its managing member rights in GSO to Grayscale Investments. As a result of the Management Reorganization, Grayscale Investments is now the sole managing member of GSO, the sole member of the Sponsor.

Also in connection with the Management Reorganization, on October 22, 2025, DCG Grayscale Holdco, LLC ("DCG Holdco"), the sole stockholder of Grayscale Investments, elected a board of directors (the "Board") at Grayscale Investments. Prior to the Management Reorganization, GSOIH's board of directors was responsible for managing and directing the affairs of the Sponsor. As a result of the Management Reorganization, the Board of Grayscale Investments is responsible for managing and directing the affairs of the Sponsor, and consists of Barry Silbert, Mark Shifke, Simon Koster, Peter Mintzberg and Edward McGee, the same members as the board of directors of GSOIH prior to the Management Reorganization. Mr. Mintzberg and Mr. McGee also retain the authority granted to them as officers of the Sponsor under the limited liability company agreement of the Sponsor. Mr. Silbert is the Chairperson of the Board of Grayscale Investments. See "Key Personnel of the Sponsor."

DCG Holdco, Grayscale Investments, GSOIH, GSO and the Sponsor are all consolidated subsidiaries of Digital Currency Group, Inc.

The Sponsor does not expect the Management Reorganization to have any material impact on the operations of the Trust.

Summary Risk Factors

Before you invest in the Shares, you should carefully consider all the information in this prospectus, including matters set forth under the heading “Risk Factors.” Some of the more significant challenges and risks relating to an investment in the Shares include those associated with the following:

•
Extreme volatility of trading prices that many digital assets, including DOGE, have experienced in recent periods and may continue to experience, could have a material adverse effect on the value of the Shares and the Shares could lose all or substantially all of their value;
•
The medium-to-long term value of the Shares is subject to a number of factors relating to the capabilities and development of blockchain technologies and to the fundamental investment characteristics of digital assets;

4


 

•
The value of the Shares is dependent on the acceptance of digital assets, such as DOGE, which represent a new and rapidly evolving industry;
•
Digital assets may have concentrated ownership and large sales or distributions by holders of such digital assets could have an adverse effect on the market price of such digital assets;
•
Recent developments in the digital asset economy have led to extreme volatility and disruption in digital asset markets, a loss of confidence in participants of the digital asset ecosystem, significant negative publicity surrounding digital assets broadly and market-wide declines in liquidity;
•
The largely unregulated nature and lack of transparency surrounding the operations of Digital Asset Trading Platforms may adversely affect the value of digital assets and, consequently, the value of the Shares;
•
The value of the Shares relates directly to the value of DOGE held by the Trust, the value of which may be highly volatile and subject to fluctuations;
•
The Shares may trade at a price that is at, above or below the Trust’s NAV per Share as a result of the non-current trading hours between NYSE Arca and the Digital Asset Trading Platform Market;
•
Shareholders may suffer a loss on their investment if the Shares trade above or below the Trust’s NAV per Share;
•
A temporary or permanent “fork” or a “clone” could adversely affect the value of the Shares;
•
The lack of active trading markets for the Shares may result in losses on investors’ investments at the time of disposition of Shares;
•
Possible illiquid markets may exacerbate losses or increase the variability between the Trust’s NAV and its market price;
•
The possibility that there may be less liquidity or wider spreads in the market for the Shares as compared to the shares of other spot DOGE exchange-traded products, if and when the listing of such products has been approved;
•
The limited history of the Index;
•
Competition from the emergence or growth of other digital assets could have a negative impact on the price of DOGE and adversely affect the value of the Shares;
•
The liquidity of the Shares may be affected if Authorized Participants cease to perform their obligations under the Participant Agreements or the Liquidity Engager is unable to engage Liquidity Providers;
•
Any suspension or other unavailability of the Trust’s redemption program may cause the Shares to trade at a discount to the NAV per Share;
•
A determination that DOGE or any other digital asset is a “security” may adversely affect the value of DOGE and the value of the Shares, and result in potentially extraordinary, nonrecurring expenses to, or termination of, the Trust;
•
Regulatory changes or actions by the U.S. Congress or any U.S. federal or state agencies may affect the value of the Shares or restrict the use of DOGE, validating activity or the operation of the Dogecoin Network or the Digital Asset Markets in a manner that adversely affects the value of the Shares;
•
Changes in the policies of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) could adversely impact the value of the Shares;

5


 

•
Regulatory changes or other events in foreign jurisdictions may affect the value of the Shares or restrict the use of one or more digital assets, validating activity or the operation of their networks or the Digital Asset Trading Platform Market in a manner that adversely affects the value of the Shares;
•
An Authorized Participant, the Trust or the Sponsor could be subject to regulation as a money service business or money transmitter, which could result in extraordinary expenses to the Authorized Participant, the Trust or the Sponsor and also result in decreased liquidity for the Shares;
•
Regulatory changes or interpretations could obligate the Trust or the Sponsor to register and comply with new regulations, resulting in potentially extraordinary, nonrecurring expenses to the Trust;
•
Conflicts of interest may arise among the Sponsor or its affiliates and the Trust;
•
The Sponsor’s services may be discontinued, which could be detrimental to the Trust;
•
The lack of ability to facilitate in-kind creations and redemptions of Shares could have adverse consequences for the Trust;
•
If the Custodian resigns or is removed by the Sponsor, or otherwise, without replacement, it could trigger early termination of the Trust;
•
The Trust relies on third-party service providers to perform certain functions essential to the affairs of the Trust and the replacement of such service providers could pose a challenge to the safekeeping of the Trust’s DOGE and to the operations of the Trust; and
•
There is no guarantee that an active trading market for the Shares will develop.

Emerging Growth Company Status

The Trust is an “emerging growth company” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (the “JOBS Act”). For as long as the Trust is an emerging growth company, unlike other public companies that are not emerging growth companies under the JOBS Act, it will not be required to:

•
provide an auditor’s attestation report on management’s assessment of the effectiveness of our system of internal control over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act;
•
provide more than two years of audited financial statements and related management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations;
•
comply with any new requirements that may be adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (the “PCAOB”) requiring mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the auditor’s report in which the auditor would be required to provide additional information about the audit and the financial statements of the issuer;
•
provide certain disclosure regarding executive compensation required of larger public companies; or
•
obtain shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved.

The Trust will cease to be an emerging growth company upon the earliest of:

•
the last day of the fiscal year in which the Trust has $1.235 billion or more in annual revenues;
•
the date on which the Trust becomes a “large accelerated filer” under Rule 12b-2 promulgated under the Exchange Act;
•
the date on which the Trust issues more than $1.0 billion of non-convertible debt over a three-year period; or

6


 

•
the last day of the fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of the Trust’s initial public offering.

In addition, Section 107 of the JOBS Act provides that an emerging growth company can take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act for complying with new or revised accounting standards. The Trust intends to take advantage of these reporting exemptions until it is no longer an emerging growth company. The Trust’s election to use the phase-in periods permitted by this election may make it difficult to compare its financial statements to those of non-emerging growth companies and other emerging growth companies that have opted out of the longer phase-in periods under Section 107 of the JOBS Act and who will comply with new or revised financial accounting standards. If the Trust were to subsequently elect instead to comply with these public company effective dates, such election would be irrevocable pursuant to Section 107 of the JOBS Act.

Corporate Information

The offices of the Trust and the Sponsor are located at 290 Harbor Drive, 4th Floor, Stamford, Connecticut 06902 and the Trust’s telephone number is (212) 668-1427. The Trustee has a trust office at 2711 Centerville Road, Wilmington, Delaware 19808. The Prime Broker’s and the Custodian’s office is located at 548 Market Street, #23008, San Francisco, CA 94104. The Transfer Agent’s office is located at 240 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10286. Our Internet site is www.etfs.grayscale.com/gdog. Our website and the information contained therein or connected thereto is not incorporated into this prospectus or the registration statement of which it forms a part.

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The Offering

 

Shares Offered by the Trust

Shares representing units of fractional undivided beneficial interest in, and ownership of, the Trust.

Use of Proceeds

Proceeds received by the Trust from the issuance and sale of Baskets will consist of DOGE deposited with the Trust in connection with creations. Such DOGE will only be (i) owned by the Trust, (ii) transferred (or converted to U.S. dollars, if necessary) to pay the Trust’s expenses, (iii) distributed or otherwise disposed of in connection with the redemption of Baskets or (iv) liquidated in the event that the Trust terminates or as otherwise required by law or regulation.

Proposed NYSE Arca symbol

GDOG

CUSIP

389923103

Index Price

The Index Price is the price of an DOGE at 4:00 p.m., New York time, calculated based on the price and trading volume data of the Digital Asset Trading Platforms included in the Index over the preceding 24-hour period. The Index Price is calculated using non-GAAP methodology and is not used in the Trust’s financial statements.

 

The Index is a U.S. dollar-denominated composite reference rate for the price of DOGE. The Index is designed to (1) mitigate the effects of fraud, manipulation and other anomalous trading activity from impacting the DOGE reference rate, (2) provide a real-time, volume-weighted fair value of DOGE and (3) appropriately handle and adjust for non-market related events. The Index Provider formally re-evaluates the weighting algorithm quarterly, but maintains discretion to change the way in which an Index Price is calculated based on its periodic review or in extreme circumstances. The exact methodology to calculate the Index Price is not publicly available. Still, the Index is designed to limit exposure to trading or price distortion of any individual Digital Asset Trading Platform that experiences periods of unusual activity or limited liquidity by discounting, in real-time, anomalous price movements at individual Digital Asset Trading Platforms. The Digital Asset Trading Platforms that are included in the Index are selected by the Index Provider utilizing a methodology that is guided by the International Organization of Securities Commissions (“IOSCO”) principles for financial benchmarks. For an exchange to become a Constituent Trading Platform (as defined herein), it must satisfy the Inclusion Criteria described in this prospectus, as may be updated by the Index Provider from time to time. See “Risk Factors—Risk Factors Related to the Digital Asset Markets—The Index Price used to calculate the value of the Trust’s DOGE may be volatile, and purchasing and selling activity in the Digital Asset Markets associated with Basket creations and redemptions may affect the Index Price and Share trading prices, adversely affecting the value of the Shares.”

8


 

 

Index price data and the description of the Index are based on information publicly available at the Index Provider’s website at www.coindesk.com/indices/. None of the information on the Index Provider’s website is incorporated by reference into this prospectus.

 

The Index Provider may change the trading venues that are used to calculate the Index Price or otherwise change the way in which the Index Price is calculated at any time. If the Index Price becomes unavailable, or if the Sponsor determines in good faith that the Index Price does not reflect an accurate DOGE price, then the Sponsor will, on a best efforts basis, contact the Index Provider to obtain the Index Price directly from the Index Provider. If after such contact the Index Price remains unavailable or the Sponsor continues to believe in good faith that the Index Price does not reflect an accurate DOGE price, then the Sponsor will employ a cascading set of rules to determine the Index Price, as described in “Business—Overview of the Dogecoin Industry and Market—The Index and the Index Price.”

 

The Sponsor may, in its sole discretion, select a different Index Provider, select a different index price provided by the Index Provider, calculate the Index Price using a cascading set of rules as described above, or change such cascading set of rules at any time. The Sponsor will provide notice of any such changes in the Trust’s periodic or current reports and, if the Sponsor makes such a change other than on an ad hoc or temporary basis, will file a proposed rule change with the SEC.

 

Digital Asset Trading Platform Public Market Data

 

On each online Digital Asset Trading Platform, DOGE is traded with publicly disclosed valuations for each executed trade, measured by one or more fiat currencies such as the U.S. dollar or euro, or stablecoins such as U.S. Dollar Coin (“USDC”).

 

Over-the-counter dealers or market makers do not typically disclose their trade data.

 

As of September 30, 2025, the Digital Asset Trading Platforms included in the Index were Bitfinex, Bitstamp by Robinhood, Bullish, Bybit, Crypto.com, Gemini, Kraken, LMAX Digital and OKX. As further described below, the Sponsor and the Trust reasonably believe each of these Digital Asset Trading Platforms are in material compliance with applicable U.S. federal and state licensing requirements based on the Trading Platform Category and jurisdiction, as detailed below, and maintain practices and policies designed to comply with anti-money laundering (“AML”) and know-your-customer (“KYC”) regulations.

 

Bitstamp by Robinhood: A U.K.-based trading platform that has U.S. operations and entities registered as MSBs with FinCEN, holds a BitLicense, and that is licensed as a money transmitter in various U.S. states.

 

Bitfinex: A British Virgin Islands based trading platform. Bitfinex does not hold any licenses or registrations in the U.S. and is not available to U.S.-based customers. Bitfinex is categorized by the

9


 

 

Index Provider as a “Category 2” trading platform that meets the Inclusion Criteria but is non-U.S. licensed.

 

Bullish: A Gibraltar-based trading platform that has entities registered as MSBs with FinCEN. Bullish is not available to U.S.-based customers. Bullish is categorized by the Index Provider as a “Category 2” trading platform that meets the Inclusion Criteria but is non-U.S. licensed.

 

Bybit: A United Arab Emirates-based trading platform. Bybit does not hold any licenses or registrations in the U.S. and is not available to U.S. based customers. Bybit is categorized by the Index Provider as a “Category 2” trading platform that meets the Inclusion Criteria but is non-U.S. licensed.

 

Crypto.com: A Singapore-based trading platform that has entities registered as MSBs with FinCEN, and that is licensed as a money transmitter in various U.S. states and chartered as a non-depository trust company by the New Hampshire Banking Department. Crypto.com does not hold a BitLicense.

 

Gemini: A U.S.-based trading platform that has entities registered as MSBs with FinCEN and that is licensed as a money transmitter in various U.S. states. Gemini also has a New York entity that holds a limited purpose trust charter and has received approval from NYDFS to engage in virtual currency business activity and is exempt from applying for a BitLicense under the framework established by NYDFS because of their trust charter under New York Banking Law.

 

Kraken: A U.S.-based trading platform that has entities registered as MSBs with FinCEN, and that is licensed as a money transmitter in various U.S. states and chartered as a Special Purpose Depository Institution by the Wyoming Division of Banking. Kraken does not hold a BitLicense.

 

LMAX Digital: A U.K.-based trading platform that has entities registered as a broker with the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority, and that is licensed as an MSB with FinCEN and regulated by the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission.

 

OKX: A Seychelles-based trading platform. OKX does not hold any licenses or registrations in the U.S. and is not available to U.S.-based customers. OKX is categorized by the Index Provider as a “Category 2” trading platform that meets the Inclusion Criteria but is non-U.S. licensed.

 

Currently, there are several Digital Asset Trading Platforms operating worldwide, and online Digital Asset Trading Platforms represent a substantial percentage of DOGE buying and selling activity and provide the most data with respect to prevailing valuations of DOGE. These trading platforms include established trading platforms such as the Digital Asset Trading Platforms included in the Index, which provide a number of options for buying and selling DOGE. The below table reflects the trading volume in DOGE and market share of the DOGE-U.S. dollar and DOGE-USDC trading pairs of each of the Digital Asset Trading Platforms included in the Index as of

10


 

 

September 30, 2025 (collectively, “Constituent Trading Platforms”), using data since January 1, 2024:

 

 

Digital Asset Trading Platforms included in the Index as of September 30, 2025(1)

 

Volume (DOGE)

 

 

Market Share(2)

 

 

Kraken

 

 

67,175,921,566

 

 

 

17.70

%

 

Crypto.com

 

 

19,513,836,552

 

 

 

5.14

%

 

Bitstamp by Robinhood

 

 

8,399,094,678

 

 

 

2.21

%

 

Gemini

 

 

4,935,532,184

 

 

 

1.30

%

 

Bitfinex

 

 

3,212,326,122

 

 

 

0.85

%

 

LMAX Digital

 

 

644,528,935

 

 

 

0.17

%

 

OKX

 

 

304,189,639

 

 

 

0.08

%

 

Total DOGE-U.S. dollar trading pair

 

 

104,185,429,676

 

 

 

27.45

%

 

 

 

Digital Asset Trading Platforms included in the Index as of September 30, 2025(1)

 

Volume (DOGE)

 

 

Market Share(2)

 

 

Bullish

 

 

9,613,973,591

 

 

 

13.01

%

 

Bybit

 

 

7,561,550,523

 

 

 

10.23

%

 

OKX

 

 

6,611,630,134

 

 

 

8.94

%

 

Kraken

 

 

721,264,144

 

 

 

0.98

%

 

Total DOGE-USDC dollar trading pair

 

 

24,508,418,392

 

 

 

33.16

%

 

 

 

 

(1)
The Digital Asset Trading Platforms initially expected to be included in the Index are Bitfinex, Bitstamp by Robinhood, Bullish, Bybit, Crypto.com, Gemini, Kraken, LMAX Digital and OKX.
(2)
Market share is calculated using trading volume (in DOGE) for certain Digital Asset Trading Platforms, including Bitfinex, Bitstamp by Robinhood, Bullish, Bybit, Crypto.com, Gemini, Kraken, LMAX Digital and OKX, as well as certain other large U.S.-dollar denominated Digital Asset Trading Platforms that are not included in the Index, including Binance (data included from March 6, 2024), Binance.US (data included from February 18, 2025), Gate.io, Kucoin and MEXC (data included from June 29, 2024).
(3)
Information regarding each Digital Asset Trading Platform may be found on the websites for such Digital Asset Trading Platforms, among other places. Such information is referenced for informational purposes only and is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus.

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Creation and Redemption

The Trust creates and redeems Shares from time to time, but only in one or more whole Baskets of 10,000 Shares each, but may be subject to change. At this time, a Basket is only made in exchange for delivery to the Trust or the distribution by the Trust of an amount of cash, equivalent to the amount of DOGE represented by the Basket being created or redeemed, as the case may be, the amount of which is representative of the combined NAV of the number of Shares included in the Baskets being created or redeemed determined as of 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the day the order to create or redeem Baskets is properly received. Except when aggregated in Baskets or under extraordinary circumstances permitted under the Trust Agreement, the Shares are not individually redeemable securities.

 

The Trust issues and redeems Shares on an ongoing basis, but only in one or more whole Baskets of 10,000 Shares each. The creation and redemption of Baskets requires the delivery to or acquisition by the Trust, or the distribution or disposition by the Trust, of the amount of DOGE represented by the Baskets being created or redeemed, the number of which is equal to the “Basket Amount” as of 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the trade date of a creation or redemption order multiplied by the number of Baskets being created or redeemed (the “Total Basket Amount”). The amount of DOGE required to create a Basket, or to be delivered or disposed of upon the redemption of a Basket, will gradually decrease over time due to the transfer of the Trust’s DOGE to pay the Sponsor’s Fee and the delivery or sale of the Trust’s DOGE to pay any Trust expenses not assumed by the Sponsor. See “Description of Creation and Redemption of Shares” in this prospectus.

 

Although the Trust creates Baskets only upon the receipt of DOGE, and redeems Baskets only by distributing DOGE or proceeds from the disposition of DOGE, at this time an Authorized Participant can only submit Cash Orders, pursuant to which the Authorized Participant will deposit cash into, or accept cash from, the Cash Account in connection with the creation and redemption of Baskets. Cash Orders will be facilitated by the Transfer Agent and Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC, which will engage one or more eligible companies (each, a “Liquidity Provider”) that is not an agent of, or otherwise acting on behalf of, any Authorized Participant to obtain or receive DOGE in connection with such orders. The Sponsor may in its sole discretion limit the number of Shares created pursuant to Cash Orders on any specified day without notice to the Authorized Participants and may direct the Marketing Agent to reject any Cash Orders in excess of such capped amount. The redemption of Shares pursuant to Cash Orders will only take place if approved by the Sponsor in writing, in its sole discretion and on a case-by-case basis.

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The Trust is currently able to accept Cash Orders. However, the Trust is not at this time able to create and redeem shares via in-kind transactions with Authorized Participants. Subject to In-Kind Regulatory Approval, in the future the Trust may also create and redeem Baskets via In-Kind Orders, pursuant to which an Authorized Participant or its AP Designee would deposit DOGE directly with the Trust or receive DOGE directly from the Trust. However, because In-Kind Regulatory Approval has not been obtained, at this time Baskets will not be created or redeemed through In-Kind Orders and will only be created or redeemed through Cash Orders. There can be no assurance as to when NYSE Arca will seek or obtain such regulatory approval, if at all. See “Risk Factors—Risk Factors Related to the Trust and the Shares—The lack of ability to facilitate in-kind creations and redemptions of Shares could have adverse consequences for the Trust.” See “Description of Creation and Redemption of Shares.”

 

The Sponsor has engaged certain unaffiliated Liquidity Providers, and intends to engage additional Liquidity Providers who are unaffiliated with the Trust in the future.

Net Asset Value

The net asset value of the Trust determined on a GAAP basis is referred to in this prospectus as “Principal Market NAV.” The Sponsor also calculates Principal Market NAV per Share in accordance with GAAP. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Selected Operating Data” for additional information reconciling the Trust’s NAV and NAV per Share presented against the GAAP metrics presented in our financial statements included hereto.

The Trust’s NAV

The Trust’s NAV is the aggregate value, expressed in U.S. dollars, of the Trust’s assets (other than U.S. dollars or other fiat currency), less the U.S. dollar value of the Trust’s expenses and other liabilities calculated in the manner set forth under “Business—Overview of the Dogecoin Industry and Market.”

 

The Sponsor also calculates the NAV per Share, which equals the NAV of the Trust divided by the number of Shares then outstanding. The Sponsor will publish the NAV and NAV per Share each business day as of 4:00 p.m., New York time, or as soon thereafter as practicable at the Trust’s website at etfs.grayscale.com/gdog. The contents of the website referred to above and any websites referred to herein are not incorporated into this filing. Further, our references to the URL for this website is intended to be an inactive textual reference only. See “Business—Valuation of DOGE and Determination of NAV” for a more detailed description of how the Trust’s NAV and NAV per Share are calculated.

13


 

Incidental Rights and IR Virtual Currency

Other than receiving and distributing cash from the Cash Account in connection with the creation and redemption of Baskets as described under “Description of Creation and Redemption of Shares,” the Trust will not hold cash, and will not engage a cash custodian. The Trust may from time to time be entitled to come into possession of rights incident to its ownership of DOGE, which permit the Trust to acquire, or otherwise establish dominion and control over, other virtual currencies. These rights are generally expected to arise in connection with forks in the Blockchain, airdrops offered to holders of DOGE or other similar events and arise without any action of the Trust or of the Sponsor or Trustee on behalf of the Trust. We refer to these rights as “Incidental Rights” and any such virtual currency acquired through Incidental Rights as “IR Virtual Currency.”

 

With respect to any fork, airdrop or similar event, the Sponsor will cause the Trust to irrevocably abandon the Incidental Rights or IR Virtual Currency. In the event the Trust seeks to change this position, an application would need to be filed with the SEC by NYSE Arca seeking approval to amend its listing rules to permit the Trust to distribute the Incidental Rights or IR Virtual Currency in-kind to an agent of the shareholders for resale by such agent. Because the Trust will abandon any Incidental Rights and IR Virtual Currency, the Trust would not receive any direct or indirect consideration for the Incidental Rights or IR Virtual Currency and thus the value of the Shares will not reflect the value of the Incidental Rights or IR Virtual Currency. See “Business—Incidental Rights and IR Virtual Currency.”

Trust Expenses

The Trust’s only ordinary recurring expense is expected to be the “Sponsor’s Fee.” The Sponsor’s Fee will accrue daily in U.S. dollars at an annual rate of 0.35% of the NAV Fee Basis Amount of the Trust as of 4:00 p.m., New York time, on each day; provided that for a day that is not a business day, the calculation will be based on the NAV Fee Basis Amount from the most recent business day, reduced by the accrued and unpaid Sponsor’s Fee for such most recent business day and for each day after such most recent business day and prior to the relevant calculation date. This dollar amount for each daily accrual will then be converted into DOGE by reference to the same Index Price used to determine such accrual. The Sponsor’s Fee is payable in DOGE to the Sponsor daily in arrears.

 

To cause the Trust to pay the Sponsor’s Fee, the Sponsor will instruct the Custodian to withdraw from the Trust’s Vault Balance (as defined below) the amount of DOGE equal to the accrued but unpaid Sponsor’s Fee and transfer such DOGE to the Sponsor’s account at such times as the Sponsor determines in its absolute discretion.

 

The Sponsor, from time to time, may temporarily waive all or a portion of the Sponsor’s Fee in its sole discretion. Presently, the Sponsor has agreed to waive the entire Sponsor Fee until the earlier of (x) a 3-month period commencing on the day the Shares are initially listed on the NYSE Arca or (y) the Trust reaching $1 billion in assets under management. There are no circumstances under which the Sponsor has determined it will definitely waive the fee.

14


 

 

After the Trust’s payment of the Sponsor’s Fee to the Sponsor, the Sponsor may elect to convert any DOGE received as payment of the Sponsor’s Fee into U.S. dollars. The rate at which the Sponsor converts such DOGE to U.S. dollars may differ from the rate at which the relevant Sponsor’s Fee was determined. The Trust will not be responsible for any fees and expenses incurred by the Sponsor to convert DOGE received in payment of the Sponsor’s Fee into U.S. dollars.

 

As partial consideration for its receipt of the Sponsor’s Fee, the Sponsor is obligated under the Trust Agreement to assume and pay all fees and other expenses incurred by the Trust in the ordinary course of its affairs, excluding taxes, but including: (i) the Marketing Fee, (ii) the Administrator Fee, (iii) the Custodian Fee and fees for any other security vendor engaged by the Trust, (iv) the Transfer Agent Fee, (v) the Trustee fee, (vi) the fees and expenses related to the listing, quotation or trading of the Shares on any Secondary Market (including customary legal, marketing and audit fees and expenses) in an amount up to $600,000 in any given fiscal year, (vii) ordinary course, legal fees and expenses, (viii) audit fees, (ix) regulatory fees, including, if applicable, any fees relating to the registration of the Shares under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, (x) printing and mailing costs, (xi) costs of maintaining the Trust’s website and (xii) applicable license fees (each, a “Sponsor-paid Expense” and collectively, the “Sponsor-paid Expenses”), provided that any expense that qualifies as an Additional Trust Expense will be deemed to be an Additional Trust Expense and not a Sponsor-paid Expense.

 

The Trust may incur certain extraordinary, nonrecurring expenses that are not Sponsor-paid Expenses, including, but not limited to, taxes and governmental charges, expenses and costs of any extraordinary services performed by the Sponsor (or any other service provider) on behalf of the Trust to protect the Trust or the interests of shareholders, any indemnification of the Custodian or other agents, service providers or counterparties of the Trust, the fees and expenses related to the listing, quotation or trading of the Shares on any Secondary Market (including legal, marketing and audit fees and expenses) to the extent exceeding $600,000 in any given fiscal year and extraordinary legal fees and expenses, including any legal fees and expenses incurred in connection with litigation, regulatory enforcement or investigation matters (collectively, “Additional Trust Expenses”).

 

In such circumstances, the Sponsor or its delegate (i) will instruct the Custodian to withdraw from the Trust’s Vault Balance DOGE in such quantity as may be necessary to permit payment of such Additional Trust Expenses and (ii) may either (x) cause the Trust (or its delegate) to convert such DOGE into U.S. dollars or other fiat currencies at the Actual Exchange Rate or (y) when the Sponsor incurs such expenses on behalf of the Trust, cause the Trust (or its delegate) to deliver such DOGE in kind to the Sponsor in satisfaction of such Additional Trust Expenses.

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Although the Sponsor is obligated to use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the highest price when engaging other parties to assist with the sale of the Trust’s DOGE to raise proceeds for any Additional Trust Expenses, the Sponsor will have some discretion in arranging for the sale of the Trust’s DOGE, and may engage one or more of its affiliates to assist with any such sale. The Sponsor and its respective directors, officers, employees, affiliates, and/or parties engaged to assist with the sale of the Trust’s DOGE may trade in the DOGE, digital asset, derivative or other markets for their own accounts, and in doing so may take positions opposite to or ahead of those held by the Trust and may compete with the Trust for positions in the marketplace. For example, sales of the Trust’s DOGE for the satisfaction of any Additional Trust Expenses may create conflicts of interest on behalf of one or more such parties in respect of their obligation to the Trust. The Sponsor has adopted and implemented policies and procedures that are reasonably designed to ensure compliance with applicable law, including a Compliance Manual and Code of Ethics, which address conflicts of interest. See “Risk Factors—Risk Factors Related to Potential Conflicts of Interest— Potential conflicts of interest may arise among the Sponsor or its affiliates and the Trust. The Sponsor and its affiliates have no fiduciary duties to the Trust and its shareholders other than as provided in the Trust Agreement, which may permit them to favor their own interests to the detriment of the Trust and its shareholders.”

 

In order to raise proceeds to pay for any Additional Trust Expenses, the Sponsor would execute the sale of DOGE through eligible financial institutions that are subject to federal and state licensing requirements and practices regarding AML and KYC regulations, which may include a Liquidity Provider or one or more of their respective affiliates. The Sponsor expects that these financial institutions will generally only have access to Digital Asset Trading Platforms or other venues that they reasonably believe are operating in compliance with applicable law, including federal and state licensing requirements, based upon information and assurances provided to it by each venue. The Trust is not responsible for paying any costs associated with the transfer of DOGE to the Sponsor in connection with the payment of the Sponsor’s Fee or the sale of DOGE in connection with the payment of any Additional Trust Expenses. The amount of DOGE represented by a Share will decline each time the Trust pays the Sponsor’s Fee or any Additional Trust Expenses by transferring or selling DOGE. See “Business—Expenses; Sales of DOGE.”

 

The quantity of DOGE to be delivered to the Sponsor or other relevant payee in payment of the Sponsor’s Fee or any Additional Trust Expenses, or sold to permit payment of Additional Trust Expenses, will vary from time to time depending on the level of the Trust’s expenses and the value of DOGE held by the Trust. See “Business— Expenses; Sales of DOGE.” Assuming that the Trust is a grantor trust for U.S. federal income tax purposes, each delivery or sale of DOGE by the Trust for the payment of expenses will be a taxable event to shareholders. See “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences—Tax Consequences to U.S. Holders.”

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Voting Rights

The shareholders take no part in the management or control of the Trust. Under the Trust Agreement, shareholders have limited voting rights. For example, in the event that the Sponsor withdraws, a majority of the shareholders may elect and appoint a successor sponsor to carry out the affairs of the Trust. In addition, no amendments to the Trust Agreement that materially adversely affect the interests of shareholders may be made without the vote of at least a majority (over 50%) of the then-outstanding Shares (not including any Shares held by the Sponsor or its affiliates). A shareholder will be deemed to have consented to a modification or amendment of the Trust Agreement if the Sponsor has notified the shareholders in writing of the proposed modification or amendment and the shareholder has not, within 20 calendar days of such notice, notified the Sponsor in writing that the shareholder objects to such modification or amendment. Additionally, subject to certain limitations, the Sponsor may make any other amendments to the Trust Agreement which do not materially adversely affect the interests of the shareholders in its sole discretion without shareholder consent. See “Description of the Shares.”

Termination Events

Upon dissolution of the Trust and surrender of Shares by the shareholders, shareholders will receive a distribution in U.S. dollars after the Sponsor has sold the Trust’s DOGE, if applicable, and has paid or made provision for the Trust’s claims and obligations. See “Business—Description of the Trust Agreement—Termination of the Trust.” The Sponsor currently expects to execute the sales of any DOGE in connection with the termination of the Trust through eligible financial institutions that are subject to federal and state licensing requirements and practices regarding AML and KYC regulations, which may include a Liquidity Provider or one or more of their respective affiliates.

Authorized Participants

Baskets may be created or redeemed only by Authorized Participants. Each Authorized Participant must (i) be a registered broker-dealer and (ii) have entered into a Participant Agreement with the Sponsor and the Transfer Agent. Subject to In-Kind Regulatory Approval, in the future any Authorized Participants creating and redeeming Shares through In-Kind Orders must also own, or their AP Designee (as defined below) must own, an DOGE wallet address that is known to the Custodian as belonging to the Authorized Participant or its AP Designee and maintain an account with the Custodian. The Participant Agreement provides the procedures for the creation and redemption of Baskets and for the delivery of DOGE required for the creation and redemption of Baskets via a Liquidity Provider, as well as the deposit with and subsequent delivery by the Trust of cash required in connection therewith, from or to an Authorized Participant or Liquidity Provider, as applicable. See “Description of Creation and Redemption of Shares.”

 

As of the date of this prospectus, the Sponsor, on behalf of the Trust, and the Transfer Agent entered into Participant Agreements with Jane Street Capital, LLC and Macquarie Capital (USA) Inc., pursuant to which such entities have agreed to act as Authorized Participants. The Sponsor may engage additional Authorized Participants who are unaffiliated with the Trust in the future.

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Liquidity Providers

Liquidity Providers facilitate the purchase and sale of DOGE in connection with Cash Orders for creations or redemptions of Baskets. Liquidity Providers are engaged by Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC (in such capacity, the “Liquidity Engager”) and are not party to Participant Agreements or otherwise agents of, or otherwise acting on behalf of, any Authorized Participant. See “Description of Creation and Redemption of Shares.” The Liquidity Engager’s criteria for engaging one or more Liquidity Providers includes the completion of due diligence that considers each such Liquidity Provider’s DOGE trading capabilities, organizational structure, operating history, lines of business, controls, and other details necessary to evaluate their ability to facilitate Cash Orders. Liquidity Providers formalize their relationship through a Liquidity Provider Agreement between the Liquidity Engager, Liquidity Provider, and the Sponsor (on behalf of the Trust). Pursuant to such Liquidity Provider Agreements, the Liquidity Providers will be contractually obligated to deliver or receive DOGE in exchange for cash in connection with Cash Orders for creations or redemptions.

 

The Liquidity Providers with which Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC, acting in its capacity as the Liquidity Engager, will engage in DOGE transactions are third parties that are not affiliated with the Sponsor or the Trust and are not acting as agents of the Trust, the Sponsor, or any Authorized Participant, and all transactions will be done on an arms-length basis. Except for the contractual relationships between each Liquidity Provider and Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC in its capacity as the Liquidity Engager and the Sponsor (on behalf of the Trust), there is no other pre-existing contractual relationship between each Liquidity Provider, on the one hand, and the Trust, the Sponsor, or any Authorized Participant, on the other hand, in each case that relates to the Trust or the Trust’s Shares. When seeking to buy DOGE in connection with creations or sell DOGE in connection with redemptions, the Liquidity Engager will seek to obtain commercially reasonable prices and terms from the approved Liquidity Providers. Once agreed upon, the transaction will generally occur on an “over-the-counter” basis.

 

As of the date of this prospectus, the Liquidity Engager has engaged JSCT, LLC, Cumberland DRW LLC, and Galaxy Digital Trading Cayman LLC as Liquidity Providers. The Liquidity Engager may engage additional Liquidity Providers who are unaffiliated with the Trust in the future.

Jane Street Capital, LLC, one of the Authorized Participants, is an affiliate of JSCT, LLC, one of the Liquidity Providers.

Clearance and Settlement

The Shares are evidenced by one or more global certificates that the Transfer Agent issues to DTC. The Shares are primarily available in book-entry form. Shareholders may hold their Shares through DTC if they are direct participants in DTC (“DTC Participants”), or indirectly through entities that are DTC Participants.

Risk Factors

See the risks discussed in “Risk Factors” in this prospectus before you invest in the Shares.

 

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Risk FactorS

You should carefully consider the following risks and all of the other information set forth in this prospectus before deciding to invest in shares of the Shares. If any of the following risks actually occurs, our business, financial condition or results of operations would likely suffer. In such case, the trading price of the Shares could decline due to any of these risks, and you may lose all or part of your investment.

Risk Factors Related to Digital Assets

The trading prices of many digital assets, including DOGE, have experienced extreme volatility in recent periods and may continue to do so. Extreme volatility in the future, including declines in the trading prices of DOGE, could have a material adverse effect on the value of the Shares and the Shares could lose all or substantially all of their value.

The trading prices of many digital assets, including DOGE, have experienced extreme volatility throughout their existence, including in recent periods and may continue to do so. For instance, following significant increases throughout the majority of 2020, digital asset prices, including DOGE, experienced significant volatility throughout 2021 and 2022. This volatility became extreme in November 2022 when FTX Trading Ltd. (“FTX”) halted customer withdrawals. See “—Risk Factors Related to the Digital Asset Markets—Recent developments in the digital asset economy have led to extreme volatility and disruption in digital asset markets, a loss of confidence in participants of the digital asset ecosystem, significant negative publicity surrounding digital assets broadly and market-wide declines in liquidity.” Digital asset prices, including DOGE, have continued to fluctuate widely through the date of this prospectus.

Extreme volatility in the future, including declines in the trading prices of DOGE, could have a material adverse effect on the value of the Shares and the Shares could lose all or substantially all of their value. Furthermore, negative perception, a lack of stability and standardized regulation in the digital asset economy may reduce confidence in the digital asset economy and may result in greater volatility in the price of DOGE and other digital assets, including a depreciation in value. The Trust is not actively managed and will not take any actions to take advantage, or mitigate the impacts, of volatility in the price of DOGE. For additional information that quantifies the volatility of DOGE prices and the value of the Shares, see “Business—Overview of the Dogecoin Industry and Market—Historical DOGE Prices.”

Furthermore, changes in U.S. political leadership and economic policies may create uncertainty that materially affects the price of DOGE and the Trust’s Shares. For example, on March 6, 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order to establish a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and a United States Digital Asset Stockpile. Pursuant to this Executive Order, the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve will be capitalized with Bitcoin owned by the Department of Treasury that was forfeited as part of criminal or civil asset forfeiture proceedings, and the Secretaries of Treasury and Commerce are authorized to develop budget-neutral strategies for acquiring additional bitcoin, provided that those strategies impose no incremental costs on American taxpayers. Conversely, the Digital Asset Stockpile will consist of all digital assets other than Bitcoin owned by the Department of Treasury that were forfeited in criminal or civil asset forfeiture proceedings, but the U.S. government will not acquire additional assets for the U.S. Digital Asset Stockpile beyond those obtained through such proceedings. The anticipation of a U.S. government-funded strategic cryptocurrency reserve had motivated large-scale purchases of certain digital assets in the expectation of the U.S. government acquiring such assets to fund such reserve, and the market price of such digital assets decreased significantly as a result of the ultimate content of the Executive Order. Any similar action or omission by the U.S. federal administration or other government authorities with respect to DOGE or other digital assets may negatively and significantly impact the price of DOGE and the Trust’s Shares.

Digital assets such as DOGE were only introduced within the past two decades, and the medium-to-long term value of the Shares is subject to a number of factors relating to the capabilities and development of blockchain technologies and to the fundamental investment characteristics of digital assets.

Digital assets such as DOGE were only introduced within the past two decades, and the medium-to-long term value of the Shares is subject to a number of factors relating to the capabilities and development of blockchain technologies, such as the recency of their development, their dependence on the internet and other technologies,

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their dependence on the role played by users, developers and validators and the potential for malicious activity. For example, the realization of one or more of the following risks could materially adversely affect the value of the Shares:

•
Digital asset networks and related protocols are in the early stages of development. Given the recency of the development of digital asset networks and related protocols, digital assets and the underlying digital asset networks and related protocols may not function as intended and parties may be unwilling to use digital assets, which would dampen the growth, if any, of digital asset networks and related protocols.
•
The loss of access to a private key required to access a digital asset may be irreversible. If a private key is lost and no backup of the private key is accessible, or if the private key is otherwise compromised, the owner would be unable to access the digital asset corresponding to that private key.
•
Digital asset networks and related protocols are dependent upon the internet. A disruption of the internet or a digital asset network or related protocol, such as the Dogecoin Network, would affect the ability to transfer digital assets, including DOGE, and, consequently, their value.
•
The acceptance of software patches or upgrades to a digital asset network by a significant, but not overwhelming, percentage of the users and validators in a digital asset network, such as the Dogecoin Network, could result in a “fork” in such network’s blockchain, resulting in the operation of multiple separate blockchain networks.
•
Many digital asset networks face significant scaling challenges and are being upgraded with various features to increase the speed and throughput of digital asset transactions. These attempts to increase the volume of transactions may not be effective.
•
The open-source structure of many digital asset network protocols, such as the protocol for the Dogecoin Network, means that developers and other contributors are generally not directly compensated for their contributions in maintaining and developing such protocols. As a result, the developers and other contributors of a particular digital asset may lack a financial incentive to maintain or develop the network or may lack the resources to adequately address emerging issues. Alternatively, some developers may be funded by companies whose interests are at odds with other participants in a particular digital asset network. A failure to properly monitor and upgrade the protocol of the Dogecoin Network could damage that network.
•
Moreover, in the past, flaws in the source code for digital asset networks and related protocols have been exposed and exploited, including flaws that disabled some functionality for users, exposed users’ personal information and/or resulted in the theft of users’ digital assets. The cryptography underlying DOGE could prove to be flawed or ineffective, or developments in mathematics and/or technology, including advances in digital computing, algebraic geometry and quantum computing, could result in such cryptography becoming ineffective. In any of these circumstances, a malicious actor may be able to take the Trust’s DOGE, which would adversely affect the value of the Shares. Moreover, functionality of the Dogecoin Network may be negatively affected by such an exploit such that it is no longer attractive to users, thereby dampening demand for DOGE. Even if another digital asset other than DOGE were affected by similar circumstances, any reduction in confidence in the source code or cryptography underlying digital asset networks and related protocols generally could negatively affect the demand for digital assets and therefore adversely affect the value of the Shares.

Moreover, because digital assets, including DOGE, have existed for a short period of time and are continuing to be developed, there may be additional risks to digital asset networks and related protocols that are impossible to predict as of the date of this prospectus.

Digital assets represent a new and rapidly evolving industry, and the value of the Shares depends on the acceptance of DOGE.

The first digital asset, Bitcoin, was launched in 2009. DOGE launched in 2012 and its development is ongoing. In general, digital asset networks, including the Dogecoin Network and related protocols represent a new and rapidly evolving industry that is subject to a variety of factors that are difficult to evaluate. For example, the realization of one or more of the following risks could materially adversely affect the value of the Shares:

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•
DOGE is only selectively accepted as a means of payment by retail and commercial outlets, and use of DOGE by consumers remains limited. Banks and other established financial institutions, whether voluntarily or in response to regulatory feedback, may refuse to process funds for DOGE transactions; process wire transfers to or from Digital Asset Trading Platforms, DOGE-related companies or service providers; or maintain accounts for persons or entities transacting in DOGE. As a result, the prices of DOGE are largely determined by speculators and validators, thus contributing to price volatility that makes retailers less likely to accept DOGE in the future.
•
Banks may not provide banking services, or may cut off banking services, to businesses that provide digital asset-related services or that accept digital assets as payment, which could dampen liquidity in the market and damage the public perception of digital assets generally or any one digital asset in particular, such as DOGE, and their or its utility as a payment system, which could decrease the price of digital assets generally or individually.
•
The prices of digital assets may be determined on a relatively small number of Digital Asset Trading Platforms by a relatively small number of market participants, many of whom are speculators or those intimately involved with the issuance of such digital assets, such as validators or developers, which could contribute to price volatility that makes retailers less likely to accept digital assets in the future.
•
Certain privacy-preserving features have been or are expected to be introduced to a number of digital asset networks. If any such features are introduced to the Dogecoin Network, any trading platforms or businesses that facilitate transactions in DOGE may be at an increased risk of criminal or civil lawsuits, or of having banking services cut off if there is a concern that these features interfere with the performance of anti-money laundering duties and economic sanctions checks.
•
Users, developers and validators may switch to or adopt certain digital asset networks or protocols at the expense of their engagement with other digital asset networks and protocols, which may negatively impact those networks and protocols, including the Dogecoin Network.

The Trust is not actively managed and will not have any formal strategy relating to the development of the Dogecoin Network

Changes in the governance of a digital asset network or protocol may not receive sufficient support from users and validators, which may negatively affect that digital asset network’s or protocol’s ability to grow and respond to challenges.

The governance of some digital asset networks and protocols, such as the DOGE, Bitcoin and Ethereum Networks, is generally by voluntary consensus and open competition. For such networks and protocols, there may be a lack of consensus or clarity on that network’s or protocol’s governance, which may stymie such network’s or protocol’s utility, adaptability and ability to grow and face challenges. The foregoing notwithstanding, the underlying software for some digital networks and protocols, such as the Dogecoin Network, is informally or formally managed or developed by a group of core developers that propose amendments to the relevant network’s or protocol’s source code. Core developers’ roles may evolve over time, generally based on self-determined participation.

If a significant majority of users and validators were to adopt amendments to the Dogecoin Network based on the proposals of such core developers, the Dogecoin Network would be subject to new source code that may adversely affect the value of DOGE.

As a result of the foregoing, it may be difficult to find solutions or marshal sufficient effort to overcome any future problems, especially long-term problems, on digital asset networks.

Digital asset networks face significant scaling challenges and efforts to increase the volume and speed of transactions may not be successful.

Many digital asset networks face significant scaling challenges due to the fact that public, permissionless blockchains generally face a tradeoff between security and scalability. One means through which digital asset

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networks that utilize public, permissionless blockchains achieve security is decentralization, meaning that no intermediary is responsible for securing and maintaining these systems. For example, a greater degree of decentralization of a public, permissionless blockchain generally means a given digital asset network is less susceptible to manipulation or capture. In practice, this typically means that every single node on a given digital asset network is responsible for securing the system by processing every transaction and maintaining a copy of the entire state of the network. As a result, a digital asset network that utilizes a public, permissionless blockchain may be limited in the number of transactions it can process by the computing capabilities of each single fully participating node. Many developers are actively researching and testing scalability solutions for public blockchains that do not necessarily result in lower levels of security or decentralization, such as off-chain payment channels and sharding. Off-chain payment channels would allow parties to transact without requiring the full processing power of a blockchain. Sharding can increase the scalability of a database, such as a blockchain, by splitting the data processing responsibility among many nodes, allowing for parallel processing and validating of transactions.

As corresponding increases in throughput lag behind growth in the use of digital asset networks, average fees and settlement times may increase considerably. For example, the Dogecoin Network has been, at times, at capacity, which has led to increased transaction fees. Since January 1, 2023, DOGE average daily transaction fees have ranged from $0.002 per transaction on June 7, 2023, to as high as $1.00 per transaction on April 19, 2023. As of September 30, 2025, DOGE average daily transaction fees stood at $0.08 per transaction. Increased transaction fees and decreased settlement speeds could preclude certain uses for DOGE (e.g., micropayments), and could reduce demand for, and the price of, DOGE, which could adversely impact the value of the Shares.

There is no guarantee that any of the mechanisms in place or being explored for increasing the scale of settlement of Dogecoin Network transactions will be effective, or how long these mechanisms will take to become effective, which could adversely impact the value of the Shares.

Digital asset networks are developed by a diverse set of contributors and the perception that certain high-profile contributors will no longer contribute to the network could have an adverse effect on the market price of the related digital asset.

Digital asset networks and related protocols are often developed by a diverse set of contributors, but are also often developed by identifiable and high-profile contributors. The perception that certain high-profile contributors may no longer contribute to the Dogecoin Network or protocol may have an adverse effect on the market price of DOGE. For example, Elon Musk is commonly believed to be a large contributor to the popularity and adoption of DOGE. In the event a high-profile contributor to the Dogecoin Network or related protocol, such as Elon Musk, is perceived as no longer contributing to or supportive of the Dogecoin Network or protocol due to death, retirement, withdrawal, incapacity, or otherwise, or if a high-profile contributor to the Dogecoin Network, such as Elon Musk, becomes unpopular through activities related or unrelated to DOGE, whether or not such perception is valid, it could negatively affect the price of DOGE, which could adversely impact the value of the Shares.

Digital assets may have concentrated ownership and large sales or distributions by holders of such digital assets, or any ability to participate in or otherwise influence a digital asset’s underlying network, could have an adverse effect on the market price of such digital asset.

As of the date of this filing, the largest 100 DOGE wallets held approximately 64% of the DOGE in circulation. Moreover, it is possible that other persons or entities control multiple wallets that collectively hold a significant amount of DOGE, even if they individually only hold a small amount, and it is possible that some of these wallets are controlled by the same person or entity. As a result of this concentration of ownership, large sales or distributions by such holders could have an adverse effect on the market price of DOGE.

If a malicious actor or botnet obtains control of more than 50% of the processing power on the Dogecoin Network, or otherwise obtains control over the Dogecoin Network through its influence over core developers or otherwise, such actor or botnet could manipulate the Blockchain to adversely affect the value of the Shares or the ability of the Trust to operate.

If a malicious actor or botnet (a volunteer or hacked collection of computers controlled by networked software coordinating the actions of the computers) obtains a majority of the processing power on the Dogecoin Network, it may be able to alter the Blockchain on which transactions in DOGE rely by constructing fraudulent blocks or

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preventing certain transactions from completing in a timely manner, or at all. The malicious actor or botnet could also control, exclude or modify the ordering of transactions. Although the malicious actor or botnet may not be able to generate new digital assets or transactions using such control, it may be able to “double-spend” its own digital assets (i.e., spend the same tokens in more than one transaction) and prevent the confirmation of other users’ transactions for so long as it maintained control. To the extent that such malicious actor or botnet did not yield its control of the processing power on the Dogecoin Network or the DOGE community did not reject the fraudulent blocks as malicious, reversing any changes made to the Blockchain may not be possible. Further, a malicious actor or botnet could create a flood of transactions in order to slow down the Dogecoin Network.

For example, in August 2020, the Ethereum Classic Network was the target of two double-spend attacks by an unknown actor or actors that gained more than 50% of the processing power of the Ethereum Classic Network. The attack resulted in reorganizations of the Ethereum Classic blockchain that allowed the attacker or attackers to reverse previously recorded transactions in excess of over $5.0 million and $1.0 million. Any similar attacks on the Dogecoin Network could negatively impact the value of DOGE and the value of the Shares.

Moreover, certain mining pools have exceeded in the past, and may exceed now or in Dogecoin’s future, the 50% threshold on the Dogecoin Network. The failure of any mitigating steps, or any future attacks on the Dogecoin Network, could negatively impact the value of DOGE and the value of the Shares of the Trust.

A malicious actor may also obtain control over the Dogecoin Network through its influence over core developers by gaining direct control over a core developer or an otherwise influential programmer. To the extent that the DOGE ecosystem does not grow, the possibility that a malicious actor may be able to maliciously influence the Dogecoin Network in this manner will remain heightened.

The Dogecoin Network allows for “merged mining,” where validators mining on other blockchains that use the same Scrypt-based proof-of-work mechanism – notably the Litecoin network – simultaneously mine blocks on both networks. Merged mining can create multiple risks, including potential centralization, depending on the larger blockchain, and conflicts of interest, which could harm the value of the Dogecoin Network.

Merged mining is a well-established but relatively rare practice amongst large, highly valuable blockchains. The Dogecoin Network allows for merged mining, and many Dogecoin Network validators simultaneously participate in the Litecoin Network. Merged mining raises certain risks. For instance, merged mining may lead to a concentration of mining power in the smaller blockchain. In a merged mining situation, if some but not all of the miners participating in mining the larger chain choose to also mine the smaller chain, these miners may have significantly more mining power than independent entities focused only on the smaller chain. Merged mining can also cause the smaller blockchain to be somewhat dependent on the larger chain, such that a failure or issue with the larger chain could have a downward effect on the security of the small blockchain. Additionally, there may be governance disagreements or mis-alignments between the larger chain and the smaller chain, and there is no guarantee that miners will operate in the best interest of the smaller chain. Should these risks materialize, they could lead to a reduction of confidence in the Dogecoin Network and DOGE, or malicious attacks on the Dogecoin Network, which would harm the value of DOGE and therefore the Trust.

A temporary or permanent “fork” or a “clone” could adversely affect the value of the Shares.

The Dogecoin Network operates using open-source protocols, meaning that any user can download the software, modify it and then propose that the users and validators of the Dogecoin Network adopt the modification. When a modification is introduced and a substantial majority of users’ and validators’ consent to the modification, the change is implemented and the network remains uninterrupted. However, if less than a substantial majority of users and validators’ consent to the proposed modification, and the modification is not compatible with the software prior to its modification, the consequence would be what is known as a “hard fork” of the Dogecoin Network, with one group running the pre-modified software and the other running the modified software. The effect of such a fork would be the existence of two versions of DOGE running in parallel, yet lacking interchangeability. For example, in September 2022, the Ethereum Network transitioned to a proof-of-stake model, in an upgrade referred to as the “Merge.” Following the Merge, a hard fork of the Ethereum Network occurred, as certain Ethereum miners and network participants planned to maintain the proof-of-work consensus mechanism that was removed as part of the Merge. This version of the network was rebranded as “Ethereum Proof-of-Work.”

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Forks may also occur as a digital asset network’s community’s response to a significant security breach. For example, in July 2016, Ethereum “forked” into Ethereum and a new digital asset network, Ethereum Classic, as a result of the Ethereum Network community’s response to a significant security breach. In June 2016, an anonymous hacker exploited a smart contract running on the Ethereum Network to syphon approximately $60 million of Ether held by The DAO, a distributed autonomous organization, into a segregated account. In response to the exploit, most participants in the Ethereum community elected to adopt a “fork” that effectively reversed the exploit. However, a minority of users continued to develop the original blockchain, referred to as “Ethereum Classic” with the digital asset on that blockchain now referred to as ETC. ETC now trades on several Digital Asset Trading Platforms. A fork may also occur as a result of an unintentional or unanticipated software flaw in the various versions of otherwise compatible software that users run. Such a fork could lead to users and validators abandoning the digital asset with the flawed software. It is possible, however, that a substantial number of users and validators could adopt an incompatible version of the digital asset while resisting community-led efforts to merge the two chains. This could result in a permanent fork, as in the case of Ethereum and Ethereum Classic.

Furthermore, a hard fork can lead to new security concerns. For example, when the Ethereum and Ethereum Classic networks, two other digital asset networks, split in July 2016, replay attacks, in which transactions from one network were rebroadcast to nefarious effect on the other network, plagued Ethereum trading platforms through at least October 2016. An Ethereum trading platform announced in July 2016 that it had lost 40,000 Ethereum Classic, worth about $100,000 at that time, as a result of replay attacks. Similar replay attack concerns occurred in connection with the Bitcoin Cash and Bitcoin Satoshi’s Vision networks split in November 2018. Another possible result of a hard fork is an inherent decrease in the level of security due to significant amounts of validating power remaining on one network or migrating instead to the new forked network. After a hard fork, it may become easier for an individual validator or validating pool’s validating power to exceed 50% of the validating power of a digital asset network that retained or attracted less validating power, thereby making digital asset networks that rely on proof-of-stake more susceptible to attack.

Digital asset networks and related protocols may also be cloned. Unlike a fork of a digital asset network, which modifies an existing blockchain, and results in two competing digital asset networks, each with the same genesis block, a “clone” is a copy of a protocol’s codebase, but results in an entirely new blockchain and new genesis block. Tokens are created solely from the new “clone” network and, in contrast to forks, holders of tokens of the existing network that was cloned do not receive any tokens of the new network. A “clone” results in a competing network that has characteristics substantially similar to the network it was based on, subject to any changes as determined by the developer(s) that initiated the clone.

A hard fork may adversely affect the price of DOGE at the time of announcement or adoption. For example, the announcement of a hard fork could lead to increased demand for the pre-fork digital asset, in anticipation that ownership of the pre-fork digital asset would entitle holders to a new digital asset following the fork. The increased demand for the pre-fork digital asset may cause the price of the digital asset to rise. After the hard fork, it is possible the aggregate price of the two versions of the digital asset running in parallel would be less than the price of the digital asset immediately prior to the fork. Furthermore, while the Trust would be entitled to both versions of the digital asset running in parallel, the Sponsor will, as permitted by the terms of the Trust Agreement, determine which version of the digital asset is generally accepted as the Dogecoin Network and should therefore be considered the appropriate network for the Trust’s purposes, and there is no guarantee that the Sponsor will choose the digital asset that is ultimately the most valuable fork. Either of these events could therefore adversely impact the value of the Shares. As an illustrative example of a digital asset hard fork, following the DAO hack in July 2016, holders of Ether voted on-chain to reverse the hack, effectively causing a hard fork. For the days following the vote, the price of Ether rose from $11.65 on July 15, 2016 to $14.66 on July 21, 2016, the day after the first Ethereum Classic block was mined. A clone may also adversely affect the price of DOGE at the time of announcement or adoption. For example, on November 6, 2016, Rhett Creighton, a Zcash developer, cloned the Zcash network to launch Zclassic, a substantially identical version of the Zcash network that eliminated the Founders’ Reward. For the days following the date the first Zclassic block was mined, the price of ZEC fell from $504.57 on November 5, 2016 to $236.01 on November 7, 2016 in the midst of a broader sell off of ZEC beginning immediately after the Zcash network launch on October 28, 2016. A clone may also adversely affect the price of DOGE at the time of announcement or adoption.

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A future fork in or clone of the Dogecoin Network could adversely affect the value of the Shares or the ability of the Trust to operate.

In the event of a hard fork of the Dogecoin Network, the Sponsor will, if permitted by the terms of the Trust Agreement, use its discretion to determine which network should be considered the appropriate network for the Trust’s purposes, and in doing so may adversely affect the value of the Shares.

In the event of a hard fork of the Dogecoin Network, the Sponsor will, as permitted by the terms of the Trust Agreement, use its discretion to determine, in good faith, which digital asset network, among a group of incompatible forks of the Dogecoin Network, is generally accepted as the Dogecoin Network and should therefore be considered the appropriate digital asset network for the Trust’s purposes. The Sponsor will base its determination on a variety of then relevant factors, including, but not limited to, the Sponsor’s beliefs regarding expectations of the core developers of DOGE, users, services, businesses, validators and other constituencies, as well as the actual continued acceptance of, validating power on, and community engagement with, the Dogecoin Network. There is no guarantee that the Sponsor will choose the digital asset network or digital asset that is ultimately the most valuable fork, and the Sponsor’s decision may adversely affect the value of the Shares as a result. The Sponsor may also disagree with shareholders, security vendors and the Index Provider on what is generally accepted as DOGE and should therefore be considered “DOGE” for the Trust’s purposes, which may also adversely affect the value of the Shares as a result.

In the event of a hard fork of the Dogecoin Network, the Custodian’s operations may be interrupted or subject to additional security risks that could disrupt the Trust’s ability to process creations and redemptions of Shares or otherwise threaten the security of the Trust’s DOGE holdings.

In the event of a hard fork of the Dogecoin Network, the Custodian may temporarily halt the ability of customers (including the Trust) to deposit, withdraw or transfer DOGE on the Custodian’s platform. Such a delay may be intended to permit the Custodian to assess the resulting versions of the Dogecoin Network, to determine how best to securely “split” the DOGE from the forked asset, and to prevent malicious users from conducting “replay attacks” (i.e., broadcasting transactions on both versions of the forked networks to put Custodian assets at risk). As a result, the Trust is likely to suspend creations and redemptions during a period in which the Custodian’s operations are halted.

In addition, any losses experienced by the Custodian due to a hard fork, including due to replay attacks or technological errors in assessing the fork, could have a materially adverse impact on an investment in the Shares.

Any name change and any associated rebranding initiative by the core developers of DOGE may not be favorably received by the digital asset community, which could negatively impact the value of DOGE and the value of the Shares.

From time to time, digital assets may undergo name changes and associated rebranding initiatives. For example, Bitcoin Cash may sometimes be referred to as Bitcoin ABC in an effort to differentiate itself from any Bitcoin Cash hard forks, such as Bitcoin Satoshi’s Vision, and in the third quarter of 2018, the team behind ZEN rebranded and changed the name of ZenCash to “Horizen.” We cannot predict the impact of any name change and any associated rebranding initiative on DOGE. After a name change and an associated rebranding initiative, a digital asset may not be able to achieve or maintain brand name recognition or status that is comparable to the recognition and status previously enjoyed by such digital asset. The failure of any name change and any associated rebranding initiative by a digital asset may result in such digital asset not realizing some or all of the anticipated benefits contemplated by the name change and associated rebranding initiative, and could negatively impact the value of DOGE and the value of the Shares.

If the Dogecoin Network is used to facilitate illicit activities, businesses that facilitate transactions in DOGE could be at increased risk of criminal or civil lawsuits, or of having services cut off, which could negatively affect the price of DOGE and the value of the Shares.

Digital asset networks have in the past been, and may continue to be, used to facilitate illicit activities. If the Dogecoin Network is used to facilitate illicit activities, businesses that facilitate transactions in DOGE could be at increased risk of potential criminal or civil lawsuits, or of having banking or other services cut off, if there is a

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concern that certain smart contracts on the Dogecoin Network could interfere with the performance of anti-money laundering duties and economic sanctions checks. There is also a risk that Digital Asset Trading Platforms may remove DOGE from their platforms as a result of these concerns. Other service providers of such businesses may also cut off services if there is a concern that the Dogecoin Network is being used to facilitate crime. Any of the aforementioned occurrences could increase regulatory scrutiny of the Dogecoin Network and/or adversely affect the price of DOGE, the attractiveness of the Dogecoin Network and an investment in the Shares of the Trust.

When the Trust and the Sponsor, acting on behalf of the Trust, sell or deliver, as applicable, DOGE or, subject to NYSE Arca obtaining regulatory approval from the SEC, Incidental Rights and/or IR Virtual Currency, they generally do not transact directly with counterparties other than the Authorized Participant, a Liquidity Provider or other similarly eligible financial institutions that are subject to federal and state licensing requirements and maintain practices and policies designed to comply with AML and KYC regulations. When an Authorized Participant (subject to In-Kind Regulatory Approval) or a Liquidity Provider sources DOGE in connection with the creation of the Shares or facilitates transactions in DOGE at the direction of the Trust or the Sponsor, it directly faces its counterparty and, in all instances, the Authorized Participant or Liquidity Provider, as applicable, follow policies and procedures designed to ensure that it knows the identity of its counterparty. The Authorized Participant is a registered broker-dealer and therefore subject to AML and countering the financing of terrorism obligations under the Bank Secrecy Act as administered by FinCEN and further overseen by the SEC and FINRA. In addition, one or more Liquidity Providers may be a virtual currency entity licensed by the NYDFS, which additionally may subject it to AML obligations.

In accordance with its regulatory obligations, the Authorized Participant, or the Liquidity Provider, conducts customer due diligence and enhanced due diligence on its counterparties, which enables it to determine each counterparty’s AML and other risks and assign an appropriate risk rating.

As part of its counterparty onboarding process, each of the Authorized Participant and the Liquidity Provider uses third-party services to screen prospective counterparties against various watch lists, including the Specially Designated Nationals List of the Treasury Department Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) and countries and territories identified as non-cooperative by the Financial Action Task Force. If the Sponsor, the Trust, the Authorized Participant or the Liquidity Provider were nevertheless to transact with such a sanctioned entity, the Sponsor, the Trust, the Authorized Participant and the Liquidity Provider would be at increased risk of potential criminal or civil lawsuits.

Risk Factors Related to the Digital Asset Markets

Recent developments in the digital asset economy have led to extreme volatility and disruption in digital asset markets, a loss of confidence in participants of the digital asset ecosystem, significant negative publicity surrounding digital assets broadly and market-wide declines in liquidity.

In the past and through the date of this prospectus, digital asset prices have experienced significant fluctuations, leading to volatility and disruption in the digital asset markets and financial difficulties for several prominent industry participants, including Digital Asset Trading Platforms, hedge funds and lending platforms. For example, in the first half of 2022, digital asset lenders Celsius Network LLC and Voyager Digital Ltd. and digital asset hedge fund Three Arrows Capital each entered into insolvency proceedings. This resulted in a loss of confidence in participants in the digital asset ecosystem, negative publicity surrounding digital assets more broadly and market-wide declines in digital asset trading prices and liquidity.

Thereafter, in November 2022, FTX, the third largest Digital Asset Trading Platform by volume at the time, halted customer withdrawals amid rumors of the company’s liquidity issues and likely insolvency. Shortly thereafter, FTX’s CEO resigned and FTX and several affiliates of FTX filed for bankruptcy. The U.S. Department of Justice subsequently brought criminal charges, including charges of fraud, violations of federal securities laws, money laundering, and campaign finance offenses, against FTX’s former CEO and others. In November 2023, FTX’s former CEO was convicted of fraud and money laundering. Similar charges related to violations of anti-money laundering laws were brought in November 2023 against Binance and its former CEO. In addition, several other entities in the digital asset industry filed for bankruptcy following FTX’s bankruptcy filing, such as BlockFi Inc. and Genesis Global Capital, LLC (“Genesis Capital”), a subsidiary of Genesis Global Holdco, LLC (“Genesis Holdco”). The SEC also brought charges against Genesis Capital and Gemini Trust Company, LLC (“Gemini”) in

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January 2023 for their alleged unregistered offer and sale of securities to retail investors. In October 2023, the New York Attorney General (“NYAG”) brought charges against Gemini, Genesis Capital, Genesis Asia Pacific PTE. LTD. (“Genesis Asia Pacific”), Genesis Holdco, (together with Genesis Capital and Genesis Asia Pacific, the “Genesis Entities”), Genesis Capital’s former CEO, DCG, and DCG’s CEO alleging violations of the New York Penal Law, the New York General Business Law and the New York Executive Law. In February 2024, the NYAG amended its complaint to expand the charges against Gemini, the Genesis Entities, Genesis Capital’s former CEO, DCG, and DCG’s CEO to include harm to additional investors. Also in February 2024, the Genesis Entities entered into a settlement agreement with the NYAG to resolve the NYAG’s allegations against the Genesis Entities, which settlement was subsequently approved by the Bankruptcy Court of the Southern District of New York.

Furthermore, Genesis Holdco, together with certain of its subsidiaries, filed a voluntary petition for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in January 2023. While Genesis Holdco is not a service provider to the Trust, it is a wholly owned subsidiary of DCG, and is an affiliate of the Trust and the Sponsor.

These events have also led to significant negative publicity around digital asset market participants including DCG, Genesis and DCG’s other affiliated entities. This publicity could negatively impact the reputation of the Sponsor and have an adverse effect on the trading price and/or the value of the Shares. Moreover, sales of a significant number of Shares of the Trust as a result of these events could have a negative impact on the trading price of the Shares.

These events led to a substantial increase in regulatory and enforcement scrutiny of the industry as a whole and of Digital Asset Trading Platforms in particular, including from the Department of Justice, the SEC, the CFTC, the White House and Congress. For example, in June 2023, the SEC brought charges against Binance (the “Binance Complaint”) and Coinbase (the “Coinbase Complaint”), two of the largest Digital Asset Trading Platforms, alleging that they solicited U.S. investors to buy, sell, and trade “crypto asset securities” through their unregistered trading platforms and operated unregistered securities exchanges, brokerages and clearing agencies. Binance subsequently announced that it would be suspending USD deposits and withdrawals on Binance.US and that it plans to delist its USD trading pairs. In addition, in November 2023, the SEC brought similar charges against Kraken (the “Kraken Complaint”), alleging that it operated as an unregistered securities exchange, brokerage and clearing agency. The Binance Complaint, the Coinbase Complaint and the Kraken Complaint have led, and may in the future lead, to further volatility in digital asset prices. Between February 2025 and May 2025, the SEC entered into court-approved joint stipulations to dismiss each of the Binance Complaint, Coinbase Complaint and the Kraken Complaint. The SEC has terminated its investigation or enforcement action into many other digital asset market participants as well.

In January 2025, the SEC launched a Crypto Task Force dedicated to developing a comprehensive and clear regulatory framework for digital assets led by Commissioner Hester Peirce. Subsequently, Commissioner Peirce announced a list of specific priorities to further that initiative, which included pursuing final rules related to a digital asset’s security status, a revised path to registered offerings and listings for digital asset-based investment vehicles, and clarity regarding digital asset custody, lending and staking.

Digital asset markets have also been negatively impacted by the failure of entities perceived to be integral to the digital asset ecosystem. For example, in March 2023, state banking regulators placed Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank into FDIC receiverships. Also, in March 2023, Silvergate Bank announced plans to wind down and liquidate its operations. Because these banks were perceived to be the banks most open to providing services for the digital asset ecosystem in the United States, their failures may impact the willingness of banks (based on regulatory pressure or otherwise) to provide banking services to digital asset market participants. In addition, because these banks were perceived to be the banks most open to providing services for the digital asset ecosystem, their failure has caused a number of companies that provide digital asset-related services to be unable to find banks that are willing to provide them with such banking services. The inability to access banking services could negatively impact digital asset market participants and therefore the value of digital assets, including DOGE, and thus the Shares. In addition, although these events did not have an impact directly on the Trust or the Sponsor when these bank failures occurred, it is possible that a future closing of a bank with which the Trust or the Sponsor has a financial relationship could subject the Trust or the Sponsor to adverse conditions and pose challenges in finding an alternative suitable bank to provide the Trust or the Sponsor with bank accounts and banking services.

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Events such as these that impact the wider digital asset ecosystem are continuing to develop and change at a rapid pace and it is not possible to predict at this time all of the risks that they may pose to the Sponsor, the Trust, their affiliates and/or the Trust’s third-party service providers, or on the digital asset industry as a whole.

Continued disruption and instability in the digital asset markets as these events develop, including declines in the trading prices and liquidity of DOGE, or the failure of service providers to the Trust, could have a material adverse effect on the value of the Shares and the Shares could lose all or substantially all of their value.

The value of the Shares relates directly to the value of DOGE, the value of which may be highly volatile and subject to fluctuations due to a number of factors.

The value of the Shares relates directly to the value of the DOGE held by the Trust and fluctuations in the price of DOGE could adversely affect the value of the Shares. The market price of DOGE may be highly volatile, and subject to a number of factors, including:

•
an increase in the global DOGE supply that is publicly available for trading;
•
manipulative trading activity on Digital Asset Trading Platforms, which, in many cases, are largely unregulated;
•
the adoption of DOGE as a medium of exchange, store-of-value or other consumptive asset and the maintenance and development of the open-source software protocol of the Dogecoin Network;
•
forks in the Dogecoin Network;
•
investors’ expectations with respect to interest rates, the rates of inflation of fiat currencies or DOGE, and Digital Asset Trading Platform rates;
•
consumer preferences and perceptions of DOGE specifically and digital assets generally;
•
fiat currency withdrawal and deposit policies on Digital Asset Trading Platforms;
•
the liquidity of Digital Asset Markets and any increase or decrease in trading volume on Digital Asset Markets;
•
investment and trading activities of large investors that invest directly or indirectly in DOGE;
•
a “short squeeze” resulting from speculation on the price of DOGE, if aggregate short exposure exceeds the number of Shares available for purchase;
•
an active derivatives market for DOGE or for digital assets generally;
•
a final determination that DOGE is a security or changes in DOGE’s status under the federal securities laws;
•
monetary policies of governments, trade restrictions, currency devaluations and revaluations and regulatory measures or enforcement actions, if any, that restrict the use of DOGE as a form of payment or the purchase of DOGE on the Digital Asset Markets;
•
global or regional political, economic or financial conditions, events and situations, such as the novel coronavirus outbreak;
•
fees associated with processing an DOGE transaction and the speed at which DOGE transactions are settled on the Dogecoin Network;
•
interruptions in service from or closures or failures of major Digital Asset Trading Platforms;

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•
decreased confidence in Digital Asset Trading Platforms due to the largely unregulated nature and lack of transparency surrounding the operations of Digital Asset Trading Platforms;
•
increased competition from other forms of digital assets or payment services; and
•
the Trust’s own acquisitions or dispositions of DOGE, since there is no limit on the amount of DOGE that the Trust may acquire.

In addition, there is no assurance that DOGE will maintain its value in the long or intermediate term. In the event that the price of DOGE declines, the Sponsor expects the value of the Shares to decline proportionately. The value of DOGE as represented by the Index Price or by the Trust’s principal market may also be subject to momentum pricing due to speculation regarding future appreciation in value, leading to greater volatility that could adversely affect the value of the Shares. Momentum pricing typically is associated with growth stocks and other assets whose valuation, as determined by the investing public, accounts for future appreciation in value, if any. The Sponsor believes that momentum pricing of DOGE has resulted, and may continue to result, in speculation regarding future appreciation in the value of DOGE, inflating and making the Index Price more volatile. As a result, DOGE may be more likely to fluctuate in value due to changing investor confidence, which could impact future appreciation or depreciation in the Index Price and could adversely affect the value of the Shares.

Due to the largely unregulated nature and lack of transparency surrounding the operations of Digital Asset Trading Platforms, they may experience fraud, market manipulation, business failures, security failures or operational problems, which may adversely affect the value of DOGE and, consequently, the value of the Shares.

Digital Asset Trading Platforms are relatively new and, in many ways, are not subject to, or may not comply with, regulation in relevant jurisdictions in a manner similar to other regulated trading platforms, such as national securities exchanges or designated contract markets. While many prominent Digital Asset Trading Platforms provide the public with significant information regarding their on-chain activities, ownership structure, management teams, corporate practices, cybersecurity practices and regulatory compliance, many other Digital Asset Trading Platforms do not provide this information. Furthermore, while Digital Asset Trading Platforms are and may continue to be subject to federal and state licensing requirements in the United States, Digital Asset Trading Platforms do not currently appear to be subject to regulation in a similar manner as other regulated trading platforms, such as national securities exchanges or designated contract markets. As a result, the marketplace may lose confidence in Digital Asset Trading Platforms, including prominent trading platforms that handle a significant volume of DOGE trading.

Many Digital Asset Trading Platforms, both in the United States and abroad, are unlicensed, not subject to, or not in compliance with, regulation in relevant jurisdictions, or operate without extensive supervision by governmental authorities. In particular, those located outside the United States may be subject to significantly less stringent regulatory and compliance requirements in their local jurisdictions and may take the position that they are not subject to laws and regulations that would apply to a national securities exchange or designated contract market in the United States, or may, as a practical matter, be beyond the ambit of U.S. regulators. As a result, trading activity on or reported by these Digital Asset Trading Platforms is generally significantly less regulated than trading activity on or reported by regulated U.S. securities and commodities markets, and may reflect behavior that would be prohibited in regulated U.S. trading venues. For example, in 2022 one report claimed that trading volumes on Digital Asset Trading Platforms were inflated by over 70% due to false or non-economic trades, with specific focus on unlicensed trading platforms located outside of the United States. Such reports may indicate that the Digital Asset Trading Platform Market is significantly smaller than expected and that the U.S. makes up a significantly larger percentage of the Digital Asset Trading Platform Market than is commonly understood, or that a much larger portion of digital asset market activity takes place on decentralized finance platforms than is commonly understood. Nonetheless, any actual or perceived false trading in the Digital Asset Trading Platform Market, and any other fraudulent or manipulative acts and practices, could adversely affect the value of DOGE and/or negatively affect the market perception of DOGE, which could in turn adversely impact the value of the Shares.

The SEC has also identified possible sources of fraud and manipulation in the Digital Asset Markets generally, including, among others (1) “wash-trading”; (2) persons with a dominant position in a digital asset manipulating pricing in such digital asset; (3) hacking of the underlying digital asset network and trading platforms; (4) malicious control of the underlying digital asset network; (5) trading based on material, non-public information (for example,

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plans of market participants to significantly increase or decrease their holdings in a digital asset, new sources of demand for a digital asset) or based on the dissemination of false and misleading information; (6) manipulative activity involving purported “stablecoins,” including Tether; and (7) fraud and manipulation at Digital Asset Markets. The use or presence of such acts and practices in the Digital Asset Markets could, for example, falsely inflate the volume of DOGE present in the Digital Asset Markets or cause distortions in the price of DOGE, among other things that could adversely affect the Trust or cause losses to shareholders. Moreover, tools to detect and deter fraudulent or manipulative trading activities, such as market manipulation, front-running of trades, and wash-trading, may not be available to or employed by Digital Asset Markets, or may not exist at all. Many Digital Asset Markets also lack certain safeguards put in place by exchanges for more traditional assets to enhance the stability of trading on the exchanges and prevent “flash crashes,” such as limit-down circuit breakers. As a result, the prices of DOGE on Digital Asset Markets may be subject to larger and/or more frequent sudden declines than assets traded on more traditional exchanges.

In addition, over the past several years, some Digital Asset Trading Platforms have been closed, been subject to criminal and civil litigation and have entered into bankruptcy proceedings due to fraud and manipulative activity, business failure and/or security breaches. In many of these instances, the customers of such Digital Asset Trading Platforms were not compensated or made whole for the partial or complete losses of their account balances in such Digital Asset Trading Platforms. In some instances, customers are made whole only in dollar terms as of the Digital Asset Trading Platform’s date of failure, rather than on a digital asset basis, meaning customers may still lose out on any price increase in digital assets.

While smaller Digital Asset Trading Platforms are less likely to have the infrastructure and capitalization that make larger Digital Asset Trading Platforms more stable, larger Digital Asset Trading Platforms are more likely to be appealing targets for hackers and malware. For example, in February 2025, hackers reportedly compromised a transaction from Bybit’s multisignature cold wallets, enabling the hackers to steal over $1.5 billion of ETH from Bybit. Shortcomings or ultimate failures of larger Digital Asset Trading Platforms are more likely to have contagion effects on the digital asset ecosystem, and therefore may also be more likely to be targets of regulatory enforcement action. For example, in November 2022, FTX, another of the world’s largest Digital Asset Trading Platforms, filed for bankruptcy protection and subsequently halted customer withdrawals as well as trading on its FTX.US platform. Fraud, security failures and operational problems all played a role in FTX’s issues and downfall. Moreover, Digital Asset Trading Platforms have been a subject of enhanced regulatory and enforcement scrutiny, and Digital Asset Markets have experienced continued instability, following the failure of FTX. In particular, in June 2023, the SEC brought the Binance Complaint and Coinbase Complaint, alleging that Binance and Coinbase operated unregistered securities exchanges, brokerages and clearing agencies. In addition, in November 2023, the SEC brought the Kraken Complaint, alleging that Kraken operated as an unregistered securities exchange, brokerage and clearing agency. In February 2025, a 60-day stay was granted in the SEC’s lawsuit against Binance in response to a joint request by both the SEC and Binance, which acknowledged that the SEC’s newly formed Crypto Task Force’s focus on developing a federal securities law framework for digital assets may resolve the case. Between February 2025 and May 2025, the SEC entered into court-approved joint stipulations to dismiss each of the Binance Complaint, Coinbase Complaint and the Kraken Complaint. The SEC has terminated its investigation or enforcement action into many other digital asset market participants as well.

Negative perception, a lack of stability and standardized regulation in the Digital Asset Markets and/or the closure or temporary shutdown of Digital Asset Trading Platforms due to fraud, business failure, security breaches or government mandated regulation, and associated losses by customers, may reduce confidence in the Dogecoin Network and result in greater volatility in the prices of DOGE. Furthermore, the closure or temporary shutdown of a Digital Asset Trading Platform used in calculating the Index Price may result in a loss of confidence in the Trust’s ability to determine its NAV on a daily basis. These potential consequences of such a Digital Asset Trading Platform’s failure could adversely affect the value of the Shares.

Digital Asset Trading Platforms may be exposed to front-running.

Digital Asset Trading Platforms may be susceptible to “front-running,” which refers to the process when someone uses technology or market advantage to get prior knowledge of upcoming transactions. Front-running is a frequent activity on centralized as well as decentralized trading platforms. By using bots functioning on a millisecond-scale timeframe, bad actors are able to take advantage of the forthcoming price movement and make economic gains at the cost of those who had introduced these transactions. The objective of a front runner is to buy

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tokens at a low price and later sell them at a higher price while simultaneously exiting the position. To the extent that front-running occurs, it may result in investor frustrations and concerns as to the price integrity of Digital Asset Trading Platforms and digital assets more generally.

Digital Asset Trading Platforms may be exposed to wash-trading.

Digital Asset Trading Platforms may be susceptible to wash-trading. Wash-trading occurs when offsetting trades are entered into for other than bona fide reasons, such as the desire to inflate reported trading volumes. Wash-trading may be motivated by non-economic reasons, such as a desire for increased visibility on popular websites that monitor markets for digital assets so as to improve a trading platform’s attractiveness to investors who look for maximum liquidity, or it may be motivated by the ability to attract listing fees from token issuers who seek the most liquid and high-volume trading platforms on which to list their tokens. Results of wash-trading may include unexpected obstacles to trade and erroneous investment decisions based on false information.

Even in the United States, there have been allegations of wash-trading even on regulated venues. Any actual or perceived false trading on Digital Asset Trading Platforms, and any other fraudulent or manipulative acts and practices, could adversely affect the value of DOGE and/or negatively affect the market perception of DOGE.

To the extent that wash-trading either occurs or appears to occur in Digital Asset Trading Platforms, investors may develop negative perceptions about DOGE and the digital assets industry more broadly, which could adversely impact the price of DOGE and, therefore, the price of the Shares. Wash-trading also may place more legitimate Digital Asset Trading Platforms at a relative competitive disadvantage.

The lack of active trading markets for the Shares may result in losses on investors’ investments at the time of disposition of Shares.

Although Shares are expected to be publicly listed and traded on the NYSE Arca, there can be no guarantee that an active trading market for the Trust will develop or be maintained. If shareholders need to sell their Shares at a time when no active market for them exists, the price shareholders receive for their Shares, assuming they are able to sell them, likely will be lower than the price that shareholders would receive if an active market did exist and, accordingly, a shareholder may suffer losses.

Possible illiquid markets may exacerbate losses or increase the variability between the Trust’s NAV and its market price.

DOGE is a novel asset with a limited trading history. Therefore, the markets for DOGE may be less liquid and more volatile than other markets for more established products, such as futures contracts for traditional physical commodities. It may be difficult to execute an DOGE trade at a specific price when there is a relatively small volume of buy and sell orders in the DOGE market. A market disruption can also make it more difficult to liquidate a position or find a suitable counterparty at a reasonable cost.

Market illiquidity may cause losses for the Trust. The large size of the positions that the Trust may acquire could increase the risk of illiquidity, by both making the positions more difficult to liquidate and increasing the losses incurred while trying to do so, should the Trust need to liquidate its DOGE. Any type of disruption or illiquidity will potentially be exacerbated due to the fact that the Trust will only invest in DOGE, which is highly concentrated.

As of the date of this filing, the total market value of the DOGE circulating supply is approximately $27.7 billion, comprised of approximately 151.6 billion DOGE. On average over the last 30 days, over any given 24-hour period, the reported global DOGE trading volume was approximately $1.7 billion.

The Index has a limited history and a failure of the Index Price could adversely affect the value of the Shares.

The Index has a limited history and the Index Price is a composite reference rate calculated using trading price data from various Digital Asset Trading Platforms chosen by the Index Provider. The Index Provider may remove or add Digital Asset Trading Platforms to the Index in the future at its discretion. For more information on the

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inclusion criteria for Digital Asset Trading Platforms in the Index, see “Business—Overview of the Dogecoin Industry and Market—The Index and the Index Price.”

Although the Index is designed to accurately capture the market price of DOGE, third parties may be able to purchase and sell DOGE on public or private markets not included among the constituent Digital Asset Trading Platforms of the Index, and such transactions may take place at prices materially higher or lower than the Index Price. Moreover, there may be variances in the prices of DOGE on the various Digital Asset Trading Platforms, including as a result of differences in fee structures or administrative procedures on different Digital Asset Trading Platforms. For example, based on data provided by the Index Provider, on any given day during the period from January 30, 2025 (the commencement of the Trust’s operations) to September 30, 2025, the maximum differential between the 4:00 p.m., New York time spot price of any single Digital Asset Trading Platform included in the Index and the Index Price was 4.40% and the average of the maximum differentials of the 4:00 p.m., New York time, spot price of each Digital Asset Trading Platform included in the Index and the Index Price was 1.67%. During this same period, the average differential between the 4:00 p.m., New York time, spot prices of all the Digital Asset Trading Platforms included in the Index and the Index Price was 0.006%. To the extent such prices differ materially from the Index Price, investors may lose confidence in the Shares’ ability to track the market price of DOGE, which could adversely affect the value of the Shares.

A decline in the adoption of DOGE or the Dogecoin Network could negatively impact the Trust.

The Sponsor will not have any strategy relating to the development of DOGE and the Dogecoin Network. However, a lack of expansion in usage of DOGE and the Dogecoin Network could adversely affect an investment in Shares.

The further development and acceptance of the Dogecoin Network, which is part of a new and rapidly changing industry, is subject to a variety of factors that are difficult to evaluate. The slowing, stopping or reversing of the development or acceptance or usage of the Dogecoin Network may adversely affect the price of DOGE and therefore an investment in the Shares. The further adoption of DOGE will require growth of the Dogecoin Network. Adoption of DOGE will also require an accommodating regulatory environment.

The use of digital assets such as DOGE to, among other things, buy and sell goods or services or facilitate cross-border payments is part of a new and rapidly evolving industry that employs digital assets based upon computer-generated mathematical and/or cryptographic protocols. The Dogecoin Network is a prominent, but not unique, part of this industry. The growth of this industry is subject to a high degree of uncertainty, as new assets and technological innovations continue to develop and evolve.

Today, speculators make up a significant portion of users of DOGE and other cryptocurrencies. Certain merchants and major retail and commercial businesses have only recently begun accepting DOGE and the Dogecoin Network as a means of payment for goods and services. Speculation may contribute to outsized price volatility, which in turn can make DOGE less attractive to merchants and commercial parties as a means of payment. A lack of expansion by DOGE into retail and commercial markets or a contraction of such use may result in a reduction in the price of DOGE, which could adversely affect an investment in the Trust.

In addition, there is no assurance that DOGE will maintain its value over the long term. The price of DOGE is subject to risks related to its usage. Even if growth in Dogecoin Network adoption occurs in the near or medium term, there is no assurance that DOGE usage will continue to grow over the long term. A contraction in use of DOGE may result in increased volatility or a reduction in the price of DOGE, which would adversely impact the value of the Shares.

The Index Price used to calculate the value of the Trust’s DOGE may be volatile, and purchasing and selling activity in the Digital Asset Markets associated with Basket creations and redemptions may affect the Index Price and Share trading prices, adversely affecting the value of the Shares.

The price of DOGE on public Digital Asset Trading Platforms has a very limited history, and during this history, DOGE prices on the Digital Asset Markets more generally, and on Digital Asset Trading Platforms individually, have been volatile and subject to influence by many factors, including operational interruptions. While the Index is designed to limit exposure to the interruption of individual Digital Asset Trading Platforms, the Index

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Price, and the price of DOGE generally, remain subject to volatility experienced by Digital Asset Trading Platforms, and such volatility could adversely affect the value of the Shares. For example, from January 30, 2025 (the commencement of the Trust’s operations) to September 30, 2025, the Index Price ranged from $0.14 to $0.33, with the straight average being $0.21. The Sponsor has not observed a material difference between the Index Price and average prices from the constituent Digital Asset Trading Platforms individually or as a group. The price of DOGE more generally has experienced volatility similar to the Index Price during these periods. See “Business—Overview of the Dogecoin Industry and Market—Historical DOGE Prices.”

Furthermore, because the number of Digital Asset Trading Platforms is limited, the Index will necessarily be comprised of a limited number of Digital Asset Trading Platforms. If a Digital Asset Trading Platform were subjected to regulatory, volatility or other pricing issues, the Index Provider would have limited ability to remove such Digital Asset Trading Platform from the Index, which could skew the price of DOGE as represented by the Index. Trading on a limited number of Digital Asset Trading Platforms may result in less favorable prices and decreased liquidity of DOGE and, therefore, could have an adverse effect on the value of the Shares.

Purchasing activity associated with acquiring DOGE required for the creation of Baskets may increase the market price of DOGE on the Digital Asset Markets, which will result in higher prices for the Shares. Alternatively, selling activity associated with sales of DOGE withdrawn from the Trust in connection with the redemption of Baskets may decrease the market price of DOGE on the Digital Asset Markets, which will result in lower prices for the Shares. Increases or decreases in the market price of DOGE may also occur as a result of the purchasing or selling activity of other market participants. Other market participants may attempt to benefit from an increase or decrease in the market price of DOGE that may result from increased purchasing or selling activity of DOGE connected with the creation or redemption of Baskets. Consequently, the market price of DOGE may decline immediately after Baskets are created. Decreases in the market price of DOGE may also occur as a result of sales in Secondary Markets by other market participants. If the Index Price declines, the value of the Shares will generally also decline.

Competition from the emergence or growth of other digital assets could have a negative impact on the price of DOGE and adversely affect the value of the Shares.

As of October 31, 2025, DOGE is the eighth largest digital asset by market capitalization, as tracked by CoinMarketCap.com. As of September 30, 2025, the digital assets tracked by CoinMarketCap.com had a total market capitalization of approximately $3.9 trillion (including the approximately $35.2 billion market cap of DOGE), as calculated using market prices and total available supply of each digital asset, excluding stablecoins and tokens pegged to other assets. DOGE faces competition from a wide range of digital assets. DOGE is also supported by fewer trading platforms than more established digital assets, such as Bitcoin and Ether, which could impact its liquidity. DOGE is in direct competition to other real-time payment and settlement systems such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Stellar. Competition from the emergence or growth of alternative digital assets in the financial payment and settlement sectors could have a negative impact on the demand for, and price of, DOGE and thereby adversely affect an investment in the value of the Shares.

Investors may also invest in DOGE through means other than the Shares, including through direct investments in DOGE and other financial vehicles, including securities backed by or linked to DOGE and digital asset financial vehicles similar to the Trust. In particular, the Trust and the Sponsor face competition with respect to the creation of competing exchange-traded spot DOGE products, among other digital asset vehicles, several of which have applications pending before the SEC or that have already received SEC approval. The SEC and CFTC have also issued a joint staff statement providing the respective staffs’ view that current law does not prohibit SEC- or CFTC-registered exchanges from facilitating trading of certain spot crypto asset products, which may expose the Trust to additional types of competition. Whether the Trust is successful in maintaining its scale and achieving its intended competitive position may be impacted by a range of factors, including the Trust’s timing in entering the market relative to competing spot DOGE exchange-traded products, its fee structure relative to those competing products, and potentially new platforms for investing in DOGE. The Trust’s competitors may offer a more liquid secondary market for their shares, and/or may charge a substantially lower fee than the Sponsor’s Fee or expense ratio now or in the future. If the Trust fails to continue to maintain or grow sufficient scale due to competition, the Sponsor may have difficulty raising sufficient revenue to cover the costs associated with maintaining the Trust and such shortfalls could impact the Sponsor’s ability to properly invest in robust ongoing operations and controls of the Trust to minimize the risk of operating events, errors, or other forms of losses to the shareholders. Furthermore, the Trust

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may fail to continue to attract adequate liquidity in the secondary market due to such competition, resulting in a small number of Authorized Participants willing to make a market in the Shares, which in turn could result in the Shares trading at a significant premium or discount for extended periods. Likewise, market and financial conditions, and other conditions beyond the Sponsor’s control, may make it more attractive to gain exposure to DOGE through other vehicles, rather than the Trust.

In addition, to the extent digital asset financial vehicles other than the Trust tracking the price of DOGE are formed and represent a significant proportion of the demand for DOGE, large purchases or redemptions of the securities of these digital asset financial vehicles, or private funds holding DOGE, could negatively affect the Index Price, the NAV, the NAV per Share, the value of the Shares, the Principal Market NAV and the Principal Market NAV per Share. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that the Trust will be able to maintain its scale and achieve its intended competitive positioning relative to competitors, which could adversely affect the performance of the Trust and the value of the Shares.

Congestion or delay in the Dogecoin Network may delay purchases or sales of DOGE by the Trust.

Increased transaction volume could result in delays in the recording of transactions due to congestion in the Dogecoin Network. Moreover, unforeseen system failures, disruptions in operations, or poor connectivity may also result in delays in the recording of transactions on the Dogecoin Network. For example, in February 2024, Dogecoin Network developers publicly acknowledged that the Dogecoin Network was experiencing heavy congestion caused by a flood of “inscriptions,” or data attachments to transactions stored on-chain, resulting in reports that Dogecoin Network transactions were “jammed” or unresponsive, and that transaction confirmation times were significantly delayed. Any delay in the Dogecoin Network could affect an Authorized Participant’s ability to buy or sell Dogecoin Network at an advantageous price resulting in decreased confidence in the Dogecoin Network. Over the longer term, delays in confirming transactions could reduce the attractiveness to merchants and other commercial parties as a means of payment. As a result, the Dogecoin Network and the value of the Trust would be adversely affected.

The SEC has approved generic listing standards for commodity-based trust shares and may approve other applications under Rule 19b-4 of the Exchange Act to list competing digital assets as exchange-traded products, which could reduce demand for, and the price of, DOGE and adversely impact the value of the Shares.

To date, the SEC has approved applications under Rule 19b-4 of the Exchange Act to list spot digital asset exchange-traded products which hold Bitcoin and Ether as well as generic listing standards for commodity-based trust shares holding digital assets. To the extent competing digital asset exchange-traded products, other than those which hold DOGE come to represent a significant proportion of the demand for digital assets generally, demand for, and the price of, DOGE could be reduced. Such reduced demand could in turn negatively affect the Index Price, the NAV, the NAV per Share, the value of the Shares, the Principal Market NAV and the Principal Market NAV per Share. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that the Trust will be able to maintain its scale and achieve its intended competitive positioning relative to competitors, which could adversely affect the performance of the Trust and the value of the Shares.

Competition from central bank digital currencies (“CBDCs”) and emerging payments initiatives involving financial institutions could adversely affect the price of DOGE and other digital assets.

Central banks in various countries have introduced digital forms of legal tender (“CBDCs”). China’s CBDC project, known as Digital Currency Electronic Payment, has reportedly been tested in a live pilot program conducted in multiple cities in China. Central banks representing at least 130 countries have published retail or wholesale CBDC work ranging from research to pilot projects. Whether or not they incorporate blockchain or similar technology, CBDCs, as legal tender in the issuing jurisdiction, could have an advantage in competing with, or replace, DOGE and other cryptocurrencies as a medium of exchange or store of value. Central banks and other governmental entities have also announced cooperative initiatives and consortia with private sector entities, with the goal of leveraging blockchain and other technology to reduce friction in cross-border and interbank payments and settlement, and commercial banks and other financial institutions have also recently announced a number of initiatives of their own to incorporate new technologies, including blockchain and similar technologies, into their

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payments and settlement activities, which could compete with, or reduce the demand for, DOGE. As a result of any of the foregoing factors, the price of DOGE could decrease, which could adversely affect an investment in the Trust.

Prices of DOGE may be affected due to stablecoins (including Tether and USDC), the activities of stablecoin issuers and their regulatory treatment.

While the Trust does not invest in stablecoins, it may nonetheless be exposed to these and other risks that stablecoins pose for the market for DOGE and other digital assets. Stablecoins are digital assets designed to have a stable value over time as compared to typically volatile digital assets, and are typically marketed as being pegged to the value of a referenced asset, normally a fiat currency, such as the U.S. dollar. Although the prices of stablecoins are intended to be stable compared to their referenced asset, in many cases their prices fluctuate, sometimes significantly. This volatility has in the past impacted the prices of certain digital assets, and has at times caused certain stablecoins to lose their “peg” to the underlying fiat currency. Stablecoins are a relatively new phenomenon, and it is impossible to know all of the risks that they could pose to participants in the digital asset markets. In addition, some have argued that some stablecoins, particularly Tether, are improperly issued without sufficient backing in a way that could cause artificial rather than genuine demand for digital assets, raising their prices. Regulators have also charged stablecoin issuers with violations of law or otherwise required certain stablecoin issuers to cease certain operations. For example, on February 17, 2021, the New York Attorney General entered into an agreement with Tether’s operators, requiring them to cease any further trading activity with New York persons and pay $18.5 million in penalties for false and misleading statements made regarding the assets backing Tether. On October 15, 2021, the CFTC announced a settlement with Tether’s operators in which they agreed to pay $42.5 million in fines to settle charges that, among others, Tether’s claims that it maintained sufficient U.S. dollar reserves to back every Tether stablecoin in circulation with the “equivalent amount of corresponding fiat currency” held by Tether were untrue.

USDC is a reserve-backed stablecoin issued by Circle Internet Financial that is commonly used as a method of payment in digital asset markets, including the DOGE market. The issuer of USDC uses the Circle Reserve Fund to hold cash, U.S. Treasury bills, notes and other obligations issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Treasury, and repurchase agreements secured by such obligations or cash, which serve as reserves backing USDC stablecoins. While USDC is designed to maintain a stable value at 1 U.S. dollar at all times, on March 10, 2023, the value of USDC fell below $1.00 (and remained below for multiple days) after Circle Internet Financial disclosed that $3.3 billion of the USDC reserves were held at Silicon Valley Bank, which had entered FDIC receivership earlier that day. Popular stablecoins are reliant on the U.S. banking system and U.S. treasuries, and the failure of either to function normally could impede the function of stablecoins or lead to outsized redemption requests, and therefore could adversely affect the value of the Shares.

Given the role that stablecoins play in global digital asset markets, their fundamental liquidity can have a dramatic impact on the broader digital asset market, including the market for DOGE. Because a large portion of the digital asset market still depends on stablecoins such as Tether and USDC, there is a risk that a disorderly de-pegging or a run on Tether or USDC could lead to dramatic market volatility in, and/or materially and adversely affect the prices of, digital assets more broadly.

Volatility in stablecoins, operational issues with stablecoins (for example, technical issues that prevent settlement), concerns about the sufficiency of any reserves that support stablecoins, or regulatory concerns about stablecoin issuers or intermediaries, such as Bitcoin spot markets, that support stablecoins, could impact individuals’ willingness to trade on trading venues that rely on stablecoins and could impact the price of DOGE, and in turn, an investment in the Shares.

The price of DOGE may become closely correlated with other asset classes.

Returns from investing in DOGE have at times diverged from and/or have not been correlated with those associated with other asset classes, but there can be no assurance that there will be any such divergence, either generally or with respect to any particular asset class, or that price movements will not be correlated. In addition, there is no assurance that DOGE will maintain its value in the long, intermediate, short, or any other term. In the event that the price of DOGE declines, the value of the Shares is likely to decline proportionately.

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DOGE was originally considered a “memecoin” and may be subject to even greater levels of volatility than other digital assets.

Memecoins are cryptocurrencies inspired by internet memes or trends. Most memecoins have no stated use case or intrinsic value, other than as a digital collector’s item. While most memecoins have relatively low trading prices and trading volume, occasionally a memecoin will develop an enthusiastic community of supporters that cause the memecoin to go “viral” on social networks and other mediums. These memecoins will often experience unpredictable and extreme price fluctuations over very short windows of time. Memecoins have also been used in “rug pulls”, where the developers of the memecoin abandon a project after raising assets, leaving purchasers of the memecoin with nearly worthless assets. Memecoins are also commonly the subject of other forms of market manipulation, such as pump and dump, wash trading or spoofing schemes.

DOGE is often considered the first memecoin. DOGE was initially developed in 2013 by the software developers Billy Markus and Jackson Palmer as a way of making fun of Bitcoin and other digital assets, which they believed were being taken too seriously. DOGE was designed as a “fun and friendly internet currency,” and adopted the image of a Shibu Inu dog as its logo. Despite, or perhaps because of, its satirical origins, DOGE gained rapid interest and adoption in online communities, and rapidly became one of the larger digital assets when measured by market capitalization. Users soon began using DOGE for certain financial transactions, including tipping, trading, and donations. Since its inception, the software underlying DOGE has been upgraded to be more secure and more comparable to other major digital assets, and it has recently experienced volatility generally similar to other major digital assets. However, DOGE still has a large following in the online meme community. While DOGE is regularly among the top ten digital assets by market cap, its history as a memecoin may cause it to experience periods of extreme volatility.

The unlimited supply of DOGE may negatively impact the long-term value of DOGE, and potentially the integrity of the Dogecoin Network.

Unlike certain other digital assets such as Bitcoin or Litecoin, DOGE has an unlimited supply. New DOGE is mined every day, and that production has no cap. The unlimited nature of DOGE's supply may negatively impact the value of DOGE, and therefore of the Trust, as it reduces the scarcity of the asset. Additionally, without continuous net new demand, the value of DOGE is likely to decline over time as additional DOGE is produced.

The unlimited nature of DOGE supply could negatively impact the adoption of DOGE and the integrity of the Dogecoin Network if it contributes to a decline in the value of DOGE, as that value is what incentivizes parties to participate in the Dogecoin Network.

Risk Factors Related to the Trust and the Shares

The Trust relies on third-party service providers to perform certain functions essential to the affairs of the Trust and the replacement of such service providers could pose a challenge to the safekeeping of the Trust’s DOGE and to the operations of the Trust.

The Trust relies on the Custodian and the Prime Broker (together, the “Custodial Entities”), the Authorized Participants and other third-party service providers to perform certain functions essential to managing the affairs of the Trust. In addition, Liquidity Providers are relied upon to facilitate the purchase and sale of DOGE in connection with creations and redemptions of Shares in cash (“Cash Orders”), and the Transfer Agent and Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC (in such capacity, the “Liquidity Engager”) are relied upon to facilitate such Cash Orders. Any disruptions to a service provider’s business operations, resulting from business failures, financial instability, security failures, government mandated regulation or operational problems, could have an adverse impact on the Trust’s ability to access critical services and be disruptive to the operations of the Trust and require the Sponsor or the Liquidity Engager, as the case may be, to replace such service provider. Moreover, the Sponsor could decide to replace a service provider to the Trust, or the Liquidity Engager may decide to replace a Liquidity Provider, for other reasons.

If the Sponsor decides, or is required, to replace Coinbase Custody Trust Company, LLC as the custodian of the Trust’s DOGE, or Coinbase, Inc. as the prime broker controlling and securing the Trust’s Settlement Balance, transfer of the respective maintenance responsibilities of the Vault Balance or the Settlement Balance to another

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party or parties will likely be complex and could subject the Trust’s DOGE to the risk of loss during the transfer, which could have a negative impact on the performance of the Shares or result in loss of the Trust’s assets.

Moreover, the legal rights of customers with respect to digital assets held on their behalf by a third-party custodian, such as the Custodial Entities, in insolvency proceedings are currently uncertain. The Prime Broker Agreement contains an agreement by the parties to treat the digital assets credited to the Trust’s Vault Balance and Settlement Balance as financial assets under Article 8 in addition to stating that the Custodian will serve as fiduciary and custodian on the Trust’s behalf with respect to the Trust’s DOGE held in the Vault Balance, and that any DOGE credited to the Settlement Balance will be treated as custodial assets.

The Custodial Entities’ parent, Coinbase Global, has also stated in its most recent public securities filings that in light of the inclusion of provisions relating to Article 8 in its custody and prime broker client agreements, it believes that a court would not treat custodied digital assets as part of its general estate in the event the Custodial Entities were to experience insolvency. However, due to the novelty of digital asset custodial arrangements courts have not yet considered this type of treatment for custodied digital assets and it is not possible to predict with certainty how they would rule in such a scenario. Moreover, the Custodian and the Prime Broker are potentially subject to different insolvency regimes and there is no assurance that the digital assets credited to the Trust’s Settlement Balance would be treated similarly to those credited to the Trust’s Vault Balance in an insolvency, notwithstanding the rights and obligations conferred under the Prime Broker Agreement or Coinbase Global’s views regarding the treatment of such assets under Article 8. In the event that the Custodian or the Prime Broker and/or Coinbase Global became subject to insolvency proceedings and a court were to rule that the custodied digital assets were part of the Custodian’s, the Prime Broker’s and/or Coinbase Global’s general estate and not the property of the Trust, then the Trust would be treated as a general unsecured creditor in such insolvency proceedings and the Trust would be subject to the loss of all or a significant portion of its assets.

In addition, the Custodian is a fiduciary under § 100 of the New York Banking Law and a qualified custodian for purposes of Rule 206(4)-2(d)(6) under the Investment Advisers Act and is licensed to custody the Trust’s DOGE in trust on the Trust’s behalf. However, the SEC has released proposed amendments to Rule 206(4)-2 that, if enacted as proposed, would amend the definition of a “qualified custodian” under Rule 206(4)-2(d)(6). Executive officers of the Custodian’s parent company have made public statements indicating that the Custodian will remain a qualified custodian under the proposed SEC rule, if enacted as currently proposed. However, there can be no assurance that the Custodian would continue to qualify as a “qualified custodian” under a final rule.

To the extent that Sponsor is not able to find a suitable party willing to serve as custodian, the Sponsor may be required to terminate the Trust and liquidate the Trust’s DOGE. In addition, to the extent that the Sponsor finds a suitable party and must enter into a modified or separate custody agreement that is less favorable for the Trust or Sponsor and/or transfer the Trust’s assets in a relatively short time period, the safekeeping of the Trust’s DOGE may be adversely affected, which may in turn adversely affect value of the Shares. Likewise, if the Sponsor is required to replace any other service provider, they may not be able to find a party willing to serve in such capacity in a timely manner or at all. If the Sponsor decides, or is required, to replace an Authorized Participant and/or if the Liquidity Engager decides, or is required, to replace a Liquidity Provider, this could negatively impact the Trust’s ability to create new Shares, which would impact the Shares’ liquidity and could have a negative impact on the value of the Shares.

The amount of the Trust’s assets represented by each Share will decline over time as the Trust pays the Sponsor’s Fee and Additional Trust Expenses, and as a result, the value of the Shares may decrease over time.

The Sponsor’s Fee accrues daily in U.S. dollars at an annual rate based on the NAV Fee Basis Amount, which is based on the NAV of the Trust, and is paid to the Sponsor in DOGE. See “Business—Expenses; Sales of DOGE—Disposition of DOGE” and “Business—Expenses; Sales of DOGE—Hypothetical Expense Example.” As a result, the amount of Trust’s assets represented by each Share declines as the Trust pays the Sponsor’s Fee (or sells DOGE in order to raise cash to pay any Additional Trust Expenses), which may cause the Shares to decrease in value over time or dampen any increase in value.

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The value of the Shares may be influenced by a variety of factors unrelated to the value of DOGE.

The value of the Shares may be influenced by a variety of factors unrelated to the price of DOGE and the Digital Asset Trading Platforms included in the Index that may have an adverse effect on the value of the Shares. These factors include the following factors:

•
Unanticipated problems or issues with respect to the mechanics of the Trust’s operations and the trading of the Shares may arise, in particular due to the fact that the mechanisms and procedures governing the creation and offering of the Shares and storage of DOGE have been developed specifically for this product;
•
The Trust could experience difficulties in operating and maintaining its technical infrastructure, including in connection with expansions or updates to such infrastructure, which are likely to be complex and could lead to unanticipated delays, unforeseen expenses and security vulnerabilities;
•
The Trust could experience unforeseen issues relating to the performance and effectiveness of the security procedures used to protect the Vault Balance, or the security procedures may not protect against all errors, software flaws or other vulnerabilities in the Trust’s technical infrastructure, which could result in theft, loss or damage of its assets; or
•
Although the Dogecoin Network does not have any privacy enhancing features at this time, if any such features are introduced to the Dogecoin Network in the future, or if protocols built on top of the Dogecoin Network introduce such privacy enhancing features, service providers may decide to terminate their relationships with the Trust due to concerns that the introduction of privacy enhancing features to the Dogecoin Network may increase the potential for DOGE to be used to facilitate crime, exposing such service providers to potential reputational harm.

Any of these factors could affect the value of the Shares, either directly or indirectly through their effect on the Trust’s assets.

Shareholders do not have the protections associated with ownership of shares in an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act or the protections afforded by the CEA.

The Investment Company Act is designed to protect investors by preventing insiders from managing investment companies to their benefit and to the detriment of public investors, such as: the issuance of securities having inequitable or discriminatory provisions; the management of investment companies by irresponsible persons; the use of unsound or misleading methods of computing earnings and asset value; changes in the character of investment companies without the consent of investors; and investment companies from engaging in excessive leveraging. To accomplish these ends, the Investment Company Act requires the safekeeping and proper valuation of fund assets, restricts greatly transactions with affiliates, limits leveraging, and imposes governance requirements as a check on fund management.

The Trust is not a registered investment company under the Investment Company Act, and the Sponsor believes that the Trust is not required to register under such act. Consequently, shareholders do not have the regulatory protections provided to investors in investment companies.

The Trust will not hold or trade in commodity interests regulated by the CEA, as administered by the CFTC. Furthermore, the Sponsor believes that the Trust is not a commodity pool for purposes of the CEA, and that neither the Sponsor nor the Trustee is subject to regulation by the CFTC as a commodity pool operator or a commodity trading adviser in connection with the operation of the Trust. Consequently, shareholders will not have the regulatory protections provided to investors in CEA-regulated instruments or commodity pools.

As the Sponsor and its management have limited history of operating investment vehicles like the Trust, their experience may be inadequate or unsuitable to manage the Trust.

The past performances of the Sponsor’s management in other investment vehicles, including their experiences in the digital asset and venture capital industries, are no indication of their ability to manage an investment vehicle

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such as the Trust. If the experience of the Sponsor and its management is inadequate or unsuitable to manage an investment vehicle such as the Trust, the operations of the Trust may be adversely affected.

Furthermore, the Sponsor is currently engaged in the management of other investment vehicles which could divert their attention and resources. If the Sponsor were to experience difficulties in the management of such other investment vehicles that damaged the Sponsor or its reputation, it could have an adverse impact on the Sponsor’s ability to continue to serve as Sponsor for the Trust.

Security threats to the Trust’s Vault Balance or Settlement Balance could result in the halting of Trust operations, including the creation and redemption of Baskets, and a loss of Trust assets or damage to the reputation of the Trust, each of which could result in a reduction in the value of the Shares.

Security breaches, computer malware and computer hacking attacks have been a prevalent concern in relation to digital assets. The Sponsor believes that the Trust’s DOGE held in the Vault Balance, as well as the Trust’s DOGE held temporarily in the Settlement Balance, will be an appealing target to hackers or malware distributors seeking to destroy, damage or steal the Trust’s DOGE and will only become more appealing as the Trust’s assets grow. To the extent that the Trust, the Sponsor or the Custodial Entities are unable to identify and mitigate or stop new security threats or otherwise adapt to technological changes in the digital asset industry, the Trust’s DOGE may be subject to theft, loss, destruction or other attack.

The Sponsor believes that the security procedures in place for the Trust, including, but not limited to, offline storage, or cold storage, for a substantial portion of the Trust’s DOGE, multiple encrypted private key “shards”, usernames, passwords and 2-step verification, are reasonably designed to safeguard the Trust’s DOGE. Nevertheless, the security procedures cannot guarantee the prevention of any loss due to a security breach, software defect or act of God that may be borne by the Trust. Additionally, because a portion of the Trust’s DOGE from time to time will be held in hot storage, such DOGE will be more vulnerable to a potential hack or other cyberattack that could lead to a loss of Trust assets.

The security procedures and operational infrastructure may be breached due to the actions of outside parties, error or malfeasance of an employee of the Sponsor, a Custodial Entity, or otherwise, and, as a result, an unauthorized party may obtain access to an Account, the relevant private keys (and therefore DOGE) or other data of the Trust. Additionally, outside parties may attempt to fraudulently induce employees of the Sponsor or a Custodial Entity to disclose sensitive information in order to gain access to the Trust’s infrastructure. As the techniques used to obtain unauthorized access, disable or degrade service, or sabotage systems change frequently, or may be designed to remain dormant until a predetermined event and often are not recognized until launched against a target, the Sponsor and the Custodial Entities may be unable to anticipate these techniques or implement adequate preventative measures. Moreover, the Custodial Entities will not be liable for any claims or losses arising out of or relating to the acts and/or omissions of any unauthorized third parties, except to the extent such losses are caused by a Custodial Entity’s negligence, fraud or willful misconduct.

An actual or perceived breach of the accounts associated with the Trust’s Vault Balance and Settlement Balance (the “Accounts”) could harm the Trust’s operations, result in loss of the Trust’s assets, damage the Trust’s reputation and negatively affect the market perception of the effectiveness of the Trust, all of which could in turn reduce demand for the Shares, resulting in a reduction in the value of the Shares. The Trust may also cease operations, the occurrence of which could similarly result in a reduction in the value of the Shares.

DOGE transactions are irrevocable and stolen or incorrectly transferred DOGE may be irretrievable. As a result, any incorrectly executed DOGE transactions could adversely affect the value of the Shares.

DOGE transactions are typically not reversible without the consent and active participation of the recipient of the transaction. Once a transaction has been verified and recorded in a block that is added to the Blockchain, an incorrect transfer or theft of DOGE generally will not be reversible and the Trust may not be capable of seeking compensation for any such transfer or theft. Although the Trust’s transfers of DOGE will regularly be made to or from the Vault Balance, it is possible that, through computer or human error, or through theft or criminal action, the Trust’s DOGE could be transferred from the Trust’s Vault Balance in incorrect amounts or to unauthorized third parties, or to uncontrolled accounts.

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Such events have occurred in connection with digital assets in the past. To the extent that the Trust is unable to seek a corrective transaction with such third party or is incapable of identifying the third party which has received the Trust’s DOGE through error or theft, the Trust will be unable to revert or otherwise recover incorrectly transferred DOGE. The Trust will also be unable to convert or recover its DOGE transferred to uncontrolled accounts. To the extent that the Trust is unable to seek redress for such error or theft, such loss could adversely affect the value of the Shares.

The lack of full insurance and shareholders’ limited rights of legal recourse against the Trust, Trustee, Sponsor, Transfer Agent and Custodial Entities expose the Trust and its shareholders to the risk of loss of the Trust’s DOGE for which no person or entity is liable.

The Trust is not a banking institution or otherwise a member of the FDIC or Securities Investor Protection Corporation (“SIPC”) and, therefore, deposits held with or assets held by the Trust are not subject to the protections enjoyed by depositors with FDIC or SIPC member institutions. In addition, neither the Trust nor the Sponsor insure the Trust’s DOGE.

While the Custodian is required under the Prime Broker Agreement to maintain insurance coverage that is commercially reasonable for the custodial services it provides, and the Custodial Entities have advised the Sponsor that they maintain insurance at commercially reasonable amounts for the digital assets custodied on behalf of clients, including the Trust’s DOGE, resulting from theft, shareholders cannot be assured that the Custodian or the Prime Broker will maintain adequate insurance or that such coverage will cover losses with respect to the Trust’s DOGE. Moreover, while the Custodian maintains certain capital reserve requirements depending on the assets under custody and to the extent required by applicable law, and such capital reserves may provide additional means to cover client asset losses, the Sponsor does not know the amount of such capital reserves, and neither the Trust nor the Sponsor have access to such information. The Trust cannot be assured that the Custodial Entities will maintain capital reserves sufficient to cover losses with respect to the Trust’s digital assets. Furthermore, Coinbase has represented in securities filings that the total value of crypto assets in its possession and control is significantly greater than the total value of insurance coverage that would compensate Coinbase in the event of theft or other loss of funds.

Furthermore, the Custodial Entities’ aggregate maximum liability with respect to breach of their obligations under the Prime Broker Agreement will not exceed the greater of: (i) the value of the DOGE or cash involved in the event, including but not limited to transaction(s) or deliveries(s), giving rise to such liability at the time of the event giving rise to such liability; (ii) the aggregate amount of fees paid by the Trust to the Custodial Entities in respect of the Custodial and Prime Broker Services in the 12-month period prior to the event giving rise to such liability; or (iii) five million U.S. dollars. The Custodian’s total liability under the Prime Broker Agreement will not exceed the greater of: (i) the aggregate amount of fees paid by the Trust to the Custodian in respect of the custodial services in the 12-month period prior to the event giving rise to such liability; or (ii) the value of the DOGE on deposit in the Vault Balance at the time of the events giving rise to the liability occurred, the value of which will be determined in accordance with the Prime Broker Agreement.

In addition, the Custodian’s maximum liability in respect of each cold storage address that holds DOGE is limited to the “Cold Storage Threshold” of $100 million. The Sponsor monitors the value of DOGE deposited in cold storage addresses for whether the Cold Storage Threshold has been met by determining the U.S. dollar value of DOGE deposited in each cold storage address on business days. Although the Cold Storage Threshold has never been met for a given cold storage address, to the extent it is met the Trust would not have a claim against the Custodian with respect to the digital assets held in such address to the extent the value exceeds the Cold Storage Threshold. The Custodial Entities and the Trust are not liable to each other for any special, incidental, indirect, punitive, or consequential damages, whether or not the other party had been advised of such losses or knew or should have known of the possibility of such damages.

The shareholders’ recourse against the Sponsor and the Trust’s other service providers for the services they provide to the Trust, including those relating to the provision of instructions relating to the movement of DOGE, is limited. Consequently, a loss may be suffered with respect to the Trust’s DOGE that is not covered by insurance and for which no person is liable in damages. As a result, the recourse of the Trust or the shareholders, under New York law, is limited.

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The Trust may be required, or the Sponsor may deem it appropriate, to terminate and liquidate at a time that is disadvantageous to shareholders.

Pursuant to the terms of the Trust Agreement, the Trust is required to dissolve under certain circumstances. In addition, the Sponsor may, in its sole discretion, dissolve the Trust for a number of reasons, including if the Sponsor determines, in its sole discretion, that it is desirable or advisable for any reason to discontinue the affairs of the Trust. For example, the Sponsor expects that it may be advisable to discontinue the affairs of the Trust if a federal court upholds an allegation that DOGE is a security under the federal securities laws, among other reasons. See “Business—Description of the Trust Agreement—Termination of the Trust.”

If the Trust is required to terminate and liquidate, or the Sponsor determines in accordance with the terms of the Trust Agreement that it is appropriate to terminate and liquidate the Trust, such termination and liquidation could occur at a time that is disadvantageous to shareholders, such as when the Actual Exchange Rate of DOGE is lower than the Index Price was at the time when shareholders purchased their Shares. In such a case, when the Trust’s DOGE are sold as part of its liquidation, the resulting proceeds distributed to shareholders will be less than if the Actual Exchange Rate were higher at the time of sale. See “Business—Description of the Trust Agreement—Termination of the Trust” for more information about the termination of the Trust, including when the termination of the Trust may be triggered by events outside the direct control of the Sponsor, the Trustee or the shareholders.

The Trust Agreement includes provisions that limit shareholders’ voting rights and restrict shareholders’ right to bring a derivative action.

Under the Trust Agreement, shareholders have limited voting rights and the Trust will not have regular shareholder meetings. Shareholders take no part in the management or control of the Trust. Accordingly, shareholders do not have the right to authorize actions, appoint service providers or take other actions as may be taken by shareholders of other trusts or companies where shares carry such rights. The shareholders’ limited voting rights give almost all control under the Trust Agreement to the Sponsor and the Trustee. The Sponsor may take actions in the operation of the Trust that may be adverse to the interests of shareholders and may adversely affect the value of the Shares.

Moreover, pursuant to the terms of the Trust Agreement, shareholders’ statutory right under Delaware law to bring a derivative action (i.e., to initiate a lawsuit in the name of the Trust in order to assert a claim belonging to the Trust against a fiduciary of the Trust or against a third party when the Trust’s management has refused to do so) is restricted. Under Delaware law, a shareholder may bring a derivative action if the shareholder is a shareholder at the time the action is brought and either (i) was a shareholder at the time of the transaction at issue or (ii) acquired the status of shareholder by operation of law or the Trust’s governing instrument from a person who was a shareholder at the time of the transaction at issue. Additionally, Section 3816(e) of the Delaware Statutory Trust Act specifically provides that a “beneficial owner’s right to bring a derivative action may be subject to such additional standards and restrictions, if any, as are set forth in the governing instrument of the statutory trust, including, without limitation, the requirement that beneficial owners owning a specified beneficial interest in the statutory trust join in the bringing of the derivative action.” In addition to the requirements of applicable law and in accordance with Section 3816(e), the Trust Agreement provides that no shareholder will have the right, power or authority to bring or maintain a derivative action, suit or other proceeding on behalf of the Trust unless two or more shareholders who (i) are not “Affiliates” (as defined in the Trust Agreement and below) of one another and (ii) collectively hold at least 10.0% of the outstanding Shares join in the bringing or maintaining of such action, suit or other proceeding. This provision applies to any derivative actions brought in the name of the Trust other than claims under the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder.

Due to this additional requirement, a shareholder attempting to bring or maintain a derivative action in the name of the Trust will be required to locate other shareholders with which it is not affiliated and that have sufficient Shares to meet the 10.0% threshold based on the number of Shares outstanding on the date the claim is brought and thereafter throughout the duration of the action, suit or proceeding. This may be difficult and may result in increased costs to a shareholder attempting to seek redress in the name of the Trust in court. Moreover, if shareholders bringing a derivative action, suit or proceeding pursuant to this provision of the Trust Agreement do not hold 10.0% of the outstanding Shares on the date such an action, suit or proceeding is brought, or such shareholders are unable to maintain Share ownership meeting the 10.0% threshold throughout the duration of the action, suit or proceeding, such shareholders’ derivative action may be subject to dismissal. As a result, the Trust Agreement limits the

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likelihood that a shareholder will be able to successfully assert a derivative action in the name of the Trust, even if such shareholder believes that he or she has a valid derivative action, suit or other proceeding to bring on behalf of the Trust. See “Business—Description of the Trust Agreement—The Sponsor— Fiduciary and Regulatory Duties of the Sponsor” for more detail.

The Sponsor is solely responsible for determining the value of the NAV and NAV per Share and any errors, discontinuance or changes in such valuation calculations may have an adverse effect on the value of the Shares.

The Sponsor will determine the Trust’s NAV and NAV per Share on a daily basis as soon as practicable after 4:00 p.m., New York time, on each business day. The Sponsor’s determination is made utilizing data from the operations of the Trust and the Index Price, calculated at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on such day. If the Sponsor determines in good faith that the Index does not reflect an accurate DOGE price, then the Sponsor will employ an alternative method to determine the Index Price under the cascading set of rules set forth in “Business—Overview of the Dogecoin Industry and Market—The Index and the Index Price—Determination of the Index Price When Index Price is Unavailable.” In the context of applying such rules, the Sponsor may determine in good faith that the alternative method applied does not reflect an accurate DOGE price and apply the next alternative method under the cascading set of rules. If the Sponsor determines after employing all of the alternative methods that the Index Price does not reflect an accurate DOGE price, the Sponsor will use its best judgment to determine a good faith estimate of the Index Price. There are no predefined criteria to make a good faith assessment in these scenarios and such decisions will be made by the Sponsor in its sole discretion. The Sponsor may calculate the Index Price in a manner that ultimately inaccurately reflects the price of DOGE. To the extent that the NAV, NAV per Share or the Index Price are incorrectly calculated, the Sponsor may not be liable for any error and such misreporting of valuation data could adversely affect the value of the Shares and investors could suffer a substantial loss on their investment in the Trust. Moreover, the terms of the Trust Agreement do not prohibit the Sponsor from changing the Index Price used to calculate the NAV and NAV per Share of the Trust. Any such change in the Index Price could affect the value of the Shares and investors could suffer a substantial loss on their investment in the Trust.

Extraordinary expenses resulting from unanticipated events may become payable by the Trust, adversely affecting the value of the Shares.

In consideration for the Sponsor’s Fee, the Sponsor has contractually assumed all ordinary-course operational and periodic expenses of the Trust. See “Business—Expenses; Sales of DOGE.” Extraordinary expenses incurred by the Trust, such as taxes and governmental charges; expenses and costs of any extraordinary services performed by the Sponsor (or any other service provider) on behalf of the Trust to protect the Trust or the interests of shareholders; or extraordinary legal fees and expenses are not assumed by the Sponsor and are borne by the Trust. The Sponsor will cause the Trust to either (i) sell DOGE held by the Trust or (ii) deliver DOGE in-kind to the Sponsor to pay Trust expenses not assumed by the Sponsor on an as-needed basis. Accordingly, the Trust may be required to sell or otherwise dispose of DOGE at a time when the trading prices for those assets are depressed.

The sale or other disposition of assets of the Trust in order to pay extraordinary expenses could have a negative impact on the value of the Shares for several reasons. These include the following factors:

•
The Trust is not actively managed and no attempt will be made to protect against or to take advantage of fluctuations in the prices of DOGE. Consequently, if the Trust incurs expenses in U.S. dollars, the Trust’s DOGE may be sold at a time when the values of the disposed assets are low, resulting in a negative impact on the value of the Shares.
•
Because the Trust does not generate any income, every time that the Trust pays expenses, it will deliver DOGE to the Sponsor or sell DOGE. Any sales of the Trust’s assets in connection with the payment of expenses will decrease the amount of the Trust’s assets represented by each Share each time its assets are sold or transferred to the Sponsor.
•
Assuming that the Trust is a grantor trust for U.S. federal income tax purposes, each delivery or sale of DOGE by the Trust to pay the Sponsor’s Fee and/or Additional Trust Expenses will be a taxable event to beneficial owners of Shares. Thus, the Trust’s payment of expenses could result in beneficial owners of

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Shares incurring tax liability without an associated distribution from the Trust. Any such tax liability could adversely affect an investment in the Shares. See “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences.”

The Trust’s delivery or sale of DOGE to pay expenses or other operations of the Trust could result in shareholders’ incurring tax liability without an associated distribution from the Trust.

Assuming that the Trust is treated as a grantor trust for U.S. federal income tax purposes, each delivery of DOGE by the Trust to pay the Sponsor’s Fee or other expenses and each sale of DOGE by the Trust to pay Additional Trust Expenses will be a taxable event to beneficial owners of Shares. Thus, the Trust’s payment of expenses could result in beneficial owners of Shares incurring tax liability without an associated distribution from the Trust. Any such tax liability could adversely affect an investment in the Shares. See “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences.”

The value of the Shares will be adversely affected if the Trust is required to indemnify the Sponsor, the Trustee, the Transfer Agent or the Custodian under the Trust Documents.

Under the Trust Documents, each of the Sponsor, the Trustee, the Transfer Agent and the Custodian has a right to be indemnified by the Trust for certain liabilities or expenses that it incurs without gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on its part. Therefore, the Sponsor, Trustee, Transfer Agent or the Custodian may require that the assets of the Trust be sold in order to cover losses or liability suffered by it. Any sale of that kind would reduce the NAV of the Trust and the value of the Shares.

Intellectual property rights claims may adversely affect the Trust and the value of the Shares.

The Sponsor is not aware of any intellectual property rights claims that may prevent the Trust from operating and holding DOGE. However, third parties may assert intellectual property rights claims relating to the operation of the Trust and the mechanics instituted for the investment in, holding of and transfer of DOGE. Regardless of the merit of an intellectual property or other legal action, any legal expenses to defend or payments to settle such claims would be extraordinary expenses that would be borne by the Trust through the sale or transfer of its DOGE. Additionally, a meritorious intellectual property rights claim could prevent the Trust from operating and force the Sponsor to terminate the Trust and liquidate its DOGE. As a result, an intellectual property rights claim against the Trust could adversely affect the value of the Shares.

Pandemics, epidemics and other natural and man-made disasters could negatively impact the value of the Trust’s holdings and/or significantly disrupt its affairs.

Pandemics, epidemics and other natural and man-made disasters could negatively impact demand for digital assets, including DOGE, and disrupt the operations of many businesses, including the businesses of the Trust’s service providers. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic had serious adverse effects on the economies and financial markets of many countries, resulting in increased volatility and uncertainty in economies and financial markets of many countries and in the Digital Asset Markets. Moreover, governmental authorities and regulators throughout the world have in the past responded to major economic disruptions, including as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a variety of fiscal and monetary policy changes, such as quantitative easing, new monetary programs and lower interest rates. An unexpected or quick reversal of any such policies, or the ineffectiveness of such policies, could increase volatility in economies and financial market generally, and could specifically increase volatility in the Digital Asset Markets, which could adversely affect the value of DOGE and the value of the Shares.

In addition, pandemics, epidemics and other natural and man-made disasters could disrupt the operations of many businesses. For example, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many governments imposed travel restrictions and prolonged, closed international borders and enhanced health screenings at ports of entry and elsewhere, which disrupted businesses around the world. While the Sponsor and the Trust were not materially impacted by these events, any disruptions to the Sponsor’s, the Trust’s or the Trust’s service providers’ business operations resulting from business restrictions, quarantines or restrictions on the ability of personnel to perform their jobs as a result of any future pandemic, epidemic or other disaster could have an adverse impact on the Trust’s ability to access critical services and could be disruptive to the affairs of the Trust.

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The lack of ability to facilitate in-kind creations and redemptions of Shares could have adverse consequences for the Trust.

The Trust is currently only able to accept Cash Orders, which means that an Authorized Participant will deposit cash into, or accept cash from, the Cash Account in connection with the creation and redemption of Baskets, and a Liquidity Provider will obtain or receive DOGE in exchange for cash in connection with such order. However, the Trust is not at this time able to create and redeem Shares via in-kind transactions with Authorized Participants in exchange for DOGE.

Authorized participants must be registered broker-dealers. Registered broker-dealers are subject to various requirements of the federal securities laws and rules, including financial responsibility rules such as the customer protection rule, the net capital rule and recordkeeping requirements. Although the SEC recently approved orders to permit in-kind creations and redemptions by authorized participants for certain spot digital asset ETP shares, it is not yet clear whether or how market participants, including registered broker-dealers, will adjust their activities to account for the new orders. In particular, registered broker-dealers participating in the in-kind creation or redemption of Shares for DOGE will need to ensure that they can demonstrate compliance with applicable financial responsibility rules.

While compliance with these requirements would be the broker-dealer’s responsibility, a national securities exchange is required to enforce compliance by its member broker-dealers with applicable federal securities law and rules. As a result, the SEC is unlikely to permit an exchange to adopt listing rules for a product if it is not clear that the exchange’s members would be able to comply with applicable rules when transacting in the product as designed. In light of the new orders, NYSE Arca may seek the necessary regulatory approval to amend its listing rules to permit the Trust to create and redeem Shares through In-Kind Orders, in which Authorized Participants or their designees would deposit DOGE directly with the Trust or receive DOGE directly from the Trust. However, there can be no assurance as to when NYSE Arca will seek or obtain this approval, if at all.

To the knowledge of the Sponsor, exchange-traded products for all spot-market commodities other than cryptocurrencies, such as gold and silver, employ in-kind creations and redemptions with the underlying asset. The Sponsor believes that it is generally more efficient, and therefore less costly, for spot commodity exchange-traded products to utilize in-kind orders rather than cash orders, because there are fewer steps in the process and therefore there is less operational risk involved when an Authorized Participant can manage the buying and selling of the underlying asset itself, rather than depend on an unaffiliated party such as the issuer or sponsor of the exchange-traded product. As such, a spot commodity exchange-traded product that only employs cash creations and redemptions and does not permit in-kind creations and redemptions is a novel product that has not been extensively tested, and could be impacted by any resulting operational inefficiencies.

In particular, the Trust’s inability to facilitate in-kind creations and redemptions could result in the exchange-traded product arbitrage mechanism failing to function as efficiently as it otherwise would, leading to the potential for the Shares to trade at premiums or discounts to the NAV per Share, and such premiums or discounts could be substantial. Furthermore, if Cash Orders are unavailable, either due to the Sponsor’s decision to reject or suspend such orders or otherwise, it will not be possible for Authorized Participants to redeem or create Shares, in which case the arbitrage mechanism would be unavailable. This could result in impaired liquidity for the Shares, wider bid/ask spreads in secondary trading of the Shares and greater costs to investors and other market participants. In addition, the Trust’s inability to facilitate in-kind creations and redemptions, and resulting reliance on cash creations and redemptions, could cause the Sponsor to halt or suspend the creation of redemption of Shares during times of market volatility or turmoil, among other consequences.

Even if In-Kind Regulatory Approval were obtained, there can be no assurance that in-kind creations or redemptions of the Shares will be available in the future, or that broker-dealers would be willing to serve as Authorized Participants with respect to the in-kind creation and redemption of Shares. Any of these factors could adversely affect the performance of the Trust and the value of the Shares.

Shareholders will not receive the benefits of any forks or airdrops.

The Dogecoin Network operates using open-source protocols, meaning that any user can download the software, modify it and then propose that the users and validators of DOGE adopt the modification. When a

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modification is introduced and a substantial majority of users and validators consent to the modification, the change is implemented and the network remains uninterrupted. However, if less than a substantial majority of users and validators consent to the proposed modification, and the modification is not compatible with the software prior to its modification, the consequence would be what is known as a “hard fork” of the Dogecoin Network, with one group running the pre-modified software and the other running the modified software. The effect of such a fork would be the existence of two versions of DOGE running in parallel, yet lacking interchangeability. In addition to forks, a digital asset may become subject to a similar occurrence known as an “airdrop.” In an airdrop, the promoters of a new digital asset announce to holders of another digital asset that such holders will be entitled to claim a certain amount of the new digital asset, generally for free, based on the fact that they hold such other digital asset. We refer to the right to receive any benefits arising from a fork, airdrop or similar event as an “Incidental Right” and any such virtual currency acquired through an Incidental Right as “IR Virtual Currency.”

With respect to any fork, airdrop or similar event, the Sponsor will cause the Trust to irrevocably abandon the Incidental Rights and any IR Virtual Currency associated with such event. As such, shareholders will not receive the benefits of any forks, and the Trust is not able to participate in any airdrop.

In the event the Sponsor seeks to change the Trust’s policy with respect to Incidental Rights or IR Virtual Currency, an application would need to be filed with the SEC by NYSE Arca seeking approval to amend its listing rules to permit the Trust to distribute the Incidental Rights or IR Virtual Currency in-kind to an agent of the shareholders for resale by such agent. However, there can be no assurance as to whether or when the Sponsor would make such a decision, or when NYSE Arca will seek or obtain this approval, if at all.

Even if such regulatory approval is sought and obtained, shareholders may not receive the benefits of any forks, the Trust may not choose, or be able, to participate in an airdrop, and the timing of receiving any benefits from a fork, airdrop or similar event is uncertain. Any inability to recognize the economic benefit of a hard fork or airdrop could adversely affect the value of the Shares.

The Trust will not directly or indirectly participate in any staking program, and accordingly the Shareholders will not receive any staking rewards or other income.

The Dogecoin Network does not use proof-of-stake validation. Accordingly, none of the Trust, the Sponsor, the Custodian, nor any other person associated with the Trust may, directly or indirectly, engage in staking of the Trust’s DOGE on behalf of the Trust, meaning no action will be taken pursuant to which any portion of the Trust’s DOGE becomes used in any proof-of-stake validation protocol or is used to earn additional DOGE or generate income or other earnings.

The inability of the Trust to use its DOGE in any staking programs and receive such rewards could place the Shares at a comparative disadvantage relative to an investment in other pooled investment vehicles that may participate in staking.

Coinbase Global serves as the DOGE custodian and prime execution agent for several competing exchange-traded DOGE products, which could adversely affect the Trust’s operations and ultimately the value of the Shares.

The Prime Broker and Custodian are both affiliates of Coinbase Global. As of the date hereof, Coinbase Global is the largest publicly traded digital asset company in the world by market capitalization and is also the largest digital asset custodian in the world by assets under custody. By virtue of its leading market position and capabilities, and the relatively limited number of institutionally-capable providers of digital asset brokerage and custody services, Coinbase Global serves as the DOGE custodian and prime execution agent for several competing exchange-traded DOGE products. Therefore, Coinbase Global plays a critical role in supporting the U.S. spot DOGE exchange-traded product ecosystem, and its size and market share create the risk that Coinbase Global may fail to properly resource its operations to adequately support all such products that use its services, which could harm the Trust, the shareholders and the value of the Shares. If Coinbase Global were to favor the interests of certain products over others, it could result in inadequate attention or comparatively unfavorable commercial terms to less favored products, which could adversely affect the Trust’s operations and ultimately the value of the Shares.

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Certain of the Authorized Participants engaged by the Trust serve in a similar capacity for several competing exchange-traded DOGE products, which could adversely affect the arbitrage mechanism, the Trust’s operations, the performance of the Trust and ultimately the value of the Shares.

Certain of the Authorized Participants engaged by the Trust serve in a similar capacity for several competing exchange-traded DOGE products. As a result, the Authorized Participants may be unable to adequately support all of the exchange-traded DOGE products that use their respective services. This risk may also be exacerbated as a consequence of the price and volatility of DOGE, as well as the amount of DOGE that is required to create or redeem Shares of the Trust. Moreover, the Authorized Participants may choose to facilitate creations and redemptions for competing products rather than for the Trust, including as a result of, among other things, how effectively the arbitrage mechanism of the Trust functions, the liquidity for the Shares, the bid/ask spreads in secondary trading of the Shares and the costs associated with creating and redeeming Shares of the Trust, in each case relative to competing products. In addition, given the relatively limited number of market participants that could serve as Authorized Participants of the Trust, the Trust may not be able to engage other providers to serve as Authorized Participants. If any or all of the Authorized Participants were to cease to act in their capacity as Authorized Participants of the Trust, or if any of the Authorized Participants were to favor creating and redeeming shares of competing products over those of the Trust, the Trust may receive inadequate attention or be subject to comparatively unfavorable commercial terms, which could adversely affect the arbitrage mechanism, the Trust’s operations, the performance of the Trust and ultimately the value of the Shares. See also “—Risks Related to the Offering—Competition from the emergence or growth of other digital assets could have a negative impact on the price of DOGE and adversely affect the value of the Shares.”

Shareholders that are not Authorized Participants may only purchase or sell their Shares in secondary trading markets, and the conditions associated with trading in secondary markets may adversely affect investors’ investment in the Shares.

Only Authorized Participants may purchase or redeem Baskets. All other investors that desire to purchase or sell Shares must do so through NYSE Arca or in other markets, if any, in which the Shares may be traded. Shares may trade at a premium or discount to the NAV per Share.

Risk Factors Related to the Regulation of Digital Assets, the Trust and the Shares

A determination that DOGE or any other digital asset is a “security” may adversely affect the value of DOGE and the value of the Shares, and result in potentially extraordinary, nonrecurring expenses to, or termination of, the Trust.

The SEC, at least under the prior administration, has stated that certain digital assets may be considered “securities” under the federal securities laws. The test for determining whether a particular digital asset is a “security” is complex and difficult to apply, and the outcome is difficult to predict. A number of SEC and SEC staff actions with respect to a variety of digital assets demonstrate this difficulty. For example, public, though non-binding, statements by senior officials at the SEC have indicated that the SEC did not consider Bitcoin or Ether to be securities, and does not currently consider Bitcoin to be a security. In addition, the SEC, by action through delegated authority approving the exchange rule filings to list shares of trusts holding Ether as commodity-based ETPs, appears to have implicitly taken the view that Ether is not a security. The SEC staff has also provided informal assurances via no-action letter to a handful of promoters that their digital assets are not securities. Moreover, the SEC’s Division of Corporation Finance has published statements that it does not consider, under certain circumstances, “meme coins” or some stablecoins to be securities. However, such statements may be withdrawn at any time without notice and comment by the Division of Corporation Finance at the SEC or the SEC itself. In addition, the SEC under former SEC Chair Gensler’s leadership brought enforcement actions against the issuers and promoters of several other digital assets on the basis that the digital assets in question are securities. More recently, the SEC under former SEC Chair Gensler’s leadership brought enforcement actions against Digital Asset Trading Platforms for allegedly operating unregistered securities exchanges on the basis that certain of the digital assets traded on their platforms are securities.

Whether a digital asset is a security, or offers and sales of a digital asset are securities transactions, under the federal securities laws depends on whether it is included in the lists of instruments making up the definition of “security” in such laws. Digital assets as such do not appear in any of these lists, although each list includes the

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terms “investment contract” and “note,” and the SEC has typically analyzed whether a particular digital asset is a security or the offer and sale of a digital asset is a securities transaction by reference to whether it meets the tests developed by the federal courts interpreting these terms, known as the Howey and Reves tests, respectively. For many digital assets, whether or not the Howey or Reves tests are met is difficult to resolve definitively, and substantial legal arguments can often be made both in favor of and against a particular digital asset qualifying as a security or a particular offer and sale of a digital asset qualifying as a securities transaction under one or both of the Howey and Reves tests. Adding to the complexity, the SEC staff has indicated that the security status of a particular digital asset can change over time as the relevant facts evolve, though recent arguments advanced in ongoing litigation may suggest that the SEC no longer believes the status of a digital asset can change over time.

Even though the Trust only holds DOGE, these developments demonstrate the difficulty in applying the federal securities laws to digital assets generally, including DOGE. In January 2025, the SEC launched a crypto task force dedicated to developing a comprehensive and clear regulatory framework for digital assets led by Commissioner Hester Peirce. Subsequently, Commissioner Peirce announced a list of specific priorities to further that initiative, which included pursuing final rules related to a digital asset’s security status, a revised path to registered offerings and listings for digital assets-based investment vehicles, and clarity regarding digital asset custody, lending, and staking. On July 31, 2025, Chairman Atkins announced “Project Crypto,” a Commission-wide initiative to modernize securities rules for digital assets, reshore innovation in the United States, and implement the recommendations of the working group report. Chairman Atkins had directed the SEC’s policy divisions to work with the Crypto Task Force to draft “clear and simple rules of the road for crypto asset distributions, custody, and trading,” and the Commission and SEC staff will also consider using interpretive, exemptive, and other authorities with respect to digital asset markets. However, the efforts of the crypto task force and Project Crypto have only just begun, and how or whether the SEC regulates digital asset activity in the future remains to be seen.

As part of determining whether DOGE is a security or a transaction in DOGE by the Sponsor is a securities transaction, for purposes of the federal securities laws, the Sponsor takes into account a number of factors, including the various definitions of “security” under the federal securities laws and federal court decisions interpreting elements of these definitions, such as the U.S. Supreme Court’s decisions in the Howey and Reves cases and their progeny, as well as reports, orders, press releases, public statements and speeches by the SEC, its commissioners and its staff providing guidance on when a digital asset may be a security or when an offer and sale of a digital asset may be a securities transaction for purposes of the federal securities laws. Finally, the Sponsor discusses the security status of DOGE and the Sponsor’s transactions in DOGE with external counsel, and has received a memorandum regarding the status of DOGE under the federal securities laws from external counsel. Through this process the Sponsor believes that it is applying the proper legal standards in determining that DOGE is not a security in light of the uncertainties inherent in the Howey and Reves tests. However, such policies and procedures are risk-based judgments made by the Sponsor and not a legal standard or determination binding on any regulatory body or court. In light of the uncertainties and the fact based nature of the analysis, the Sponsor's conclusion, even if reasonable under the circumstances, would not preclude legal or regulatory action based on the presence of a security.

As is the case with DOGE, analyses from counsel typically review the often-complex facts surrounding a particular digital asset’s underlying technology, creation, use case and usage development, distribution and secondary-market trading characteristics as well as contributions of and marketing or promotional efforts by the individuals or organizations who appear to be involved in these activities, among other relevant facts, usually drawing on publicly available information. This information, usually found on the internet, often includes both information that originated with or is attributed to such individuals or organizations, as well as information from third-party sources and databases that may or may not have a connection to such individuals or organizations, and the availability and nature of such information can change over time. The Sponsor and counsel often have no independent means of verifying the accuracy or completeness of such information, and therefore of necessity usually must assume that such information is materially accurate and complete for purposes of the Howey and Reves analyses. After having gathered this information, counsel typically analyzes it in light of the Howey and Reves tests, in order to inform a judgment as to whether or not a federal court would conclude that the digital asset, or transactions in the digital asset, in question is or is not a security, or are or are not securities transactions, respectively, for purposes of the federal securities laws. Often, certain factors appear to support a conclusion that the digital asset in question, or transactions in the digital asset, is a security, or are or are not securities transactions, respectively, while other factors appear to support the opposite conclusion, and in such a case counsel endeavors to weigh the importance and relevance of the competing factors.

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This analytical process is further complicated by the fact that, at present, federal judicial case law applying the relevant tests to digital assets is limited and in some situations inconsistent, with no federal appellate court having considered the question on the merits, as well as the fact that because each digital asset presents its own unique set of relevant facts, it is not always possible to directly analogize the analysis of one digital asset to another. Because of this factual complexity and the current lack of a well-developed body of federal case law applying the relevant tests to a variety of different fact patterns, the Sponsor has not in the past received, and currently does not expect that it would be able to receive, “opinions” of counsel stating that a particular digital asset, or transactions in the digital asset, is or is not a security, or are or are not securities transactions, respectively, for federal securities law purposes. The Sponsor understands that as a matter of practice, counsel is generally able to render a legal “opinion” only when the relevant facts are substantially ascertainable and the applicable law is both well-developed and settled. As a result, given the relative novelty of digital assets, the challenges inherent in fact-gathering for particular digital assets, and the fact that federal courts have only recently been tasked with adjudicating the applicability of federal securities law to digital assets, the Sponsor understands that at present counsel is generally not in a position to render a legal “opinion” on the securities law status of DOGE or any other particular digital asset. As such, notwithstanding the Sponsor’s receipt of a memorandum regarding the status of DOGE under the federal securities laws from external counsel and the Sponsor’s view that DOGE is not a security, a federal court may in the future take a different view as to the security status of DOGE.

If the Sponsor determines that DOGE, or transactions in DOGE are a security or securities transactions, respectively, under the federal securities laws, whether that determination is initially made by the Sponsor itself, or because a federal court upholds an allegation that DOGE is a security, the Sponsor does not intend to permit the Trust to continue holding DOGE in a way that would violate the federal securities laws (and therefore would either dissolve the Trust or potentially seek to operate the Trust in a manner that complies with the federal securities laws, including the Investment Company Act). Because the legal tests for determining whether a digital asset or transactions in the digital asset, are or are not a security or securities transactions, respectively, often leave room for interpretation, for so long as the Sponsor believes there to be good faith grounds to conclude that the Trust’s DOGE is not a security, the Sponsor does not intend to dissolve the Trust on the basis that DOGE could at some future point be finally determined to be a security.

Any enforcement action by the SEC or a state securities regulator asserting that DOGE, or transactions in DOGE, are a security, or securities transactions, respectively, or a court decision to that effect, would be expected to have an immediate material adverse impact on the trading value of DOGE, as well as the Shares. This is because the business models behind most digital assets are incompatible with regulations applying to transactions in securities. If a digital asset or transactions in that digital asset are determined to be a security or securities transactions, respectively, it is likely to become difficult or impossible for the digital asset to be traded, cleared or custodied in the United States through the same channels used by non-security digital assets, which in addition to materially and adversely affecting the trading value of the digital asset is likely to significantly impact its liquidity and market participants’ ability to convert the digital asset into U.S. dollars. Any assertion that a digital asset or transactions in that digital asset are a security or securities transactions, respectively, by the SEC or another regulatory authority may have similar effects.

For example, in 2020, the SEC filed a complaint against the issuer of XRP, Ripple Labs, Inc., and two of its executives, alleging that they raised more than $1.3 billion through XRP sales that should have been registered under the federal securities laws, but were not. In the years prior to the SEC’s action, XRP’s market capitalization at times reached over $140 billion. However, in the weeks following the SEC’s complaint, XRP’s market capitalization fell to less than $10 billion, which was less than half of its market capitalization in the days prior to the complaint.

Subsequently, in July 2023, the District Court for the Southern District of New York held that while DOGE is not a “security”, certain sales of XRP to certain buyers (but not other types of sales to other buyers) amounted to “investment contracts” under the Howey test. The District Court entered a final judgment in the case on August 7, 2024 and the parties each dismissed their appeals to the Second Circuit on August 7, 2025.

Likewise, in the days following the announcement of SEC enforcement actions against certain digital asset issuers and trading platforms, the prices of various digital assets declined significantly and may continue to decline if or as such cases advance through the federal court system. Furthermore, the decisions in cases involving digital assets have resulted in seemingly inconsistent views of different district court judges, including one that explicitly

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disagreed with the analysis underlying the decision regarding XRP, which underscore the continuing uncertainty around which digital assets or transactions in digital assets are securities and what the correct analysis is to determine each digital asset’s status. For example, the conflicting district court opinions and analyses demonstrate that factors such as how long a digital asset has been in existence, how widely held it is, how large its market capitalization is, the manner in which it is offered, sold or promoted and whether it has actual use in commercial transactions, ultimately may have limited to no bearing on whether the SEC, a state securities regulator or any particular court will find it to be a security.

In June 2023, the SEC brought the Binance Complaint and the Coinbase Complaint alleging violations of a variety of securities laws. In its complaints, the SEC asserted that SOL, ADA, MATIC, FIL, ATOM, SAND, MANA, ALGO, AXS, COTI, CHZ, FLOW, ICP, NEAR, VGX, DASH and NEXO, are securities under the federal securities laws. In addition, in November 2023, the SEC brought the Kraken Complaint, alleging that Kraken operated as an unregistered securities exchange, brokerage and clearing agency, and in its complaint the SEC again asserted that DOGE and various other digital assets are securities under the federal securities laws and at times that it was “offered and sold as an investment contract.” Following the filing of the Coinbase Complaint, Binance Complaint, and the Kraken Complaint, the Sponsor discussed the security status of DOGE with external counsel and continues to believe that SOL is not a security. In the days following the announcement of the Binance Complaint and Coinbase Complaint, the price of various digital assets, including Bitcoin, Ether, and SOL, declined significantly. Between February 2025 and May 2025, the SEC entered into court-approved joint stipulations to dismiss each of the lawsuits against Binance, Coinbase and Kraken.

In September 2024, the SEC filed a settled enforcement action against Mango Labs, LLC, Mango DAO, and Blockworks Foundation (the “Mango Enforcement Action”), and in October 2024, the SEC filed an enforcement action against Cumberland DRW, LLC (the “Cumberland Enforcement Action”), in both instances describing a number of digital assets as examples of “crypto assets that are offered and sold as securities.” In March 2025, the SEC and Cumberland DRW, LLC filed a joint request to dismiss the Cumberland Enforcement Action, which was approved by the SEC’s Commissioners, and the action was dismissed.

In addition, if DOGE is determined to be a security by a federal court or transactions in DOGE are determined to be securities transactions by a federal court, the Trust could be considered an unregistered “investment company” under the Investment Company Act, which could necessitate the Trust’s liquidation. In this case, the Trust and the Sponsor may be deemed to have participated in an illegal offering of investment company securities and there is no guarantee that the Sponsor will be able to register the Trust under the Investment Company Act at such time or take such other actions as may be necessary to ensure the Trust’s activities comply with applicable law, which could force the Sponsor to liquidate the Trust.

Moreover, whether or not the Sponsor or the Trust were subject to additional regulatory requirements as a result of any determination that the Trust’s assets include securities or the Trust’s transactions in digital assets constitute securities transactions, the Sponsor may nevertheless decide to terminate the Trust, in order, if possible, to liquidate the Trust’s assets while a liquid market still exists. For example, in response to the SEC’s action against the issuer of the digital asset XRP, certain significant market participants announced they would no longer support XRP and announced measures, including the delisting of XRP from major Digital Asset Trading Platforms, resulting in the Sponsor’s conclusion that it was likely to be increasingly difficult for U.S. investors, including Grayscale XRP Trust (XRP), an affiliate of the Trust, to convert XRP into U.S. dollars. The Sponsor subsequently dissolved Grayscale XRP Trust (XRP) and liquidated its assets. Furthermore, if a federal court upholds an allegation that DOGE is a security or transactions in DOGE are securities transactions, the Trust itself may be terminated and, if practical, its assets liquidated.

Regulatory changes or actions by the U.S. Congress or any U.S. federal or state agencies may affect the value of the Shares or restrict the use of DOGE, validating activity or the operation of the Dogecoin Network or the Digital Asset Markets in a manner that adversely affects the value of the Shares.

As digital assets have grown in both popularity and market size, the U.S. Congress and a number of U.S. federal and state agencies (including FinCEN, OFAC, SEC, CFTC, FINRA, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”), the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the IRS, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve and state financial institution and securities regulators) have been examining the operations of digital asset

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networks, digital asset users and the Digital Asset Markets, with particular focus on the extent to which digital assets can be used to launder the proceeds of illegal activities, evade sanctions, or fund criminal or terrorist enterprises and the safety and soundness of trading platforms and other service providers that hold or custody digital assets for users. Many of these state and federal agencies have issued consumer advisories regarding the risks posed by digital assets to investors. Ongoing and future regulatory actions with respect to digital assets generally or DOGE in particular may alter, perhaps to a materially adverse extent, the nature of an investment in the Shares or the ability of the Trust to continue to operate.

On January 23, 2025, President Trump issued an executive order titled “Strengthening American Leadership in Digital Financial Technology” aimed at supporting “the responsible growth and use of digital assets, blockchain technology, and related technologies across all sectors of the economy.” The Executive Order also established an interagency working group that is tasked with “proposing a Federal regulatory framework governing the issuance and operation of digital assets” in the United States. Pursuant to this Executive Order, the working group released a report in July 2025 outlining the administration’s recommendations to Congress and various agencies reflecting the administrations “pro-innovation mindset toward digital assets and blockchain technologies.” In particular, the report recommends that Congress enact legislation regarding self custody of digital assets, clarifying the applicability of Bank Secrecy Act obligations with respect to digital asset service providers, granting the CFTC authority to regulate spot markets in non-security digital assets, prohibiting the adoption of a CBDC, and clarifying tax laws as relevant to digital assets. In addition, the report recommends that agencies reevaluate existing guidance on digital asset activities, use existing authorities to enable the trading of digital assets at the federal level, embrace DeFi, launch or relaunch crypto innovation efforts, and promote U.S. private sector leadership in the responsible development of cross-border payments and financial markets technologies, among others.

There have also been several bills introduced in Congress that propose to establish additional regulation and oversight of the digital asset markets. For example, the CLARITY Act was passed by the House of Representatives in July 2025, which would, if enacted, regulate digital asset markets and digital asset trading platforms in the United States. In addition, also in July 2025, the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins Act of 2025 (the “GENIUS Act”) became the first federal law specifically regulating the issuance, custody and other stablecoin-related matters in the United States. It is difficult to predict whether, or when, the CLARITY Act or another Bill that would regulate digital asset markets and digital asset trading platforms may become law or what any such Bill may entail. It is difficult to predict whether, or when, any of these developments will lead to Congress granting additional authorities to the SEC or other regulators, what the nature of such additional authorities might be, how additional legislation and/or regulatory oversight might impact the ability of Digital Asset Markets to function or how any new regulations or changes to existing regulations might impact the value of digital assets generally and DOGE held by the Trust specifically. The consequences of increased federal regulation of digital assets and digital asset activities could have a material adverse effect on the Trust and the Shares.

Law enforcement agencies have often relied on the transparency of blockchains to facilitate investigations. However, certain privacy-enhancing features have been, or are expected to be, introduced to a number of digital asset networks. If the Dogecoin Network were to adopt any of these features, these features may provide law enforcement agencies with less visibility into transaction-level data. Europol, the European Union’s law enforcement agency, released a report in October 2017 noting the increased use of privacy-enhancing digital assets like Zcash and Monero in criminal activity on the internet. In August 2022, OFAC banned all U.S. citizens from using Tornado Cash, a digital asset protocol designed to obfuscate blockchain transactions, by adding certain Ethereum wallet addresses associated with the protocol to its Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List. A large portion of Ethereum validators globally, as well as notable industry participants such as Centre, the issuer of the USDC stablecoin, have reportedly complied with the sanctions and blacklisted the sanctioned addresses from interacting with their networks. In October 2023, FinCEN issued a notice of proposed rulemaking that identified convertible virtual currency (CVC) mixing as a class of transactions of primary money laundering concern and proposed requiring covered financial institutions to implement certain recordkeeping and reporting requirements on transactions that covered financial institutions know, suspect, or have reason to suspect involve CVC mixing within or involving jurisdictions outside the United States. In April 2024, the DOJ arrested and charged the developers of the Samourai Wallet mixing service with conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business. In May 2024, a co-founder of Tornado Cash was sentenced to more than five years imprisonment in the Netherlands for developing Tornado Cash on the basis that he had helped launder more than $2 billion worth of digital assets through Tornado Cash. In October 2023, FinCEN issued a notice of proposed rulemaking that identified convertible virtual currency (CVC) mixing as a class of transactions of

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primary money laundering concern and proposed requiring covered financial institutions to implement certain recordkeeping and reporting requirements on transactions that covered financial institutions know, suspect, or have reason to suspect involve CVC mixing within or involving jurisdictions outside the United States. In April 2024, the DOJ arrested and charged the developers of the Samourai Wallet mixing service with conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business. In May 2024, a co-founder of Tornado Cash was sentenced to more than five years imprisonment in the Netherlands for developing Tornado Cash on the basis that he had helped launder more than $2 billion worth of digital assets through Tornado Cash. In August 2025, a co-founder of Tornado Cash was convicted of conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business, but a mistrial was declared with respect to charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to violate U.S. sanctions. Future additional regulatory action with respect to privacy-enhancing digital assets is possible.

Changes in SEC policy could adversely impact the value of the Shares.

The effect of any future regulatory change on the Trust or the digital assets held by the Trust is impossible to predict, but such change could be substantial and adverse to the Trust and the value of the Shares. If the SEC were to approve any ETF other than ours in the future, such an ETF may be perceived to be a superior investment product offering exposure to digital assets compared to the Trust because the value of the shares issued by such an ETF may more closely track the ETF’s net asset value than do Shares of the Trust, and investors may therefore favor investments in such ETFs over investments in the Trust. Any weakening in demand for the Shares compared to digital asset ETF shares could cause the value of the Shares to decline.

Competing industries may have more influence with policymakers than the digital asset industry, which could lead to the adoption of laws and regulations that are harmful to the digital asset industry.

The digital asset industry is relatively new, although its influence over public policy is increasing, and it may not have the same access to policymakers and lobbying organizations in many jurisdictions compared to industries with which digital assets may be seen to compete, such as banking, payments and consumer finance. Competitors from other, more established industries may have greater access to and influence with governmental officials and regulators and may be successful in persuading these policymakers that digital assets require heightened levels of regulation compared to the regulation of traditional financial services. As a result, new laws and regulations may be proposed and adopted in the United States and elsewhere, or existing laws and regulations may be interpreted in new ways, that disfavor or impose compliance burdens on the digital asset industry or digital asset platforms, which could adversely impact the value of DOGE and therefore the value of the Shares.

Regulatory changes or other events in foreign jurisdictions may affect the value of the Shares or restrict the use of one or more digital assets, validating activity or the operation of their networks or the Digital Asset Trading Platform Market in a manner that adversely affects the value of the Shares.

Various foreign jurisdictions have, and may continue to adopt laws, regulations or directives that affect the digital asset network, the Digital Asset Markets, and their users, particularly Digital Asset Trading Platforms and service providers that fall within such jurisdictions’ regulatory scope. For example, if foreign jurisdictions in addition to China were to ban or otherwise restrict validating activity, including by regulating or limiting manufacturers’ ability to produce or sell semiconductors or hard drives in connection with validating, it would have a material adverse effect on digital asset networks (including the Dogecoin Network), the Digital Asset Market, and as a result, impact the value of the Shares.

A number of foreign jurisdictions have recently taken regulatory action aimed at digital asset activities. China has made transacting in cryptocurrencies illegal for Chinese citizens in mainland China, and additional restrictions may follow. Both China and South Korea have banned initial coin offerings entirely and regulators in other jurisdictions, including Canada, Singapore and Hong Kong, have opined that initial coin offerings may constitute securities offerings subject to local securities regulations. The United Kingdom’s Financial Conduct Authority published final rules in October 2020 banning the sale of derivatives and exchange-traded notes that reference certain types of digital assets, contending that they are “ill-suited” to retail investors citing extreme volatility, valuation challenges and association with financial crime. A new law, the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023 (“FSMA”), received royal assent in June 2023. The FSMA brings digital asset activities within the scope of existing laws governing financial institutions, markets and assets. In addition, the Parliament of the European Union

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approved the text of the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (“MiCA”) in April 2023, establishing a regulatory framework for digital asset services across the European Union. Certain parts of MiCA became effective as of June 2024 and the remainder became effective as of December 2024. MiCA is intended to serve as a comprehensive regulation of digital asset markets and imposes various obligations on digital asset issuers and service providers. The main aims of MiCA are industry regulation, consumer protection, prevention of market abuse and upholding the integrity of digital asset markets. See “Business—Overview of the Dogecoin Industry and Market—Government Oversight.”

Foreign laws, regulations or directives may conflict with those of the United States and may negatively impact the acceptance of one or more digital assets by users, merchants and service providers outside the United States and may therefore impede the growth or sustainability of the digital asset economy in the European Union, China, Japan, Russia and the United States and globally, or otherwise negatively affect the value of DOGE. Moreover, other events, such as the interruption in telecommunications or internet services, cyber-related terrorist acts, civil disturbances, war or other catastrophes, could also negatively affect the digital asset economy in one or more jurisdictions. For example, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022 led to volatility in digital asset prices, with an initial steep decline followed by a sharp rebound in prices. The effect of any future regulatory change or other events on the Trust or DOGE is impossible to predict, and such change could be substantial and adverse to the Trust and the value of the Shares.

If regulators subject an Authorized Participant, the Trust or the Sponsor to regulation as a money service business or money transmitter, this could result in extraordinary expenses to the Authorized Participant, the Trust or the Sponsor and also result in decreased liquidity for the Shares.

To the extent that the activities of any Authorized Participant, the Trust or the Sponsor cause it to be deemed a “money services business” under the regulations promulgated by FinCEN, such Authorized Participant, the Trust or the Sponsor may be required to comply with FinCEN regulations, including those that would mandate the Authorized Participant, the Trust or the Sponsor to implement anti-money laundering programs, make certain reports to FinCEN and maintain certain records. Similarly, the activities of an Authorized Participant, the Trust or the Sponsor may require it to be licensed as a money transmitter or as a digital asset business, such as under the NYDFS’ BitLicense regulations or California’s Digital Financial Assets Law, once effective.

Such additional regulatory obligations may cause the Authorized Participant, the Trust or the Sponsor to incur extraordinary expenses. If the Authorized Participant, the Trust or the Sponsor decided to seek the required licenses, there is no guarantee that they will timely receive them. An Authorized Participant may instead decide to terminate its role as Authorized Participant of the Trust, or the Sponsor may decide to discontinue and wind up the Trust. An Authorized Participant’s decision to cease acting as such may decrease the liquidity of the Shares, which could adversely affect the value of the Shares, and termination of the Trust in response to the changed regulatory circumstances may be at a time that is disadvantageous to the shareholders.

Additionally, to the extent an Authorized Participant, the Trust or the Sponsor is found to have operated without appropriate state or federal licenses, or registration, it may be subject to investigation, administrative or court proceedings, and civil or criminal monetary fines and penalties, all of which would harm the reputation of the Trust or the Sponsor, decrease the liquidity, and have a material adverse effect on the price of the Shares.

Regulatory changes or interpretations could obligate the Trust or the Sponsor to register and comply with new regulations, resulting in potentially extraordinary, nonrecurring expenses to the Trust.

Current and future legislation, CFTC and SEC rulemaking and other regulatory developments may impact the manner in which DOGE is treated. In particular, DOGE may be classified by the CFTC as a “commodity interest” under the CEA or may be classified by the SEC as a “security” under U.S. federal securities laws. It is possible that a new Administration and Congress in the United States creates a new classification for digital assets. The Sponsor and the Trust cannot be certain as to how future regulatory developments will impact the treatment of DOGE under the law. In the face of such developments, the required registrations and compliance steps may result in extraordinary, nonrecurring expenses to the Trust. If the Sponsor decides to terminate the Trust in response to the changed regulatory circumstances, the Trust may be dissolved or liquidated at a time that is disadvantageous to shareholders.

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To the extent that DOGE is deemed to fall within the definition of a “commodity interest” under the CEA, the Trust and the Sponsor may be subject to additional regulation under the CEA and CFTC regulations. The Sponsor may be required to register as a commodity pool operator or commodity trading adviser with the CFTC and become a member of the National Futures Association and may be subject to additional regulatory requirements with respect to the Trust, including disclosure and reporting requirements. These additional requirements may result in extraordinary, recurring and/or nonrecurring expenses of the Trust, thereby materially and adversely impacting the Shares. If the Sponsor determines not to comply with such additional regulatory and registration requirements, the Sponsor will terminate the Trust. Any such termination could result in the liquidation of the Trust’s DOGE at a time that is disadvantageous to shareholders.

To the extent that DOGE is determined to be a security under U.S. federal securities laws, the Trust and the Sponsor may be subject to additional requirements under the Investment Company Act and the Sponsor may be required to register as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act. Such additional registration may result in extraordinary, recurring and/or non-recurring expenses of the Trust, thereby materially and adversely impacting the Shares. If the Sponsor determines not to comply with such additional regulatory and registration requirements, the Sponsor will terminate the Trust. Any such termination could result in the liquidation of the Trust’s DOGE at a time that is disadvantageous to shareholders.

The treatment of the Trust for U.S. federal income tax purposes is uncertain.

The Sponsor intends to take the position that the Trust is properly treated as a grantor trust for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Assuming that the Trust is a grantor trust, the Trust will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax. Rather, if the Trust is a grantor trust, each beneficial owner of Shares will be treated as directly owning its pro rata share of the Trust’s assets and a pro rata portion of the Trust’s income, gains, losses and deductions will “flow through” to each beneficial owner of Shares.

The Sponsor has committed to cause the Trust to irrevocably abandon any Incidental Rights and IR Virtual Currency to which the Trust may become entitled in the future. In furtherance of that commitment, the Sponsor has, on behalf of the Trust, notified the Prime Broker, the Custodian, and Coinbase Credit via the Pre-Creation/Redemption Abandonment Notices (as defined herein) that the Trust is irrevocably abandoning, effective immediately prior to each Creation Time or Redemption Time, all Incidental Rights or IR Virtual Currency to which it would otherwise be entitled as of such time and with respect to which it has not taken any Affirmative Action at or prior to such time. There can be no complete assurance that these abandonments will be treated as effective for U.S. federal income tax purposes. If the Trust were treated as owning any asset other than DOGE as of any date on which it creates or redeems Shares, it might cease to qualify as a grantor trust for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

In addition, at this time the Trust is not permitted to create or redeem Shares via in-kind transactions with Authorized Participants. Unless and until In-Kind Regulatory Approval is obtained, Baskets will be created or redeemed only through Cash Orders. In general, investment vehicles intended to be treated as grantor trusts for U.S. federal income tax purposes historically have created additional trust interests only in kind, and there is no authority directly addressing whether a grantor trust may create or redeem trust interests under procedures similar to those that govern Cash Orders. Accordingly, there can be no complete assurance that the creation or redemption of Shares under the procedures governing Cash Orders will not cause the Trust to fail to qualify as a grantor trust for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

Moreover, because of the evolving nature of digital assets, it is not possible to predict potential future developments that may arise with respect to digital assets, including forks, airdrops and other similar occurrences. Assuming that the Trust is currently a grantor trust for U.S. federal income tax purposes, certain future developments could render it impossible, or impracticable, for the Trust to continue to be treated as a grantor trust for such purposes.

If the Trust is not properly classified as a grantor trust, the Trust might be classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. However, due to the uncertain treatment of digital assets for U.S. federal income tax purposes (as discussed below in “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences—Uncertainty Regarding the U.S. Federal Income Tax Treatment of Digital Assets”), there can be no assurance in this regard. If the Trust were classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the tax consequences of owning Shares generally would not be materially different from the tax consequences described herein, although there might be certain

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differences, including with respect to timing of the recognition of taxable income or loss. In addition, tax information reports provided to beneficial owners of Shares would be made in a different form. If the Trust were not classified as either a grantor trust or a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, it would be classified as a corporation for such purposes. In that event, the Trust would be subject to entity-level U.S. federal income tax (currently at the rate of 21%) on its net taxable income and certain distributions made by the Trust to shareholders would be treated as taxable dividends to the extent of the Trust’s current and accumulated earnings and profits. Any such dividend distributed to a beneficial owner of Shares that is a non-U.S. person for U.S. federal income tax purposes would be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax at a rate of 30% (or such lower rate as provided in an applicable tax treaty).

The treatment of digital assets for U.S. federal income tax purposes is uncertain.

As discussed in the section entitled “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences—Uncertainty Regarding the U.S. Federal Income Tax Treatment of Digital Assets,” assuming that the Trust is properly treated as a grantor trust for U.S. federal income tax purposes, each beneficial owner of Shares will be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as the owner of an undivided interest in the DOGE (and, if applicable, any Incidental Rights and/or IR Virtual Currency) held in the Trust. Due to the new and evolving nature of digital assets and the absence of comprehensive guidance with respect to digital assets, many significant aspects of the U.S. federal income tax treatment of digital assets are uncertain.

In 2014, the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) released a notice (the “Notice”) discussing certain aspects of “convertible virtual currency” (that is, digital assets that have an equivalent value in fiat currency or that act as substitutes for fiat currency) for U.S. federal income tax purposes and, in particular, stating that such digital assets (i) are “property” (ii) are not currency” for purposes of the rules relating to foreign currency gain or loss and (iii) may be held as a capital asset. In 2019, the IRS released a revenue ruling and a set of “Frequently Asked Questions” (the “Ruling & FAQs”) that provide some additional guidance, including guidance to the effect that, under certain circumstances, hard forks of digital assets are taxable events giving rise to ordinary income and guidance with respect to the determination of the tax basis of digital assets. However, the Notice and the Ruling & FAQs do not address other significant aspects of the U.S. federal income tax treatment of digital assets. Moreover, although the Ruling & FAQs address the treatment of hard forks, there continues to be uncertainty with respect to the timing and amount of the income inclusions.

There can be no assurance that the IRS will not alter its position with respect to digital assets in the future or that a court would uphold the treatment set forth in the Notice and the Ruling & FAQs. It is also unclear what additional guidance on the treatment of digital assets for U.S. federal income tax purposes may be issued in the future. Any such alteration of the current IRS positions or additional guidance could result in adverse tax consequences for shareholders and could have an adverse effect on the value of DOGE. Future developments that may arise with respect to digital assets may increase the uncertainty with respect to the treatment of digital assets for U.S. federal income tax purposes. For example, the Notice addresses only digital assets that are “convertible virtual currency,” and it is conceivable that, as a result of a fork, airdrop or similar occurrence, the Trust could hold certain types of digital assets that are not within the scope of the Notice in the event the Sponsor seeks to change the Trust’s policy with respect to Incidental Rights or IR Virtual Currency, subject to NYSE Arca obtaining regulatory approval from the SEC.

Shareholders are urged to consult their tax advisers regarding the tax consequences of owning and disposing of Shares and digital assets in general.

Future developments regarding the treatment of digital assets for U.S. federal income tax purposes could adversely affect the value of the Shares.

As discussed above, many significant aspects of the U.S. federal income tax treatment of digital assets, such as DOGE, are uncertain, and it is unclear what guidance on the treatment of digital assets for U.S. federal income tax purposes may be issued in the future. It is possible that any such guidance would have an adverse effect on the prices of digital assets, including on the price of DOGE in the Digital Asset Markets, and therefore may have an adverse effect on the value of the Shares.

Because of the evolving nature of digital assets, it is not possible to predict potential future developments that may arise with respect to digital assets, including forks, airdrops and similar occurrences. Such developments may

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increase the uncertainty with respect to the treatment of digital assets for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Moreover, certain future developments could render it impossible, or impracticable, for the Trust to continue to be treated as a grantor trust for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

Future developments in the treatment of digital assets for tax purposes other than U.S. federal income tax purposes could adversely affect the value of the Shares.

The taxing authorities of certain states, including New York, (i) have announced that they will follow the Notice with respect to the treatment of digital assets for state income tax purposes and/or (ii) have issued guidance exempting the purchase and/or sale of digital assets for fiat currency from state sales tax. However, it is unclear what further guidance on the treatment of digital assets for state tax purposes may be issued in the future.

The treatment of digital assets for tax purposes by non-U.S. jurisdictions may differ from the treatment of digital assets for U.S. federal, state or local tax purposes. It is possible, for example, that a non-U.S. jurisdiction would impose sales tax or value-added tax on purchases and sales of digital assets for fiat currency. If a foreign jurisdiction with a significant share of the market of DOGE users imposes onerous tax burdens on digital asset users, or imposes sales or value-added tax on purchases and sales of digital assets for fiat currency, such actions could result in decreased demand for DOGE in such jurisdiction.

Any future guidance on the treatment of digital assets for state, local or non-U.S. tax purposes could increase the expenses of the Trust and could have an adverse effect on the prices of digital assets, including on the price of DOGE in the Digital Asset Markets. As a result, any such future guidance could have an adverse effect on the value of the Shares.

The tax treatment of DOGE and transactions involving DOGE for state and local tax purposes is not settled.

Because DOGE is a new technological innovation, the tax treatment of DOGE for state and local tax purposes, including, without limitation state and local income and sales and use taxes, is not settled. It is uncertain what guidance, if any, on the treatment of DOGE for state and local tax purposes may be issued in the future. A state or local government authority’s treatment of DOGE may have negative consequences, including the imposition of a greater tax burden on investors in DOGE or the imposition of a greater cost on the acquisition and disposition of DOGE generally. Any such treatment may have a negative effect on prices of DOGE and may adversely affect the value of the Shares.

A U.S. tax-exempt shareholder may recognize “unrelated business taxable income” as a consequence of an investment in Shares.

Under the guidance provided in the Ruling & FAQs, hard forks, airdrops and similar occurrences with respect to digital assets will under certain circumstances be treated as taxable events giving rise to ordinary income. In the absence of guidance to the contrary, it is possible that any such income recognized by a U.S. tax-exempt shareholder would constitute “unrelated business taxable income” (“UBTI”). A tax-exempt shareholder should consult its tax adviser regarding whether such shareholder may recognize UBTI as a consequence of an investment in Shares. See “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences.”

Non-U.S. Holders may be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax on income derived from forks, airdrops and similar occurrences.

The Ruling & FAQs do not address whether income recognized by a non-U.S. person as a result of a fork, airdrop or similar occurrence could be subject to the 30% withholding tax imposed on U.S.-source “fixed or determinable annual or periodical” income. Non-U.S. Holders (as defined under “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences—Tax Consequences to Non-U.S. Holders”) should assume that, in the absence of guidance, a withholding agent (including the Sponsor) is likely to withhold 30% of any such income recognized by a non-U.S. Holder in respect of its Shares, including by deducting such withheld amounts from proceeds that such non-U.S. Holder would otherwise be entitled to receive in connection with a distribution of Incidental Rights or IR Virtual Currency. See “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences.”

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Risk Factors Related to Potential Conflicts of Interest

Potential conflicts of interest may arise among the Sponsor or its affiliates and the Trust. The Sponsor and its affiliates have no fiduciary duties to the Trust and its shareholders other than as provided in the Trust Agreement, which may permit them to favor their own interests to the detriment of the Trust and its shareholders.

The Sponsor will manage the affairs of the Trust. Conflicts of interest may arise among the Sponsor and its affiliates, on the one hand, and the Trust and its shareholders, on the other hand. As a result of these conflicts, the Sponsor may favor its own interests and the interests of its affiliates over the Trust and its shareholders. These potential conflicts include, among others, the following:

•
The Sponsor has no fiduciary duties to, and is allowed to take into account the interests of parties other than, the Trust and its shareholders in resolving conflicts of interest, provided the Sponsor does not act in bad faith;
•
The Trust has agreed to indemnify the Sponsor and its affiliates pursuant to the Trust Agreement;
•
The Sponsor is responsible for allocating its own limited resources among different clients and potential future business ventures, to each of which it owes fiduciary duties;
•
The Sponsor and its staff also service affiliates of the Sponsor, including several other digital asset investment vehicles, and their respective clients and cannot devote all of its, or their, respective time or resources to the management of the affairs of the Trust;
•
The Sponsor, its affiliates and their respective officers and employees are not prohibited from engaging in other businesses or activities, including those that might be in direct competition with the Trust;
•
Affiliates of the Sponsor have substantial direct investments in DOGE that they are permitted to manage taking into account their own interests without regard to the interests of the Trust or its shareholders, and any increases, decreases or other changes in such investments could affect the Index Price and, in turn, the value of the Shares;
•
There is an absence of arm’s-length negotiation with respect to certain terms of the Trust, and, where applicable, there has been no independent due diligence conducted with respect to the Trust;
•
Several employees of the Sponsor and the Sponsor’s indirect parent company, DCG, are FINRA-registered representatives who historically maintained their licenses through Genesis and currently maintain their licenses through Grayscale Securities;
•
DCG is (i) the sole equity holder and indirect parent company of the Sponsor; and (ii) a minority interest holder in Kraken, one of the Digital Asset Trading Platforms included in the Index, representing less than 1.0% of its equity;
•
DCG has investments in a large number of digital assets and companies involved in the digital asset ecosystem, including trading platforms and custodians. DCG’s positions on changes that should be adopted in the Dogecoin Network could be adverse to positions that would benefit the Trust or its shareholders. Additionally, before or after a hard fork on the Dogecoin Network, DCG’s position regarding which fork among a group of incompatible forks of the Dogecoin Network should be considered the “true” Dogecoin Network could be adverse to positions that would most benefit the Trust;
•
DCG has been vocal in the past about its support for digital assets other than DOGE. Any investments in, or public positions taken on, digital assets other than DOGE by DCG, could have an adverse impact on the price of DOGE;
•
The Sponsor decides whether to retain separate counsel, accountants or others to perform services for the Trust;

56


 

•
While the Index Provider does not currently utilize data from over-the-counter markets or derivatives platforms, it may decide to include pricing from such markets or platforms in the future;
•
The Sponsor may appoint an agent to act on behalf of the shareholders, and such agent may be the Sponsor or an affiliate of the Sponsor; and
•
The Sponsor has historically and may again select an Index Provider that is an affiliate of the Sponsor and the Trust.

By purchasing the Shares, shareholders agree and consent to the provisions set forth in the Trust Agreement. See “Business—Description of the Trust Agreement.”

For a further discussion of the conflicts of interest among the Sponsor, the distributor, the marketer, Authorized Participant, Liquidity Providers, the Trust and others, see “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions.”

DCG is a minority interest holder in Kraken, which operates one of the Digital Asset Trading Platforms included in the Index Price.

DCG, the sole equity holder and indirect parent company of the Sponsor, holds a minority interest of less than 1.0% in Kraken. The Sponsor values its digital assets by reference to the Index Price. The Index Price is the price in U.S. dollars of an DOGE derived from the Digital Asset Trading Platforms that are reflected in the Index developed by CoinDesk Indices, Inc. as of 4:00 p.m., New York time, on each business day. Kraken is one of the Digital Asset Trading Platforms included in the Index.

Although DCG does not exercise control over Kraken, it is possible that investors could have concerns that DCG could influence market data provided by this Digital Asset Trading Platform in a way that benefits DCG, for example by artificially inflating the values of DOGE in order to increase the Sponsor’s fees. This could make the Trust’s Shares less attractive to investors than the shares of similar vehicles that do not present these concerns, adversely affect investor sentiment about the Trust and negatively affect Share trading prices.

Shareholders cannot be assured of the Sponsor’s continued services, the discontinuance of which may be detrimental to the Trust.

Shareholders cannot be assured that the Sponsor will be willing or able to continue to serve as sponsor to the Trust for any length of time. If the Sponsor discontinues its activities on behalf of the Trust and a substitute sponsor is not appointed, the Trust will terminate and liquidate its DOGE.

Appointment of a substitute sponsor will not guarantee the Trust’s continued operation, successful or otherwise. Because a substitute sponsor may have no experience managing a digital asset financial vehicle, a substitute sponsor may not have the experience, knowledge or expertise required to ensure that the Trust will operate successfully or continue to operate at all. Therefore, the appointment of a substitute sponsor may not necessarily be beneficial to the Trust and the Trust may terminate. See “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—The Sponsor.”

If the Custodian resigns or is removed by the Sponsor or otherwise, without replacement, it would trigger early termination of the Trust.

A Custodial Entity may terminate the Prime Broker Agreement for Cause (as defined in “Business— Description of the Prime Broker Agreement—Term; Termination and Suspension”) at any time or upon one hundred eighty days’ prior written notice to the Trust, as provided under the Prime Broker Agreement. If the Custodian resigns or is removed by the Sponsor or otherwise, without replacement, the Trust will dissolve in accordance with the terms of the Trust Agreement.

Shareholders may be adversely affected by the lack of independent advisers representing investors in the Trust.

The Sponsor has consulted with counsel, accountants and other advisers regarding the formation and operation of the Trust. No counsel was appointed to represent investors in connection with the formation of the Trust or the

57


 

establishment of the terms of the Trust Agreement and the Shares. Moreover, no counsel has been appointed to represent an investor in connection with the offering of the Shares. Accordingly, an investor should consult his, her or its own legal, tax and financial advisers regarding the desirability of the value of the Shares. Lack of such consultation may lead to an undesirable investment decision with respect to investment in the Shares.

The Trust is an “emerging growth company” and the reduced disclosure requirements applicable to emerging growth companies may make the Shares less attractive to investors.

The Trust is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the JOBS Act, and intends to take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies, including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in its periodic reports and exemptions from the requirement of shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. The Trust intends to take advantage of these reporting exemptions until it is no longer an emerging growth company. The Sponsor and the Trust cannot predict if investors will find the Shares less attractive because the Trust will rely on these exemptions. The Trust will remain an emerging growth company for up to five years after its initial public offering, although it will lose that status sooner if the Trust has more than $1.235 billion of revenues in a fiscal year, has more than $700 million in market value of Shares held by non-affiliates as of any June 30 or issues more than $1.0 billion of non-convertible debt over a rolling three-year period. If some investors find the Shares less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for the Shares and the price of the Shares may be more volatile.

Risk Factors Related to the Offering

There may be less liquidity or wider spreads in the market for the Shares as compared to the shares of other spot DOGE exchange-traded products, if and when the listing of such products has been approved.

Although the Shares are expected to be publicly listed and traded on the NYSE Arca, as a new investment vehicle, there can be no guarantee that the trading market for the Shares will develop as robustly as the trading market for the shares of other spot DOGE exchange-traded products, if and when the listing of such products has been approved, or that one will develop at all. To the extent that no active trading market develops and/or the assets of the Trust do not reach or maintain a viable size to facilitate robust trading, the liquidity of the Shares may be limited, which could result in wider bid/ask spreads and negatively impact the value of the Shares. In addition, if shareholders need to sell their Shares at a time when no active market for them exists, the price shareholders receive for their Shares, assuming that shareholders are able to sell them, likely will be lower than the price that shareholders would receive if an active market did exist and, accordingly, a shareholder may suffer losses. See “—Risk Factors Related to the Digital Asset Markets—The lack of active trading markets for the Shares may result in losses on investors’ investments at the time of disposition of Shares.”

The liquidity of the Shares may be affected if Authorized Participants cease to perform their obligations under the Participant Agreements or the Liquidity Engager is unable to engage Liquidity Providers.

In the event that one or more Authorized Participants having substantial interests in Shares or otherwise responsible for a significant portion of the Shares’ daily trading volume on NYSE Arca terminates its Participant Agreement, the liquidity of the Shares would likely decrease, which could adversely affect the value of the Shares. In addition, if the Liquidity Engager is unable to engage one or more Liquidity Providers to obtain or receive DOGE in connection with Cash Orders, the Trust may have difficulty maintaining the participation of certain Authorized Participants or engaging additional Authorized Participants. Under such circumstances, the liquidity of the Shares would likely decrease, which could adversely affect the value of the Shares.

The Shares may trade at a price that is at, above or below the Trust’s NAV per Share as a result of the non-current trading hours between NYSE Arca and the Digital Asset Trading Platform Market.

The Trust’s NAV per Share will fluctuate with changes in the market value of DOGE, and the Sponsor expects the trading price of the Shares to fluctuate in accordance with changes in the Trust’s NAV per Share, as well as market supply and demand. However, the Shares may trade on NYSE Arca at a price that is at, above or below the Trust’s NAV per Share for a variety of reasons. For example, NYSE Arca is open for trading in the Shares for a limited period each day, but the Digital Asset Trading Platform Market is a 24-hour marketplace. During periods

58


 

when NYSE Arca is closed but Digital Asset Trading Platforms are open, significant changes in the price of DOGE on the Digital Asset Trading Platform Market could result in a difference in performance between the value of DOGE as measured by the Index and the most recent NAV per Share or closing trading price. For example, if the price of DOGE on the Digital Asset Trading Platform Market, and the value of DOGE as measured by the Index, move significantly in a negative direction after the close of NYSE Arca, the trading price of the Shares may “gap” down to the full extent of such negative price shift when NYSE Arca reopens. If the price of DOGE on the Digital Asset Trading Platform Market drops significantly during hours NYSE Arca is closed, shareholders may not be able to sell their Shares until after the “gap” down has been fully realized, resulting in an inability to rapidly mitigate losses in a negative market. Even during periods when NYSE Arca is open, large Digital Asset Trading Platforms (or a substantial number of smaller Digital Asset Trading Platforms) may be lightly traded or closed for any number of reasons, which could increase trading spreads and widen any premium or discount on the Shares.

Shareholders may suffer a loss on their investment if the Shares trade above or below the Trust’s NAV per Share.

If the Shares trade on NYSE Arca in the future at a premium, investors who purchase Shares on NYSE Arca will pay more for their Shares than investors who purchase Shares directly from Authorized Participants. In contrast, if the Shares trade on NYSE Arca in the future at a discount, investors who purchase Shares directly from Authorized Participants will pay more for their Shares than investors who purchase Shares on NYSE Arca. As a result, shareholders who purchase Shares on NYSE Arca at a premium may suffer a loss on their investment if they sell their Shares at a time when the premium has decreased from the premium at which they purchased the Shares even if the NAV per Share remains the same. Likewise, shareholders that purchase Shares directly from the Trust may suffer a loss on their investment if they sell their Shares at a time when the Shares are trading at a discount on NYSE Arca. Furthermore, shareholders may suffer a loss on their investment even if the NAV per Share increases because the decrease in any premium or increase in any discount may offset any increase in the NAV per Share.

The inability of Authorized Participants and market makers to hedge their DOGE exposure may adversely affect the liquidity of Shares and the value of an investment in the Shares.

Authorized Participants and market makers will generally want to hedge their exposure in connection with Basket purchase and redemption orders. To the extent Authorized Participants and market makers are unable to hedge their exposure due to market conditions (e.g., insufficient DOGE liquidity in the market, inability to locate an appropriate hedge counterparty, extreme volatility in the price of DOGE, wide spreads between prices quoted on different Digital Asset Trading Platforms, the closing of Digital Asset Trading Platforms due to fraud, failures, security breaches or otherwise etc.), such conditions may make it difficult to purchase or redeem Baskets or cause them to not create or redeem Baskets. In addition, the hedging mechanisms employed by Authorized Participants and market makers to hedge their exposure to DOGE may not function as intended, which may make it more difficult for them to enter into such transactions. Such events could negatively impact the market price of the Shares and the spread at which the Shares trade on the open market.

Arbitrage transactions intended to keep the price of the Shares closely linked to the price of DOGE may be problematic if the process for the purchase and redemption of Baskets encounters difficulties, which may adversely affect an investment in the Shares.

If the processes of creation and redemption of Shares (which depend on timely transfers of DOGE to and by the Custodian) encounter any unanticipated difficulties due to, for example, the price volatility of DOGE, the insolvency, business failure or interruption, default, failure to perform, security breach, or other problems affecting the Custodian, the closing of Digital Asset Trading Platforms to fraud, failures, security breaches or otherwise, or network outages or congestion, spikes in transaction fees demanded by validators, or other problems or disruptions affecting the Dogecoin Network, then potential market participants, such as the Authorized Participants and their customers, who would otherwise be willing to purchase or redeem Baskets to take advantage of any arbitrage opportunity arising from discrepancies between the price of the Shares and the price of the underlying DOGE may not take the risk that, as a result of those difficulties, they may not be able to realize the profit they expect.

Alternatively, in the case of a network outage or other problems affecting the Dogecoin Network, the processing of transactions on the Dogecoin Network may be disrupted, which in turn may prevent Liquidity Providers from depositing or withdrawing DOGE from their custody accounts, which in turn could affect the creation or redemption

59


 

of Baskets. If this is the case, the liquidity of the Shares may decline and the price of the Shares may fluctuate independently of the price of DOGE and may fall or otherwise diverge from NAV. Furthermore, in the event that the market for DOGE should become relatively illiquid and thereby materially restrict opportunities for arbitraging by delivering DOGE in return for Baskets, the price of the Shares may diverge from the price of DOGE.

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Use of Proceeds

Proceeds received by the Trust from the issuance and sale of Baskets will consist of DOGE deposited with the Trust in connection with creations. Such DOGE will only be (i) owned by the Trust, (ii) transferred (or converted to U.S. dollars, if necessary) to pay the Trust’s expenses, (iii) distributed or otherwise disposed of in connection with the redemption of Baskets or (iv) liquidated in the event that the Trust terminates or as otherwise required by law or regulation.

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Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial

Condition and Results of Operations

The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read together with, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to, our audited financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus, which have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”). The following discussion may contain forward-looking statements based on assumptions we believe to be reasonable. Our actual results could differ materially from those discussed in these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to these differences include, but are not limited to, those discussed below and elsewhere in this prospectus, particularly in “Risk Factors” and “Forward-Looking Statements.”

Trust Overview

The Trust is a passive entity that is managed and administered by the Sponsor and does not have any officers, directors or employees. The Trust holds DOGE and, from time to time on a periodic basis, will issue Creation Baskets in exchange for deposits of DOGE (or cash to acquire DOGE) and redeem Baskets in exchange for DOGE (or proceeds from the disposition of DOGE) from the Trust. As a passive investment vehicle, the Trust’s investment objective is for the value of the Shares (based on DOGE per Share) to reflect the value of DOGE held by the Trust, determined by reference to the Index Price, less the Trust’s expenses and other liabilities. While an investment in the Shares is not a direct investment in DOGE, the Shares are designed to provide investors with a cost-effective and convenient way to gain investment exposure to DOGE. The Trust will not utilize leverage, derivatives or any similar arrangements in seeking to meet its investment objective. The Trust is not managed like a business corporation or an active investment vehicle.

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

Investment Transactions and Revenue Recognition

The Trust considers investment transactions to be the receipt of DOGE by the Trust in connection with Share creations and the delivery of DOGE by the Trust in connection with Share redemptions or for payment of expenses in DOGE. The Trust records its investment transactions on a trade date basis and changes in fair value are reflected as net change in unrealized appreciation or depreciation on investments. Realized gains and losses are calculated using the specific identification method. Realized gains and losses are recognized in connection with transactions including settling obligations for the Sponsor’s Fee in DOGE.

Principal Market and Fair Value Determination

To determine which market is the Trust’s principal market (or in the absence of a principal market, the most advantageous market) for purposes of calculating the Trust’s net asset value in accordance with U.S. GAAP (“Principal Market NAV”), the Trust follows Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 820-10, which outlines the application of fair value accounting. ASC 820-10 determines fair value to be the price that would be received for DOGE in a current sale, which assumes an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. ASC 820-10 requires the Trust to assume that DOGE is sold in its principal market to market participants or, in the absence of a principal market, the most advantageous market. Market participants are defined as buyers and sellers in the principal or most advantageous market that are independent, knowledgeable, and willing and able to transact.

The Trust only receives DOGE, via a Liquidity Provider, in connection with a creation order from an Authorized Participant and does not itself transact on any Digital Asset Markets. Therefore, the Trust looks to market-based volume and level of activity for Digital Asset Markets. An Authorized Participant (subject to In-Kind Regulatory Approval), or a Liquidity Provider, may transact in a Brokered Market, a Dealer Market, Principal-to-Principal Markets and Exchange Markets (referred to as “Trading Platform Markets”), each as defined in the FASB ASC Master Glossary (collectively, “Digital Asset Markets”). In determining which of the eligible Digital Asset Markets is the Trust’s principal market, the Trust reviews these criteria in the following order:

•
First, the Trust reviews a list of Digital Asset Markets that maintain practices and policies designed to comply with AML and KYC regulations, and non-Digital Asset Trading Platform Markets that the Trust reasonably believes are operating in compliance with applicable law, including federal and state licensing requirements, based upon information and assurances provided to it by each market.

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•
Second, the Trust sorts these Digital Asset Markets from high to low by market-based volume and level of activity of DOGE traded on each Digital Asset Market in the trailing twelve months.
•
Third, the Trust then reviews pricing fluctuations and the degree of variances in price on Digital Asset Markets to identify any material notable variances that may impact the volume or price information of a particular Digital Asset Market.
•
Fourth, the Trust then selects a Digital Asset Market as its principal market based on the highest market-based volume, level of activity and price stability in comparison to the other Digital Asset Markets on the list. Based on information reasonably available to the Trust, Trading Platform Markets have the greatest volume and level of activity for the asset. The Trust therefore looks to accessible Trading Platform Markets as opposed to the Brokered Market, Dealer Market and Principal-to-Principal Markets to determine its principal market. As a result of the aforementioned analysis, a Trading Platform Market has been selected as the Trust’s principal market.

The Trust determines its principal market (or in the absence of a principal market the most advantageous market) annually and conducts a quarterly analysis to determine (i) if there have been recent changes to each Digital Asset Market’s trading volume and level of activity in the trailing twelve months, (ii) if any Digital Asset Markets have developed that the Trust has access to, or (iii) if recent changes to each Digital Asset Market’s price stability have occurred that would materially impact the selection of the principal market and necessitate a change in the Trust’s determination of its principal market.

The cost basis of DOGE received by the Trust in connection with a creation order is recorded by the Trust at the fair value of DOGE at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the creation date for financial reporting purposes. The cost basis recorded by the Trust may differ from proceeds collected by an Authorized Participant from the sale of the corresponding Shares to investors.

Investment Company Considerations

The Trust is an investment company for GAAP purposes and follows accounting and reporting guidance in accordance with the FASB ASC Topic 946, Financial Services – Investment Companies. The Trust uses fair value as its method of accounting for DOGE in accordance with its classification as an investment company for accounting purposes. The Trust is not a registered investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates and these differences could be material.

Review of Financial Results (unaudited)

Financial Highlights for the Three Months Ended September 30, 2025, and the Period from January 30, 2025 (the Commencement of the Trust’s Operations) to September 30, 2025

(All amounts in the following table and the subsequent paragraphs, except Share, per Share, DOGE and price of DOGE amounts, are in thousands)

 

 

Three Months Ended September 30, 2025

 

 

January 30, 2025 (the Commencement of the Trust's Operations) to September 30, 2025

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investment in DOGE

 

$

731

 

 

$

(150

)

Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

 

$

715

 

 

$

(186

)

Net assets(1)

 

$

2,600

 

 

$

2,600

 


(1) Net assets in the above table and subsequent paragraphs are calculated in accordance with U.S. GAAP based on the Digital Asset Market price of DOGE on the Digital Asset Trading Platform that the Trust considered its principal market, as of 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the valuation date.

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Net realized and unrealized gain on investment in DOGE for the three months ended September 30, 2025 was $731, which includes a realized loss of ($2) on the transfer of DOGE to pay the Sponsor’s Fee and net change in unrealized depreciation on investment in DOGE of $733. Net realized and unrealized gain on investment in DOGE for the period was driven by DOGE price appreciation from $0.17 per DOGE as of June 30, 2025, to $0.23 per DOGE as of September 30, 2025. Net increase in net assets resulting from operations was $715 for the three months ended September 30, 2025, which consisted of the net realized and unrealized gain on investment in DOGE, less the Sponsor’s Fee of $16. Net assets increased to $2,600 at September 30, 2025, a 38% increase for the three-month period. The increase in net assets resulted from the aforementioned DOGE price appreciation, partially offset by the withdrawal of approximately 70,652 DOGE to pay the foregoing Sponsor’s Fee.

Net realized and unrealized loss on investment in DOGE for the period from January 30, 2025 (the commencement of the Trust’s operations) to September 30, 2025 was ($150), which includes a realized loss of ($8) on the transfer of DOGE to pay the Sponsor’s Fee and net change in unrealized depreciation on investment in DOGE of ($142). Net realized and unrealized loss on investment in DOGE for the period was driven by DOGE price depreciation from $0.33 per DOGE as of January 30, 2025, to $0.23 per DOGE as of September 30, 2025. Net decrease in net assets resulting from operations was ($186) for the period, which consisted of the net realized and unrealized loss on investment in DOGE, plus the Sponsor’s Fee of $36. Net assets increased to $2,600 at September 30, 2025. The increase in net assets resulted from the contribution of approximately 11,353,766 DOGE with a value of $2,786 to the Trust in connection with Share creations during the period, partially offset by the aforementioned DOGE price depreciation and the withdrawal of approximately 177,348 DOGE to pay the foregoing Sponsor’s Fee.

Cash Resources and Liquidity

The Trust only receives and holds cash in order to facilitate creations and redemptions pursuant to Cash Orders, and has not otherwise had or maintained a cash balance at any time. When selling DOGE and, subject to NYSE Arca obtaining regulatory approval from the SEC, Incidental Rights and/or IR Virtual Currency in the Digital Asset Market to pay Additional Trust Expenses on behalf of the Trust, the Sponsor endeavors to sell the exact amount of DOGE, Incidental Rights and/or IR Virtual Currency needed to pay expenses in order to minimize the Trust’s holdings of assets other than DOGE. In addition, upon the consummation or deemed failure of a Cash Order to create or redeem Baskets, the Trust will promptly return any excess cash it continues to hold with respect to such Cash Order to the applicable counterparty. As a consequence, the Sponsor expects that the Trust will not record any cash flow from its operations and that its cash balance will be zero at the end of each reporting period. Furthermore, the Trust is not a party to any off-balance sheet arrangements.

Generally, the Trust does not intend to hold cash, except in connection with Cash Orders for creations or redemptions of Baskets. Cash includes non-interest bearing non-restricted cash with one institution. Cash in a bank deposit account, at times, may exceed U.S. federally insured limits. The Trust has not experienced any losses in such accounts and does not believe it is exposed to any significant credit risk on such bank deposits.

In exchange for the Sponsor’s Fee, the Sponsor has agreed to assume most of the expenses incurred by the Trust. As a result, the only ordinary expense of the Trust expected to be incurred is the Sponsor’s Fee and, if applicable, any Additional Trust Expenses. The Trust is not aware of any trends, demands, conditions or events that are reasonably likely to result in material changes to its liquidity needs.

Selected Operating Data

Three Months Ended September 30, 2025, and the Period from January 30, 2025 (the Commencement of the

64


 

Trust’s Operations) to September 30, 2025


 

 

Three Months Ended September 30, 2025

 

 

January 30, 2025 (the Commencement of the Trust's Operations) to September 30, 2025

 

 

 

(All DOGE balances are rounded to the nearest whole DOGE)

 

DOGE:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Opening balance

 

 

11,247,070

 

 

 

-

 

Creations

 

 

-

 

 

 

11,353,766

 

Sponsor’s Fee, related party

 

 

(70,652

)

 

 

(177,348

)

Closing balance

 

 

11,176,418

 

 

 

11,176,418

 

Accrued but unpaid Sponsor’s Fee, related party

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

Net closing balance

 

 

11,176,418

 

 

 

11,176,418

 

Number of Shares:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Opening balance

 

 

378,800

 

 

 

-

 

Creations

 

 

-

 

 

 

378,800

 

Closing balance

 

 

378,800

 

 

 

378,800

 

 

 

 

As of September 30,

 

 

 

2025

 

Price of DOGE on principal market(1)

 

$

0.23

 

Principal Market NAV per Share(2)

 

$

6.86

 

Index Price

 

$

0.23

 

NAV per Share(3)

 

$

6.87

 



(1) The Trust performed an assessment of the principal market at September 30, 2025, and identified the principal market as Coinbase.

(2) As of September 30, 2025, the Principal Market NAV per Share was calculated using the fair value of DOGE based on the price provided by Coinbase, the Digital Asset Trading Platform that the Trust considered its principal market, as of 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the valuation date.

(3) The Trust’s NAV per Share is derived from the Index Price as represented by the Index as of 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the valuation date. The Trust’s NAV per Share is calculated using a non-GAAP methodology where the price is derived from multiple Digital Asset Trading Platforms. See the section entitled “Business —Valuation of DOGE and Determination of NAV” above for a description of the Trust’s NAV per Share. The Digital Asset Trading Platforms included in the Index as of September 30, 2025 were Bitfinex, Bitstamp by Robinhood, Bullish, Bybit, Crypto.com, Gemini, Kraken, LMAX Digital and OKX.

 

For accounting purposes, the Trust reflects creations and the DOGE receivable with respect to such creations on the date of receipt of a notification of a creation but does not issue Shares until the requisite amount of DOGE is received. For the periods ended September 30, 2025, the Trust did not accept redemption requests from shareholders. Subject to receipt of regulatory approval from the SEC and approval by the Sponsor in its sole discretion, the Trust may in the future operate a redemption program.

As of September 30, 2025, the Trust had a net closing balance with a value of $2,600,473, based on the Index Price (non-GAAP methodology). As of September 30, 2025, the Trust had a total market value of $2,600,194 based on the Digital Asset Market price of DOGE on the Trust’s principal market (Coinbase).

Historical NAV and DOGE Prices

As movements in the price of DOGE will directly affect the price of the Shares, investors should understand recent movements in the price of DOGE. Investors, however, should also be aware that past movements in the DOGE price are not indicators of future movements. Movements may be influenced by various factors, including, but not limited to, government regulation, security breaches experienced by service providers, as well as political and economic uncertainties around the world.

Investing in the Shares does not insulate the investor from certain risks, including price volatility. The following chart illustrates the movement in the Trust’s NAV per Share (non-GAAP) versus the Index Price (non-GAAP) and

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the Trust’s Principal Market NAV per Share from January 30, 2025 (the commencement of the Trust’s operations) to September 30, 2025:

img64892675_1.jpg

 

For more information on the determination of the Trust’s NAV, see “Business —Valuation of DOGE and Determination of NAV.”

The following table illustrates the movements in the Index Price from January 30, 2025 (the commencement of the Trust’s operations) to September 30, 2025. During such period, the Index Price has ranged from $0.14 to $0.33, with the straight average being $0.21 through September 30, 2025. The Sponsor has not observed a material difference between the Index Price and average prices from the Constituent Trading Platforms individually or as a group.

 

 

 

 

 

 

High

 

Low

 

 

 

 

 

 

Period

 

Average

 

 

Index Price

 

 

Date

 

Index Price

 

 

Date

 

End of period

 

 

Last business day

 

January 30, 2025 (the Commencement of the Trust's Operations) to September 30, 2025

 

$

0.21

 

 

$

0.33

 

 

1/30/2025

 

$

0.14

 

 

4/8/2025

 

$

0.23

 

 

$

0.23

 



The following table illustrates the movements in the Digital Asset Market price of DOGE, as reported on the Trust’s principal market, from January 30, 2025 (the commencement of the Trust’s operations) to September 30, 2025. During such period, the price of DOGE has ranged from $0.14 to $0.33, with the straight average being $0.21 through September 30, 2025:

 

 

 

 

 

 

High

 

Low

 

 

 

 

 

 

Period

 

Average

 

 

Digital Asset Market Price

 

 

Date

 

Digital Asset Market Price

 

 

Date

 

End of period

 

 

Last business day

 

January 30, 2025 (the Commencement of the Trust's Operations) to September 30, 2025

 

$

0.21

 

 

$

0.33

 

 

1/30/2025

 

$

0.14

 

 

4/8/2025

 

$

0.23

 

 

$

0.23

 

 

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Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk

The Trust Agreement does not authorize the Trust to borrow for payment of the Trust’s ordinary expenses. The Trust does not engage in transactions in foreign currencies which could expose the Trust or holders of Shares to any foreign currency related market risk. The Trust does not invest in derivative financial instruments and has no foreign operations or long-term debt instruments.

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Business

Overview of the Trust and the Shares

Grayscale Dogecoin Trust (DOGE) (the “Trust”) is a Delaware Statutory Trust that was formed on August 5, 2024 by the filing of the Certificate of Trust with the Delaware Secretary of State in accordance with the provisions of the Delaware Statutory Trust Act (“DSTA”). Prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, the name of the Trust was Grayscale Dogecoin Trust (DOGE). In connection with the effectiveness of this registration statement and the listing of the Shares on NYSE Arca, the Sponsor intends to rename the Trust as Grayscale Dogecoin Trust ETF by filing a Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Trust with the Delaware Secretary of State in accordance with the provisions of the DSTA. The Trust’s purpose is to hold “DOGE”, which are digital assets that are created and transmitted through the operations of the peer-to-peer Dogecoin Network, a decentralized network of computers that operates on cryptographic protocols. There are several key features of the Dogecoin Network. DOGE was created as a parody in 2013 in connection with a clone of the Litecoin protocol, which in turn is a clone of the Bitcoin protocol. All additional DOGE have been created through a progressive mining process. Approximately 151.2 billion DOGE have entered circulation as of September 30, 2025. As of September 30, 2025, the 24-hour trading volume of DOGE was approximately $1.0 billion. As of September 30, 2025, the aggregate market value of DOGE was $35.2 billion. As of October 31, 2025, DOGE was the eighth largest digital asset by market capitalization, as tracked by CoinMarketCap.com.

As a passive investment vehicle, the Trust’s investment objective is for the value of the Shares (based on DOGE per Share) to reflect the value of the DOGE held by the Trust, determined by reference to the Index Price, less the Trust’s expenses and other liabilities. The Trust does not seek to generate returns beyond tracking the price of DOGE. There can be no assurance that the Trust will be able to achieve its investment objective. The Trust will not utilize leverage, derivatives or any similar arrangements in seeking to meet its investment objective.

From and after the date of this prospectus, the Trust intends to issue Shares on an ongoing basis pursuant to this registration statement, intends to rely on an exemption or other relief from the SEC under Regulation M to operate a redemption program, and intends to list the Shares on NYSE Arca under the symbol “GDOG.” The Shares will be distributed by Authorized Participants who will be able to take advantage of arbitrage opportunities to keep the value of the Shares closely linked to the Index Price (referred to as the “arbitrage mechanism”). In particular, upon listing on NYSE Arca, the Sponsor expects there to be a net creation of Shares if the Shares trade at a premium to NAV per Share and a net redemption of Shares if the Shares trade at a discount to NAV per Share, representing the effective functioning of the arbitrage mechanism.

Thereafter, it is expected that the Shares will be sold by the Authorized Participants to the public at varying prices to be determined by reference to, among other considerations, the price of the DOGE represented by each Share and the trading price of the Shares on NYSE Arca at the time of each sale.

Until December 31, 2024, Grayscale Investments, LLC was the sponsor of the Trust. As a result of the Reorganization (as defined herein), on January 1, 2025, Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC (“GSIS”) and Grayscale Operating, LLC (“GSO”), consolidated subsidiaries of Digital Currency Group, Inc. (“DCG”), became Co-Sponsors of the Trust. On January 3, 2025 GSO voluntarily withdrew as a Sponsor of the Trust, and effective May 3, 2025 GSIS is the sole remaining Sponsor. Prior to May 3, 2025, all references herein to the “Sponsor” shall be deemed to include both GSIS and GSO as Sponsors unless the context otherwise requires, and on or after May 3, 2025, all references herein to the “Sponsor” shall refer only to GSIS. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Recent Developments” for more information., CSC Delaware Trust Company is the trustee (the “Trustee”) of the Trust, The Bank of New York Mellon is the transfer agent (in such capacity, the “Transfer Agent”) and the administrator (in such capacity, the “Administrator”) of the Trust, Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company is the co-transfer agent of the Trust (the “Co-Transfer Agent”), Coinbase, Inc. is the prime broker (the “Prime Broker”) of the Trust and Coinbase Custody Trust Company, LLC is the custodian (the “Custodian”) of the Trust.

The Trust issues Shares only in one or more blocks of 10,000 Shares (a block of 10,000 Shares is called a “Basket”) to certain authorized participants (“Authorized Participants”) from time to time. Baskets are offered in exchange for DOGE (or cash to acquire DOGE). Through its redemption program, the Trust will redeem Shares from Authorized Participants on an ongoing basis. The U.S. dollar value of a Basket of Shares at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the trade date of a creation or redemption order is equal to the Basket Amount, which is the amount of

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DOGE required to create or redeem a Basket of Shares, multiplied by the “Index Price,” which is the U.S. dollar value of an DOGE derived from the Digital Asset Trading Platforms that are reflected in the CoinDesk DOGE CCIXber Reference Rate (the “Index”) at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on each business day. The Index Price is calculated using non-GAAP methodology and is not used in the Trust’s financial statements. See “—Overview of the DOGE Industry and Market—The Index and the Index Price.”

The Basket Amount on any trade date is determined by dividing (x) the amount of DOGE owned by the Trust at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on such trade date, after deducting the amount of DOGE representing the U.S. dollar value of accrued but unpaid fees and expenses of the Trust (converted using the Index Price at such time, and carried to the eighth decimal place), by (y) the number of Shares outstanding at such time (with the quotient so obtained calculated to one one-hundred-millionth of one DOGE (i.e., carried to the eighth decimal place)), and multiplying such quotient by 10,000.

The Trust will create Baskets of Shares only upon receipt of DOGE and will redeem Shares only by distributing DOGE or proceeds from the disposition of DOGE. At this time, Authorized Participants may only submit orders to create or redeem Shares through transactions that are referred to as “Cash Orders” in this prospectus. Cash Orders are made through the participation of a Liquidity Provider (as defined herein) and facilitated by the Transfer Agent, as described in “Description of Creation and Redemption of Shares.” Authorized Participants must pay a Variable Fee (as defined herein) in connection with certain Cash Orders.

The Shares are neither interests in nor obligations of the Sponsor or the Trustee. As provided under the Trust Agreement, the Trust’s assets will not be loaned or pledged, or serve as collateral for any loan, margin, rehypothecation, or other similar activity to which the Sponsor, the Trust or any of their respective affiliates are a party.

The Sponsor maintains an Internet website at etfs.grayscale.com/gdog. Additional information regarding the Trust may also be found on the SEC’s EDGAR database at www.sec.gov.

The contents of the websites referred to above and any websites referred to herein are not incorporated into this filing or any other report or documents we file with or furnish to the SEC. Further, our references to the URLs for these websites are intended to be inactive textual references only.

Investment Objective

The Trust’s investment objective is for the value of the Shares (based on DOGE per Share) to reflect the value of the DOGE held by the Trust, determined by reference to the Index Price, less the Trust’s expenses and other liabilities. There can be no assurance that the Trust will be able to achieve its investment objective. Although we expect the arbitrage mechanism to keep the value of the Shares closely linked to the Index Price, the Shares may trade at a premium or discount to the value of the DOGE held by the Trust, determined by reference to the Index Price, less the Trust’s expenses and other liabilities, and any such premium or discount may be significant.

While an investment in the Shares is not a direct investment in DOGE, the Shares are designed to provide investors with a cost-effective and convenient way to gain investment exposure to DOGE. A substantial direct investment in DOGE may require expensive and sometimes complicated arrangements in connection with the acquisition, security and safekeeping of the DOGE and may involve the payment of substantial fees to acquire such DOGE from third-party facilitators through cash payments of U.S. dollars. Because the value of the Shares is designed to be correlated with the value of the DOGE held by the Trust, it is important to understand the investment attributes of, and the market for, DOGE.

The Trust’s DOGE are carried, for financial statement purposes, at fair value as required by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). The Trust determines the fair value of DOGE based on the price provided by the Digital Asset Market (defined below) that the Trust considers its principal market as of 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the valuation date. The net asset value of the Trust determined on a GAAP basis is referred to in this prospectus as “NAV.” “Digital Asset Market” means a “Brokered Market,” “Dealer Market,” “Principal-to-Principal Market” or “Exchange Market,” as each such term is defined in the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Master Glossary. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates—Principal

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Market and Fair Value Determination” in this prospectus for more information on the Trust’s principal market selection.

The Trust uses the Index Price to calculate its “NAV,” which is the aggregate value, expressed in U.S. dollars, of the Trust’s assets (other than U.S. dollars or other fiat currency), less the U.S. dollar value of the Trust’s expenses and other liabilities calculated in the manner set forth under “—Valuation of DOGE and Determination of NAV.” “NAV per Share” is calculated by dividing NAV by the number of Shares then outstanding.

NAV and NAV per Share are not measures calculated in accordance with GAAP. NAV is not intended to be a substitute for the Trust’s Principal Market NAV calculated in accordance with GAAP, and NAV per Share is not intended to be a substitute for the Trust’s Principal Market NAV per Share calculated in accordance with GAAP.

Pursuant to the terms of the Trust Agreement, the Trust is required to dissolve under certain circumstances. In addition, the Sponsor may, in its sole discretion, dissolve the Trust for a number of reasons, including if the Sponsor determines, in its sole discretion, that it is desirable or advisable for any reason to discontinue the affairs of the Trust. For example, if the Sponsor determines that DOGE is a security under the federal securities laws, whether that determination is initially made by the Sponsor itself, or because a federal court upholds an allegation that DOGE is a security, the Sponsor does not intend to permit the Trust to continue holding DOGE in a way that would violate the federal securities laws (and therefore would either dissolve the Trust or potentially seek to operate the Trust in a manner that complies with the federal securities laws, including the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “Investment Company Act”)). See “—Description of the Trust Agreement— Termination of the Trust” for additional discussion of the circumstances under which the Trust could be dissolved. See “Risk Factors—Risk Factors Related to the Trust and the Shares—A determination that DOGE or any other digital asset is a “security” may adversely affect the value of DOGE and the value of the Shares, and result in potentially extraordinary, nonrecurring expenses to, or termination of, the Trust.”

Characteristics of the Shares

The Shares are intended to offer investors an opportunity to gain exposure to digital assets through an investment in securities. The logistics of accepting, transferring and safekeeping of DOGE are dealt with by the Sponsor and Custodian, and the related expenses are built into the value of the Shares. Therefore, shareholders do not have additional tasks or costs over and above those generally associated with investing in any other security.

The Shares have certain other key characteristics, including the following:

•
Easily Accessible and Relatively Cost Efficient. Investors in the Shares can also directly access the Digital Asset Markets. The Sponsor believes that investors will be able to more effectively implement strategic and tactical asset allocation strategies that use DOGE by using the Shares instead of directly purchasing and holding DOGE, and for many investors, transaction costs related to the Shares will be lower than those associated with the direct purchase, storage and safekeeping of DOGE.
•
Market-Traded and Transparent. The Shares are expected to be listed on NYSE Arca. The Sponsor believes the listing of the Shares on NYSE Arca will provide investors with an efficient means to implement various investment strategies. The Trust will not hold or employ any derivative securities. Furthermore, the value of the Trust’s assets will be reported each day on etfs.grayscale.com/gdog.
•
Minimal Credit Risk. The Shares represent an interest in actual DOGE owned by the Trust. The Trust’s DOGE are not subject to borrowing arrangements with third parties and are subject to counterparty and minimal credit risk with respect to the Custodian. This contrasts with the other financial products such as CoinShares exchange-traded notes, TeraExchange swaps and DOGE futures and options traded on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and the Intercontinental Exchange through which investors gain exposure to digital assets through the use of derivatives that are subject to counterparty and credit risks.
•
Safekeeping System. The Custodian has been appointed to control and secure the DOGE for the Trust using offline storage, or cold storage, mechanisms to secure the Trust’s private key “shards”. The hardware, software, administration and continued technological development that are used by the Custodian may not be available or cost-effective for many investors.

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The Trust differentiates itself from many competing digital asset financial vehicles in the following ways:

•
Custodian. The Custodian that holds the private key shards associated with the Trust’s DOGE is Coinbase Custody Trust Company, LLC. Other digital asset financial vehicles that use cold storage may not use a custodian to hold their private keys.
•
Cold Storage of Private Keys. The private key shards associated with the Trust’s DOGE are kept in cold storage, which means that the Trust’s DOGE are disconnected and/or deleted entirely from the internet. See “—Custody of the Trust’s DOGE” for more information relating to the storage and retrieval of the Trust’s private keys to and from cold storage. Other digital asset financial vehicles may not utilize cold storage or may utilize less effective cold storage-related hardware and security protocols.
•
Location of Private Vaults. Private key shards associated with the Trust’s DOGE are distributed geographically by the Custodian in secure vaults around the world, including in the United States. The locations of the secure vaults may change regularly and are kept confidential by the Custodian for security purposes.
•
Enhanced Security. Transfers from the Trust’s Vault Balance require certain security procedures, including but not limited to, multiple encrypted private key shards, usernames, passwords and 2-step verification. Multiple private key shards held by the Custodian must be combined to reconstitute the private key to sign any transaction in order to transfer the Trust’s DOGE. Private key shards are distributed geographically in secure vaults around the world, including in the United States. As a result, if any one secure vault is ever compromised, this event will have no impact on the ability of the Trust to access its assets, other than a possible delay in operations, while one or more of the other secure vaults is used instead. These security procedures are intended to remove single points of failure in the protection of the Trust’s DOGE.
•
Custodian Audits. The Custodian has agreed to allow the Trust and the Sponsor to take such steps as necessary to verify that satisfactory internal control systems and procedures are in place.
•
Directly Held DOGE. The Trust directly owns actual DOGE held through the Custodian. This may differ from other digital asset financial vehicles that provide DOGE exposure through other means, such as the use of financial or derivative instruments.
•
Sponsor’s Fee. The Sponsor’s Fee is a competitive factor that may influence the value of the Shares.

Activities of the Trust

The activities of the Trust are limited to (i) issuing Baskets in exchange for DOGE (or cash to acquire DOGE) transferred to the Trust as consideration in connection with the creations, (ii) transferring or selling DOGE as necessary to cover the Sponsor’s Fee and/or any Additional Trust Expenses, (iii) transferring or disposing of DOGE to retire Baskets surrendered for redemption, (iv) causing the Sponsor to sell DOGE on the termination of the Trust, (v) making distributions of Incidental Rights and/or IR Virtual Currency or cash from the sale thereof (subject to NYSE Arca obtaining regulatory approval from the SEC), as described in “—Incidental Rights and IR Virtual Currency” below, and (vi) engaging in all administrative and security procedures necessary to accomplish such activities in accordance with the provisions of the Trust Agreement, the Prime Broker Agreement, the Index License Agreement, the Participant Agreements and the Liquidity Provider Agreements.

The Trust may engage in any lawful activity necessary or desirable in order to facilitate shareholders’ access to Incidental Rights or IR Virtual Currency (subject to NYSE Arca obtaining regulatory approval from the SEC), provided that such activities do not conflict with the terms of the Trust Agreement. The Trust will not be actively managed. It will not engage in any activities designed to obtain a profit from, or to ameliorate losses caused by changes in the market prices of DOGE.

Incidental Rights and IR Virtual Currency

The Sponsor has notified the Prime Broker, the Custodian and Coinbase Credit, on behalf of the Trust (such notices, together, the “Pre-Creation/Redemption Abandonment Notices”) that the Trust will abandon, irrevocably

71


 

and for no direct or indirect consideration, effective immediately prior to each time at which the Trust creates or redeems Shares (each such time, a “Creation Time” or “Redemption Time”, respectively), all Incidental Rights and IR Virtual Currency to which it would otherwise be entitled as of such time. An abandonment made pursuant to the Pre-Creation/Redemption Abandonment Notices is referred to herein as a “Pre-Creation/Redemption Abandonment.” Pursuant to the Pre-Creation/Redemption Abandonment Notices, a Pre-Creation/Redemption Abandonment would not apply to any Incidental Right or IR Virtual Currency if (i) the Trust has taken, or is taking at such time, an “Affirmative Action” to acquire or abandon such Incidental Right or IR Virtual Currency at any time prior to the relevant Creation Time or Redemption Time or (ii) such Incidental Right or IR Virtual Currency has been subject to a previous Pre-Creation/Redemption Abandonment. An “Affirmative Action” refers to a written notification from the Sponsor to the Prime Broker, the Custodian or Coinbase Credit of the Trust’s intention (i) to acquire and/or retain an Incidental Right and/or IR Virtual Currency or (ii) to abandon, with effect prior to the relevant Creation Time or Redemption Time, an Incidental Right and/or IR Virtual Currency.

As a result of the Pre-Creation/Redemption Abandonment Notices, the Trust has abandoned, prior to each relevant Creation Time or Redemption Time, any Incidental Right or IR Virtual Currency that it may have had any right to receive at such time. The Trust has no right to receive any Incidental Right or IR Virtual Currency abandoned pursuant to either the Pre-Creation/Redemption Abandonment Notices or Affirmative Actions. Furthermore, the Prime Broker, the Custodian and Coinbase Credit have no authority, pursuant to the Prime Broker Agreement or otherwise, to exercise, obtain or hold, as the case may be, any such abandoned Incidental Right or IR Virtual Currency on behalf of the Trust or to transfer any such abandoned Incidental Right or IR Virtual Currency to the Trust if the Trust terminates its custodial arrangement with the Prime Broker, the Custodian and Coinbase Credit. In addition, the Sponsor has committed to cause the Trust not to take any Affirmative Action to acquire any Incidental Right or IR Virtual Currency and, therefore, irrevocably abandon any Incidental Right and IR Virtual Currency to which the Trust may become entitled in the future.

Because the Sponsor has committed to causing the Trust to irrevocably abandon all Incidental Rights and IR Virtual Currency to which the Trust otherwise would become entitled in the future, and causing the Trust not to take any Affirmative Actions, the Trust will not receive any direct or indirect consideration for the Incidental Rights or IR Virtual Currency and thus the value of the Shares will not reflect the value of the Incidental Rights or IR Virtual Currency. In addition, in the event the Sponsor seeks to change the Trust’s policy with respect to Incidental Rights or IR Virtual Currency, an application would need to be filed with the SEC by NYSE Arca seeking approval to amend its listing rules to permit the Trust to distribute the Incidental Rights or IR Virtual Currency in kind to an agent of the shareholders for resale by such agent. However, there can be no assurance as to whether or when the Sponsor would make such a decision, or when NYSE Arca will seek or obtain this approval, if at all. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to the Trust and the Shares—Shareholders will not receive the benefits of any forks or airdrops.”

The Sponsor has controls in place to monitor for material hard forks or airdrops. The Sponsor will notify investors of any material change to its policy with respect to Incidental Rights and IR Virtual Currency by filing a current report on Form 8-K.

Secondary Market Trading

While the Trust’s investment objective is for the value of the Shares (based on DOGE per Share) to reflect the value of DOGE held by the Trust, determined by reference to the Index Price, less the Trust’s expenses and other liabilities, the Shares may trade in the Secondary Market on NYSE Arca (or on another Secondary Market in the future) at prices that are lower or higher than the NAV per Share. The amount of the discount or premium in the trading price relative to the NAV per Share may be influenced by non-concurrent trading hours and liquidity between NYSE Arca and larger Digital Asset Trading Platforms. While the Shares are expected to be listed on NYSE Arca and trade during NYSE Arca’s Core Trading Session from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., New York time, liquidity in the Digital Asset Markets may fluctuate depending upon the volume and availability of larger Digital Asset Trading Platforms. As a result, during periods in which Digital Asset Market liquidity is limited or a major Digital Asset Trading Platform is off-line, trading spreads, and the resulting premium or discount, on the Shares may widen.

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Overview of the Dogecoin Industry and Market

DOGE is a digital asset that is created and transmitted through the operations of the peer-to-peer Dogecoin Network, a decentralized network of computers that operates on cryptographic protocols. No single entity owns or operates the Dogecoin Network, the infrastructure of which is collectively maintained by a decentralized user base. The Dogecoin Network allows people to exchange tokens of value, called DOGE, which are recorded on a public transaction ledger known as a blockchain. DOGE can be used to pay for goods and services, including computational power on the Dogecoin Network, or it can be converted to fiat currencies, such as the U.S. dollar, at rates determined on Digital Asset Markets or in individual end-user-to-end-user transactions under a barter system.

The initial creation of DOGE was in 2013 in connection with a clone of the Litecoin protocol, which in turn is a clone of the Bitcoin protocol. The Dogecoin Network was created in late 2013 by Jackson Palmer, an Adobe employee, and Billy Markus, an IBM employee, who thought the crypto-asset industry had become too serious and established an alternative crypto-asset as a joke based off the popular “Doge” internet meme featuring a Japanese female Shiba Inu dog called “Kabosu.” Since then, the number of core contributors to the Dogecoin Network has grown to over 40. Over 2,500 merchants and retailers accept DOGE for goods and services, including the Dallas Mavericks and AMC, and DOGE has been donated for various charitable purposes, including to build a well in Kenya. Elon Musk has advocated for the adoption of DOGE, including mentioning the crypto-asset on Saturday Night Live. Further, DOGE has been used as a means for social media users to tip other users, as a medium of exchange to purchase tickets for some National Basketball Association games, and as a means of payment to launch a satellite to the moon via SpaceX. Ultimately, the Dogecoin protocol shares many similarities with the Litecoin and Bitcoin protocols, with the Dogecoin protocol and Litecoin protocol sharing the same hashing algorithm. Although the Dogecoin protocol is very similar to the Litecoin and Bitcoin protocols, there are several key differences between the Dogecoin protocol and the Bitcoin and Litecoin protocols. These differences include a block generation time of approximately one minute for the Dogecoin protocol as compared to two and a half minutes for the Litecoin protocol and ten minutes for the Bitcoin protocol, and no cap on the number of DOGE tokens that will be created, as compared to caps of 84 million for LTC and 21 million for BTC. As a result of these differences, transactions using the Dogecoin Network occur significantly faster than transactions using the Litecoin and Bitcoin Networks and at a lower cost. The Dogecoin and Litecoin protocols also implemented “Scrypt,” a distinct hashing algorithm different from the Bitcoin protocol’s SHA-256 hashing algorithm.

The Dogecoin Network is decentralized in that it does not require governmental authorities or financial institution intermediaries to create, transmit or determine the value of DOGE. Rather, DOGE is created and allocated by the Dogecoin Network protocol through a “mining” process. The value of DOGE is determined by the supply of and demand for DOGE on the Digital Asset Markets or in private end-user-to-end-user transactions.

Similar to the Bitcoin and Litecoin networks, the Dogecoin Network operates on a proof-of-work model. New DOGE is created and rewarded to the miners of a block in the Dogecoin Blockchain for verifying transactions. The Dogecoin Blockchain is effectively a decentralized database that includes all blocks that have been mined by miners and it is updated to include new blocks as they are solved. Each DOGE transaction is broadcast to the Dogecoin Network and, when included in a block, recorded in the Dogecoin Blockchain. As each new block records outstanding DOGE transactions, and outstanding transactions are settled and validated through such recording, the Dogecoin Blockchain represents a complete, transparent and unbroken history of all transactions of the Dogecoin Network. For further details, see “Overview of Dogecoin—Creation of New DOGE” below. While the Dogecoin Network initially had a random mining reward schedule where mining rewards would change every 69 days, the core developers have since implemented a flat miner reward of 10,000 DOGE per block that is expected to remain for the foreseeable future. As of September 30, 2025, approximately 151.2 billion DOGE were outstanding.

Similar to Bitcoin and Litecoin, DOGE can be used to pay for goods and services or can be converted to fiat currencies, such as the U.S. dollar, at rates determined on Digital Asset Trading Platforms or in individual end-user-to-end-user transactions under a barter system. Additionally, DOGE is used to pay for transaction fees to miners for verifying transactions on the Dogecoin Network.

Overview of the Dogecoin Network’s Operations

In order to own, transfer or use DOGE directly on the Dogecoin Network (as opposed to through an intermediary, such as a custodian), a person generally must have internet access to connect to the Dogecoin

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Network. DOGE transactions may be made directly between end-users without the need for a third-party intermediary. To prevent the possibility of double-spending DOGE, a user must notify the Dogecoin Network of the transaction by broadcasting the transaction data to its network peers. The Dogecoin Network provides confirmation against double-spending by memorializing every transaction in the Dogecoin Blockchain, which is publicly accessible and transparent. This memorialization and verification against double-spending is accomplished through the Dogecoin Network mining process, which adds “blocks” of data, including recent transaction information, to the Dogecoin Blockchain.

DOGE Spot and Futures Markets

DOGE spot markets generally allow investors to open accounts with digital asset exchanges and then buy or sell DOGE via websites or mobile applications. Prices for DOGE trades on these markets are typically publicly reported. Investors wishing to trade DOGE on a digital asset platform must deposit an accepted government-issued currency or previously acquired digital assets into their platform account before they can purchase or sell DOGE. This process of setting up an account with a trading platform and executing trades is separate from, and should not be confused with, the process of transferring DOGE between addresses on the Dogecoin Blockchain. The latter involves activities directly on the Dogecoin Network, while trading on digital platforms occurs within the exchange’s order book. The platform generally records an investor’s DOGE ownership in its internal books, not on the Dogecoin blockchain. DOGE is typically not transferred to the investor’s personal wallet unless they request a withdrawal to an off-platform DOGE address.

Outside of spot markets, DOGE can also be traded over-the-counter (OTC). The OTC market is predominantly institutional, with participants including firms that provide two-sided liquidity for DOGE, investment managers, proprietary trading firms, high-net-worth individuals, entities holding significant amounts of DOGE, and family offices. The OTC market offers a flexible environment in terms of quotes, pricing, and quantity, though it often involves large quantities of DOGE. There is no formal structure to the OTC market, nor an open meeting place for transactions. Parties involved in OTC trades typically agree on the price—often by phone or email—before one party initiates the transfer by sending DOGE to the buyer’s DOGE address. The buyer would then transfer the agreed-upon currency to the seller’s bank account. OTC trades are sometimes hedged and eventually settled on digital asset trading platforms.

In addition, Dogecoin futures and options trading occurs on exchanges in the United States regulated by the CFTC. The market for CFTC-regulated trading of Dogecoin derivatives has developed substantially. As of August 13, 2025, 2025, CFTC regulated Dogecoin futures represented approximately $600.6 million in notional trading volume on Coinbase Derivatives, LLC (“Coinbase Derivatives”), a designated contract market (“DCM”) registered with the CFTC, representing around $300.4 million in open interest. Dogecoin futures on Coinbase Derivatives traded around $3.2 million per trading day as of August 13, 2025 and represented around $1.9 million in open interest per trading day. Through the common membership of NYSE Arca and the Coinbase Derivatives DOGE futures market in the Intermarket Surveillance Group (“ISG”), NYSE Arca may obtain information regarding trading in the Shares and listed Dogecoin derivatives from the Coinbase Derivatives DOGE futures market via the ISG and from other exchanges who are members or affiliates of the ISG. Such an arrangement with the ISG and the Coinbase Derivatives DOGE futures market allows for the surveillance of DOGE futures market conditions and price movements on a real-time and ongoing basis in order to detect and prevent price distortions, including price distortions caused by manipulative efforts. The sharing of surveillance information between NYSE Arca and the Coinbase Derivatives DOGE futures market regarding market trading activity, clearing activity and customer identity assists in detecting, investigating and deterring fraudulent and manipulative misconduct, as well as violations of NYSE Arca’s rules and the applicable federal securities laws and rules. NYSE Arca has also implemented surveillance procedures to monitor the trading of the Shares on NYSE Arca during all trading sessions and to deter and detect violations of Exchange rules and the applicable federal securities laws.

Summary of a DOGE Transaction

Prior to engaging in DOGE transactions directly on the Dogecoin Network, a user generally must first install on its computer or mobile device a Dogecoin Network software program that will allow the user to generate a private and public key pair associated with a DOGE address, commonly referred to as a “wallet.” The Dogecoin Network software program and the DOGE address also enable the user to connect to the Dogecoin Network and transfer DOGE to, and receive DOGE from, other users.

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Each Dogecoin Network address, or wallet, is associated with a unique “public key” and “private key” pair. To receive DOGE, the DOGE recipient must provide its public key to the party initiating the transfer. This activity is analogous to a recipient for a transaction in U.S. dollars providing a routing address in wire instructions to the payor so that cash may be wired to the recipient’s account. The payor approves the transfer to the address provided by the recipient by “signing” a transaction that consists of the recipient’s public key with the private key of the address from where the payor is transferring the DOGE. The recipient, however, does not make public or provide to the sender its related private key.

Neither the recipient nor the sender reveal their private keys in a transaction, because the private key authorizes transfer of the funds in that address to other users. Therefore, if a user loses his private key, the user may permanently lose access to the DOGE contained in the associated address. Likewise, DOGE is irretrievably lost if the private key associated with them is deleted and no backup has been made. When sending DOGE, a user’s Dogecoin Network software program must validate the transaction with the associated private key. In addition, since every computation on the Dogecoin Network requires processing power, there is a transaction fee involved with the transfer that is paid by the payor. The resulting digitally validated transaction is sent by the user’s Dogecoin Network software program to the Dogecoin Network miners to allow transaction confirmation.

As discussed in greater detail below in “—Creation of New DOGE,” Dogecoin Network miners record and confirm transactions when they mine and add blocks of information to the Dogecoin Blockchain. When a miner mines a block, it creates that block, which includes data relating to (i) newly submitted and accepted transactions; (ii) a reference to the prior block in the Dogecoin Blockchain; and (iii) the satisfaction of the consensus mechanism to mine the block. The miner becomes aware of outstanding, unrecorded transactions through the data packet transmission and distribution discussed above.

Upon the addition of a block included in the Dogecoin Blockchain, the Dogecoin Network software program of both the spending party and the receiving party will show confirmation of the transaction on the Dogecoin Blockchain and reflect an adjustment to the DOGE balance in each party’s Dogecoin Network public key, completing the DOGE transaction. Once a transaction is confirmed on the Dogecoin Blockchain, it is irreversible.

Some DOGE transactions are conducted “off-blockchain” and are therefore not recorded in the Dogecoin Blockchain. Some “off-blockchain transactions” involve the transfer of control over, or ownership of, a specific digital wallet holding DOGE or the reallocation of ownership of certain DOGE in a pooled-ownership digital wallet, such as a digital wallet owned by a Digital Asset Trading Platform. In contrast to on-blockchain transactions, which are publicly recorded on the Dogecoin Blockchain, information and data regarding off-blockchain transactions are generally not publicly available. Therefore, off-blockchain transactions are not truly DOGE transactions in that they do not involve the transfer of transaction data on the Dogecoin Network and do not reflect a movement of DOGE between addresses recorded in the Dogecoin Blockchain. For these reasons, off-blockchain transactions are subject to risks as any such transfer of DOGE ownership is not protected by the protocol behind the Dogecoin Network or recorded in, and validated through, the blockchain mechanism.

Creation of New DOGE

Initial Creation of DOGE

The initial creation of DOGE was in 2013 in connection with a clone of the Litecoin protocol, which in turn is a clone of the Bitcoin protocol. All additional DOGE have been created through the mining process.

Mining Process

The Dogecoin Network is kept running by computers all over the world. In order to incentivize those who incur the computational costs of securing the network by validating transactions, there is a reward that is given to the computer that was able to create the latest block on the chain. Every minute, on average, a new block is added to the Dogecoin Blockchain with the latest transactions processed by the network, and the computer that generated this block is currently awarded 10,000 DOGE. Due to the nature of the algorithm for block generation, this process (generating a “proof-of-work”) is guaranteed to be random. Over time, rewards are expected to be proportionate to the computational power of each machine.

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The process by which DOGE is “mined” results in new blocks being added to the Dogecoin Blockchain and new DOGE tokens being issued to the miners. Computers on the Dogecoin Network engage in a set of prescribed complex mathematical calculations in order to add a block to the Dogecoin Blockchain and thereby confirm DOGE transactions included in that block’s data.

To begin mining, a user can download and run Dogecoin Network mining software, which turns the user’s computer into a “node” on the Dogecoin Network that validates blocks. Each block contains the details of some or all of the most recent transactions that are not memorialized in prior blocks, as well as a record of the award of DOGE to the miner who added the new block. Each unique block can be solved and added to the Dogecoin Blockchain by only one miner. Therefore, all individual miners and mining pools on the Dogecoin Network are engaged in a competitive process of constantly increasing their computing power to improve their likelihood of solving for new blocks. As more miners join the Dogecoin Network and its processing power increases, the Dogecoin Network adjusts the complexity of the block-solving equation to maintain a predetermined pace of adding a new block to the Dogecoin Blockchain approximately every minute. A miner’s proposed block is added to the Dogecoin Blockchain once a majority of the nodes on the Dogecoin Network confirms the miner’s work. Miners that are successful in adding a block to the Dogecoin Blockchain are automatically awarded DOGE for their effort and may also receive transaction fees paid by transferors whose transactions are recorded in the block. This reward system is the method by which new DOGE enter into circulation to the public.

The Dogecoin Network is designed in such a way that the reward for adding new blocks to the Dogecoin Blockchain remains static over time.

Limits on DOGE Supply

The Dogecoin Network is structured so that there is no limit on the amount of DOGE to be created, which are mined over time with the creation of each new block. The supply of new DOGE is mathematically controlled so that the number of DOGE grows at a limited rate pursuant to a fixed schedule. Approximately 5.2 billion DOGE are created each year.

As of September 30, 2025, approximately 151.2 billion DOGE were outstanding.

Modifications to the DOGE Protocol

The Dogecoin Network is an open source project with no official developer or group of developers that controls it. However, the Dogecoin Network’s development has historically been overseen by a core group of developers. The core developers are able to access, and can alter, the Dogecoin Network source code and, as a result, they are responsible for quasi-official releases of updates and other changes to the Dogecoin Network’s source code.

The release of updates to the Dogecoin Network’s source code does not guarantee that the updates will be automatically adopted. Users and miners must accept any changes made to the Dogecoin source code by downloading the proposed modification of the Dogecoin Network’s source code. A modification of the Dogecoin Network’s source code is effective only with respect to the Dogecoin users and miners that download it. If a modification is accepted by only a percentage of users and miners, a division in the Dogecoin Network will occur such that one network will run the pre-modification source code and the other network will run the modified source code. Such a division is known as a “fork.” See “Item 1A. Risk Factors—Risk Factors Related to Digital Assets—A temporary or permanent “fork” or a “clone” could adversely affect the value of the Shares.” Consequently, as a practical matter, a modification to the source code becomes part of the Dogecoin Network only if accepted by participants collectively having most of the processing power on the Dogecoin Network.

Core development of the Dogecoin Network source code generally focuses on modifications of the Dogecoin Network protocol to increase speed and scalability and also allow for non-financial, next generation uses. The Trust’s activities will not directly relate to such projects, though such projects may utilize DOGE as tokens for the facilitation of their non-financial uses, thereby potentially increasing demand for DOGE and the utility of the Dogecoin Network as a whole. Conversely, projects that operate and are built within the Blockchain may increase the data flow on the Dogecoin Network and could either “bloat” the size of the Dogecoin Blockchain or slow confirmation times. At this time, such projects remain in early stages and have not been materially integrated into the Dogecoin Blockchain or the Dogecoin Network.

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DOGE Value

Digital Asset Trading Platform Valuation

The value of DOGE is determined by the value that various market participants place on DOGE through their transactions. The most common means of determining the value of an DOGE is by surveying one or more Digital Asset Trading Platforms where DOGE is traded publicly and transparently (e.g., Coinbase, Bitstamp by Robinhood, Kraken, LMAX Digital and Crypto.com). Additionally, there are over-the-counter dealers or market makers that transact in DOGE.

Digital Asset Trading Platform Public Market Data

On each online Digital Asset Trading Platform, DOGE is traded with publicly disclosed valuations for each executed trade, measured by one or more fiat currencies such as the U.S. dollar or euro, or stablecoins such as USDC. Over-the-counter dealers or market makers do not typically disclose their trade data.

As of September 30, 2025, the Digital Asset Trading Platforms included in the Index were Bitfinex, Bitstamp by Robinhood, Bullish, Bybit, Crypto.com, Gemini, Kraken, LMAX Digital and OKX. As further described below, the Sponsor and the Trust reasonably believe each of these Digital Asset Trading Platforms are in material compliance with applicable U.S. federal and state licensing requirements based on the Trading Platform Category and jurisdiction, as detailed below, and maintain practices and policies designed to comply with AML and KYC regulations.

Bitstamp by Robinhood: A U.K.-based trading platform that has U.S. operations and entities registered as MSBs with FinCEN, holds a BitLicense, and that is licensed as a money transmitter in various U.S. states.

Bitfinex: A British Virgin Islands based trading platform. Bitfinex does not hold any licenses or registrations in the U.S. and is not available to U.S.-based customers. Bitfinex is categorized by the Index Provider as a “Category 2” trading platform that meets the Inclusion Criteria but is non-U.S. licensed.

Bullish: A Gibraltar-based trading platform that has entities registered as MSBs with FinCEN. Bullish is not available to U.S.-based customers. Bullish is categorized by the Index Provider as a “Category 2” trading platform that meets the Inclusion Criteria but is non-U.S. licensed.

Bybit: A United Arab Emirates-based trading platform. Bybit does not hold any licenses or registrations in the U.S. and is not available to U.S. based customers. Bybit is categorized by the Index Provider as a “Category 2” trading platform that meets the Inclusion Criteria but is non-U.S. licensed.

Crypto.com: A Singapore-based trading platform that has entities registered as MSBs with FinCEN, and that is licensed as a money transmitter in various U.S. states and chartered as a non-depository trust company by the New Hampshire Banking Department. Crypto.com does not hold a BitLicense.

Gemini: A U.S.-based trading platform that has entities registered as MSBs with FinCEN and that is licensed as a money transmitter in various U.S. states. Gemini also has a New York entity that holds a limited purpose trust charter and has received approval from the NYDFS to engage in virtual currency business activity and is exempt from applying for a BitLicense under the framework established by NYDFS because of their trust charter under New York Banking Law.

Kraken: A U.S.-based trading platform that has entities registered as MSBs with FinCEN, and that is licensed as a money transmitter in various U.S. states and chartered as a Special Purpose Depository Institution by the Wyoming Division of Banking. Kraken does not hold a BitLicense.

LMAX Digital: A U.K.-based trading platform that has entities registered as a broker with the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority, and that is licensed as an MSB with FinCEN and regulated by the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission.

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OKX: A Seychelles-based trading platform. OKX does not hold any licenses or registrations in the U.S. and is not available to U.S.-based customers. OKX is categorized by the Index Provider as a “Category 2” trading platform that meets the Inclusion Criteria but is non-U.S. licensed.

Currently, there are several Digital Asset Trading Platforms operating worldwide, and online Digital Asset Trading Platforms represent a substantial percentage of DOGE buying and selling activity and provide the most data with respect to prevailing valuations of DOGE. These trading platforms include established trading platforms such as trading platforms included in the Index which provide a number of options for buying and selling DOGE.

The below table reflects the trading volume in DOGE and market share of the DOGE-U.S. dollar and DOGE-USDC trading pairs of each of the Digital Asset Trading Platforms included in the Index as of September 30, 2025 (collectively, “Constituent Trading Platforms”), using data since January 1, 2024:

 

Digital Asset Trading Platforms included in the Index as of September 30, 2025(1)

 

Volume (DOGE)

 

 

Market Share(2)

 

Kraken

 

 

67,175,921,566

 

 

 

17.70

%

Crypto.com

 

 

19,513,836,552

 

 

 

5.14

%

Bitstamp by Robinhood

 

 

8,399,094,678

 

 

 

2.21

%

Gemini

 

 

4,935,532,184

 

 

 

1.30

%

Bitfinex

 

 

3,212,326,122

 

 

 

0.85

%

LMAX Digital

 

 

644,528,935

 

 

 

0.17

%

OKX

 

 

304,189,639

 

 

 

0.08

%

Total DOGE-U.S. dollar trading pair

 

 

104,185,429,676

 

 

 

27.45

%

 

Digital Asset Trading Platforms included in the Index as of September 30, 2025(1)

 

Volume (DOGE)

 

 

Market Share(2)

 

Bullish

 

 

9,613,973,591

 

 

 

13.01

%

Bybit

 

 

7,561,550,523

 

 

 

10.23

%

OKX

 

 

6,611,630,134

 

 

 

8.94

%

Kraken

 

 

721,264,144

 

 

 

0.98

%

Total DOGE-USDC dollar trading pair

 

 

24,508,418,392

 

 

 

33.16

%

(1)
The Digital Asset Trading Platforms initially expected to be included in the Index are Bitfinex, Bitstamp by Robinhood, Bullish, Bybit, Crypto.com, Gemini, Kraken, LMAX Digital and OKX.
(2)
Market share is calculated using trading volume (in DOGE) for certain Digital Asset Trading Platforms, including Bitfinex, Bitstamp by Robinhood, Bullish, Bybit, Crypto.com, Gemini, Kraken, LMAX Digital and OKX, as well as certain other large U.S.-dollar denominated Digital Asset Trading Platforms that are not included in the Index, including Binance (data included from March 6, 2024), Binance.US (data included from February 18, 2025), Gate.io, Kucoin and MEXC (data included from June 29, 2024).

The domicile, regulation and legal compliance of the Digital Asset Trading Platforms included in the Index varies. Information regarding each Digital Asset Trading Platform may be found, where available, on the websites for such Digital Asset Trading Platforms, among other places.

Although the Index is designed to accurately capture the market price of DOGE, third parties may be able to purchase and sell DOGE on public or private markets not included among the constituent Digital Asset Trading Platforms of the Index, and such transactions may take place at prices materially higher or lower than the Index Price. Moreover, there may be variances in the prices of DOGE on the various Digital Asset Trading Platforms, including as a result of differences in fee structures or administrative procedures on different Digital Asset Trading Platforms. For example, based on data provided by the Index Provider, on any given day during the period from January 30, 2025 (the commencement of the Trust’s operations) to September 30, 2025, the maximum differential between the 4:00 p.m., New York time, spot price of any single Digital Asset Trading Platform included in the Index and the Index Price was 4.40% and the average of the maximum differentials of the 4:00 p.m., New York time, spot price of each Digital Asset Trading Platform included in the Index and the Index Price was 1.67%. During this same

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period, the average differential between the 4:00 p.m., New York time, spot prices of all the Digital Asset Trading Platforms included in the Index and the Index Price was 0.006%.

To the extent such prices differ materially from the Index Price, investors may lose confidence in the Shares’ ability to track the market price of DOGE.

The Index and the Index Price

The Index is a U.S. dollar-denominated composite reference rate for the price of DOGE. The Index is designed to (1) mitigate the effects of fraud, manipulation and other anomalous trading activity from impacting the DOGE reference rate, (2) provide a real-time, volume-weighted fair value of DOGE and (3) appropriately handle and adjust for non-market related events.

The Index Price is determined by the Index Provider through a process in which trade data is cleansed and compiled in such a manner as to algorithmically reduce the impact of anomalistic or manipulative trading. This is accomplished by adjusting the weight of each data input based on price deviation relative to the observable set, as well as recent and long-term trading volume at each venue relative to the observable set. The Index Price is calculated using non-GAAP methodology and is not used in the Trust’s financial statements.

All references to the NAV and NAV per Share of the Trust in this prospectus have been calculated using the Index Price unless indicated otherwise.

Constituent Trading Platform Selection

The Digital Asset Trading Platforms to be included in the Index are selected by the Index Provider utilizing a methodology that is guided by the International Organization of Securities Commissions (“IOSCO”) principles for financial benchmarks. For a trading platform to become a Constituent Trading Platform, it must satisfy the criteria listed below (the “Inclusion Criteria”):

•
No evidence in the past 12 months of trading restrictions on individuals or entities that would otherwise meet the trading platform’s eligibility requirements to trade;
•
No evidence in the past 12 months of undisclosed restrictions on deposits or withdrawals from user accounts;
•
Real-time price discovery;
•
Limited or no capital controls;
•
Transparent ownership including a publicly-owned ownership entity;
•
Publicly available language and policies addressing legal and regulatory compliance, including KYC, AML and other policies designed to comply with relevant regulations that might apply to it;
•
Offer programmatic spot trading of the trading pair and reliably publish trade prices and volumes on a real-time basis through Rest and Websocket APIs;
•
Is a centralized spot trading platform ranked BB or higher in the Index Provider’s latest published Trading Platform Benchmark report; and
•
Is not classified as an Excluded Trading Platform as defined in the Index Provider’s Digital Asset Indices Policy Methodology.

All trading platforms that meet these Inclusion Criteria will be assigned to a “Trading Platform Category” as defined by the additional criteria below, and at least one Category 1 Trading Platform must be included in each Index Price.

•
A “Category 1 Trading Platform” is a trading platform:

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•
Licensed and/or able to serve investors, retail or professional, in the U.S.; and
•
That maintains sufficient USD or USDC liquidity relative to the size of the listed assets.
•
A “Category 2 Trading Platform” is a trading platform:
•
Licensed (including in-principal licensure) and/or able to serve investors, retail or professional, in one or more of the following jurisdictions: United Kingdom, European Union, Hong Kong, Singapore; and
•
That maintains sufficient USD or USDC liquidity relative to the size of the listed assets.

A Digital Asset Trading Platform is removed from the Constituent Trading Platforms when it no longer satisfies the Inclusion Criteria. The Index Provider does not currently include data from over-the-counter markets or derivatives platforms among the Constituent Trading Platforms. Over-the-counter data is not currently included because of the potential for trades to include a significant premium or discount paid for larger liquidity, which creates an uneven comparison relative to more active markets. There is also a higher potential for over-the-counter transactions to not be arms-length, and thus not be representative of a true market price. DOGE derivative markets are also not currently included. While the Index Provider has no plans to include data from over-the-counter markets or derivative platforms at this time, the Index Provider will consider IOSCO principles for financial benchmarks, the management of trading venues of DOGE derivatives and the aforementioned Inclusion Criteria when considering whether to include over-the-counter or derivative platform data in the future.

The Index Provider and the Sponsor have entered into the index license agreement, dated as of February 1, 2022 (as amended, the “Index License Agreement”), governing the Sponsor’s use of the Index Price. Pursuant to the terms of the Index License Agreement, the Index Provider may adjust the calculation methodology for the Index Price without notice to, or consent of, the Trust or its shareholders. The Index Provider may decide to change the calculation methodology to maintain the integrity of the Index Price calculation should it identify or become aware of previously unknown variables or issues with the existing methodology that it believes could materially impact its performance and/or reliability. The Index Provider has sole discretion over the determination of Index Price and may change the methodologies for determining the Index Price from time to time. Shareholders will be notified of any material changes to the calculation methodology or the Index Price in the Trust’s current reports and will be notified of all other changes that the Sponsor considers significant in the Trust’s periodic or current reports. The Sponsor will determine the materiality of any changes to the Index Price on a case-by-case basis, in consultation with external counsel.

The Index Provider may change the trading venues that are used to calculate the Index or otherwise change the way in which the Index is calculated at any time. For example, the Index Provider has scheduled quarterly reviews in which it may add or remove Constituent Trading Platforms that satisfy or fail the Inclusion Criteria. The Index Provider does not have any obligation to consider the interests of the Sponsor, the Trust, the shareholders, or anyone else in connection with such changes. While the Index Provider is not required to publicize or explain the changes or to alert the Sponsor to such changes, it has historically notified the Trust of any material changes to the Constituent Trading Platforms, including any additions or removals of the Constituent Trading Platforms, in addition to issuing press releases in connection with the same. The Sponsor will notify investors of any such material event by filing a current report on Form 8-K. Although the Index methodology is designed to operate without any manual intervention, rare events would justify manual intervention. Intervention of this kind would be in response to non-market-related events, such as the halting of deposits or withdrawals of funds on a Digital Asset Trading Platform, the unannounced closure of operations on a Digital Asset Trading Platform, insolvency or the compromise of user funds. In the event that such an intervention is necessary, the Index Provider would issue a public announcement through its website, API and other established communication channels with its clients.

Determination of the Index Price

The Index, as reflected by the CoinDesk DOGE CCIXber Reference Rate, for DOGE is calculated through the application of an algorithm to the price of DOGE on the Constituent Trading Platforms calculated every 5 seconds over a 24-hour period. The Index’s algorithm is expected to reflect a five-pronged methodology to calculate the Index Price from the Constituent Trading Platforms for DOGE:

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•
Volume Weighting: Constituent Trading Platforms with greater liquidity receive a higher weighting in each Index, increasing the ability to execute against (i.e., replicate) the Index in the underlying spot markets. The Index methodology is a volume-weighted real-time price where each Constituent Trading Platform is weighted based on its trailing 24-hour volume.
•
FX Conversion: The Index algorithm utilizes a volume-weighted real-time FX conversion rate for any trading activity for the relevant Stablecoin-USD pair. This normalizes all trading activity to USD denomination.
•
Outlier Detection Factor: The Index algorithm excludes trade data and price(s) deemed to be an outlier relative to the most recently calculated Index.
•
Outlier Detection Factor: The Index algorithm penalizes stale activity from any given Constituent Trading Platform. When a Constituent Trading Platform does not have recent trading data, the outdated prices and their contribution to the Index calculation are gradually reduced until they are de-weighted to 0.1%. Similarly, once trading activity at a Constituent Trading Platform resumes, the corresponding weighting for that Constituent Trading Platform will no longer be penalized.
•
Manipulation Resistance: In an effort to determine and prioritize the most significant Constituent Trading Platforms (i.e., those that are likely to have the most impact on price discovery) for a given asset, the Index Provider conducts a Constituent Trading Platform selection and review process, which seeks to identify the highest-ranking Constituent Trading Platforms based on both qualitative and quantitative factors. The qualitative review includes legal and regulation, data provision, security, trade monitoring, market quality, and negative events policy, among others. The quantitative review includes review of trading activity for the asset on the given Constituent Trading Platform.

The Index Provider re-evaluates the weighting algorithm on a periodic basis, but maintains discretion to change the way in which an Index Price is calculated based on its periodic review or in extreme circumstances. The exact methodology to calculate the Index Price is not publicly available. Still, the Index is designed to limit exposure to trading or price distortion of any individual Digital Asset Trading Platform that experiences periods of unusual activity or limited liquidity by discounting, in real-time, anomalous price movements at individual Digital Asset Trading Platforms.

The Sponsor believes the Index Provider’s selection process for Constituent Trading Platforms as well as the methodology of the Index Price’s algorithm provides a more accurate picture of DOGE price movements than a simple average of Digital Asset Trading Platform spot prices, and that the weighting of DOGE prices on the Constituent Trading Platforms limits the inclusion of data that is influenced by temporary price dislocations that may result from technical problems, limited liquidity or fraudulent activity elsewhere in the DOGE spot market.

By referencing multiple trading venues and weighting them based on trade activity, the Sponsor believes that the impact of any potential fraud, manipulation or anomalous trading activity occurring on any single venue is reduced.

If the Index Price becomes unavailable, or if the Sponsor determines in good faith that such Index Price does not reflect an accurate price for DOGE, then the Sponsor will, on a best efforts basis, contact the Index Provider to obtain the Index Price directly from the Index Provider. If after such contact such Index Price remains unavailable or the Sponsor continues to believe in good faith that such Index Price does not reflect an accurate price for the DOGE, then the Sponsor will employ a cascading set of rules to determine the Index Price, as described below in “—Determination of the Index Price When Index Price is Unavailable.”

The Trust values its DOGE for operational purposes by reference to the Index Price. The Index Price is the value of an DOGE as represented by the Index, calculated at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on each business day.

Illustrative Example

For the purposes of illustration, outlined below are examples of how the attributes that impact weighting and adjustments in the aforementioned methodology may be utilized to generate the Index Price for a digital asset.

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For example, Constituent Trading Platforms used to calculate the Index Price of the digital asset may include trading platforms such as Crypto.com, Kraken, LMAX Digital and Bitstamp by Robinhood.

The Index Price algorithm, as described above, is designed to account for manipulation at the outset by only including data from executed trades on Constituent Trading Platforms that charge trading fees. Then, the below-listed elements may impact the weighting of the Constituent Trading Platforms on the Index Price as follows:

•
Volume Weighting: Each Constituent Trading Platform will be weighted to appropriately reflect the trading volume share of the Constituent Trading Platform relative to all the Constituent Trading Platforms during this same period. For example, an average hourly weighting of 67.06%, 14.57%, 11.88%, and 6.49% for Crypto.com, Kraken, LMAX Digital, and Crypto.com, respectively, would represent each Constituent Trading Platform’s share of trading volume during the same period.
•
Inactivity Adjustment: Assume that a Constituent Trading Platform represented a 14% weighting on the Index Price of the digital asset, which is based on the per-second calculations of its trading volume and price-variance relative to the cohort of Constituent Trading Platforms included in such Index, and then went offline for approximately two hours. The index algorithm would automatically recognize inactivity and start de-weighting the Constituent Trading Platform at the 5-minute mark and continue to do so with each additional 5-minute period of inactivity until its influence was effectively zero, 25 minutes after becoming inactive. As soon as trading activity resumed at the Constituent Trading Platform, the index algorithm would re-weight it to the appropriate weighting based on trading volume and price-variance relative to the cohort of Constituent Trading Platforms included in the Index.
•
Price Outlier Detection: New traded prices from Constituent Trading Platforms are compared to the latest calculated Index Price. If a new traded price deviates by +/- 5% from the latest calculated Index Price, it will be considered an outlier and will not be used in the calculation of the Index Price until such time as a majority of the Constituent Trading Platforms are similarly considered outlier prices. In that case, the new prices will be used to calculate the Index Price. For example, if the Index Price is $10 and there is a new trade price of $11 from Constituent Trading Platform X, the price of $11 will be considered an outlier and will not be used. However, if the most recent prices on a majority of the Constituent Trading Platforms are aligned with the price of $11, then these prices will no longer be considered outliers and will be used to calculate the new Index Price.

Determination of the Index Price When Index Price is Unavailable

The Sponsor uses the following cascading set of rules to calculate the Index Price. For the avoidance of doubt, the Sponsor will employ the below rules sequentially and in the order as presented below, should one or more specific rule(s) fail:

1.
Index Price = The price set by the Index as of 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the valuation date. If the Index becomes unavailable, or if the Sponsor determines in good faith that the Index does not reflect an accurate price, then the Sponsor will, on a best efforts basis, contact the Index Provider to obtain the Index Price directly from the Index Provider. If after such contact the Index remains unavailable or the Sponsor continues to believe in good faith that the Index does not reflect an accurate price, then the Sponsor will employ the next rule to determine the Index Price. There are no predefined criteria to make a good faith assessment and it will be made by the Sponsor in its sole discretion.
2.
Index Price = The price set by Coin Metrics Real-Time Rate (the “Secondary Index”) as of 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the valuation date (the “Secondary Index Price”). The Secondary Index Price is a real-time reference rate price, calculated using trade data from constituent markets selected by Coin Metrics Inc. (the “Secondary Index Provider”). The Secondary Index Price is calculated by applying weighted-median techniques to such trade data where half the weight is derived from the trading volume on each constituent market and half is derived from inverse price variance, where a constituent market with high price variance as a result of outliers or market anomalies compared to other constituent markets is assigned a smaller weight. The Secondary Index Provider and the Sponsor have entered into the master services agreement, dated as of August 4, 2020, and order forms thereunder, pursuant to which the Sponsor may obtain and use the Secondary Index and the Secondary Index Price from the Secondary Index Provider. If the Secondary

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Index becomes unavailable, or if the Sponsor determines in good faith that the Secondary Index does not reflect an accurate price, then the Sponsor will, on a best efforts basis, contact the Secondary Index Provider to obtain the Secondary Index Price directly from the Secondary Index Provider. If after such contact the Secondary Index remains unavailable or the Sponsor continues to believe in good faith that the Secondary Index does not reflect an accurate price, then the Sponsor will employ the next rule to determine the Index Price. There are no predefined criteria to make a good faith assessment and it will be made by the Sponsor in its sole discretion.
3.
Index Price = The price set by the Trust’s principal market (the “Tertiary Pricing Option”) as of 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the valuation date. The Tertiary Pricing Option is a spot price derived from the principal market’s public data feed that is believed to be consistently publishing pricing information as of 4:00 p.m., New York time, and is provided to the Sponsor via an application programming interface. If the Tertiary Pricing Option becomes unavailable, or if the Sponsor determines in good faith that the Tertiary Pricing Option does not reflect an accurate price, then the Sponsor will, on a best efforts basis, contact the Tertiary Pricing Provider to obtain the Tertiary Pricing Option directly from the Tertiary Pricing Provider. If after such contact the Tertiary Pricing Option remains unavailable after such contact or the Sponsor continues to believe in good faith that the Tertiary Pricing Option does not reflect an accurate price, then the Sponsor will employ the next rule to determine the Index Price. There are no predefined criteria to make a good faith assessment and it will be made by the Sponsor in its sole discretion.
4.
Index Price = The Sponsor will use its best judgment to determine a good faith estimate of the Index Price. There are no predefined criteria to make a good faith assessment and it will be made by the Sponsor in its sole discretion.

In the event of a fork, the Index Provider may calculate the Index Price based on a digital asset that the Sponsor does not believe to be the appropriate asset that is held by the Trust. In this event, the Sponsor has full discretion to use a different index provider or calculate the Index Price itself using its best judgment.

The Sponsor may, in its sole discretion, select a different index provider, select a different index price provided by the Index Provider, calculate the Index Price by using the cascading set of rules set forth above, or change the cascading set of rules set forth above at any time. The Sponsor will provide notice of any such changes in the Trust’s periodic or current reports and, if the Sponsor makes such a change other than on an ad hoc or temporary basis, will file a proposed rule change with the SEC.

Historical DOGE Prices

As movements in the price of DOGE will directly affect the price of the Shares, investors should understand recent movements in the price of DOGE. Investors, however, should also be aware that past movements in the DOGE price are not indicators of future movements. Movements may be influenced by various factors, including, but not limited to, government regulation, security breaches experienced by service providers, as well as political and economic uncertainties around the world.

For illustrative purposes only, the following chart illustrates the movement in the Index Price from January 30, 2025 (the commencement of the Trust’s operations) to September 30, 2025.

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img64892675_2.jpg

The following table illustrates the movements in the Index Price from January 30, 2025 (the commencement of the Trust’s operations) to September 30, 2025. During such period, the Index Price ranged from $0.14 to $0.33, with the straight average being $0.21 through September 30, 2025. The Sponsor has not observed a material difference between the Index Price, on the one hand, and average prices from the constituent Digital Asset Trading Platforms individually or as a group, on the other.


 

 

 

 

 

High

 

Low

 

 

 

 

 

 

Period

 

Average

 

 

Index Price

 

 

Date

 

Index Price

 

 

Date

 

End of period

 

 

Last business day

 

January 30, 2025 (the commencement of the Trust’s operations) to September 30, 2025

 

$

0.21

 

 

$

0.33

 

 

1/30/2025

 

$

0.14

 

 

4/8/2025

 

$

0.23

 

 

$

0.23

 

 

The following table illustrates the movements in the Digital Asset Market price of DOGE, as reported on the Trust’s principal market, from October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2025. During such period, the price of DOGE has ranged from $0.06 to $0.46, with the straight average being $0.17 through September 30, 2025:


 

 

 

 

 

High

 

Low

 

 

 

 

 

 

Period

 

Average

 

 

Digital Asset Market Price

 

 

Date

 

Digital Asset Market Price

 

 

Date

 

End of
period

 

 

Last
business
day

 

Twelve months ended September 30, 2024

 

$

0.11

 

 

$

0.23

 

 

3/28/2024

 

$

0.06

 

 

10/12/2023

 

$

0.12

 

 

$

0.13

 

Twelve months ended September 30, 2025

 

$

0.24

 

 

$

0.46

 

 

12/8/2024

 

$

0.10

 

 

10/2/2024

 

$

0.23

 

 

$

0.23

 

October 1, 2022 to September 30, 2025

 

$

0.17

 

 

$

0.46

 

 

12/8/2024

 

$

0.06

 

 

10/12/2023

 

$

0.23

 

 

$

0.23

 

 

Forms of Attack Against the Dogecoin Network

All networked systems are vulnerable to various kinds of attacks. As with any computer network, the Dogecoin Network contains certain flaws. For example, the Dogecoin Network is currently vulnerable to a “51% attack” where, if a mining pool were to gain control of more than 50% of the hash rate for a digital asset, a malicious actor would be able to gain full control of the network and the ability to manipulate the Dogecoin Blockchain. As of September 30, 2025, the top three largest mining pools controlled over 50% of the hash rate of the Dogecoin Network. Further, in August 2025 reports indicated that the Qubic blockchain community voted to attempt a 51% attack on the Dogecoin Network. The price of DOGE fell approximately 9% after the attempt began, but as of the

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date of this Registration Statement, the threat has not materialized into a successful attack and the price of DOGE recovered in the following days. Nonetheless, the incident illustrates the threat of coordinated groups publicly committing to attempting to disrupt the security of a digital asset network. Any future attacks on the Dogecoin Network could negatively impact the perception of the Dogecoin Network, the value of DOGE, and the value of the Shares.

In addition, many digital asset networks have been subjected to a number of denial of service attacks, which has led to temporary delays in block creation and in the transfer of digital assets. Any similar attacks on the Dogecoin Network that impact the ability to transfer DOGE could have a material adverse effect on the price of DOGE and the value of the Shares.

Further, digital asset networks rely on specific client software implementations to connect to the network and validate transactions. Vulnerabilities in a widely used client can expose the network to risks, even if the underlying consensus protocol remains intact. For example, in December 2024, a vulnerability in the Dogecoin Core client software implementation of the Dogecoin protocol was exploited, causing approximately 69% of the network’s active nodes to crash, although block production continued through unaffected nodes. The price of DOGE fell approximately 5% immediately following the announcement of the attack. Any similar exploit of client software in the future could result in node outages, reduced network resilience, disruption of transaction processing, or loss of confidence in the affected digital asset network. Such events could adversely impact the price of DOGE and the value of the Shares.

Market Participants

Miners

Miners range from DOGE enthusiasts to professional mining operations that design and build dedicated machines and data centers, including mining pools, which are groups of miners that act cohesively and combine their processing power to solve blocks. When a pool mines a new block, the pool operator receives the DOGE and, after taking a nominal fee, splits the resulting reward among the pool participants based on the processing power each of them contributed to mine such block. Mining pools provide participants with access to smaller, but steadier and more frequent, DOGE payouts. See “—Creation of New DOGE” above.

Investment and Speculative Sector

This sector includes the investment and trading activities of both private and professional investors and speculators. Historically, larger financial services institutions are publicly reported to have limited involvement in investment and trading in digital assets, although the participation landscape is beginning to change. Currently, there is relatively limited use of digital assets in the retail and commercial marketplace in comparison to relatively extensive use by speculators, and a significant portion of demand for digital assets is generated by speculators and investors seeking to profit from the short- or long-term holding of digital assets.

Retail Sector

The retail sector includes users transacting in direct peer-to-peer DOGE transactions through the direct sending of DOGE over the Dogecoin Network. The retail sector also includes transactions in which consumers purchase goods and services from commercial or service businesses through direct transactions or third-party service providers, although the use of DOGE as a means of payment is still developing and has not yet been accepted in the same manner as Bitcoin or Ethereum due to its infancy and because DOGE has a different purpose than Bitcoin and Ethereum.

Service Sector

This sector includes companies that provide a variety of services including the buying, selling, payment processing and storing of DOGE. For buying and selling DOGE, Binance, Coinbase, and Bybit are some of the largest Digital Asset Trading Platforms by volume traded. For storing DOGE, Coinbase Custody Trust Company, LLC, the Custodian for the Trust, is a digital asset custodian that provides custodial accounts that store DOGE for

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users. As DOGE continues to grow in acceptance, it is anticipated that service providers will expand the currently available range of services and that additional parties will enter the service sector for DOGE.

Competition

Thousands of digital assets, as tracked by CoinMarketCap.com, have been developed since the inception of Bitcoin, which is currently the most developed digital asset because of the length of time it has been in existence, the investment in the infrastructure that supports it, and the network of individuals and entities that are using Bitcoin in transactions. While DOGE has enjoyed some success in its limited history, the aggregate value of outstanding DOGE is much smaller than that of Bitcoin and many other digital assets and may be further eclipsed by the more rapid development of other digital assets. In addition, a number of other digital assets are also derived from memes, including Shiba Inu, Pepecoin and Dog Wif Hat. Some industry groups are also creating private, permissioned blockchain systems. For example, J.P. Morgan has developed a platform called Kinexys, which is described as a blockchain-based platform designed for use by the financial services industry.

Government Oversight

As digital assets have grown in both popularity and market size, the U.S. Congress and a number of U.S. federal and state agencies (including FinCEN, SEC, CFTC, FINRA, the CFPB, the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the IRS, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve and state financial institution and securities regulators) have been examining the operations of digital asset networks, digital asset users and the Digital Asset Markets, with particular focus on the extent to which digital assets can be used to launder the proceeds of illegal activities, evade sanctions or fund criminal or terrorist enterprises and the safety and soundness of trading platforms and other service providers that hold or custody digital assets for users. Many of these state and federal agencies have issued consumer advisories regarding the risks posed by digital assets to investors. In addition, federal and state agencies, and other countries and international bodies have issued rules or guidance about the treatment of digital asset transactions or requirements for businesses engaged in digital asset activity. Moreover, the failure of FTX in November 2022 and the resulting market turmoil substantially increased regulatory scrutiny in the United States and globally and led to SEC and criminal investigations, enforcement actions and other regulatory activity across the digital asset ecosystem. On January 23, 2025, President Trump issued an executive order titled “Strengthening American Leadership in Digital Financial Technology” aimed at supporting “the responsible growth and use of digital assets, blockchain technology, and related technologies across all sectors of the economy.” The Executive Order also established an interagency working group that is tasked with “proposing a Federal regulatory framework governing the issuance and operation of digital assets” in the United States. Pursuant to this Executive Order, the working group released a report in July 2025 outlining the administration's recommendations to Congress and various agencies reflecting the administration’s “pro-innovation mindset toward digital assets and blockchain technologies.” In particular, the report recommends that Congress enact legislation regarding self custody of digital assets, clarifying the applicability of Bank Secrecy Act obligations with respect to digital asset service providers, granting the CFTC authority to regulate spot markets in non-security digital assets, prohibiting the adoption of a CBDC, and clarifying tax laws as relevant to digital assets. In addition, the report recommends that agencies reevaluate existing guidance on digital asset activities, use existing authorities to enable the trading of digital assets at the federal level, embrace DeFi, launch or relaunch crypto innovation efforts, and promote U.S. private sector leadership in the responsible development of cross-border payments and financial markets technologies, among others.

In addition, the SEC, U.S. state securities regulators and several foreign governments have issued warnings and instituted legal proceedings in which they argue that certain digital assets may be classified as securities and that both those digital assets and any related initial coin offerings or other primary and secondary market transactions are subject to securities regulations. For example, in June 2023, the SEC brought charges against Binance and Coinbase, and in November 2023, the SEC brought charges against Kraken, alleging that they operated unregistered securities exchanges, brokerages and clearing agencies. In its complaints, the SEC asserted that several digital assets are securities under the federal securities laws. Between February 2025 and May 2025, the SEC entered into court-approved joint stipulations to dismiss each of the Binance Complaint, Coinbase Complaint and the Kraken Complaint. The SEC has terminated its investigation or enforcement action into many other digital asset market participants as well. Nonetheless, the existence of these proceedings, as well as ongoing uncertainty with respect to future regulatory actions, have had and may have a material adverse effect on the digital asset industry as a whole

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and on the price of DOGE, and may alter, perhaps to a materially adverse extent, the nature of an investment in the Shares and/or the ability of the Trust to continue to operate. Additionally, U.S. state and federal, and foreign regulators and legislatures have taken action against virtual currency businesses or enacted restrictive regimes in response to adverse publicity arising from hacks, consumer harm, or criminal activity stemming from virtual currency activity.

In January 2025, the SEC launched a Crypto Task Force dedicated to developing a comprehensive and clear regulatory framework for digital assets led by Commissioner Hester Peirce. Subsequently, Commissioner Peirce announced a list of specific priorities to further that initiative, which included pursuing final rules related to a digital asset’s security status, a revised path to registered offerings and listings for digital asset-based investment vehicles, and clarity regarding digital asset custody, lending and staking. On July 31, 2025, Chairman Atkins announced “Project Crypto,” a Commission-wide initiative to modernize securities rules for digital assets, reshore innovation in the United States, and implement the recommendations of the working group report. Chairman Atkins had directed the SEC’s policy divisions to work with the Crypto Task Force to draft “clear and simple rules of the road for crypto asset distributions, custody, and trading,” and the Commission and SEC staff will also consider using interpretive, exemptive, and other authorities with respect to digital asset markets.

Various foreign jurisdictions have, and may continue to, in the near future, adopt laws, regulations or directives that affect a digital asset network, the Digital Asset Markets, and their users, particularly Digital Asset Trading Platforms and service providers that fall within such jurisdictions’ regulatory scope. For example:

•
China has made transacting in cryptocurrencies illegal for Chinese citizens in mainland China, and additional restrictions may follow. China has banned initial coin offerings and there have been reports that Chinese regulators have taken action to shut down a number of China-based Digital Asset Trading Platforms.
•
South Korea determined to amend its Financial Information Act in March 2020 to require virtual asset service providers to register and comply with its AML and counter-terrorism funding framework. These measures also provide the government with the authority to close Digital Asset Trading Platforms that do not comply with specified processes. South Korea has also banned initial coin offerings.
•
The Reserve Bank of India in April 2018 banned the entities it regulates from providing services to any individuals or business entities dealing with or settling digital assets. In March 2020, this ban was overturned in the Indian Supreme Court, although the Reserve Bank of India is currently challenging this ruling.
•
The United Kingdom’s Financial Conduct Authority published final rules in October 2020 banning the sale of derivatives and exchange-traded notes that reference certain types of digital assets, contending that they are “ill-suited” to retail investors citing extreme volatility, valuation challenges and association with financial crime. A new law, the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023 (“FSMA”), received royal assent in June 2023. The FSMA brings digital asset activities within the scope of existing laws governing financial institutions, markets and assets.
•
The Parliament of the European Union approved the text of MiCA in April 2023, establishing a regulatory framework for digital asset services across the European Union. MiCA is intended to serve as a comprehensive regulation of digital asset markets and imposes various obligations on digital asset issuers and service providers. The main aims of MiCA are industry regulation, consumer protection, prevention of market abuse and upholding the integrity of digital asset markets. MiCA was formally approved by the European Union’s member states in 2023. Certain parts of MiCA became effective as of June 2024 and the remainder applied as of December 2024.

There remains significant uncertainty regarding foreign governments’ future actions with respect to the regulation of digital assets and Digital Asset Trading Platforms. Such laws, regulations or directives may conflict with those of the United States and may negatively impact the acceptance of DOGE by users, merchants and service providers outside the United States and may therefore impede the growth or sustainability of the DOGE ecosystem in the United States and globally, or otherwise negatively affect the value of DOGE held by the Trust. The effect of any future regulatory change on the Trust or the DOGE held by the Trust is impossible to predict, but such change could be substantial and adverse to the Trust and the value of the Shares.

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The CFTC has regulatory jurisdiction over the DOGE futures markets. In addition, because the CFTC has determined that DOGE is a non-security “commodity” under the CEA and the rules thereunder, it has jurisdiction to prosecute fraud and manipulation in the cash, or spot, market for DOGE. Beyond instances of fraud or manipulation, the CFTC generally does not oversee cash or spot market exchanges, spot Digital Asset Trading Platforms or retail transactions involving spot DOGE that do not utilize collateral, leverage, or financing. Similar to SEC Chairman Atkins, CFTC Acting Chairman Pham announced on August 1, 2025 a “crypto sprint” to begin implementing the recommendations of the working group report. The National Futures Association (“NFA”) is the self-regulatory agency for the U.S. futures industry, and as such has jurisdiction over DOGE futures. However, the NFA does not have regulatory oversight authority for the cash or spot market for DOGE trading or transactions.

In April 2024, Coinbase Derivatives as a designated contract market (“DCM”) registered with the CFTC launched new contracts for DOGE futures products. DCMs are boards of trades (commonly referred to as exchanges) that operate under the regulatory oversight of the CFTC, pursuant to Section 5 of the CEA. To obtain and maintain designation as a DCM, an exchange must comply on an initial and ongoing basis with twenty-three Core Principles established under Section 5(d) of the CEA. Among other things, DCMs are required to establish self-regulatory programs designed to enforce the DCM’s rules, prevent market manipulation and customer and market abuses, and ensure the recording and safe storage of trade information. The CFTC engaged in a “heightened review” of the self-certification of DOGE futures, which required DCMs to enter direct or indirect information sharing agreements with spot market platforms to allow access to trade and trader data; monitor data from cash markets with respect to price settlements and other DOGE prices more broadly, and identify anomalies and disproportionate moves in the cash markets compared to the futures markets; engage in inquiries, including at the trade settlement level when necessary; and agree to regular coordination with CFTC surveillance staff on trade activities, including providing the CFTC surveillance team with trade settlement data upon request.

The Coinbase Derivatives DOGE futures contracts are cash-settled, based on the MarketVector Coinbase Dogecoin Benchmark Rate. On August 4, 2025, CFTC Acting Chairman Caroline D. Pham announced that the CFTC will launch an initiative for trading spot crypto asset contracts that are listed on a CFTC-registered futures exchange (DCM). This is the first initiative in the CFTC’s “crypto sprint” to start implementation of the recommendations in the President’s Working Group on Digital Asset Markets report. Members of the public were invited to provide written input by August 18, 2025 through the CFTC website.

See “Risk Factors—Risk Factors Related to the Regulation of Digital Assets, the Trust and the Shares— Regulatory changes or actions by the U.S. Congress or any U.S. federal or state agencies may affect the value of the Shares or restrict the use of DOGE, validating activity or the operation of the Dogecoin Network or the Digital Asset Markets in a manner that adversely affects the value of the Shares.”

Description of the Trust

The Trust is a Delaware Statutory Trust that was formed on January 21, 2021 by the filing of the Certificate of Trust with the Delaware Secretary of State in accordance with the provisions of the Delaware Statutory Trust Act (“DSTA”). The name of the Trust is Grayscale Dogecoin Trust (DOGE) as of the date of this registration statement, but prior to and in connection with the declaration of effectiveness of this registration statement and the listing of the Shares on NYSE Arca, the Sponsor intends to change the name of the Trust to Grayscale Dogecoin Trust ETF by filing a Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Trust with the Delaware Secretary of State in accordance with the provisions of the DSTA. The Trust operates pursuant to the Trust Agreement.

The Shares represent units of fractional undivided beneficial interest in and ownership of the Trust. The Trust is passive and is not managed like a corporation or an active investment vehicle. The Trust’s DOGE are held by the Custodian on behalf of the Trust. The Trust’s DOGE will be transferred out of the Vault Balance only in the following circumstances: (i) transferred to pay the Sponsor’s Fee or any Additional Trust Expenses, (ii) sold on an as-needed basis to pay Additional Trust Expenses or redeem Baskets or (iii) sold on behalf of the Trust in the event the Trust terminates and liquidates its assets or as otherwise required by law or regulation. Assuming that the Trust is treated as a grantor trust for U.S. federal income tax purposes, each delivery or sale of DOGE by the Trust to pay the Sponsor’s Fee or any Additional Trust Expenses will be a taxable event for shareholders. Gains or losses from the sale of DOGE to fund cash redemptions are expected to be treated as incurred only by the shareholder that is being redeemed See “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences—Tax Consequences to U.S. Holders.”

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The Trust is not a registered investment company under the Investment Company Act and the Sponsor believes that the Trust is not required to register under the Investment Company Act. The Trust will not trade, buy, sell or hold DOGE derivatives, including DOGE futures contracts, on any futures exchange. The Trust is authorized solely to take immediate delivery of actual DOGE. The Sponsor does not believe the Trust’s activities are required to be regulated by the CFTC under the CEA as a “commodity pool” under current law, regulation and interpretation. The Trust will not be operated by a CFTC-regulated commodity pool operator because it will not trade, buy, sell or hold DOGE derivatives, including DOGE futures contracts, on any futures exchange. Investors in the Trust will not receive the regulatory protections afforded to investors in regulated commodity pools, nor may the COMEX division of the New York Mercantile Exchange or any futures exchange enforce its rules with respect to the Trust’s activities. In addition, investors in the Trust will not benefit from the protections afforded to investors in DOGE futures contracts on regulated futures exchanges.

The Trust creates Shares from time to time but only in Baskets. A Basket equals a block of 10,000 Shares. The number of outstanding Shares is expected to increase from time to time as a result of the creation of Baskets.

The creation of Baskets will require the delivery to the Trust of the amount of DOGE (or cash to acquire the amount of DOGE) represented by the Baskets being created. The creation of a Basket will be made only upon the delivery to the Trust of the number of whole and fractional DOGE represented by each Basket being created, the number of which is determined by dividing (x) the amount of DOGE owned by the Trust at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the relevant trade date, after deducting the amount of DOGE representing the U.S. dollar value of accrued but unpaid fees and expenses of the Trust (converted using the Index Price at such time, and carried to the eighth decimal place) by (y) the number of Shares outstanding at such time (with the quotient so obtained calculated to one one-hundred-millionth of one DOGE (i.e., carried to the eighth decimal place)), and multiplying such quotient by 10,000.

The Shares are redeemable in accordance with the provisions of the Trust Agreement and the relevant Participant Agreement. The operation of a redemption program allows Authorized Participants to take advantage of arbitrage opportunities created when the market value of the Shares deviates from the value of the Trust’s DOGE, less the Trust’s expenses and other liabilities, which may have the effect of reducing any premium at which the Shares trade on NYSE Arca over such value or cause the Shares to trade at a discount to such value.

The amount of DOGE required to create a Basket is expected to gradually decrease over time due to the transfer or sale of the Trust’s DOGE to pay the Sponsor’s Fee and any Additional Trust Expenses.

The Sponsor will determine the Trust’s NAV on each business day as of 4:00 p.m., New York time, or as soon thereafter as practicable. The Sponsor will also determine the NAV per Share, which equals the NAV divided by the number of outstanding Shares. Each business day, the Sponsor will publish the Trust’s NAV and NAV per Share on the Trust’s website, etfs.grayscale.com/gdog, as soon as practicable after the Trust’s NAV and NAV per Share have been determined by the Sponsor. See “—Valuation of DOGE and Determination of NAV.”

The Trust’s assets will consist solely of DOGE, cash proceeds from the sale of DOGE and any rights of the Trust pursuant to any agreements, other than the Trust Agreement, to which the Trust is a party. The Sponsor has committed to cause the Trust not to take any Affirmative Action to acquire any Incidental Rights or IR Virtual Currency, thereby irrevocably abandoning any Incidental Rights and IR Virtual Currency to which the Trust may become entitled in the future. As a result, the Trust does not expect to hold any Incidental Rights or IR Virtual Currency or to take any Incidental Rights or IR Virtual Currency into account for the purposes of determining the NAV or the NAV per Share.

Each Share represents a proportional interest, based on the total number of Shares outstanding, in each of the Trust’s assets as determined in the case of DOGE by reference to the Index Price, less the Trust’s expenses and other liabilities (which include accrued but unpaid fees and expenses). The Sponsor expects that the market price of the Shares will fluctuate over time in response to the market prices of DOGE. In addition, because the Shares reflect the estimated accrued but unpaid expenses of the Trust, the amount of DOGE represented by a Share will gradually decrease over time as the Trust’s DOGE are used to pay the Trust’s expenses.

DOGE pricing information is available on a 24-hour basis from various financial information service providers or Dogecoin Network information sites, such as CoinMarketCap.com. The spot price and bid/ask spreads may also

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be available directly from Digital Asset Trading Platforms. As of September 30, 2025, the constituent Digital Asset Trading Platforms of the Index were Bitfinex, Bitstamp by Robinhood, Bullish, Bybit, Crypto.com, Gemini, Kraken, LMAX Digital and OKX. The Index Provider may remove or add Digital Asset Trading Platforms to the Index in the future at its discretion. Market prices for the Shares will be available from a variety of sources, including brokerage firms, information websites and other information service providers. In addition, on each business day the Trust’s website will provide pricing information for the Shares.

The Trust has no fixed termination date.

Service Providers of the Trust

The Sponsor

The Trust’s Sponsor is Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company formed on July 11, 2024 and an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of DCG. The Sponsor’s principal place of business is 290 Harbor Drive, 4th Floor, Stamford, Connecticut 06902, and its telephone number is (212) 668-1427. Under the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act and the governing documents of the Sponsor, DCG, the indirect parent company of the Sponsor, is not responsible for the debts, obligations and liabilities of the Sponsor solely by reason of being the indirect parent company of the Sponsor.

The Sponsor is neither an investment adviser registered with the SEC nor a commodity pool operator registered with the CFTC, and will not be acting in either such capacity with respect to the Trust, and the Sponsor’s provision of services to the Trust will not be governed by the Investment Advisers Act or the CEA.

Grayscale Investments, LLC, the former Sponsor of the Trust, arranged for the creation of the Trust. As partial consideration for its receipt of the Sponsor’s Fee from the Trust, the Sponsor is obligated to pay the Sponsor-paid Expenses. The Sponsor also paid the costs of the Trust’s organization and the costs of the initial sale of the Shares.

The Sponsor is generally responsible for the day-to-day administration of the Trust under the provisions of the Trust Agreement. This includes (i) preparing and providing periodic reports and financial statements on behalf of the Trust for investors, (ii) processing orders to create Baskets and coordinating the processing of such orders with the Custodian and the Transfer Agent, (iii) calculating and publishing the NAV and the NAV per Share of the Trust each business day as of 4:00 p.m., New York time, or as soon thereafter as practicable, (iv) selecting and monitoring the Trust’s service providers and from time to time engaging additional, successor or replacement service providers, (v) instructing the Custodian to transfer the Trust’s DOGE as needed to pay the Sponsor’s Fee and any Additional Trust Expenses, (vi) upon dissolution of the Trust, distributing cash proceeds of the sale of the Trust’s remaining DOGE to the owners of record of the Shares and (vii) establishing the principal market for GAAP valuation. In addition, if there is a fork in the Dogecoin Network after which there is a dispute as to which network resulting from the fork is the Dogecoin Network, the Sponsor has the authority to select the network that it believes in good faith is the Dogecoin Network, unless such selection or authority would otherwise conflict with the Trust Agreement.

The Sponsor does not store, hold, or maintain custody or control of the Trust’s DOGE but instead has entered into the Prime Broker Agreement with the Custodian to facilitate the security of the Trust’s DOGE.

The Sponsor may transfer all or substantially all of its assets to an entity that carries on the business of the Sponsor if at the time of the transfer the successor assumes all of the obligations of the Sponsor under the Trust Agreement. In such an event, the Sponsor will be relieved of all further liability under the Trust Agreement.

The Sponsor’s Fee is paid by the Trust to the Sponsor as compensation for services performed under the Trust Agreement and as partial consideration for the Sponsor’s agreement to pay the Sponsor-paid Expenses. See “—Expenses; Sales of DOGE.”

The Sponsor may, in its sole discretion, select a different index provider, select a different index price provided by the Index Provider, calculate the Index Price by using the cascading set of rules set forth under “— Overview of the Dogecoin Industry and Market—The Index and the Index Price—Determination of the Index Price When Index Price is Unavailable” above, or change the cascading set of rules set forth above at any time.

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Marketing Agent Agreement

Pursuant to a Marketing Agent Agreement (the “Marketing Agent Agreement”) entered into between the Sponsor and Foreside Fund Services, LLC, as Marketing Agent (the “Marketing Agent”), the Marketing Agent will be paid by the Sponsor an annual fee. In addition, the Sponsor will pay certain out-of-pocket fees and expenses of the Marketing Agent incurred in connection with its assistance in the marketing of the Trust and its Shares. Under the Marketing Agent Agreement, the Marketing Agent will provide the following services to the Sponsor: (i) assist the Sponsor in facilitating Participation Agreements between and among Authorized Participants, the Sponsor, on behalf of the Trust, and the Transfer Agent; (ii) provide prospectuses to Authorized Participants; (iii) work with the Transfer Agent to review and approve orders placed by the Authorized Participants and transmitted to the Transfer Agent; (iv) review and file applicable marketing materials with FINRA and (v) maintain, reproduce and store applicable books and records related to the services provided under the Marketing Agent Agreement.

Index License Agreement

The Sponsor has entered into the Index License Agreement with CoinDesk Indices, Inc., the Index Provider, governing the Sponsor’s use of the Index for calculation of the Index Price. The Index Provider may adjust the calculation methodology for the Index without notice to, or consent of, the Trust or its shareholders. Under the Index License Agreement, the Sponsor pays a monthly fee and a fee based on the NAV of the Trust to the Index Provider in consideration of its license to the Sponsor of Index-related intellectual property. The initial term of the Index License Agreement was February 1, 2022 through the later of February 29, 2024 and the latest date set forth on any order form executed under the Index License Agreement. On June 20, 2023, the Sponsor and the Index Provider, entered into an amendment to the Index License Agreement to extend the initial term of the Index License Agreement from February 29, 2024, to February 28, 2025. On February 5, 2025, the Sponsor and the Index Provider, entered into an amendment to the Index License Agreement to extend the term of the Index License Agreement from February 28, 2025, to February 29, 2028. Thereafter, the Index License Agreement will automatically renew on an annual basis, unless a notice of non-renewal is provided. The Index License Agreement is terminable by either party upon written notice in the event of a material breach that remains uncured for thirty days after initial written notice of such breach. Further, either party may terminate the Index License Agreement immediately upon notice under certain circumstances, including with respect to the other party’s (i) insolvency, bankruptcy or analogous event or (ii) violation of money transmission, taxation or trading regulations that materially adversely affect either party’s ability to perform under the Index License Agreement.

Administration and Accounting Agreement

The Sponsor expects to enter into a Fund Administration and Accounting Agreement with BNY Mellon Asset Servicing, a division of The Bank of New York Mellon, to provide administration and accounting services to the Trust. Pursuant to the terms of the Agreement and under the supervision and direction of the Sponsor and the Trust, BNY Mellon Asset Servicing keeps the operational records of the Trust and prepares and files certain regulatory filings on behalf of the Trust. BNY Mellon Asset Servicing may also perform other services for the Trust pursuant to the Agreement as mutually agreed upon by the Sponsor, the Trust and BNY Mellon Asset Servicing from time to time. The Administrator’s fees are paid on behalf of the Trust by the Sponsor.

The Trustee

CSC Delaware Trust Company (formerly known as Delaware Trust Company) serves as Delaware trustee of the Trust under the Trust Agreement. The Trustee has its principal office at 251 Little Falls Drive, Wilmington, Delaware 19808. The Trustee is unaffiliated with the Sponsor. A copy of the Trust Agreement is available for inspection at the Sponsor’s principal office identified above and is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.

The Trustee is appointed to serve as the trustee of the Trust in the State of Delaware for the sole purpose of satisfying the requirement of Section 3807(a) of the DSTA that the Trust have at least one trustee with a principal place of business in the State of Delaware. The duties of the Trustee will be limited to (i) accepting legal process served on the Trust in the State of Delaware and (ii) the execution of any certificates required to be filed with the Delaware Secretary of State which the Delaware Trustee is required to execute under the DSTA. To the extent that, at law or in equity, the Trustee has duties (including fiduciary duties) and liabilities relating thereto to the Trust or

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the shareholders, such duties and liabilities will be replaced by the duties and liabilities of the Trustee expressly set forth in the Trust Agreement. The Trustee will have no obligation to supervise, nor will it be liable for, the acts or omissions of the Sponsor, Transfer Agent, Custodian, Prime Broker or any other person.

Neither the Trustee, either in its capacity as trustee or in its individual capacity, nor any director, officer or controlling person of the Trustee is, or has any liability as, the issuer, director, officer or controlling person of the issuer of Shares. The Trustee’s liability in connection with the issuance and sale of Shares is limited solely to the express obligations of the Trustee as set forth in the Trust Agreement.

The Trustee has not prepared or verified, and will not be responsible or liable for, any information, disclosure or other statement in this prospectus or in any other document issued or delivered in connection with the sale or transfer of the Shares. The Trust Agreement provides that the Trustee will not be responsible or liable for the genuineness, enforceability, collectability, value, sufficiency, location or existence of any of the DOGE or other assets of the Trust. See “—Description of the Trust Agreement.”

The Trustee is permitted to resign upon at least 180 days’ notice to the Trust. The Trustee will be compensated by the Sponsor and indemnified by the Sponsor and the Trust against any expenses it incurs relating to or arising out of the formation, operation or termination of the Trust, or the performance of its duties pursuant to the Trust Agreement except to the extent that such expenses result from gross negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith of the Trustee. The Sponsor has the discretion to replace the Trustee.

Fees paid to the Trustee are a Sponsor-paid Expense.

The Transfer Agent

The Bank of New York Mellon serves as the Transfer Agent of the Trust pursuant to the terms and provisions of the Transfer Agency and Service Agreement (the “Transfer Agency and Service Agreement”). The Transfer Agent: (1) facilitates the issuance and redemption of Shares of the Trust; (2) responds to correspondence by Trust shareholders and others relating to its duties; (3) maintains shareholder accounts; and (4) makes periodic reports to the Trust. The Transfer Agent has its principal office at 240 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10286. A copy of the Transfer Agency and Service Agreement is available for inspection at the Sponsor’s principal office identified herein.

Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, a Delaware corporation, serves as a co-transfer agent for the Trust (the “Co-Transfer Agent”) pursuant to the terms and provisions of the Co-Transfer Agency Agreement (the “Co-Transfer Agency Agreement”). The Co-Transfer Agent has its principal office at 1 State Street, 30th Floor, New York, New York 10004. A copy of the Co-Transfer Agency Agreement is available for inspection at the Sponsor’s principal office identified herein.

Fees paid to the Transfer Agent and Co-Transfer Agent are a Sponsor-paid Expense.

Administrator

BNY Mellon Asset Servicing, a division of The Bank of New York Mellon, serves as the administrator for the Trust. The Administrator’s fees are paid on behalf of the Trust by the Sponsor.

Authorized Participants

An Authorized Participant must enter into a “Participant Agreement” with the Sponsor and the Trust to govern its placement of orders to create and redeem Baskets. The Participant Agreement sets forth the procedures for the creation and redemption of Baskets, the delivery of DOGE or cash required for creations and the delivery of Baskets or cash required for redemptions. A copy of the form of Participant Agreement is available for inspection at the Sponsor’s principal office identified herein and is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.

Each Authorized Participant must (i) be a registered broker-dealer and (ii) have entered into a Participant Agreement with the Sponsor and the Transfer Agent. Subject to In-Kind Regulatory Approval, in the future any Authorized Participants creating and redeeming Shares through In-Kind Orders must also own, or their AP Designee

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(as defined below) must own, an DOGE wallet address that is known to the Custodian as belonging to the Authorized Participant or its AP Designee and maintain an account with the Custodian.

The Trust issues and redeems Shares on an ongoing basis, but only in one or more whole Baskets of 10,000 Shares each. The creation and redemption of Baskets requires the delivery to or acquisition by the Trust, or the distribution or other disposition by the Trust, of the amount of DOGE represented by the Baskets being created or redeemed, the number of which is equal to the “Basket Amount” as of 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the trade date of a creation or redemption order multiplied by the number of Baskets being created or redeemed (the “Total Basket Amount”). The amount of DOGE required to create a Basket, or to be delivered or sold upon the redemption of a Basket, will gradually decrease over time due to the transfer of the Trust’s DOGE to pay the Sponsor’s Fee and the delivery or sale of the Trust’s DOGE to pay any Trust expenses not assumed by the Sponsor. See “Description of Creation and Redemption of Shares” in this prospectus.

Although the Trust creates Baskets only upon the receipt of DOGE, and redeems Baskets only by distributing DOGE or proceeds from the disposition of DOGE, at this time an Authorized Participant can only submit Cash Orders, pursuant to which the Authorized Participant will deposit cash into, or accept cash from, the Cash Account in connection with the creation and redemption of Baskets. Cash Orders will be facilitated by the Transfer Agent and Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC, which will engage one or more Liquidity Providers that is not an agent of, or otherwise acting on behalf of, any Authorized Participant to obtain or receive DOGE in connection with such orders. The Sponsor may in its sole discretion limit the number of Shares created pursuant to Cash Orders on any specified day without notice to the Authorized Participants and may direct the Marketing Agent to reject any Cash Orders in excess of such capped amount. The redemption of Shares pursuant to Cash Orders will only take place if approved by the Sponsor in writing, in its sole discretion and on a case-by-case basis.

The Trust is currently able to accept Cash Orders. However, the Trust is not at this time able to create and redeem shares via in-kind transactions with Authorized Participants. Subject to In-Kind Regulatory Approval, in the future the Trust may also create and redeem Baskets via In-Kind Orders, pursuant to which an Authorized Participant or its AP Designee would deposit DOGE directly with the Trust or receive DOGE directly from the Trust. However, because In-Kind Regulatory Approval has not been obtained, at this time Baskets will not be created or redeemed through In-Kind Orders and will only be created or redeemed through Cash Orders. There can be no assurance as to when NYSE Arca will seek or obtain such regulatory approval, if at all. See “Risk Factors—Risk Factors Related to the Trust and the Shares—The lack of ability to facilitate in-kind creations and redemptions of Shares could have adverse consequences for the Trust.” See “Description of Creation and Redemption of Shares.”

As of the date of this prospectus, the Sponsor has entered into Participant Agreements with Jane Street Capital, LLC and Macquarie Capital (USA) Inc., pursuant to which such entities have agreed to act as an Authorized Participant of the Trust.

No Authorized Participant has any obligation or responsibility to the Sponsor or the Trust to effect any sale or resale of Shares.

Liquidity Providers

Liquidity Providers facilitate the purchase and sale of DOGE in connection with Cash Orders for creations or redemptions of Baskets. The Liquidity Providers with which Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC, acting in its capacity as the Liquidity Engager, will engage in DOGE transactions are third parties that are not affiliated with the Sponsor or the Trust and are not acting as agents of the Trust, the Sponsor, or any Authorized Participant, and such transactions will be done on an arms-length basis. Except for the contractual relationships between each Liquidity Provider and Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC in its capacity as the Liquidity Engager, there is no other pre-existing contractual relationship between each Liquidity Provider, on the one hand, and the Trust, the Sponsor, or any Authorized Participant, on the other hand.

A Liquidity Provider must enter into a “Liquidity Provider Agreement” with the Liquidity Engager and the Sponsor (on behalf of the Trust), which will obligate it to obtain or receive DOGE in connection with creations and redemptions pursuant to Cash Orders.

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As of the date of this prospectus, the Liquidity Engager has engaged JSCT, LLC, Cumberland DRW LLC and Galaxy Digital Trading Cayman LLC as Liquidity Providers. The Liquidity Engager may engage additional Liquidity Providers who are unaffiliated with the Trust in the future.

Jane Street Capital, LLC, one of the Authorized Participants, is an affiliate of JSCT, LLC, one of the Liquidity Providers.

The Custodian and Prime Broker

Coinbase Custody Trust Company, LLC is a fiduciary under § 100 of the New York Banking Law and a qualified custodian for purposes of Rule 206(4)-2(d)(6) under the Investment Advisers Act. The Custodian is authorized to serve as the Trust’s custodian under the Trust Agreement and pursuant to the terms and provisions of the Prime Broker Agreement. The Custodian has its principal office at 200 Park Avenue South, Suite 1208, New York, NY 10003. A copy of the Prime Broker Agreement is available for inspection at the Sponsor’s principal office identified herein and is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.

Under the Prime Broker Agreement, the Custodian controls and secures the Trust’s “Vault Balance,” a segregated custody account to store private keys, which allow for the transfer of ownership or control of the Trust’s DOGE, on the Trust’s behalf. The Custodian’s services (i) allow DOGE to be deposited from a public blockchain address to the Trust’s Vault Balance and (ii) allow the Trust or Sponsor to withdraw DOGE from the Trust’s Vault Balance to a public blockchain address the Trust or Sponsor controls (the “Custodial and Prime Broker Services”). The Vault Balance uses offline storage, or “cold” storage, mechanisms to secure the Trust’s private keys. The term cold storage refers to a safeguarding method by which the private keys corresponding to digital assets are disconnected.

The Custodian will withdraw from the Trust’s Vault Balance the amount of DOGE necessary to pay the Trust’s expenses.

Fees paid to the Custodian are a Sponsor-paid Expense.

Under the Prime Broker Agreement, each of the Custodian and the Trust has agreed to indemnify and hold harmless the other party from any third-party claim or third-party demand (including reasonable and documented attorneys’ fees and any fines, fees or penalties imposed by any regulatory authority) arising out of or related to the Custodian’s or the Trust’s, as the case may be, breach of the Prime Broker Agreement, inaccuracy in any of the Custodian’s or the Trust’s, as the case may be, representations or warranties in the Prime Broker Agreement, or the Trust’s violation, or the Custodian’s knowing violation, of any law, rule or regulation, or the rights of any third party, except where such claim directly results from the negligence, fraud or willful misconduct of the other such party. In addition, the Trust has agreed to indemnify the Custodian with respect to any Incidental Rights or IR Virtual Currency abandoned by the Trust and any tax liability relating thereto or arising therefrom.

The Custodian and its affiliates may from time to time purchase or sell DOGE for their own accounts and as agent for their customers or Shares for their own accounts. The foregoing notwithstanding, DOGE in the Vault Balance are not treated as general assets of the Custodian and cannot be commingled with any other digital assets held by the Custodian. The Custodian serves as a fiduciary and custodian on the Trust’s behalf, and the DOGE in the Vault Balance are considered fiduciary assets that remain the Trust’s property at all times.

Once each calendar year, the Sponsor or the Trust may request that the Custodian deliver a certificate signed by a duly authorized officer to certify that all representations and warranties made by the Custodian in the Prime Broker Agreement are true and correct on and as of the date of such certificate, and have been true and correct throughout the preceding year. In addition, the Custodian has agreed to allow the Trust and the Sponsor to take any necessary steps to verify that satisfactory internal control system and procedures are in place, and to visit and inspect the systems on which the Custodian’s coins are held.

If the Custodian resigns in its capacity as custodian, the Sponsor may appoint an additional or replacement custodian and enter into a custodian agreement on behalf of the Trust with such custodian. Furthermore, the Sponsor and the Trust may use DOGE custody services or similar services provided by entities other than Coinbase Custody Trust Company, LLC at any time without prior notice to Coinbase Custody Trust Company, LLC.

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Custody of the Trust’s DOGE

Digital assets and digital asset transactions are recorded and validated on blockchains, the public transaction ledgers of a digital asset network. Each digital asset blockchain serves as a record of ownership for all of the units of such digital asset, even in the case of certain privacy-preserving digital assets, where the transactions themselves are not publicly viewable. All digital assets recorded on a blockchain are associated with a public blockchain address, also referred to as a digital wallet. Digital assets held at a particular public blockchain address may be accessed and transferred using a corresponding private key.

Key Generation

Public addresses and their corresponding private keys are generated by the Custodian in secret key generation ceremonies at secure locations inside faraday cages, which are enclosures used to block electromagnetic fields and thus mitigate against attacks. The Custodian uses quantum random number generators to generate the public and private key pairs.

Once generated, private keys are encrypted, separated into “shards”, and then further encrypted. After the key generation ceremony, all materials used to generate private keys, including computers, are destroyed. All key generation ceremonies are performed offline. No party other than the Custodian has access to the private key shards of the Trust, including the Trust itself.

Key Storage

Private key shards are distributed geographically by the Custodial Entities in secure vaults around the world, including in the United States. The locations of the secure vaults may change regularly and are kept confidential by the Custodian and the Prime Broker for security purposes.

The Vault Balance primarily uses “cold” storage mechanisms to secure a substantial portion of the Trust’s private keys. A substantial portion of the Trust’s DOGE holdings are held in cold storage at all times, with a portion of the Settlement Balance held temporarily in “hot” storage from time to time, for purposes of facilitating the receipt and distribution of DOGE in connection with the creation and redemption of Baskets. Any DOGE credited to the Trust’s Settlement Balance is stored in omnibus accounts, either on the Prime Broker’s systems or at Coinbase Connected Venues, using a combination of cold and hot storage mechanisms to secure the private keys representing the assets credited to the Trust’s Settlement Balance.

Cold storage is a safeguarding method with multiple layers of protections and protocols, by which the private keys corresponding to the Trust’s DOGE are generated and stored in an offline manner. A digital wallet may receive deposits of digital assets but may not send digital assets without use of the digital assets’ corresponding private keys. In order to send digital assets from a digital wallet in which the private keys are kept in cold storage, either the private keys must be retrieved from cold storage and entered into an online, or hot, digital asset software program to sign the transaction, or the unsigned transaction must be transferred to the cold server in which the private keys are held for signature by the private keys and then transferred back to the online digital asset software program. At that point, the user of the digital wallet can transfer its digital assets. While private keys held in hot storage are more accessible and therefore enable more efficient transfers, such assets are more vulnerable to theft, loss or damage.

Security Procedures

The Custodian and the Prime Broker hold the Trust’s private keys in custody in accordance with the terms and provisions of the Prime Broker Agreement. Transfers to and from the Vault Balance and, where held in cold storage, the Trust’s Settlement Balance, require certain security procedures, including but not limited to, multiple encrypted private key shards, usernames, passwords and 2-step verification. Multiple private key shards held by the applicable Custodial Entity or Entities must be combined to reconstitute the private key to sign any transaction in order to transfer the Trust’s assets. Private key shards are distributed geographically by the Custodial Entities in secure vaults around the world, including in the United States.

As a result, if any one secure vault is ever compromised, this event will have no impact on the ability of the Trust to access its assets, other than a possible delay in operations, while one or more of the other secure vaults is

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used instead. These security procedures are intended to remove single points of failure in the protection of the Trust’s assets.

Transfers of DOGE to the Vault Balance from the Settlement Balance will be available to the Trust once processed on the DOGE Blockchain, subject to the availability of the Prime Broker’s online platform. When DOGE is credited to the Settlement Balance, certain movements to allocate the balance among (i) omnibus cold storage wallets and omnibus hot storage wallets on the Prime Broker’s platform; or (ii) omnibus accounts at Coinbase Connected Venues may not be viewable by the Trust via the Prime Broker’s online portal. In addition, on a monthly basis the Custodial Entities will provide the Sponsor with an account statement identifying the amount of cash and DOGE in the Trust’s Accounts at the end of the period and listing all account activity during that period.

The process of accessing and withdrawing DOGE from the Trust to redeem a Basket by an Authorized Participant follows the same general procedure as transferring DOGE to the Trust to create a Basket by an Authorized Participant, only in reverse. See “Description of Creation and Redemption of Shares.”

The Marketing Agent

Foreside Fund Services, LLC (“Foreside”) is the marketing agent of the Shares. Foreside is a registered broker-dealer with the SEC and is a member of FINRA.

In its capacity as marketing agent, Foreside provides the following services to the Sponsor: (i) assist the Sponsor in facilitating Participation Agreements between and among Authorized Participants, the Sponsor, on behalf of the Trust, and the Transfer Agent; (ii) provide prospectuses to Authorized Participants; (iii) work with the Transfer Agent to review and approve orders placed by the Authorized Participants and transmitted to the Transfer Agent; (iv) review and file applicable marketing materials with FINRA and (v) maintain, reproduce and store applicable books and records related to the services provided under the Marketing Agent Agreement.

The Sponsor may engage additional or successor marketing agents in the future.

Valuation of DOGE and Determination of NAV

The Sponsor will evaluate the DOGE held by the Trust and determine the NAV of the Trust in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Trust Documents. The following is a description of the material terms of the Trust Documents as they relate to valuation of the Trust’s DOGE and the NAV calculations, which is calculated using non-GAAP methodology and is not used in the Trust’s financial statements.

On each business day at 4:00 p.m., New York time, or as soon thereafter as practicable (the “Evaluation Time”), the Sponsor will evaluate the DOGE held by the Trust and calculate and publish the NAV of the Trust. To calculate the NAV, the Sponsor will:

1.
Determine the Index Price as of such business day.
2.
Multiply the Index Price by the Trust’s aggregate amount of DOGE owned by the Trust as of 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the immediately preceding day, less the aggregate amount of DOGE payable as the accrued and unpaid Sponsor’s Fee as of 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the immediately preceding day.
3.
Add the U.S. dollar value of DOGE, calculated using the Index Price, receivable under pending creation orders, if any, determined by multiplying the number of the Creation Baskets represented by such creation orders by the Basket Amount and then multiplying such product by the Index Price.
4.
Subtract the U.S. dollar amount of accrued and unpaid Additional Trust Expenses, if any.
5.
Subtract the U.S. dollar value of the DOGE, calculated using the Index Price, which are either (i) to be distributed under pending redemption orders, if any, determined by multiplying the number of Baskets to be redeemed represented by such redemption orders by the Basket Amount and then multiplying such product by the Index Price, or (ii) to be distributed to Shareholders pursuant to a binding obligation of the Trust following the declaration of an in-kind dividend (including through interests in any liquidating trust

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or other vehicle formed to hold such DOGE) (the amount derived from steps 1 through 5 above, the “NAV Fee Basis Amount”).
6.
Subtract the U.S. dollar amount of the Sponsor’s Fee that accrues for such business day, as calculated based on the NAV Fee Basis Amount for such business day.

In the event that the Sponsor determines that the primary methodology used to determine the Index Price is not an appropriate basis for valuation of the Trust’s DOGE, the Sponsor will utilize the cascading set of rules as described in “—Overview of the Dogecoin Industry and Market—The Index and the Index Price.”

The Sponsor will publish the Index Price, the Trust’s NAV and the NAV per Share on the Trust’s website as soon as practicable after its determination. If the NAV and NAV per Share have been calculated using a price per DOGE other than the Index Price for such Evaluation Time, the publication on the Trust’s website will note the valuation methodology used and the price per DOGE resulting from such calculation.

In the event of a hard fork of the Dogecoin Network, the Sponsor will, if permitted by the terms of the Trust Agreement, use its discretion to determine, in good faith, which peer-to-peer network, among a group of incompatible forks of the Dogecoin Network, is generally accepted as the network for DOGE and should therefore be considered the appropriate network for the Trust’s purposes. The Sponsor will base its determination on a variety of then relevant factors, including (but not limited to) the following: (i) the Sponsor’s beliefs regarding expectations of the core developers of DOGE, users, services, businesses, validators and other constituencies and (ii) the actual continued acceptance of, validating power on, and community engagement with the Dogecoin Network.

The shareholders may rely on any evaluation furnished by the Sponsor. The determinations that the Sponsor makes will be made in good faith upon the basis of, and the Sponsor will not be liable for any errors contained in, information reasonably available to it. The Sponsor will not be liable to the Authorized Participants, the shareholders or any other person for errors in judgment. However, the preceding liability exclusion will not protect the Sponsor against any liability resulting from gross negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith in the performance of its duties.

Expenses; Sales of DOGE

The Trust’s only ordinary recurring expense is expected to be the Sponsor’s Fee. The Sponsor’s Fee will accrue daily in U.S. dollars at an annual rate of 0.35% of the NAV Fee Basis Amount of the Trust as of 4:00 p.m., New York time, on each day; provided that for a day that is not a business day, the calculation will be based on the NAV Fee Basis Amount from the most recent business day, reduced by the accrued and unpaid Sponsor’s Fee for such most recent business day and for each day after such most recent business day and prior to the relevant calculation date. This dollar amount for each daily accrual will then be converted into DOGE by reference to the same Index Price used to determine such accrual. The Sponsor’s Fee is payable in DOGE to the Sponsor daily in arrears.

The Sponsor, from time to time, may temporarily waive all or a portion of the Sponsor’s Fee in its sole discretion. Presently, the Sponsor has agreed to waive the entire Sponsor Fee until the earlier of (x) a 3-month period commencing on the day the Shares are initially listed on the NYSE Arca or (y) the Trust reaching $1 billion in assets under management. There are no circumstances under which the Sponsor has determined it will definitely waive the fee.

Expenses to Be Paid by the Sponsor

The Trust pays the Sponsor’s Fee to the Sponsor. As partial consideration for its receipt of the Sponsor’s Fee from the Trust, the Sponsor is obligated under the Trust Agreement to assume and pay all fees and other expenses incurred by the Trust in the ordinary course of its affairs, excluding taxes, but including: (i) the Marketing Fee; (ii) the Administrator Fee, if any; (iii) the Custodian Fee and fees for any other security vendor engaged by the Trust; (iv) the Transfer Agent Fee; (v) the Trustee fee; (vi) fees and expenses related to the listing, quotation or trading of the Shares on any Secondary Market (including customary legal, marketing and audit fees and expenses) in an amount up to $600,000 in any given fiscal year; (vii) ordinary course legal fees and expenses; (viii) audit fees; (ix) regulatory fees, including, if applicable, any fees relating to registration of the Shares under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act; (x) printing and mailing costs; (xi) the costs of maintaining the Trust’s website; and (xii) applicable

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license fees (each a “Sponsor-paid Expense”), provided that any expense that qualifies as an Additional Trust Expense will be deemed to be an Additional Trust Expense and not a Sponsor-paid Expense. The Sponsor, from time to time, may temporarily waive all or a portion of the Sponsor’s Fee of the Trust in its discretion for stated periods of time. Presently, the Sponsor does not intend to waive any of the Sponsor’s Fee for the Trust and there are no circumstances under which the Sponsor has determined it will definitely waive the fee. The Sponsor is under no obligation to waive any portion of its fees and any such waiver shall create no obligation to waive any such fees during any period not covered by the waiver.

The Sponsor’s Fee will generally be paid in DOGE. After the Trust’s payment of the Sponsor’s Fee to the Sponsor, the Sponsor may elect to convert the DOGE received as payment of the Sponsor’s Fee into U.S. dollars. The rate at which the Sponsor converts such DOGE to U.S. dollars may differ from the rate at which the relevant Sponsor’s Fee was determined. The Trust will not be responsible for any fees and expenses incurred by the Sponsor to convert DOGE received in payment of the Sponsor’s Fee into U.S. dollars.

Extraordinary and Other Expenses

In certain extraordinary circumstances, the Trust may incur certain extraordinary, non-recurring expenses that are not Sponsor-paid Expenses, including, but not limited to: taxes and governmental charges; expenses and costs of any extraordinary services performed by the Sponsor (or any other service provider) on behalf of the Trust to protect the Trust or the interests of shareholders; any indemnification of the Custodian or other agents, service providers or counterparties of the Trust; the fees and expenses related to the listing, quotation or trading of the Shares on any Secondary Market (including legal, marketing and audit fees and expenses) to the extent exceeding $600,000 in any given fiscal year; and extraordinary legal fees and expenses, including any legal fees and expenses incurred in connection with litigation, regulatory enforcement or investigation matters (collectively, “Additional Trust Expenses”). If Additional Trust Expenses are incurred, the Trust will be required to pay these Additional Trust Expenses by selling or delivering DOGE. Generally, the Sponsor will cover such expenses on behalf of the Trust and the Trust will reimburse the Sponsor by delivering to the Sponsor DOGE in an amount equal to such expenses. When the Trust and the Sponsor, acting on behalf of the Trust, sell or deliver, as applicable, DOGE, they generally do not transact directly with counterparties other than the Authorized Participants, a Liquidity Provider or other similarly eligible financial institutions that are subject to federal and state licensing requirements and maintain practices and policies designed to comply with AML and KYC regulations.

The Sponsor or any of its affiliates may be reimbursed only for the actual cost to the Sponsor or such affiliate of any expenses that it advances on behalf of the Trust for payment of which the Trust is responsible. In addition, the Trust Agreement prohibits the Trust from paying to the Sponsor or such affiliate for indirect expenses incurred in performing services for the Trust in its capacity as the Sponsor (or an affiliate of the Sponsor) of the Trust, such as salaries and fringe benefits of officers and directors, rent or depreciation, utilities and other administrative items generally falling within the category of the Sponsor’s “overhead.”

Disposition of DOGE

To cause the Trust to pay the Sponsor’s Fee, the Sponsor will instruct the Custodian to (i) withdraw from the Vault Balance the amount of DOGE, determined as described above in “—Expenses; Sales of DOGE,” equal to the accrued but unpaid Sponsor’s Fee and (ii) transfer such DOGE to an account maintained by the Custodian for the Sponsor at such times as the Sponsor determines in its absolute discretion. In addition, if the Trust incurs any Additional Trust Expenses, the Sponsor or its delegates (i) will instruct the Custodian to withdraw from the Vault Balance DOGE in such quantity as may be necessary to permit payment of such Additional Trust Expenses and (ii) may either (x) cause the Trust to convert such DOGE into U.S. dollars or other fiat currencies at the Actual Exchange Rate or (y) when the Sponsor incurs such expenses on behalf of the Trust, cause the Trust (or its delegate) to deliver such DOGE in kind to the Sponsor, in each case in such quantity as may be necessary to permit payment of such Additional Trust Expenses. The Sponsor’s Fee and Additional Trust Expenses payable by the Trust will generally be paid in DOGE. Shareholders do not have the option of choosing to pay their proportionate shares of Additional Trust Expenses in lieu of having their shares of Additional Trust Expenses paid by the Trust’s delivery or disposition of DOGE. Assuming that the Trust is a grantor trust for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the transfer or sale of DOGE to pay the Trust’s expenses will be a taxable event for shareholders. See “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences—Tax Consequences to U.S. Holders.”

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Because the amount of DOGE held by the Trust will decrease as a consequence of the payment of the Sponsor’s Fee in DOGE or the sale of DOGE to pay Additional Trust Expenses (and the Trust will incur additional fees associated with converting DOGE into U.S. dollars), the amount of DOGE represented by a Share will decline at such time and the Trust’s NAV may also decrease. Accordingly, the shareholders will bear the cost of the Sponsor’s Fee and any Additional Trust Expenses. New DOGE deposited into the Vault Balance in exchange for additional new Baskets issued by the Trust will not reverse this trend.

The Sponsor will also cause the sale of the Trust’s DOGE if the Sponsor determines that sale is required by applicable law or regulation or in connection with the termination and liquidation of the Trust. The Sponsor will not be liable or responsible in any way for depreciation or loss incurred by reason of any sale of DOGE.

The quantity of DOGE to be delivered to the Sponsor or other relevant payee in payment of the Sponsor’s Fee or any Additional Trust Expenses, or sold to permit payment of Additional Trust Expenses, will vary from time to time depending on the level of the Trust’s expenses and the value of DOGE held by the Trust. See “—Expenses; Sales of DOGE.” Assuming that the Trust is a grantor trust for U.S. federal income tax purposes, each delivery or sale of DOGE by the Trust for the payment of expenses will be a taxable event to shareholders. See “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences—Tax Consequences to U.S. Holders.”

Hypothetical Expense Example

The following table illustrates the anticipated impact of the payment of the Trust’s expenses on the amount of DOGE represented by each outstanding Share for three years. It assumes that the only transfers of DOGE will be those needed to pay the Sponsor’s Fee and that the price of DOGE and the number of Shares remain constant during the three-year period covered. The table does not show the impact of any Additional Trust Expenses. Any Additional Trust Expenses, if and when incurred, will accelerate the decrease in the fractional amount of DOGE represented by each Share. In addition, the table does not show the effect of any waivers of the Sponsor’s Fee that may be in effect from time to time.

 

 

 

 

Year

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

2

 

 

3

 

Hypothetical price per DOGE, beginning

 

$

100.00

 

$

100.00

 

$

100.00

 

Sponsor’s Fee

 

 

%

 

 

%

 

 

%

 

Shares of Trust, beginning

 

 

100,000.00

 

 

100,000.00

 

 

100,000.00

 

DOGE in Trust, beginning

 

 

10,000.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hypothetical value of DOGE in Trust

 

$

1,000,000.00

 

$

-

 

$

-

 

Beginning NAV of the Trust

 

$

1,000,000.00

 

$

-

 

$

-

 

DOGE to be delivered to cover the Sponsor’s Fee

 

$

-

 

$

-

 

$

-

 

DOGE in Trust, ending

 

$

-

 

$

-

 

$

-

 

Ending NAV of the Trust

 

$

-

 

$

-

 

$

-

 

Ending NAV per share

 

$

-

 

$

-

 

$

-

 

Hypothetical price per DOGE, ending

 

$

100.00

 

$

100.00

 

$

100.00

 

 

Discretion of the Index Provider

The Index Provider has sole discretion over the determination of Index Price and may change the methodologies for determining the Index Price from time to time.

Description of the Trust Agreement

The following is a description of the material terms of the Trust Agreement. The Trust Agreement establishes the roles, rights and duties of the Sponsor and the Trustee.

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The Sponsor

Liability of the Sponsor and Indemnification

Neither the Sponsor nor the Trust insure the Trust’s DOGE. The Sponsor and its affiliates (each a “Covered Person”) will not be liable to the Trust or any shareholder for any loss suffered by the Trust which arises out of any action or inaction of such Covered Person if such Covered Person determined in good faith that such course of conduct was in the best interests of the Trust. However, the preceding liability exclusion will not protect any Covered Person against any liability resulting from its own willful misconduct, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its duties.

Each Covered Person will be indemnified by the Trust against any loss, judgment, liability, expense incurred or amount paid in settlement of any claim sustained by it in connection with the Covered Person’s activities for the Trust, provided that (i) the Covered Person was acting on behalf of, or performing services for, the Trust and had determined, in good faith, that such course of conduct was in the best interests of the Trust and such liability or loss was not the result of fraud, gross negligence, bad faith, willful misconduct or a material breach of the Trust Agreement on the part of such Covered Person and (ii) any such indemnification will be recoverable only from the property of the Trust. Any amounts payable to an indemnified party will be payable in advance under certain circumstances.

Fiduciary and Regulatory Duties of the Sponsor

The Sponsor is not effectively subject to the duties and restrictions imposed on “fiduciaries” under both statutory and common law. Rather, the general fiduciary duties that would apply to the Sponsor are defined and limited in scope by the Trust Agreement.

Under Delaware law, a shareholder may bring a derivative action if the shareholder is a shareholder at the time the action is brought and either (i) was a shareholder at the time of the transaction at issue or (ii) acquired the status of shareholder by operation of law or the Trust’s governing instrument from a person who was a shareholder at the time of the transaction at issue. Additionally, Section 3816(e) of the Delaware Statutory Trust Act specifically provides that “a beneficial owner’s right to bring a derivative action may be subject to such additional standards and restrictions, if any, as are set forth in the governing instrument of the statutory trust, including, without limitation, the requirement that beneficial owners owning a specified beneficial interest in the statutory trust join in the bringing of the derivative action.” In addition to the requirements of applicable law, the Trust Agreement provides that no shareholder will have the right, power or authority to bring or maintain a derivative action, suit or other proceeding on behalf of the Trust unless two or more shareholders who (i) are not “Affiliates” (as defined in the Trust Agreement and below) of one another and (ii) collectively hold at least 10.0% of the outstanding Shares join in the bringing or maintaining of such action, suit or other proceeding. The Trust selected the 10.0% ownership threshold because the Trust believed that this was a threshold that investors would be comfortable with based on market precedent.

This provision applies to any derivative action brought in the name of the Trust other than claims brought under the federal securities laws or the rules and regulations thereunder, to which Section 7.4 does not apply. Due to this additional requirement, a shareholder attempting to bring a derivative action in the name of the Trust will be required to locate other shareholders with which it is not affiliated and that have sufficient Shares to meet the 10.0% threshold based on the number of Shares outstanding on the date the claim is brought and thereafter throughout the duration of the action, suit or proceeding.

“Affiliate” is defined in the Trust Agreement to mean any natural person, partnership, limited liability company, statutory trust, corporation, association or other legal entity (each, a “Person”) directly or indirectly owning, controlling or holding with power to vote 10% or more of the outstanding voting securities of such Person, (ii) any Person 10% or more of whose outstanding voting securities are directly or indirectly owned, controlled or held with power to vote by such Person, (iii) any Person, directly or indirectly, controlling, controlled by or under common control of such Person, (iv) any employee, officer, director, member, manager or partner of such Person, or (v) if such Person is an employee, officer, director, member, manager or partner, any Person for which such Person acts in any such capacity.

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Any shareholders seeking to bring a derivative action may determine whether the 10.0% ownership threshold required to bring a derivative action has been met by dividing the number Shares owned by such shareholders by the total number of Shares outstanding. Following the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, shareholders may determine the total number of Shares outstanding by reviewing the Trust’s annual filings on Form 10-K, quarterly filings on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K reporting sales of unregistered securities pursuant to Item 3.02 thereof, or by requesting the number of Shares outstanding at any time from the Sponsor pursuant to Sections 7.2 and 8.1 of the Trust Agreement and Section 3819(a) of the DSTA. Because the Trust is a grantor trust, it may only issue one class of securities, the Shares.

The Trust offers Shares on a periodic basis at such times and for such periods as the Sponsor determines in its sole discretion. As a result, in order to maintain the 10.0% ownership threshold required to maintain a derivative action, shareholders may need to increase their holdings or locate additional shareholders during the pendency of a claim. The Trust will post the number of Shares outstanding as of the end of each month on its website and as of the end of each quarter in its annual and quarterly filings with the SEC. The Trust additionally will report sales of unregistered securities on Form 8-K pursuant to Item 3.02 thereof. Following the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, shareholders may monitor the number of Shares outstanding at any time for purposes of calculating their ownership threshold by reviewing the Trust’s website and SEC filings and by requesting the number of Shares outstanding on any date from the Sponsor at any time pursuant to Sections 7.2 and 8.1 of the Trust Agreement. Shareholders have the opportunity at any time to increase their holdings or locate other shareholders to maintain the 10.0% threshold throughout the duration of a derivative claim. Shareholders may do so by contacting shareholders that are required to file Schedule 13Ds or Schedule 13Gs with the SEC or by requesting from the Sponsor the list of the names and last known address of all shareholders pursuant to Sections 7.2 and 8.1 of the Trust Agreement and Section 3819(a) of the DSTA.

The Sponsor is not aware of any reason to believe that Section 7.4 of the Trust Agreement is not enforceable under state or federal law. The Court of Chancery of Delaware has stated that “[t]he DSTA is enabling in nature and, as such, permits a trust through its declarations of trust to delineate additional standards and requirements with which a stockholder-plaintiff must comply to proceed derivatively in the name of the trust.” Hartsel v. Vanguard Group., Inc., Del. Ch. June 15, 2011. However, there is limited case law addressing the enforceability of provisions like Section 7.4 under state and federal law and it is possible that this provision would not be enforced by a court in another jurisdiction or under other circumstances.

Beneficial owners may have the right, subject to certain legal requirements, to bring class actions in federal court to enforce their rights under the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder by the SEC. Beneficial owners who have suffered losses in connection with the purchase or sale of their beneficial interests may be able to recover such losses from the Sponsor where the losses result from a violation by the Sponsor of the anti-fraud provisions of the federal securities laws.

Actions Taken to Protect the Trust

The Sponsor may prosecute, defend, settle or compromise actions or claims at law or in equity that it considers necessary or proper to protect the Trust or the interests of the shareholders. The expenses incurred by the Sponsor in connection therewith (including the fees and disbursements of legal counsel) will be expenses of the Trust and are deemed to be Additional Trust Expenses. The Sponsor will be entitled to be reimbursed for the Additional Trust Expenses it pays on behalf of the Trust.

Successor Sponsors

If the Sponsor is adjudged bankrupt or insolvent, the Trust may dissolve and a Liquidating Trustee may be appointed to terminate and liquidate the Trust and distribute its remaining assets. The Trustee will have no obligation to appoint a successor sponsor or to assume the duties of the Sponsor, and will have no liability to any person because the Trust is or is not terminated. However, if a certificate of dissolution or revocation of the Sponsor’s charter is filed (and ninety (90) days have passed after the date of notice to the Sponsor of revocation without a reinstatement of the Sponsor’s charter) or the withdrawal, removal, adjudication or admission of bankruptcy or insolvency of the Sponsor has occurred, shareholders holding at least a majority (over 50%) of the Shares may agree in writing to continue the affairs of the Trust and to select, effective as of the date of such event, one or more successor sponsors within ninety (90) days of any such event.

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The Trustee

The Trustee is a fiduciary under the Trust Agreement and must satisfy the requirements of Section 3807 of the Delaware Trust Statute. However, the fiduciary duties, responsibilities and liabilities of the Trustee are limited by, and are only those specifically set forth in, the Trust Agreement.

Limitation on Trustee’s Liability

Under the Trust Agreement, the Sponsor has exclusive control of the management of all aspects of the activities of the Trust and the Trustee has only nominal duties and liabilities to the Trust. The Trustee is appointed to serve as the trustee for the sole purpose of satisfying Section 3807(a) of the DSTA which requires that the Trust have at least one trustee with a principal place of business in the State of Delaware. The duties of the Trustee are limited to (i) accepting legal process served on the Trust in the State of Delaware and (ii) the execution of any certificates required to be filed with the Delaware Secretary of State which the Trustee is required to execute under the DSTA.

To the extent the Trustee has duties (including fiduciary duties) and liabilities to the Trust or the shareholders under the DSTA, such duties and liabilities will be replaced by the duties and liabilities of the Trustee expressly set forth in the Trust Agreement. The Trustee will have no obligation to supervise, nor will it be liable for, the acts or omissions of the Sponsor, Transfer Agent, Custodian or any other person. Neither the Trustee, either in its capacity as trustee or in its individual capacity, nor any director, officer or controlling person of the Trustee is, or has any liability as, the issuer, director, officer or controlling person of the issuer of Shares. The Trustee’s liability is limited solely to the express obligations of the Trustee as set forth in the Trust Agreement.

Under the Trust Agreement, the Sponsor has the exclusive management, authority and control of all aspects of the activities of the Trust. The Trustee has no duty or liability to supervise or monitor the performance of the Sponsor, nor does the Trustee have any liability for the acts or omissions of the Sponsor. The existence of a trustee should not be taken as an indication of any additional level of management or supervision over the Trust. The Trust Agreement provides that the management authority with respect to the Trust is vested directly in the Sponsor and that the Trustee is not responsible or liable for the genuineness, enforceability, collectability, value, sufficiency, location or existence of any of the DOGE or other assets of the Trust.

Possible Repayment of Distributions Received by Shareholders; Indemnification by Shareholders

The Shares are limited liability investments. Investors may not lose more than the amount that they invest plus any profits recognized on their investment. Although it is unlikely, the Sponsor may, from time to time, make distributions to the shareholders. However, shareholders could be required, as a matter of bankruptcy law, to return to the estate of the Trust any distribution they received at a time when the Trust was in fact insolvent or in violation of its Trust Agreement. In addition, the Trust Agreement provides that shareholders will indemnify the Trust for any harm suffered by it as a result of shareholders’ actions unrelated to the activities of the Trust.

The foregoing repayment of distributions and indemnity provisions (other than the provision for shareholders indemnifying the Trust for taxes imposed upon it by a state, local or foreign taxing authority, which is included only as a formality due to the fact that many states do not have statutory trust statutes therefore the tax status of the Trust in such states might, theoretically, be challenged) are commonplace in statutory trusts and limited partnerships.

Indemnification of the Trustee

The Trustee and any of the officers, directors, employees and agents of the Trustee will be indemnified by the Trust as primary obligor and the Sponsor as secondary obligor and held harmless against any loss, damage, liability, claim, action, suit, cost, expense, disbursement (including the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel), tax or penalty of any kind and nature whatsoever, arising out of, imposed upon or asserted at any time against such indemnified person in connection with the performance of its obligations under the Trust Agreement, the creation, operation or termination of the Trust or the transactions contemplated therein; provided, however, that neither the Trust nor the Sponsor will be required to indemnify any such indemnified person for any such expenses which are a result of the willful misconduct, bad faith or gross negligence of such indemnified person. If the Trust has insufficient assets or improperly refuses to pay such an indemnified person within 60 days of a request for payment owed under the Trust Agreement, the Sponsor will, as secondary obligor, compensate or reimburse the Trustee or

102


 

indemnify, defend and hold harmless such an indemnified person as if it were the primary obligor under the Trust Agreement. Any amount payable to such an indemnified person under the Trust Agreement may be payable in advance under certain circumstances and will be secured by a lien on the Trust property. The obligations of the Sponsor and the Trust to indemnify such indemnified persons under the Trust Agreement will survive the termination of the Trust Agreement.

Holding of Trust Property

The Trust will hold and record the ownership of the Trust’s assets in a manner such that it will be owned for the benefit of the shareholders for the purposes of, and subject to and limited by the terms and conditions set forth in, the Trust Agreement. The Trust will not create, incur or assume any indebtedness or borrow money from or loan money to any person. The Trustee may not commingle its assets with those of any other person.

The Trustee may employ agents, attorneys, accountants, auditors and nominees and will not be answerable for the conduct or misconduct of any such custodians, agents, attorneys or nominees if such custodians, agents, attorneys and nominees have been selected with reasonable care.

Resignation, Discharge or Removal of Trustee; Successor Trustees

The Trustee may resign as Trustee by written notice of its election so to do, delivered to the Sponsor with at least 180 days’ notice. The Sponsor may remove the Trustee in its discretion. If the Trustee resigns or is removed, the Sponsor, acting on behalf of the shareholders, will appoint a successor trustee. The successor Trustee will become fully vested with all of the rights, powers, duties and obligations of the outgoing Trustee.

If the Trustee resigns and no successor trustee is appointed within 180 days after the Trustee notifies the Sponsor of its resignation, the Trustee will terminate and liquidate the Trust and distribute its remaining assets.

Amendments to the Trust Agreement

In general, the Sponsor may amend the Trust Agreement without the consent of any shareholder. In particular, the Sponsor may, without the approval of the shareholders, amend the Trust Agreement if the Trust is advised at any time by the Trust’s accountants or legal counsel that the amendments are necessary to permit the Trust to take the position that it is a grantor trust for U.S. federal income tax purposes. However, the Sponsor may not make an amendment, or otherwise supplement the Trust Agreement, if such amendment or supplement would permit the Sponsor, the Trustee or any other person to vary the investment of the shareholders (within the meaning of applicable Treasury Regulations) or would otherwise adversely affect the status of the Trust as a grantor trust for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In addition, no amendments to the Trust Agreement that materially adversely affect the interests of shareholders may be made without the vote of at least a majority (over 50%) of the Shares (not including any Shares held by the Sponsor or its affiliates). A shareholder will be deemed to have consented to a modification or amendment of the Trust Agreement if the Sponsor has notified the shareholders in writing of the proposed modification or amendment and the shareholder has not, within 20 calendar days of such notice, notified the Sponsor in writing the shareholder objects to such modification or amendment.

Termination of the Trust

The Trust will dissolve if any of the following events occur:

•
a U.S. federal or state regulator requires the Trust to shut down or forces the Trust to liquidate its DOGE or seizes, impounds or otherwise restricts access to Trust assets;
•
any ongoing event exists that either prevents the Trust from making or makes impractical the Trust’s reasonable efforts to make a fair determination of the Index Price;
•
any ongoing event exists that either prevents the Trust from converting or makes impractical the Trust’s reasonable efforts to convert DOGE to U.S. dollars; or

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•
a certificate of dissolution or revocation of the Sponsor’s charter is filed (and 90 days have passed since the date of notice to the Sponsor of revocation without a reinstatement of its charter) or the withdrawal, removal, adjudication or admission of bankruptcy or insolvency of the Sponsor has occurred, unless (i) at the time there is at least one remaining Sponsor and that remaining Sponsor carries on the Trust or (ii) within 90 days of any such event shareholders holding at least a majority (over 50%) of Shares, not including Shares held by the Sponsor and its affiliates, agree in writing to continue the activities of the Trust and to select, effective as of the date of such event, one or more successor sponsors.

The Sponsor may, in its sole discretion, dissolve the Trust if any of the following events occur:

•
the SEC determines that the Trust is an investment company required to be registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940;
•
the CFTC determines that the Trust is a commodity pool under the CEA;
•
the Trust is determined to be a “money service business” under the regulations promulgated by FinCEN under the authority of the Bank Secrecy Act and is required to comply with certain FinCEN regulations thereunder;
•
the Trust is required to obtain a license or make a registration under any state law regulating money transmitters, money services businesses, providers of prepaid or stored value or similar entities, or virtual currency businesses;
•
the Trust becomes insolvent or bankrupt;
•
the Custodian resigns or is removed without replacement;
•
all of the Trust’s assets are sold;
•
the Sponsor determines that the aggregate net assets of the Trust in relation to the expenses of the Trust make it unreasonable or imprudent to continue the affairs of the Trust;
•
the Sponsor receives notice from the IRS or from counsel for the Trust or the Sponsor that the Trust fails to qualify for treatment, or will not be treated, as a grantor trust under the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”);
•
if the Trustee notifies the Sponsor of the Trustee’s election to resign and the Sponsor does not appoint a successor trustee within 180 days; or
•
the Sponsor determines, in its sole discretion, that it is desirable or advisable for any reason to discontinue the affairs of the Trust.

The Sponsor may determine that it is desirable or advisable to discontinue the affairs of the Trust for a variety of reasons. For example, the Sponsor may terminate the Trust if a federal court upholds an allegation that DOGE is a security under the federal securities laws.

The death, legal disability, bankruptcy, insolvency, dissolution, or withdrawal of any shareholder (as long as such shareholder is not the sole shareholder of the Trust) will not result in the termination of the Trust, and such shareholder, his or her estate, custodian or personal representative will have no right to a redemption or value such shareholder’s Shares. Each shareholder (and any assignee thereof) expressly agrees that in the event of his or her death, he or she waives on behalf of himself or herself and his or her estate, and he or she directs the legal representative of his or her estate and any person interested therein to waive the furnishing of any inventory, accounting or appraisal of the assets of the Trust and any right to an audit or examination of the books of account for the Trust, except for such rights as are set forth in Article VIII of the Trust Agreement relating to the books of account and reports of the Trust.

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Upon dissolution of the Trust and surrender of Shares by the shareholders, shareholders will receive a distribution in U.S. dollars after the Sponsor has sold the Trust’s DOGE, if applicable, and has paid or made provision for the Trust’s claims and obligations.

If the Trust is forced to liquidate, the Trust will be liquidated under the Sponsor’s direction. The Sponsor, on behalf of the Trust, will engage directly with Digital Asset Markets to liquidate the Trust’s DOGE as promptly as possible while obtaining the best fair value possible. The proceeds therefrom will be applied and distributed in the following order of priority: (a) to the expenses of liquidation and termination and to creditors, including shareholders who are creditors, to the extent otherwise permitted by law, in satisfaction of liabilities of the Trust other than liabilities for distributions to shareholders and (b) to the holders of Shares pro rata in accordance with the respective percentage of Shares that they hold. It is expected that the Sponsor would be subject to the same regulatory requirements as the Trust, and therefore, the markets available to the Sponsor will be the same markets available to the Trust.

Governing Law

The Trust Agreement and the rights of the Sponsor, Trustee and shareholders under the Trust Agreement are governed by the laws of the State of Delaware.

Description of the Prime Broker Agreement

The Prime Broker Agreement establishes the rights and responsibilities of the Custodian, the Prime Broker, the Sponsor and the Trust with respect to the Trust’s DOGE which is held in accounts maintained and operated by the Custodian, as a fiduciary with respect to the Trust’s assets, and the Prime Broker (together with the Custodian, the “Custodial Entities”) on behalf of the Trust. For a general description of the Custodian’s obligations, see “—Service Providers of the Trust—The Custodian and Prime Broker.”

Account; Location of DOGE

All of the Trust’s DOGE, other than that which is credited to a settlement balance maintained with the Prime Broker (the “Settlement Balance”), is held in custody accounts maintained on the books of the Custodian, as to which the Custodian controls the private keys which allow for the transfer of ownership or control of the Trust’s DOGE on the Trust’s behalf (the “Vault Balance”). The Prime Broker Agreement provides that the Trust’s Vault Balance will be held by the Custodian in segregated wallets or accounts. The Custodian will keep all of the private keys associated with the Trust’s DOGE held in the Vault Balance in an offline manner. The term “cold storage” refers to a safeguarding method where the storage of private keys may involve keeping such keys’ materials on a non-networked computer or electronic device or storing the private keys on a storage device. Cold storage is a safeguarding method with multiple layers of protections and protocols, by which the private keys corresponding to the Trust’s DOGE are generated and stored in an offline manner. The term “hot storage” refers to the safeguarding method by which the private keys are held online, where they are more accessible, leading to more efficient transfers, though they are potentially more vulnerable to theft, loss or damage. Additionally, at the Sponsor’s discretion, a portion of the Trust’s DOGE holdings may be credited to the Settlement Balance, which will be reflected in a ledger maintained on the books of the Prime Broker. The Prime Broker Agreement provides that any DOGE credited to the Trust’s Settlement Balance will be held (i) in omnibus cold storage wallets; (ii) in omnibus hot storage wallets; or (iii) in omnibus accounts with one of the third-party venues to which Coinbase has established connections (each, a “Coinbase Connected Venue”). The Settlement Balance shall be separate from the Vault Balance and any other account(s) the Trust or the Sponsor maintain with the Custodian. From time to time, the Prime Broker may temporarily keep a portion of the private keys associated with the DOGE credited to the Trust’s Settlement Balance in hot storage for purposes of facilitating the receipt and distribution of DOGE in connection with the creation and redemption of Baskets.

Private key shards associated with the Trust’s DOGE are distributed geographically by the Custodial Entities in secure vaults around the world, including in the United States. The locations of the secure vaults may change and are kept confidential by the Custodian for security purposes.

The Prime Broker Agreement states that the Custodian serves as a fiduciary and custodian on the Trust’s behalf with respect to the Trust’s DOGE held in the Vault Balance and the DOGE in the Vault Balance are considered

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fiduciary assets that remain the Trust’s property at all times and are not treated as general assets of the Custodian. Under the Prime Broker Agreement, the Custodian represents and warrants that it has no right, interest, or title in the DOGE in the Trust’s Vault Balance, and agrees that it will not, directly or indirectly, lend, pledge, hypothecate or rehypothecate such digital assets. The Custodian does not reflect such digital assets as assets on the balance sheet of the Custodian, but does reflect the obligation to safeguard such digital assets with a corresponding asset measured at fair value for such obligation. With respect to the Trust’s DOGE credited to the Settlement Balance, the Prime Broker maintains an internal ledger that specifies the DOGE credited to the Trust’s Settlement Balance. The Prime Broker Agreement states that the Prime Broker treats such DOGE as custodial assets held for the benefit of the Trust, and shall not be considered the property of the Prime Broker.

Additionally, under the Prime Broker Agreement, the Prime Broker represents and warrants that it will not, directly or indirectly, sell, transfer, loan, rehypothecate or otherwise alienate the Trust’s DOGE credited to the Settlement Balance.

The Prime Broker Agreement also contains an agreement by the parties to treat the digital assets credited to the Trust’s Vault Balance and Settlement Balance as “financial assets” under Article 8 of the New York Uniform Commercial Code (“Article 8”) and to treat the Vault Balance and Settlement Balance as “securities accounts” with respect to which the Trust is the “entitlement holder” within the meaning of Article 8. The Custodial Entities’ ultimate parent, Coinbase Global, Inc. (“Coinbase Global”), has stated in its public securities filings that in light of the inclusion in its custody agreements of provisions relating to Article 8 it believes that a court would not treat custodied digital assets as part of its general estate, although due to the novelty of digital assets courts have not yet considered this type of treatment for custodied digital assets. See “Risk Factors—Risk Factors Related to the Trust and the Shares—The Trust relies on third-party service providers to perform certain functions essential to the affairs of the Trust and the replacement of such service providers could pose challenges to the safekeeping of the Trust’s DOGE and to the operations of the Trust.”

Safekeeping of DOGE

The Custodian will use commercially reasonable efforts to keep in safe custody on behalf of the Trust all DOGE received by the Custodian. All DOGE credited to the Vault Balance will (i) be held in the Vault Balance at all times, and the Vault Balance will be controlled by the Custodian; (ii) be labeled or otherwise appropriately identified as being held for the Trust; (iii) be held on a non-fungible basis; (iv) not be commingled with other digital assets held by the Custodian, whether held for the Custodian’s own account or the account of other clients other than the Trust; and (v) not without the prior written consent of the Trust be deposited or held with any third-party depositary, custodian, clearance system or wallet. Additionally, the Custodian will use commercially reasonable efforts to keep the private key or keys for the Vault Balance secure, and will not disclose such keys to the Trust, the Sponsor or to any other individual or entity except to the extent that any keys are disclosed consistent with a standard of commercially reasonable efforts and as part of a multiple signature solution that would not result in the Trust or the Sponsor “storing, holding, or maintaining custody or control of” the DOGE “on behalf of others” within the meaning of the New York BitLicense Rule (23 NYCRR Part 200) as in effect as of June 24, 2015 such that it would require the Trust or the Sponsor to become licensed under such law.

DOGE credited to the Trust’s Settlement Balance may be held in omnibus wallets maintained by the Prime Broker and/or at Coinbase Connected Venues. While the DOGE credited to the Trust’s Settlement Balance could be commingled with other assets, the DOGE in the Trust’s Settlement Balance will represent entitlement to a pro- rata share of the DOGE held in such omnibus wallets and/or at Coinbase Connected Venues. In all circumstances the Prime Broker will keep an internal ledger that specifies the assets credited to the Settlement Balance such that the Trust, its auditors and regulators can identify the Trust’s pro-rata share of the DOGE held in omnibus wallets and/or at Coinbase Connected Venues. Neither the Trust nor the Sponsor have a contractual relationship with the Coinbase Connected Venues utilized by the Custodial Entities.

Insurance

Pursuant to the terms of the Prime Broker Agreement, the Custodian is required to maintain insurance in such types and amounts as are commercially reasonable for the custodial services it provides. The Custodian has advised the Sponsor that it has insurance coverage pursuant to policies held by Coinbase Global, which procures fidelity (or crime) insurance coverage at commercially reasonable amounts for the custodial services provided. This insurance

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coverage is limited to losses of the digital assets the Custodian custodies on behalf of its clients, including the Trust’s DOGE, resulting from theft, including internal theft by employees of Coinbase and its subsidiaries and theft or fraud by a director of Coinbase if the director is acting in the capacity of an employee of Coinbase or its subsidiaries. Although the Prime Broker is not required to maintain insurance under the terms of the Prime Broker Agreement, the Custodial Entities have also advised the Sponsor that they maintain insurance coverage pursuant to such policies held by Coinbase Global.

Moreover, while the Custodian maintains certain capital reserve requirements depending on the assets under custody and to the extent required by applicable law, and such capital reserves may provide additional means to cover client asset losses, the Sponsor does not know the amount of such capital reserves, and neither the Trust nor the Sponsor have access to such information. The Trust cannot be assured that the Custodian will maintain capital reserves sufficient to cover losses with respect to the Trust’s digital assets. Furthermore, Coinbase has represented in securities filings that the total value of crypto assets in its possession and control is significantly greater than the total value of insurance coverage that would compensate Coinbase in the event of theft or other loss of funds.

Deposits, Withdrawals and Storage

The Custodian and the Prime Broker provide for: (i) holding of the Trust’s DOGE in the Vault Balance and the Settlement Balance; (ii) transfer of the Trust’s DOGE between the relevant Vault Balance and the Settlement Balance; (iii) the deposit of DOGE from a public blockchain address into the respective account or accounts in which the Vault Balance or the Settlement Balance are maintained; and (iv) the withdrawal of DOGE from the Vault Balance to a public blockchain address the Trust controls (each such transaction is a “Custody Transaction”) (collectively, the “Custodial and Prime Broker Services”).

The Custodian reserves the right to refuse to process or to cancel any pending Custody Transaction as required by law or in response to a subpoena, court order, or other binding government order or to enforce transaction, threshold, and condition limits, in each case as communicated to the Trust as soon as reasonably practicable where the Custodian is permitted to do so, or if the Custodian reasonably believes that the Custody Transaction may violate or facilitate the violation of an applicable law, regulation or applicable rule of a governmental authority or self-regulatory organization. The Custodial Entities may suspend, restrict or terminate the Trust’s and the Sponsor’s access to the Custodial and Prime Broker Services, and/or suspend, restrict or close the Accounts if the Trust or Sponsor has taken certain actions, including any prohibited use or prohibited business as set forth in the Prime Broker Agreement or if either or both of the Custodial Entities are required to do so by a subpoena, court order, or other binding government order.

From the time the Custodian has verified the authorization of a complete set of instructions to withdraw DOGE from the Vault Balance, the Custodian will have a limited amount of time to process and complete such withdrawal. The Custodian will ensure that initiated deposits are processed in a timely manner but the Custodian makes no representations or warranties regarding the amount of time needed to complete processing which is dependent upon many factors outside of the Custodian’s control. Transactions relating to DOGE held in the Settlement Balance occur on the DOGE Blockchain.

The Custodial Entities make no other representations or warranties with respect to the availability and/or accessibility of DOGE or the availability and/or accessibility of the Vault Balance, the Settlement Balance or the Custodial and Prime Broker Services.

Security of the Accounts

The Custodial Entities securely store all digital asset private keys held by the Custodian on secure servers or offline, in cold storage. Under the Prime Broker Agreement, the Custodian must use commercially reasonable efforts to keep the private key or keys to the Vault Balance secure, and may not disclose such private keys to the Sponsor, Trust or any other individual or entity.

The Custodial Entities have implemented and will maintain reasonable information security programs that include policies and procedures that are reasonably designed to safeguard the Custodial Entities’ electronic systems and the Trust’s and the Sponsor’s confidential information from, among other things, unauthorized access or misuse.

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In the event of a Data Security Event (as defined in the Prime Broker Agreement), the Custodial Entities will promptly (subject to any legal or regulatory requirements) notify the Trust and the Sponsor.

Record Keeping; Inspection and Auditing

The Custodian will keep timely and accurate records as to the deposit, disbursement, investment and reinvestment of the DOGE in the Vault Balance, and such records must be retained by the Custodian for no less than seven years. The Prime Broker Agreement also provides that each Custodial Entity will permit, to the extent it may legally do so, the Trust’s third-party representatives, upon thirty days’ notice, to inspect, take extracts from and audit the records that it maintains, take such steps as necessary to verify that satisfactory internal control systems and procedures are in place, as the Trust may reasonably request. The Prime Broker is obligated to notify the Trust of any audit report prepared by its internal or independent auditors if such report reveals any material deficiencies or makes any material objections.

The Trust and the Sponsor obtain and perform a comprehensive review of the Services Organization Controls (“SOC”) 1 report and SOC 2 each year. For additional information, see “—Description of Trust Documents—Description of the Prime Broker Agreement.” In addition to the review of SOC 1 and SOC 2 reports, the Trust, the Sponsor and/or their respective auditors may inspect or audit the Custodian’s records in a variety of manners if considered necessary. Such processes may include validating the existing balances as reflected on the Custodian’s user interface to nodes of the underlying blockchain and confirming that such digital assets are associated with its public keys to validate the existence and exclusive ownership of the digital assets. To validate software functionality of the private keys, the Trust may transfer a portion of its digital assets from one public key to another public key of the Trust.

The Trust, the Sponsor and their independent auditors may evaluate the Custodian’s protection of private keys and other customer information, including review of supporting documentation related to the processes surrounding key lifecycle management, the key generation process (hardware, software, and algorithms associated with generation) the infrastructure used to generate and store private keys, how private keys are stored (for example, cold wallets), the segregation of duties in the authorization of digital asset transactions, and the number of users required to process a transaction and the monitoring of addresses for any unauthorized activity. For additional information, see “—Custody of the Trust’s DOGE.”

Once each calendar year, the Trust and the Sponsor will be entitled to request that the Custodial Entities provide a copy of the Services Organization Controls (“SOC”) 1 report and SOC 2 report once per calendar year. Such reports are required to be dated within one year prior to such request. The Custodial Entities reserve the right to combine the SOC 1 and SOC 2 reports into a comprehensive report. In the event that the Custodial Entities do not deliver a SOC 1 Report or SOC 2 Report, as applicable, the Sponsor and the Trust will be entitled to terminate the Prime Broker Agreement. In addition to the review of SOC 1 and SOC 2 reports, the Trust may also request letters of representation on a quarterly basis between SOC reports regarding any known changes or conclusions to the SOC 1 and SOC 2 report.

Standard of Care; Limitations of Liability

The Custodian will use commercially reasonable efforts to keep in safe custody on behalf of the Trust all DOGE received by the Custodian. The Custodial Entities are liable to the Sponsor and the Trust for the loss of any DOGE to the extent such loss resulted from the negligence, fraud or willful misconduct of the Custodial Entities. To the extent any loss is caused by a Custodial Entity’s negligence, fraud or willful misconduct, the Custodial Entities are required to return to the Trust a quantity of DOGE equal to the quantity of any such lost DOGE.

The Custodial Entities’ or Trust’s total liability under the Prime Broker Agreement will not exceed the greater of: (i) the value of the DOGE or cash involved in the event, including but not limited to transaction(s) or deliveries(s), giving rise to such liability at the time of the event giving rise to such liability; (ii) the aggregate amount of fees paid by the Trust to the Custodial Entities in respect of the Custodial and Prime Broker Services in the 12-month period prior to the event giving rise to such liability; or (iii) five million U.S. dollars. The Custodian’s total liability under the Prime Broker Agreement will not exceed the greater of: (i) the aggregate amount of fees paid by the Trust to the Custodian in respect of the custodial services in the 12-month period prior to the event giving rise to such liability; or (ii) the value of the DOGE on deposit in the Vault Balance at the time of the events giving rise to

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the liability occurred, the value of which will be determined in accordance with the Prime Broker Agreement. In addition, the Custodian’s maximum liability in respect of each cold storage address that holds DOGE shall be limited to $100 million (the “Cold Storage Threshold”). The Sponsor monitors the value of DOGE deposited in cold storage addresses for whether the Cold Storage Threshold has been met by determining the U.S. dollar value of DOGE deposited in each cold storage address on business days. Although the Cold Storage Threshold has to date not been met for a given cold storage address, to the extent it is met the Trust would not have a claim against the Custodian with respect to the digital assets held in such address to the extent the value exceeds the Cold Storage Threshold.

The Custodial Entities and the Trust are not liable to each other for any special, incidental, indirect, punitive, or consequential damages, whether or not the other party had been advised of such losses or knew or should have known of the possibility of such damages. In addition, the Custodial Entities are not liable to the Trust for circumstances resulting from certain force majeure events.

Indemnity

The Trust and the Custodial Entities have agreed to indemnify one another from and against certain claims or losses, subject to customary exceptions and limitations.

Fees and Expenses

The Sponsor will pay an annualized fee to the Coinbase Entities, covering the Trust’s use of the Custodial and Prime Broker Services, that is accrued on a monthly basis as a percentage of the Trust’s monthly assets under custody. The Sponsor will also pay a monthly fee to the Prime Broker, covering withdrawals and deposits to or from the Settlement Balance in connection with the creation and redemption of Shares.

Term; Termination and Suspension

The Prime Broker Agreement will remain in effect until either party terminates the Prime Broker Agreement; provided, however, that the Coinbase Entities shall not restrict, suspend, or modify any Prime Broker Services following termination of the Prime Broker Agreement by a Custodial Entity without Cause (as defined in the Prime Broker Agreement) or by the Trust until the end of the applicable notice period and neither party’s termination of the Prime Broker Agreement will be effective until the Trust and/or the Custodial Entities, as the case may be, have fully satisfied their obligations thereunder.

The Trust may terminate the Prime Broker Agreement in whole or in part upon thirty days’ prior written notice to the applicable Custodial Entity; and (ii) for Custodian Cause (as defined in the Prime Broker Agreement) at any time by written notice to the Prime Broker, effective immediately, or on such later date as may be specified in such notice. The Trust will also be entitled to terminate the Prime Broker Agreement in the event that the Custodial Entities do not deliver a SOC 1 Report or SOC 2 Report, as applicable. See “—Record Keeping; Inspection and Auditing.”

The Custodial Entities may terminate the Prime Broker Agreement (i) upon one hundred eighty days’ prior written notice to the Trust; and (ii) for Cause at any time by written notice to the Trust, effective immediately, or on such later date as may be specified in the notice.

In the event that either the Trust or the Custodial Entities terminate the Prime Broker Agreement without Cause, the Custodial Entities shall use reasonable efforts to assist the Trust with transferring any digital assets, fiat currency or funds associated with the Trust’s Accounts to another custodial services provider within ninety days of receipt of the applicable termination notice.

Governing Law

The Prime Broker Agreement is governed by New York law.

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Legal Proceedings

The Sponsor or former Co-Sponsor of the Trust until May 3, 2025, as applicable, was a party to certain legal proceedings during the periods covered by the financial statements included to this prospectus. Although the Trust is not a party to these proceedings, the Trust may in the future be subject to legal proceedings or disputes.

On January 30, 2023, Osprey Funds, LLC (“Osprey”) filed a suit in Connecticut Superior Court against the Sponsor alleging that statements the Sponsor made in its advertising and promotion of Grayscale Bitcoin Trust ETF violated the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act (“CUTPA”), and seeking statutory damages and injunctive relief. On April 17, 2023, the Sponsor filed a motion to dismiss the complaint and, following briefing, a hearing on the motion to dismiss was held on June 26, 2023. On October 23, 2023, the Court denied the Sponsor’s motion to dismiss. On November 6, 2023, the Sponsor filed a motion for reargument of the Court’s order denying the Sponsor’s motion to dismiss. On November 16, 2023, Osprey filed an opposition to the Sponsor’s motion for reargument, and on November 30, 2023, the Sponsor filed a reply in further support of its motion for reargument. On March 11, 2024, the Court denied the Sponsor’s motion for reargument. On March 25, 2024, the Sponsor filed an application for interlocutory appeal. On March 28, 2024, Osprey filed an opposition to the Sponsor’s application for interlocutory appeal. On April 1, 2024, the Court denied the Sponsor’s application for interlocutory appeal. On April 10, 2024, Osprey filed a motion to amend the complaint. The amended complaint went into effect on April 25, 2024. A scheduling order was entered by the Court with trial scheduled to begin on July 15, 2025. On July 31, 2024, the Sponsor filed a motion to strike the amended complaint. On August 30, 2024, Osprey filed an opposition to the Sponsor’s motion to strike the amended complaint. On October 11, 2024, the Court denied the Sponsor’s motion to strike. On November 22, 2024, the Sponsor filed a motion for summary judgment on the grounds that CUTPA does not apply to practices undertaken in connection with the purchase and sale of securities, and the Court granted the Sponsor’s motion for summary judgment on February 7, 2025. On February 10, 2025, Osprey filed a motion for reargument, and the Court denied Osprey’s motion for reargument on March 19, 2025. On March 31, 2025, Osprey filed a notice of appeal of the summary judgment decision and the Court’s denial of the motion for reargument to the Connecticut Appellate Court. On May 12, 2025, Osprey withdrew the action and the appeal.

On May 19, 2025, Genesis Global Capital, LLC (“Genesis Capital”) and Genesis Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd. (“Genesis Asia”) filed a complaint in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York (“SDNY Bankruptcy Court”) against Digital Currency Group, Inc. (“DCG”) and certain of its affiliates including GSO alleging that Genesis Capital made certain preferential transfers to GSI, the predecessor in interest to GSO prior to the Merger, during the preference period prior to Genesis Capital’s filing of a bankruptcy petition in SDNY Bankruptcy Court while GSI was allegedly an insider to Genesis Capital pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 101(31). Genesis Capital seeks to avoid the alleged preferential transfers pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 547(b), as well as recovery of property and disallowance of claims. GSO believes this lawsuit is without merit and intends to vigorously defend against it.

As of the date of this prospectus, the Sponsor does not expect the foregoing proceedings to have a material adverse effect on the Trust’s business, financial condition or results of operations.

The Sponsor and/or the Trust may be subject to additional legal proceedings and disputes in the future.

 

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Key Personnel of the Sponsor

The Trust does not have any directors, officers or employees. Under the Trust Agreement, all management functions of the Trust have been delegated to and are conducted by the Sponsor, its agents and its affiliates, including without limitation, the Custodian and its agents. As officers of the Sponsor, Peter Mintzberg, the principal executive officer of the Sponsor, and Edward McGee, the principal financial and accounting officer of the Sponsor, may take certain actions and execute certain agreements and certifications for the Trust, in their capacity as the principal officers of the Sponsor.

As of and prior to December 31, 2024, GSI had a board of directors that was responsible for managing and directing the affairs of the Sponsor. From January 1, 2025 to October 22, 2025, GSO Intermediate Holdings Corporation (“GSOIH”), a Delaware corporation formed in connection with the Reorganization, which was the sole managing member of GSO and an indirect subsidiary of DCG, had a board of directors which was responsible for managing and directing the affairs of the Sponsor.

On October 22, 2025, GSOIH consummated an internal corporate reorganization (the "Management Reorganization"), pursuant to which GSOIH transferred a portion of its common membership units of GSO for Class A shares of Grayscale Investments, Inc. ("Grayscale Investments"), a Delaware corporation incorporated in connection with the Management Reorganization, and ceded its managing member rights in GSO to Grayscale Investments. As a result of the Management Reorganization, Grayscale Investments is now the sole managing member of GSO, the sole member of the Sponsor.

From and after October 22, 2025, as a result of the Management Reorganization, DCG Grayscale Holdco, LLC ("DCG Holdco"), the sole stockholder of Grayscale Investments, elected a board of directors (the "Board") at Grayscale Investments. As a result of the Management Reorganization, the Board of Grayscale Investments is responsible for managing and directing the affairs of the Sponsor, and consists of Barry Silbert, Mark Shifke, Simon Koster, Peter Mintzberg, and Edward McGee, the same members as the board of directors of GSOIH prior to the Management Reorganization. Mr. Mintzberg and Mr. McGee also retain the authority granted to them as officers of the Sponsor under the limited liability company agreement of the Sponsor.


The Sponsor has an Audit Committee. The Audit Committee has the responsibility for overseeing the financial reporting process of the Trust, including the risks and controls of that process and such other oversight functions as are typically performed by an audit committee of a public company.

The Sponsor has a code of ethics (the “Code of Ethics”) that applies to its executive officers and agents. The Code of Ethics is available by writing the Sponsor at 290 Harbor Drive, 4th Floor, Stamford, Connecticut 06902 or calling the Sponsor at (212) 668-1427. The Sponsor’s Code of Ethics is intended to be a codification of the business and ethical principles that guide the Sponsor, and to deter wrongdoing, to promote honest and ethical conduct, to avoid conflicts of interest, and to foster compliance with applicable governmental laws, rules and regulations, the prompt internal reporting of violations and accountability for adherence to this code.

Prior to January 1, 2025, references to the “Sponsor” in this section refer to GSI, and thereafter refer to GSO or GSIS, as applicable. In connection with the Reorganization, the former Board of GSI was reconstituted at GSOIH and in connection with the Management Reorganization, the former board of GSOIH was reconstituted at Grayscale Investments. Prior to January 1, 2025, any references to the "Board" refer to the board of directors of Grayscale Investments, LLC, the former sponsor of the Trust. From January 1, 2025 to October 22, 2025, any references to the "Board" refer to the board of directors of GSOIH. From and after October 22, 2025, any references to the "Board" refer to the board of directors of Grayscale Investments.

Barry Silbert, 49, is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of DCG and has served as chairman of the Board since August 25 (previously served as a director and chairman of the Board from February 2020 through December 2023). Until January 2021, Mr. Silbert was the Chief Executive Officer of the Sponsor. A pioneer in blockchain investing, Mr. Silbert established himself in 2012 as one of the earliest and most active investors in the industry. Mr. Silbert founded DCG in 2015 and today, it is one of the world’s most prolific investors in decentralized technologies, backing over 250 early-stage companies in more than 40 countries. Mr. Silbert founded Yuma, a decentralized AI-focused subsidiary of DCG, where he also serves as CEO. Yuma invests in, builds, and scales the

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Bittensor network. The Sponsor is a consolidated subsidiary of DCG. DCG also owns Foundry, Fortitude, Luno and Yuma. DCG also invests directly in digital currencies and other digital assets. Prior to leading DCG, Mr. Silbert was the founder and CEO of SecondMarket, a venture-backed technology company that was acquired by Nasdaq. Mr. Silbert has received numerous awards and accolades, including being named “Entrepreneur of the Year” by both Ernst & Young and Crain’s, and being selected to Fortune’s prestigious “40 under 40” list. Before becoming an entrepreneur, Mr. Silbert worked as an investment banker. He graduated with honors from the Goizueta Business School of Emory University.


Mark Shifke, 66, is the Chief Financial Officer of DCG and has served as a director of the Sponsor since January 2024. Since March 2021, Mr. Shifke has served on the board of directors of Dock Ltd., a full-stack payments and digital banking platform. Since September 2023, Mr. Shifke has served on the board of directors of Luno, a cryptocurrency platform. Mr. Shifke has nearly four decades of financial and fintech experience, and more than eight years of CFO experience leading two publicly-traded companies. Prior to joining DCG, Mr. Shifke served as CFO of Billtrust, a company focused on providing AR and cloud-based solutions around payments, and as CFO of Green Dot (NYSE: GDOT), a mobile banking company and payments platform. Previously, Mr. Shifke led teams at JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs, specializing in M&A Structuring and Advisory, as well as Tax Asset Investments. Mr. Shifke also served as the Head of International Structured Finance Group at KPMG. Mr. Shifke began his career at Davis Polk, where he was a partner. He is a graduate of Tulane University (B.A./J.D.) and the New York University School of Law (LL.M. in Taxation).

Simon Koster, 44, is the Chief Strategy Officer of DCG, the most active investor and incubator in blockchain, digital assets, and other decentralized technologies. As CSO, Mr. Koster leads the investment team, managing the portfolio comprised of digital assets, wholly owned subsidiaries, and more than 250+ early-stage companies in over 35 nations across the world as of the date of this filing. Prior to his current role, Mr. Koster was the CEO of Real Estate at DCG, spearheading both internal and external real estate ventures. Previously, he served as CEO of The Collective and brings a decade of real estate experience from JDS Development Group, where he was instrumental in the acquisition and development of top-tier residential, hospitality, and mixed-use projects in New York City and Miami. He is a graduate of Rutgers University (B.S.) and holds a Master’s degree in Engineering from the University of Michigan. Mr. Koster has served on the board of directors of Foundry and Luno since 2023. He has served as a director of Fortitude since 2024 and as a director of Yuma since 2025.


Peter Mintzberg, 57, has been the Chief Executive Officer of the Sponsor and has served as a director of the Sponsor since August 2024. Mr. Mintzberg joins the Sponsor from Goldman Sachs, where he served as Global Head of Strategy for Asset and Wealth Management. Prior, he held several global leadership roles in Strategy, M&A, and Investor Relations at BlackRock, Apollo, OppenheimerFunds, and Invesco. With deep knowledge across a broad base of client types and asset classes, Mr. Mintzberg has over two decades of experience developing and executing strategy and innovating to drive growth. Mr. Mintzberg started his career working at McKinsey & Co. in New York, San Francisco, and São Paulo, focused on the financial services and technology sectors. Mr. Mintzberg was recognized as a Latino leader in Finance by The Alumni Society in 2018, and was selected as a David Rockefeller Fellow in the 2016-2017 Class by the Partnership for New York City. He earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering from the Universidade Federal Rio de Janeiro, and an MBA from Harvard University.

Edward McGee, 41, has been the Chief Financial Officer of the Sponsor since January 2022 and has served as a director of the Sponsor since January 2024. Before serving as CFO, Mr. McGee was Vice President, Finance and Controller of the Sponsor since June 2019. Prior to taking on his role at the Sponsor, Mr. McGee served as a Vice President, Accounting Policy at Goldman, Sachs & Co. providing coverage to their SEC Financial Reporting team facilitating the preparation and review of their financial statements and provided U.S. GAAP interpretation, application and policy development while servicing their Special Situations Group, Merchant Banking Division and Urban Investments Group from 2014 to 2019. From 2011 to 2014, Mr. McGee was an auditor at Ernst & Young providing assurance services to publicly listed companies. Mr. McGee earned his Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from the John H. Sykes College of Business at the University of Tampa and graduated with honors while earning his Master of Accountancy in Financial Accounting from the Rutgers Business School at the State University of New Jersey. Mr. McGee is a Certified Public Accountant licensed in the state of New York.


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General

The Sponsor has not established formal procedures to resolve all potential conflicts of interest. Consequently, shareholders may be dependent on the good faith of the respective parties subject to such conflicts to resolve them equitably. Although the Sponsor attempts to monitor these conflicts, it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, for the Sponsor to ensure that these conflicts do not, in fact, result in adverse consequences to the Trust.

The Sponsor presently intends to assert that shareholders have, by subscribing for Shares of the Trust, consented to the following conflicts of interest in the event of any proceeding alleging that such conflicts violated any duty owed by the Sponsor to investors.

Digital Currency Group, Inc.

Digital Currency Group, Inc. is (i) the sole equity holder and indirect parent company of the Sponsor and (ii) a minority interest holder in Kraken, one of the Digital Asset Trading Platforms included in the Index, representing less than 1.0% of its equity.

Digital Currency Group, Inc. has investments in a large number of digital assets and companies involved in the digital asset ecosystem, including trading platforms and custodians. Digital Currency Group, Inc.’s positions on changes that should be adopted in the Dogecoin Network could be adverse to positions that would benefit the Trust or its shareholders. Additionally, before or after a hard fork, Digital Currency Group, Inc.’s position regarding which fork among a group of incompatible forks of the Dogecoin Network should be considered the “true” DOGE, could be adverse to positions that would most benefit the Trust.

The Sponsor

The Sponsor has a conflict of interest in allocating its own limited resources among, when applicable, different clients and potential future business ventures, to each of which it owes fiduciary duties. Additionally, the professional staff of the Sponsor also services other affiliates of the Trust, including several other digital asset investment vehicles, and their respective clients. Although the Sponsor and its professional staff cannot and will not devote all of its or their respective time or resources to the management of the affairs of the Trust, the Sponsor intends to devote, and to cause its professional staff to devote, sufficient time and resources to manage properly the affairs of the Trust consistent with its or their respective fiduciary duties to the Trust and others.

The Sponsor and Grayscale Securities are affiliates of each other, and the Sponsor may engage other affiliated service providers in the future. Because of the Sponsor’s affiliated status, it may be disincentivized from replacing affiliated service providers. In connection with this conflict of interest, shareholders should understand that affiliated service providers will receive fees for providing services to the Trust. Clients of the affiliated service providers may pay commissions at negotiated rates which are greater or less than the rate paid by the Trust.

The Sponsor and any affiliated service provider may, from time to time, have conflicting demands in respect of their obligations to the Trust and, in the future, to other clients. It is possible that future business ventures of the Sponsor and affiliated service providers may generate larger fees, resulting in increased payments to employees, and therefore, incentivizing the Sponsor and/or the affiliated service providers to allocate its/their limited resources accordingly to the potential detriment of the Trust.

There is an absence of arm’s length negotiation with respect to some of the terms of the Trust, and, where applicable, there has been no independent due diligence conducted with respect to the Trust. The Sponsor will, however, not retain any affiliated service providers for the Trust which the Sponsor has reason to believe would knowingly or deliberately favor any other client over the Trust.

Authorized Participants

As of the date of this prospectus, the Sponsor, on behalf of the Trust, and the Transfer Agent entered into Participant Agreements with Jane Street Capital, LLC and Macquarie Capital (USA) Inc., pursuant to which such

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entities have agreed to act as Authorized Participants. The Sponsor may engage additional Authorized Participants who are unaffiliated with the Trust in the future.

Proprietary Trading/Other Clients

Because the officers of the Sponsor may trade DOGE for their own personal trading accounts (subject to certain internal trading policies and procedures) at the same time as they are managing the account of the Trust, the activities of the officers of the Sponsor, subject to their fiduciary duties, may, from time-to-time, result in their taking positions in their personal trading accounts which are opposite of the positions taken for the Trust. Records of the Sponsor’s officers’ personal trading accounts will not be available for inspection by shareholders.

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Description of the Shares

The Trust is authorized under the Trust Agreement to create and issue an unlimited number of Shares. Shares will be issued only in Baskets (a Basket equals a block of 10,000 Shares) in connection with creations. The Shares represent units of fractional undivided beneficial interest in and ownership of the Trust and have no par value. The Shares are expected to be listed on NYSE Arca under the ticker symbol “GDOG”.

Description of Limited Rights

The Shares do not represent a traditional investment and should not be viewed as similar to “shares” of a corporation operating a business enterprise with management and a board of directors. A shareholder will not have the statutory rights normally associated with the ownership of shares of a corporation. Each Share is transferable, is fully paid and non-assessable and entitles the holder to vote on the limited matters upon which shareholders may vote under the Trust Agreement. For example, shareholders do not have the right to elect or remove directors and will not receive dividends. The Shares do not entitle their holders to any conversion or pre-emptive rights or, except as discussed below, any redemption rights or rights to distributions.

Voting and Approvals

The shareholders take no part in the management or control of the Trust. Under the Trust Agreement, shareholders have limited voting rights. For example, in the event that the Sponsor withdraws, a majority of the shareholders may elect and appoint a successor sponsor to carry out the affairs of the Trust. In addition, no amendments to the Trust Agreement that materially adversely affect the interests of shareholders may be made without the vote of at least a majority (over 50%) of the then outstanding Shares (not including any Shares held by the Sponsor or its affiliates). A shareholder will be deemed to have consented to a modification or amendment of the Trust Agreement if the Sponsor has notified the shareholders in writing of the proposed modification or amendment and the shareholder has not, within 20 calendar days of such notice, notified the Sponsor in writing that the shareholder objects to such modification or amendment. Additionally, subject to certain limitations, the Sponsor may make any other amendments to the Trust Agreement which do not materially adversely affect the interests of the shareholders in its sole discretion without shareholder consent.

Distributions

Pursuant to the terms of the Trust Agreement, the Trust may make distributions on the Shares in-cash or in-kind. In addition, if the Trust is terminated and liquidated, the Sponsor will distribute to the shareholders any amounts of the cash proceeds of the liquidation remaining after the satisfaction of all outstanding liabilities of the Trust and the establishment of reserves for applicable taxes, other governmental charges and contingent or future liabilities as the Sponsor will determine. See “—Description of the Trust Agreement—Termination of the Trust.” Shareholders of record on the record date fixed by the Transfer Agent for a distribution will be entitled to receive their pro rata portions of any distribution.

Creation of Shares

The Trust creates Shares at such times and for such periods as determined by the Sponsor, but only in one or more whole Baskets. A Basket equals 10,000 Shares. See “Description of Creation and Redemption of Shares.” The creation of a Basket requires the delivery to the Trust of the amount of DOGE (or cash to acquire the amount of DOGE) represented by one Share immediately prior to such creation multiplied by 10,000. The Trust may from time to time halt creations, including for extended periods of time, for a variety of reasons, including in connection with forks, airdrops and other similar occurrences.

Redemption of Shares

Shares are redeemable only in accordance with the provisions of the Trust Agreement and the relevant Participant Agreement. Through its redemption program, the Trust redeems Shares from Authorized Participants on an ongoing basis. Although the Trust redeems Baskets by distributing DOGE or proceeds from the disposition of DOGE, at this time an Authorized Participant can only submit Cash Orders, pursuant to which an Authorized

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Participant will accept cash from the Cash Account in connection with the redemption of Baskets. Cash Orders will be facilitated by the Transfer Agent and Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC, which will engage one or more Liquidity Providers that is not an agent of, or otherwise acting on behalf of, any Authorized Participant receiving DOGE in connection with such orders. Subject to In-Kind Regulatory Approval, in the future the Trust may also redeem Baskets via In-Kind Orders, pursuant to which an Authorized Participant or its AP Designee would receive DOGE directly from the Trust. However, because In-Kind Regulatory Approval has not been obtained, at this time Baskets will not be redeemed through In-Kind Orders and will only be redeemed through Cash Orders. See “Description of Creation and Redemption of Shares.”

Book-Entry Form

Shares are held primarily in book-entry form by the Transfer Agent. The Sponsor or its delegate will direct the Transfer Agent to credit or debit, as applicable, the number of Baskets to the applicable Authorized Participant. The Transfer Agent will issue or cancel Baskets, as applicable. Transfers will be made in accordance with standard securities industry practice. The Sponsor may cause the Trust to issue Shares in certificated form in limited circumstances in its sole discretion.

Share Splits

In its discretion, the Sponsor may direct the Transfer Agent to declare a split or reverse split in the number of Shares outstanding and to make a corresponding change in the number of Shares constituting a Basket. For example, if the Sponsor believes that the per Share price in the secondary market for Shares has risen or fallen outside a desirable trading price range, it may declare such a split or reverse split.

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Description of Creation and Redemption of Shares

The following is a description of the material terms of the Trust Documents as they relate to the creation and redemption of the Trust’s Shares on an ongoing basis.

General

The Trust issues Shares to and redeems Shares from Authorized Participants on an ongoing basis, but only in one or more Baskets (with a Basket being a block of 10,000 Shares). The Trust will not issue fractions of a Basket. The Sponsor believes that the creation and redemption order size of 10,000 Shares will enable Authorized Participants to manage inventory and facilitate an effective arbitrage mechanism for the Trust. However, the Sponsor may in the future adjust the creation and redemption order size in order to improve the effectiveness of the activities of Authorized Participants in the secondary market for the Shares if the Sponsor determines it to be necessary or advisable. The Sponsor does not expect that the size of the Baskets will have an impact on the arbitrage mechanism.

The creation and redemption of Baskets will be made only upon the delivery to the Trust, or the distribution or other disposition by the Trust, of the number of whole and fractional DOGE represented by each Basket being created or redeemed, which is determined by dividing (x) the amount of DOGE owned by the Trust at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the trade date of a creation or redemption order, after deducting the amount of DOGE representing the U.S. dollar value of accrued but unpaid fees and expenses of the Trust (converted using the Index Price at such time, and carried to the eighth decimal place), by (y) the number of Shares outstanding at such time (with the quotient so obtained calculated to one one-hundred-millionth of one DOGE (i.e., carried to the eighth decimal place)), and multiplying such quotient by 10,000 (the “Basket Amount”). The U.S. dollar value of a Basket is calculated by multiplying the Basket Amount by the Index Price as of the trade date (the “Basket NAV”). The Basket NAV multiplied by the number of Baskets being created or redeemed is referred to as the “Total Basket NAV.” All questions as to the calculation of the Basket Amount will be conclusively determined by the Sponsor and will be final and binding on all persons interested in the Trust. One or more major market data vendors may provide an intra-day indicative value (“IIV”) per Share updated every 15 seconds, as calculated by NYSE Arca or a third-party financial data provider during NYSE Arca’s Core Trading Session (9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., New York time). Such IIV will be calculated using the same methodology as the NAV per Share of the Trust, specifically by using the prior day’s closing NAV per Share as a base and updating that value during the NYSE Arca Core Trading Session to reflect changes in the value of the Trust’s NAV during the trading day. The IIV on a per Share basis disseminated during the Core Trading Session should not be viewed as a real-time update of the NAV, which is calculated once a day. The amount of DOGE represented by a Share will gradually decrease over time as the Trust’s DOGE are used to pay the Trust’s expenses.

Authorized Participants are the only persons that may place orders to create and redeem Baskets. Each Authorized Participant must (i) be a registered broker-dealer and (ii) enter into a Participant Agreement with the Sponsor and the Transfer Agent. Subject to In-Kind Regulatory Approval, in the future any Authorized Participants creating and redeeming Shares through In-Kind Orders must also own an DOGE wallet address that is known to the Custodian as belonging to an Authorized Participant and maintain an account with the Custodian (or if the Authorized Participant does not itself trade in DOGE, a designee of such Authorized Participant (each, an “AP Designee”) must own an DOGE wallet address that is known to the Custodian as belonging to such AP Designee and maintain an account with the Custodian).

An Authorized Participant may act for its own account or as agent for broker-dealers, custodians and other securities market participants that wish to create or redeem Baskets. Shareholders who are not Authorized Participants will only be able to create or redeem their Shares through an Authorized Participant.

The creation of Baskets requires the delivery to the Trust of the Total Basket Amount (or cash to acquire the Total Basket Amount) and the redemption of Baskets requires the distribution or other disposition by the Trust of the Total Basket Amount. Although the Trust creates Baskets only upon the receipt of DOGE, and redeems Baskets only by distributing DOGE or proceeds from the disposition of DOGE, at this time an Authorized Participant can only submit Cash Orders, pursuant to which the Authorized Participant will deposit cash into, or accept cash from, a

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segregated account maintained by the Transfer Agent in the name of the Trust for purposes of receiving and distributing cash in connection with the creation and redemption of Baskets (such account, the “Cash Account”).

Cash Orders will be facilitated by the Transfer Agent and Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC. On an order-by-order basis, Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC, acting in its capacity as Liquidity Engager, will engage one or more Liquidity Providers to obtain or receive DOGE in exchange for cash in connection with such order, as described in more detail below. Each Liquidity Provider must enter into a Liquidity Provider Agreement with the Liquidity Engager and the Sponsor (on behalf of the Trust), which will obligate it to obtain or receive DOGE in connection with creations and redemptions pursuant to Cash Orders.

Unless the Sponsor requires that a Cash Order be effected at actual execution prices (an “Actual Execution Cash Order”), each Authorized Participant that submits a Cash Order to create or redeem Baskets will pay a fee (the “Variable Fee”) based on the Total Basket NAV (a “Variable Fee Cash Order”), and any price differential between (x) the Total Basket NAV on the trade date and (y) the price realized in acquiring or disposing of the corresponding Total Basket Amount, as the case may be, will be borne solely by the Liquidity Provider until such DOGE have been received or liquidated by the Trust. The Variable Fee is intended to cover all of a Liquidity Provider’s expenses in connection with the creation or redemption order, including any exchange fees that the Liquidity Provider incurs in connection with buying or selling DOGE. The amount may be changed by the Sponsor in its sole discretion at any time, and Liquidity Providers will communicate to the Sponsor in advance the Variable Fee they would be willing to accept in connection with a Variable Fee Cash Order, based on market conditions and other factors existing at the time of such Variable Fee Cash Order. See “—Creation Procedures— Variable Fee Cash Orders” and “—Redemption Procedures—Variable Fee Cash Orders.”

Alternatively, the Sponsor may require that a Cash Order be effected as an Actual Execution Cash Order, in its sole discretion based on market conditions and other factors existing at the time of such Cash Order, and under such circumstances, any price differential between (x) the Total Basket NAV on the trade date and (y) the price realized in acquiring or disposing of the corresponding Total Basket Amount, as the case may be, will be borne solely by such Authorized Participant until such DOGE have been received or liquidated by the Trust. See “— Creation Procedures—Actual Execution Cash Orders” and “—Redemption Procedures—Actual Execution Cash Orders.”

In the case of creations pursuant to Cash Orders, to transfer the Total Basket Amount to the Trust’s Vault Balance, the Liquidity Provider will transfer DOGE to one of the public key addresses associated with the Vault Balance and as provided by the Sponsor. In the case of redemptions pursuant to Cash Orders, the same procedure is conducted, but in reverse, using the public key addresses associated with the wallet of the Liquidity Provider, and as provided by such party. All such transactions will be conducted on the Blockchain and parties acknowledge and agree that such transfers may be irreversible if done incorrectly. See “Risk Factors—Risk Factors Related to the Trust and the Shares—DOGE transactions are irrevocable and stolen or incorrectly transferred DOGE may be irretrievable. As a result, any incorrectly executed DOGE transactions could adversely affect the value of the Shares.”

The Trust is not at this time able to create and redeem shares via in-kind transactions with Authorized Participants. Subject to In-Kind Regulatory Approval, in the future the Trust may also create and redeem Baskets via In-Kind Orders, pursuant to which an Authorized Participant or its AP Designee would deposit DOGE directly with the Trust or receive DOGE directly from the Trust. However, because In-Kind Regulatory Approval has not been obtained, at this time Baskets will not be created or redeemed through In-Kind Orders and will only be created or redeemed through Cash Orders. There can be no assurance as to when NYSE Arca will seek or obtain such regulatory approval, if at all. See “Risk Factors—Risk Factors Related to the Trust and the Shares—The lack of ability to facilitate in-kind creations and redemptions of Shares could have adverse consequences for the Trust.”

Authorized Participants do not pay a transaction fee to the Trust in connection with the creation or redemption of Baskets, but there may be transaction fees associated with the validation of the transfer of DOGE by the Dogecoin Network, which will be paid by the Custodian in the case of redemptions and an Authorized Participant, its AP Designee or the Liquidity Provider in the case of creations. Service providers may charge Authorized Participants or AP Designees administrative fees for order placement and other services related to the creation of Baskets. As discussed above, Authorized Participants will also pay the Variable Fee in connection with Variable Fee Cash Orders. As discussed in further detail below under “—Creation Procedures—Actual Execution Cash Orders” and “—Redemption Procedures—Actual Execution Cash Orders”, under certain circumstances Authorized

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Participants may also be required to deposit additional cash in the Cash Account, or be entitled to receive excess cash from the Cash Account, in connection with creations and redemptions pursuant to Actual Execution Cash Orders. Authorized Participants will receive no fees, commissions or other form of compensation or inducement of any kind from either the Sponsor or the Trust and no such person has any obligation or responsibility to the Sponsor or the Trust to effect any sale or resale of Shares.

The Participant Agreements and the related procedures attached thereto may be amended by the Sponsor and the relevant Authorized Participant. Under the Participant Agreements, the Sponsor has agreed to indemnify each Authorized Participant against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.

The following description of the procedures for the creation and redemption of Baskets is only a summary and shareholders should refer to the relevant provisions of the Trust Agreement and the form of Participant Agreement for more detail.

Creation Procedures

On any business day, an Authorized Participant may place an order with the Transfer Agent to create one or more Baskets. Cash Orders for creation must be placed with the Transfer Agent no later than 1:59:59 p.m., New York time (the “Order Cutoff Time”).

The Sponsor may in its sole discretion limit the number of Shares created pursuant to Cash Orders on any specified day without notice to the Authorized Participants and may direct the Marketing Agent to reject any Cash Orders in excess of such capped amount. In exercising its discretion to limit the number of Shares created pursuant to Cash Orders, the Sponsor expects to take into consideration a number of factors, including (i) the availability of Liquidity Providers to facilitate Cash Orders and (ii) to the extent In-Kind Regulatory Approval has been obtained, the cost of processing Cash Orders relative to the cost of processing In-Kind Orders. If the Sponsor decides to limit Cash Orders and the Trust is otherwise unable to satisfy creation orders made in cash, the Trust’s ability to create new Shares could be negatively impacted or, if In-Kind Regulatory Approval has not been obtained as of such time, would be unavailable, which could impact the Shares’ liquidity and/or cause the Shares to trade at premiums to the NAV per Share, and otherwise have a negative impact on the value of the Shares. In addition, if the Sponsor decides to limit Cash Orders at a time when the Shares are trading at a premium to the NAV per Share, and In-Kind Regulatory Approval has not been obtained as of such time or the in-kind creation is otherwise unavailable for any reason, the arbitrage mechanism may fail to effectively function, which could impact the Shares’ liquidity and/or cause the Shares to trade at premiums to the NAV per Share, and otherwise have a negative impact on the value of the Shares. See “Risk Factors—Risk Factors Related to the Trust and the Shares—The lack of ability to facilitate in-kind creations and redemptions of Shares could have adverse consequences for the Trust.”

Creations pursuant to Cash Orders will take place as follows, where “T” is the trade date and each day in the sequence must be a business day. Before a creation order is placed, the Sponsor determines if such creation order will be a Variable Fee Cash Order or an Actual Execution Cash Order, which determination is communicated to an Authorized Participant.

 

Trade Date (T)

Settlement Date
(T+1, or T+2, as established at the time of order placement)

•
The Authorized Participant places a creation order with the Transfer Agent.
•
The Marketing Agent accepts (or rejects) the creation order, which is communicated to the Authorized Participant by the Transfer Agent.
•
The Sponsor notifies the Liquidity Provider of the creation order.
•
The Authorized Participant delivers to the Cash Account:

(x) in the case of a Variable Fee Cash Order, the Total Basket NAV, plus any Variable Fee; or

(y) in the case of an Actual Execution Cash Order, the Total Basket NAV, plus any Additional Creation Cash, less any Excess Creation Cash, if applicable (such amount, as applicable, the “Required Creation Cash”).

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•
The Sponsor determines the Total Basket NAV and any Variable Fee and Additional Creation Cash as soon as practicable after 4:00 p.m., New York time.
•
The Liquidity Provider transfers the Total Basket Amount to the Trust’s Vault Balance.
•
Once the Trust is in simultaneous possession of (x) the Total Basket Amount and (y) the Required Creation Cash, the Trust issues the aggregate number of Shares corresponding to the Baskets ordered by the Authorized Participant, which the Transfer Agent holds for the benefit of the Authorized Participant.
•
Cash equal to the Required Creation Cash is delivered to the Liquidity Provider from the Cash Account.
•
The Transfer Agent delivers Shares to the Authorized Participant by crediting the number of Baskets created to the Authorized Participant’s DTC account.

 

Variable Fee Cash Orders

Unless the Sponsor determines otherwise in its sole discretion based on market conditions and other factors existing at the time of such Cash Order, all creations pursuant to Cash Orders are expected to be executed as Variable Fee Cash Orders, and any price differential between (x) the Total Basket NAV on the trade date and (y) the price realized in acquiring the corresponding Total Basket Amount will be borne solely by the Liquidity Provider until such DOGE have been received by the Trust.

The Sponsor anticipates that the Trust’s cost to acquire the Total Basket Amount in connection with a Variable Fee Cash Order will equal the sum of the corresponding Total Basket NAV and Variable Fee to be delivered by the Authorized Participant to the Trust. In the event that, by 12:00 p.m., New York time on the settlement date of a creation pursuant to a Variable Fee Cash Order, either (x) the Trust’s Vault Balance has not been credited with DOGE in an amount equal to the Total Basket Amount or (y) the Cash Account has not been credited with the Total Basket NAV, plus any Variable Fee, such Cash Order will be deemed a failed trade, with any consideration that has been delivered by the Authorized Participant or the Liquidity Provider in respect of such Cash Order being returned by the Trust.

The Transfer Agent shall under no circumstances cause the Trust to issue Shares in respect of a Variable Fee Cash Order until such time as each of (x) the Total Basket Amount and (y) the Total Basket NAV, plus any Variable Fee, has been delivered to the Trust, and the Trust is in simultaneous possession of both.

Actual Execution Cash Orders

With respect to a creation pursuant to an Actual Execution Cash Order, as between the Trust and an Authorized Participant, the Authorized Participant is responsible for the dollar cost of the difference between the DOGE price utilized in calculating Total Basket NAV on the trade date and the price at which the Trust acquires the DOGE on the settlement date. If the price realized in acquiring the corresponding Total Basket Amount is higher than the Total Basket NAV, the Authorized Participant will bear the dollar cost of such difference by delivering cash in the amount of such difference (the “Additional Creation Cash”) to the Cash Account. If the price realized in acquiring the corresponding Total Basket Amount is lower than the Total Basket NAV, the Authorized Participant will benefit from such difference, with the Trust promptly returning cash in the amount of such excess (the “Excess Creation Cash”) to the Authorized Participant.

In the event that, by 12:00 p.m., New York time on the settlement date of a creation pursuant to an Actual Execution Cash Order, either (x) the Trust’s Vault Balance has not been credited with DOGE in an amount equal to the Total Basket Amount or (y) the Cash Account has not been credited with the Total Basket NAV (net of any

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Additional Creation Cash or Excess Creation Cash, if applicable), such Cash Order will be deemed a failed trade, with any consideration that has been delivered by the Authorized Participant or the Liquidity Provider in respect of such Cash Order being returned by the Trust.

The Transfer Agent shall under no circumstances cause the Trust to issue Shares in respect of a Cash Order until such time as each of (x) the Total Basket Amount and (y) the Total Basket NAV (net of any Additional Creation Cash or Excess Creation Cash, if applicable) has been delivered to the Trust, and the Trust is in simultaneous possession of both.

Redemption Procedures

The procedures by which an Authorized Participant can redeem one or more Baskets mirror the procedures for the creation of Baskets. On any business day, an Authorized Participant may place a redemption order specifying the number of Baskets to be redeemed.

The redemption of Shares pursuant to Cash Orders will only take place if approved by the Sponsor in writing, in its sole discretion and on a case-by-case basis. In exercising its discretion to approve the redemption of Shares pursuant to Cash Orders, the Sponsor expects to take into consideration a number of factors, including (i) the availability of Liquidity Providers to facilitate Cash Orders and (ii) to the extent In-Kind Regulatory Approval has been obtained, the cost of processing Cash Orders relative to the cost of processing In-Kind Orders. If the Sponsor decides to limit Cash Orders and the Trust is unable to satisfy redemption orders made in cash, the Trust’s ability to redeem new Shares could be negatively impacted or, if In-Kind Regulatory Approval has not been obtained as of such time, would be unavailable, which could impact the Shares’ liquidity and/or cause the Shares to trade at discounts, and could have a negative impact on the value of the Shares. In addition, if the Sponsor decides to limit Cash Orders at a time when the Shares are trading at a discount to the NAV per Share, and In-Kind Regulatory Approval has not been obtained as of such time or the in-kind redemption of Shares is otherwise unavailable, the arbitrage mechanism may fail to effectively function, which could impact the Shares’ liquidity and/or cause the Shares to trade at discounts to the NAV per Share, and otherwise have a negative impact on the value of the Shares. See “Risk Factors—Risk Factors Related to the Trust and the Shares—The lack of ability to facilitate in-kind creations and redemptions of Shares could have adverse consequences for the Trust.”

Cash Orders for redemption must be placed no later than 1:59:59 p.m., New York time on each business day. The Authorized Participants may only redeem Baskets and cannot redeem any Shares in an amount less than a Basket.

Redemptions pursuant to Cash Orders will take place as follows, where “T” is the trade date and each day in the sequence must be a business day. Before a redemption order is placed, the Sponsor determines if such redemption order will be a Variable Fee Cash Order or an Actual Execution Cash Order, which determination is communicated to the Authorized Participant.

 

Trade Date (T)

Settlement Date
(T+1, or T+2, as established at the time of order placement)

•
The Authorized Participant places a redemption order with the Transfer Agent.
•
The Marketing Agent accepts (or rejects) the redemption order, which is communicated to the Authorized Participant by the Transfer Agent.
•
The Sponsor notifies the Liquidity Provider of the redemption order.
•
The Sponsor determines the Total Basket NAV and, in the case of a Variable Fee Cash Order, any
•
The Authorized Participant delivers Baskets to be redeemed from its DTC account to the Transfer Agent.
•
The Liquidity Provider delivers to the Cash Account:

(x) in the case of a Variable Fee Cash Order, the Total Basket NAV less any Variable Fee; or

(y) in the case of an Actual Execution Cash Order, the actual proceeds to the Trust from the liquidation of the Total Basket Amount (such

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Variable Fee, as soon as practicable after 4:00 p.m., New York time.

amount, as applicable, the “Required Redemption Cash”).

•
Once the Trust is in simultaneous possession of (x) the Total Basket Amount and (y) the Required Redemption Cash, the Transfer Agent cancels the Shares comprising the number of Baskets redeemed by the Authorized Participant.
•
The Custodian sends the Liquidity Provider the Total Basket Amount, and cash equal to the Required Redemption Cash is delivered to the Authorized Participant from the Cash Account.

 

Variable Fee Cash Orders

Unless the Sponsor determines otherwise in its sole discretion based on market conditions and other factors existing at the time of such Cash Order, all redemptions pursuant to Cash Orders are expected to be executed as Variable Fee Cash Orders, and any price differential between (x) the Total Basket NAV on the trade date and (y) the price realized in disposing of the corresponding Total Basket Amount will be borne solely by the Liquidity Provider.

The Sponsor anticipates that the Trust’s proceeds from liquidating the Total Basket Amount in connection with a Variable Fee Cash Order will equal the corresponding Total Basket NAV less the Variable Fee to be delivered by the Liquidity Provider to the Trust. In the event that, by 12:00 p.m. (New York time) on the settlement date of a redemption pursuant to a Variable Fee Cash Order, either (x) the Transfer Agent’s account at DTC has not been credited with the total number of Shares corresponding to the total number of Baskets to be redeemed or (y) the Cash Account has not been credited with the Total Basket NAV, less any Variable Fee, such Cash Order will be deemed a failed trade, with any consideration that has been delivered by the Authorized Participant or the Liquidity Provider in respect of such Cash Order being returned by the Trust.

The Transfer Agent shall under no circumstances deliver the Required Redemption Cash to the Authorized Participant in respect of a Variable Fee Cash Order until such time as (x) the Baskets to be redeemed have been delivered to the Transfer Agent and (y) the Total Basket NAV, less any Variable Fee, has been delivered to the Cash Account, and the Trust and/or the Transfer Agent is in simultaneous possession of both.

Actual Execution Cash Orders

With respect to a redemption pursuant to an Actual Execution Cash Order, as between the Trust and an Authorized Participant, the Authorized Participant is responsible for the dollar cost of the difference between the DOGE price utilized in calculating Total Basket NAV on the trade date and the price at which the Trust disposes of the DOGE on the settlement date. If the price realized in disposing the corresponding Total Basket Amount on the settlement date is lower than the Total Basket NAV on the trade date, the Authorized Participant will bear the dollar cost of such difference (the “Redemption Cash Shortfall”), with the amount of cash to be delivered to the Authorized Participant being reduced by the amount of such Redemption Cash Shortfall. If the price realized in disposing the corresponding Total Basket Amount on the settlement date is higher than the Total Basket NAV on the trade date, the Trust will deliver cash in the amount of such excess (the “Additional Redemption Cash”) to the Authorized Participant.

In the event that, by 12:00 p.m. (New York time) on the settlement date of a redemption pursuant to an Actual Execution Cash Order, either (x) the Transfer Agent’s account at DTC has not been credited with the total number of Shares corresponding to the total number of Baskets to be redeemed or (y) the Cash Account has not been credited with the Total Basket NAV (plus any Additional Redemption Cash or net of any Redemption Cash Shortfall), such Cash Order will be deemed a failed trade, with any consideration that has been delivered by the Authorized Participant or the Liquidity Provider in respect of such Cash Order being returned by the Trust.

The Transfer Agent shall under no circumstances deliver the Required Redemption Cash to the Authorized Participant in respect of a Cash Order until such time as (x) the Total Basket Amount has been delivered to the

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Transfer Agent and (y) the Total Basket NAV (plus any Additional Redemption Cash or net of any Redemption Cash Shortfall, if applicable) has been delivered to the Trust, and the Trust and/or the Transfer Agent is in simultaneous possession of both.

Suspension or Rejection of Orders and Total Basket Amount

The creation or redemption of Shares may be suspended generally, or refused with respect to particular requested creations or redemptions, during any period when the transfer books of the Transfer Agent are closed or if circumstances outside the control of the Sponsor or its delegates make it for all practical purposes not feasible to process creation orders or redemption orders or for any other reason at any time or from time to time. The Marketing Agent may reject an order or, after accepting an order, may cancel such order, if: (i) such order is not presented in proper form as described in the Participant Agreement, (ii) to the extent In-Kind Regulatory Approval has been obtained, in the case of In-Kind Orders, the transfer of the Total Basket Amount comes from an account other than an DOGE wallet address that is known to the Custodian as belonging to the Authorized Participant or its AP Designee or (iii) the fulfillment of the order, in the opinion of counsel, might be unlawful, among other reasons. None of the Sponsor or its delegates will be liable for the suspension, rejection or acceptance of any creation order or redemption order.

The Sponsor will notify investors of any suspension of creations or redemptions of Shares by filing a current report on Form 8-K. Suspension of the creation or redemption of Shares could negatively impact the Shares’ liquidity and/or cause the Shares to trade at premiums and discounts, and otherwise have a negative impact on the value of the Shares.

Tax Responsibility

Authorized Participants are responsible for any transfer tax, sales or use tax, stamp tax, recording tax, value-added tax or similar tax or governmental charge applicable to the creation and redemption of Baskets, regardless of whether such tax or charge is imposed directly on the Authorized Participants, and agree to indemnify the Sponsor and the Trust if the Sponsor or the Trust is required by law to pay any such tax, together with any applicable penalties, additions to tax or interest thereon.

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Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences

The following discussion addresses the material U.S. federal income tax consequences of the ownership of Shares. Subject to the limitations and qualifications, and based on the assumptions described herein and in the opinion letter filed as Exhibit 8.1 to this registration statement, the statements of law and legal conclusions set forth in the following discussion constitute the opinion of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP (“Davis Polk”) as to the material U.S. federal income tax consequences of the ownership and disposition of Shares that generally may apply to a “U.S. Holder” or a “non-U.S. Holder” (in each case, as defined below). This discussion does not describe all of the tax consequences that may be relevant to a beneficial owner of Shares in light of the beneficial owner’s particular circumstances, including tax consequences applicable to beneficial owners subject to special rules, such as:

•
financial institutions;
•
dealers in securities or commodities;
•
traders in securities or commodities that have elected to apply a mark-to-market method of tax accounting in respect thereof;
•
persons holding Shares as part of a hedge, “straddle,” integrated transaction or similar transaction;
•
Authorized Participants (as defined below);
•
U.S. Holders (as defined below) whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar;
•
entities or arrangements classified as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes;
•
real estate investment trusts;
•
regulated investment companies; and
•
tax-exempt entities, including individual retirement accounts.

This discussion applies only to Shares that are held as capital assets and does not address alternative minimum tax consequences or consequences of the Medicare contribution tax on net investment income.

If an entity or arrangement that is classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds Shares, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a partner will generally depend on the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. Partnerships holding Shares and partners in those partnerships are urged to consult their tax advisers about the particular U.S. federal income tax consequences of owning Shares.

This discussion is based on the Code, administrative pronouncements, judicial decisions and final, temporary and proposed Treasury regulations as of the date hereof, changes to any of which subsequent to the date hereof may affect the tax consequences described herein. For the avoidance of doubt, this summary does not discuss any tax consequences arising under the laws of any state, local or foreign taxing jurisdiction.

Shareholders are urged to consult their tax advisers about the application of the U.S. federal income tax laws to their particular situations, as well as any tax consequences arising under the laws of any state, local or foreign taxing jurisdiction.

Tax Treatment of the Trust

The Sponsor intends to take the position that the Trust is properly treated as a grantor trust for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Assuming that the Trust is a grantor trust, the Trust will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax. Rather, if the Trust is a grantor trust, each beneficial owner of Shares will be treated as directly owning its pro rata share of the Trust’s assets and a pro rata portion of the Trust’s income, gains, losses and deductions will “flow through” to each beneficial owner of Shares.

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Although not free from doubt due to the lack of authority directly addressing certain aspects of the Trust’s affairs, in the opinion of Davis Polk the Trust should be classified as a “grantor trust” for U.S. federal income tax purposes. However, there can be no complete assurance that the Trust will be treated as a grantor trust for those purposes. An opinion of counsel is not binding on the IRS or any court, and there are significant uncertainties regarding the application of existing authorities to certain aspects of DOGE and the Trust.

In particular, the Trust expects to take certain positions with respect to the tax consequences of Incidental Rights and its receipt of IR Virtual Currency. If the IRS were to disagree with, and successfully challenge, any of these positions, the Trust might not qualify as a grantor trust. The Pre-Creation/Redemption Abandonment Notices provide that the Trust is abandoning irrevocably, for no direct or indirect consideration, effective immediately prior to each Creation Time and Redemption Time, all Incidental Rights or IR Virtual Currency to which it would otherwise be entitled as of such time and with respect to which it has not taken any Affirmative Action at or prior to such time. Prospectively, the Sponsor has committed to causing the Trust to irrevocably abandon all Incidental Rights and IR Virtual Currency to which the Trust might otherwise become entitled. There can be no complete assurance that these abandonments will be treated as effective for U.S. federal income tax purposes. If the Trust were treated as owning any asset other than DOGE as of any date on which it creates or redeems Shares, it might cease to qualify as a grantor trust for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

In addition, at this time the Trust is not permitted to create or redeem Shares via in-kind transactions with Authorized Participants. Unless and until In-Kind Regulatory Approval is obtained, Baskets will be created or redeemed only through Cash Orders. In general, investment vehicles intended to be treated as grantor trusts for U.S. federal income tax purposes historically have created additional trust interests only in kind, and there is no authority directly addressing whether a grantor trust may create or redeem trust interests under procedures similar to those that govern Cash Orders. Accordingly, there can be no complete assurance that the creation or redemption of Shares under the procedures governing Cash Orders will not cause the Trust to fail to qualify as a grantor trust for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

Moreover, because of the evolving nature of digital assets, it is not possible to predict potential future developments that may arise with respect to digital assets, including forks, airdrops and other similar occurrences. Assuming that the Trust is currently a grantor trust for U.S. federal income tax purposes, certain future developments could render it impossible, or impracticable, for the Trust to continue to be treated as a grantor trust for such purposes.

If the Trust is not properly classified as a grantor trust, the Trust might be classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. However, due to the uncertain treatment of digital assets for U.S. federal income tax purposes, there can be no assurance in this regard. If the Trust were classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the tax consequences of owning Shares generally would not be materially different from the tax consequences described herein, although there might be certain differences, including with respect to timing of the recognition of taxable income or loss. In addition, tax information reports provided to beneficial owners of Shares would be made in a different form. If the Trust were not classified as either a grantor trust or a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, it would be classified as a corporation for such purposes. In that event, the Trust would be subject to entity-level U.S. federal income tax (currently at the rate of 21%) on its net taxable income and certain distributions made by the Trust to shareholders would be treated as taxable dividends to the extent of the Trust’s current and accumulated earnings and profits. Any such dividend distributed to a beneficial owner of Shares that is a non-U.S. person for U.S. federal income tax purposes would be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax at a rate of 30% (or such lower rate as provided in an applicable tax treaty).

The remainder of this discussion is based on the assumption that the Trust will be treated as a grantor trust for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

Uncertainty Regarding the U.S. Federal Income Tax Treatment of Digital Assets

Each beneficial owner of Shares will be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as the owner of an undivided interest in the DOGE (and any Incidental Rights and/or IR Virtual Currency) held in the Trust. Due to the new and evolving nature of digital assets and the absence of comprehensive guidance with respect to digital assets, many significant aspects of the U.S. federal income tax treatment of digital assets are uncertain.

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In 2014, the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) released a notice (the “Notice”) discussing certain aspects of the treatment of “convertible virtual currency” (that is, digital assets that have an equivalent value in fiat currency or that acts as substitutes for fiat currency) for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In the Notice, the IRS stated that, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, such digital assets (i) are “property,” (ii) are not “currency” for purposes of the provisions of the Code relating to foreign currency gain or loss and (iii) may be held as a capital asset. In 2019, the IRS released a revenue ruling and a set of “Frequently Asked Questions” (the “Ruling & FAQs”) that provide some additional guidance, including guidance to the effect that, under certain circumstances, hard forks of digital assets are taxable events giving rise to ordinary income and guidance with respect to the determination of the tax basis of digital assets. However, the Notice and the Ruling & FAQs do not address other significant aspects of the U.S. federal income tax treatment of digital assets. Moreover, although the Ruling & FAQs address the treatment of hard forks, there continues to be significant uncertainty with respect to the timing and amount of the income inclusions. While the Ruling & FAQs do not address most situations in which airdrops occur, it is clear from the reasoning of the Ruling & FAQs that the IRS generally would treat an airdrop as a taxable event giving rise to ordinary income.

There can be no assurance that the IRS will not alter its position with respect to digital assets in the future or that a court would uphold the treatment set forth in the Notice and the Ruling & FAQs. It is also unclear what additional guidance on the treatment of digital assets for U.S. federal income tax purposes may be issued in the future. Any such alteration of the current IRS positions or additional guidance could result in adverse tax consequences for shareholders and could have an adverse effect on the prices of digital assets, including the price of DOGE in the Digital Asset Market, and therefore could have an adverse effect on the value of Shares. Future developments that may arise with respect to digital assets may increase the uncertainty with respect to the treatment of digital assets for U.S. federal income tax purposes. For example, the Notice addresses only digital assets that are “convertible virtual currency,” and it is conceivable that, as a result of a fork, airdrop or similar occurrence, a Trust could hold certain types of digital assets that are not within the scope of the Notice, in the event the Sponsor seeks to change the Trust’s policy with respect to Incidental Rights or IR Virtual Currency, subject to NYSE Arca obtaining regulatory approval from the SEC.

The remainder of this discussion assumes that DOGE, and any Incidental Rights or IR Virtual Currency that the Trust may hold, is properly treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as property that may be held as a capital asset and that is not currency for purposes of the provisions of the Code relating to foreign currency gain and loss.

Shareholders are urged to consult their tax advisers regarding the tax consequences of an investment in the Trust and in digital assets in general, including, in the case of shareholders that are generally exempt from U.S. federal income taxation, whether such shareholders may recognize “unrelated business taxable income” (“UBTI”) as a consequence of a fork, airdrop or similar occurrence.

Tax Consequences to U.S. Holders

As used herein, the term “U.S. Holder” means a beneficial owner of a Share for U.S. federal income tax purposes that is:

•
an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States for U.S. federal income tax purposes;
•
a corporation, or other entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, created or organized in or under the laws of the United States or of any political subdivision thereof; or
•
an estate or trust the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source.

Except as specifically noted, the discussion below assumes that each U.S. Holder will acquire all of its Shares on the same date for the same price per Share and solely for cash (or, if In-Kind Regulatory Approval is obtained in the future, solely for DOGE that were originally acquired by the U.S. Holder for cash on the same date).

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As discussed in the section entitled “Creation and Redemption of Shares,” if In-Kind Regulatory Approval is obtained in the future, a U.S. Holder may be able to acquire Shares of the Trust by contributing DOGE in kind to the Trust (either directly or through an Authorized Participant acting as agent of the U.S. Holder). Assuming that the Trust is properly treated as a grantor trust for U.S. federal income tax purposes, such a contribution should not be a taxable event to the U.S. Holder.

For U.S. federal income tax purposes, each U.S. Holder will be treated as owning an undivided interest in the DOGE held in the Trust and will be treated as directly realizing its pro rata share of the Trust’s income, gains, losses and deductions. When a U.S. Holder purchases Shares solely for cash, (i) the U.S. Holder’s initial tax basis in its pro rata share of the DOGE held in the Trust will be equal to the amount paid for the Shares and (ii) the U.S. Holder’s holding period for its pro rata share of such DOGE will begin on the date of such purchase. If, in the future, In-Kind Regulatory Approval is obtained and a U.S. Holder acquires Shares in exchange for DOGE, (i) the U.S. Holder’s initial tax basis in its pro rata share of the DOGE held in the Trust would be equal to the U.S. Holder’s tax basis in the DOGE that the U.S. Holder transferred to the Trust and (ii) the U.S. Holder’s holding period for its pro rata share of such DOGE generally would include the period during which the U.S. Holder held the DOGE that the U.S. Holder transferred to the Trust. The Ruling & FAQs confirm that if a taxpayer acquires tokens of a digital asset at different times and for different prices, the taxpayer has a separate tax basis in each lot of such tokens. Under the Ruling & FAQs, if, in the future, In-Kind Regulatory Approval is obtained and a U.S. Holder that owns more than one lot of DOGE contributes a portion of its DOGE to the Trust in exchange for Shares, the U.S. Holder could designate the lot(s) from which such contribution will be made, provided that the U.S. Holder is able to identify specifically which DOGE it is contributing and to substantiate its tax basis in that DOGE. In general, if a U.S. Holder acquires Shares (i) solely for cash at different prices or (ii) if In-Kind Regulatory Approval is obtained, (a) partly for cash and partly in exchange for a contribution of DOGE or (b) in exchange for a contribution of DOGE with different tax bases, the U.S. Holder’s share of the Trust’s DOGE will consist of separate lots with separate tax bases. In addition, in this situation, the U.S. Holder’s holding period for the separate lots may be different.

Gains or losses from the sale of DOGE to fund cash redemptions are expected to be treated as incurred only by the shareholder that is being redeemed. However, when the Trust transfers DOGE to the Sponsor as payment of the Sponsor’s Fee, or sells DOGE to fund payment of any Additional Trust Expenses, each U.S. Holder will be treated as having sold its pro rata share of that DOGE for their fair market value at that time (which, in the case of DOGE sold by the Trust, generally will be equal to the cash proceeds received by the Trust in respect thereof). As a result, each U.S. Holder will recognize gain or loss in an amount equal to the difference between (i) the fair market value of the U.S. Holder’s pro rata share of the DOGE transferred and (ii) the U.S. Holder’s tax basis for its pro rata share of the DOGE transferred. Any such gain or loss will be short-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. Holder’s holding period for its pro rata share of the DOGE is one year or less and long-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. Holder’s holding period for its pro rata share of the DOGE is more than one year. A U.S. Holder’s tax basis in its pro rata share of any DOGE transferred by the Trust generally will be determined by multiplying the tax basis of the U.S. Holder’s pro rata share of all of the DOGE held in the Trust immediately prior to the transfer by a fraction the numerator of which is the amount of DOGE transferred and the denominator of which is the total amount of DOGE held in the Trust immediately prior to the transfer. Immediately after the transfer, the U.S. Holder’s tax basis in its pro rata share of the DOGE remaining in the Trust will be equal to the tax basis of its pro rata share of the DOGE held in the Trust immediately prior to the transfer, less the portion of that tax basis allocable to its pro rata share of the DOGE transferred.

As noted above, the IRS has taken the position in the Ruling & FAQs that, under certain circumstances, a hard fork of a digital asset constitutes a taxable event giving rise to ordinary income, and it is clear from the reasoning of the Ruling & FAQs that the IRS generally would treat an airdrop as a taxable event giving rise to ordinary income. As described above, the Sponsor has committed to causing the Trust to abandon all Incidental Rights and IR Virtual Currency to which the Trust otherwise might become entitled. If, however, the Trust were to receive and retain IR Virtual Currency in the future, a U.S. Holder would have a basis in that IR Virtual Currency equal to the amount of income the U.S. Holder recognizes as a result of such fork or airdrop and the U.S. Holder’s holding period for such IR Virtual Currency would begin as of the time it recognizes such income.

U.S. Holders’ pro rata shares of the expenses incurred by the Trust will be treated as “miscellaneous itemized deductions” for U.S. federal income tax purposes. As a result, a non-corporate U.S. Holder’s share of these expenses will not be deductible for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

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On a sale or other disposition of Shares, a U.S. Holder will be treated as having sold the DOGE underlying such Shares. Accordingly, the U.S. Holder generally will recognize gain or loss in an amount equal to the difference between (i) the amount realized on the sale of the Shares and (ii) the portion of the U.S. Holder’s tax basis in its pro rata share of the DOGE held in the Trust that is attributable to the Shares that were sold or otherwise subject to a disposition. Such tax basis generally will be determined by multiplying the tax basis of the U.S. Holder’s pro rata share of all of the DOGE held in the Trust immediately prior to such sale or other disposition by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of Shares disposed of and the denominator of which is the total number of Shares held by such U.S. Holder immediately prior to such sale or other disposition (such fraction, expressed as a percentage, the “Share Percentage”). If the U.S. Holder’s share of the Trust’s DOGE consists of separate lots with separate tax bases and/or holding periods, the U.S. Holder will be treated as having sold the Share Percentage of each such lot. Gain or loss recognized by a U.S. Holder on a sale or other disposition of Shares will generally be short-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. Holder’s holding period for the DOGE underlying such Shares is one year or less and long-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. Holder’s holding period for the DOGE underlying such Shares is more than one year. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to significant limitations.

If, in the future, In-Kind Regulatory Approval is obtained and the Trust redeems all or a portion of a U.S. Holder’s Shares in exchange for the underlying DOGE represented by the redeemed Shares, such redemption generally would not be a taxable event to the U.S. Holder. The U.S. Holder’s tax basis in the DOGE received in the redemption generally would be the same as the U.S. Holder’s tax basis for the portion of its pro rata share of the DOGE held in the Trust immediately prior to the redemption that was attributable to the Shares redeemed, determined as described above, and the U.S. Holder’s tax basis in its remaining pro rata portion, if any, of the DOGE held in the Trust after the redemption would be equal to the tax basis of its pro rata share of the total amount of the DOGE held in the Trust immediately prior to the redemption, less the U.S. Holder’s tax basis in the DOGE received in the redemption. The U.S. Holder’s holding period with respect to the DOGE received would generally include the period during which the U.S. Holder held the Shares so redeemed. A subsequent sale of the DOGE received in such redemption would generally be a taxable event.

After any sale or other disposition of fewer than all of a U.S. Holder’s Shares, the U.S. Holder’s tax basis in its pro rata share of the DOGE held in the Trust immediately after the disposition will equal the tax basis in its pro rata share of the total amount of the DOGE held in the Trust immediately prior to the disposition, less the portion of that tax basis that is taken into account in determining the amount of gain or loss recognized by the U.S. Holder on the disposition (or, in the case of a redemption pursuant to an In-Kind Order, if In-Kind Regulatory Approval is obtained, that is treated as the basis of the DOGE received by the U.S. Holder in the redemption).

Any brokerage or other transaction fee incurred by a U.S. Holder in purchasing Shares generally will be added to the U.S. Holder’s tax basis in the underlying assets of the Trust. Similarly, any brokerage fee or other transaction fee incurred by a U.S. Holder in selling Shares generally will reduce the amount realized by the U.S. Holder with respect to the sale.

In the absence of guidance to the contrary, it is possible that any income recognized by a U.S. tax-exempt shareholder as a consequence of a hard fork, airdrop or similar occurrence would constitute UBTI. A tax-exempt shareholder should consult its tax adviser regarding whether such shareholder may recognize some UBTI as a consequence of an investment in Shares.

Tax Consequences to Non-U.S. Holders

As used herein, the term “non-U.S. Holder” means a beneficial owner of a Share for U.S. federal income tax purposes that is not a U.S. Holder. The term “non-U.S. Holder” does not include (i) a nonresident alien individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more in a taxable year, (ii) a former U.S. citizen or U.S. resident or an entity that has expatriated from the United States; (iii) a person whose income in respect of Shares is effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business in the United States; or (iv) an entity that is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Shareholders described in the preceding sentence should consult their tax advisers regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of owning Shares.

A non-U.S. Holder generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income or withholding tax with respect to its share of any gain recognized on the Trust’s transfer of DOGE in payment of the Sponsor’s Fee or any Additional Trust Expense or on the Trust’s sale or other disposition of DOGE. In addition, assuming that the Trust holds no

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asset other than DOGE, a non-U.S. Holder generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income or withholding tax with respect to any gain it recognizes on a sale or other disposition of Shares. A non-U.S. Holder also will generally not be subject to U.S. federal income or withholding tax with respect to any distribution received from the Trust, whether in cash or in-kind.

Provided that it does not constitute income that is treated as “effectively connected” with the conduct of a trade or business in the United States, U.S.-source “fixed or determinable annual or periodical” (“FDAP”) income received, or treated as received, by a non-U.S. Holder will generally be subject to U.S. withholding tax at the rate of 30% (subject to possible reduction or elimination pursuant to an applicable tax treaty and to statutory exemptions such as the portfolio interest exemption). Although the Sponsor has committed to causing the Trust to abandon all Incidental Rights and IR Virtual Currency to which the Trust may become entitled in the future, and although there is no guidance on point, if the Trust were to receive and retain IR Virtual Currency arising from a future fork, airdrop or similar occurrence, it is likely that any ordinary income recognized by a non-U.S. Holder as a result would constitute FDAP income. It is unclear, however, whether any such FDAP income would be properly treated as U.S.-source or foreign-source FDAP income. Non-U.S. Holders should assume that, in the absence of guidance, a withholding agent (including the Sponsor) is likely to withhold 30% from a non-U.S. Holder’s pro rata share of any such income. A non-U.S. Holder that is a resident of a country that maintains an income tax treaty with the United States may be eligible to claim the benefits of that treaty to reduce or eliminate, or to obtain a partial or full refund of, the 30% U.S. withholding tax on its share of any such income, but only if the non-U.S. Holder’s home country treats the Trust as “fiscally transparent,” as defined in applicable Treasury regulations.

In order to prevent the possible imposition of U.S. “backup” withholding and (if applicable) to qualify for a reduced rate of withholding tax at source under a treaty, a non-U.S. Holder must comply with certain certification requirements (generally, by delivering a properly executed IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E to the relevant withholding agent).

U.S. Information Reporting and Backup Withholding

The Trust or the appropriate broker will file certain information returns with the IRS and provide shareholders with information regarding their annual income (if any) and expenses with respect to the Trust in accordance with applicable Treasury regulations.

A U.S. Holder will generally be subject to information reporting requirements and backup withholding unless (i) the U.S. Holder is a corporation or other exempt recipient or (ii) in the case of backup withholding, the U.S. Holder provides a correct taxpayer identification number and certifies that it is not subject to backup withholding. In order to avoid the information reporting and backup withholding requirements, a non-U.S. Holder may have to comply with certification procedures to establish that it is not a U.S. person. The amount of any backup withholding will be allowed as a credit against the shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability and may entitle the holder to a refund, provided that the required information is furnished to the IRS.

FATCA

As discussed above, it is unclear whether any ordinary income recognized by a non-U.S. Holder as a result of a fork, airdrop or similar occurrence would constitute U.S.-source FDAP income. Provisions of the Code commonly referred to as “FATCA” require withholding of 30% on payments of U.S.-source FDAP income and, subject to the discussion of proposed U.S. Treasury regulations below, of gross proceeds of dispositions of certain types of property that produce U.S.-source FDAP income to, “foreign financial institutions” (which is broadly defined for this purpose and in general includes investment vehicles) and certain other non-U.S. entities unless various U.S. information reporting and due diligence requirements (generally relating to ownership by U.S. persons of interests in or accounts with those entities) have been satisfied, or an exemption applies. An intergovernmental agreement between the United States and an applicable foreign country may modify these requirements. In addition, regulations proposed by the U.S. Treasury Department (the preamble to which indicates that taxpayers may rely on the regulations pending their finalization) would eliminate the requirement under FATCA of withholding on gross proceeds. If FATCA withholding is imposed, a beneficial owner that is not a foreign financial institution generally may obtain a refund of any amounts withheld by filing a U.S. federal income tax return (which may entail significant administrative burden). Shareholders should consult their tax advisers regarding the effects of FATCA on an investment in the Trust.

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ERISA and Section 4975 of the Code impose certain requirements on employee benefit plans and certain other plans and arrangements, including individual retirement accounts (“IRAs”) and annuities, Keogh plans, and certain collective investment funds or insurance company general or separate accounts in which such plans or arrangements are invested, that are subject to ERISA and/or the Section 4975 of the Code (collectively, “Plans”), and on persons who are fiduciaries with respect to the investment of Plan assets. Government plans, non-U.S. plans and certain church plans (collectively, “Non-ERISA Arrangements”) are not subject to the fiduciary responsibility or prohibited transaction provisions of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, but may be subject to similar rules under other federal, state, local, non-U.S. or other applicable laws (“Similar Laws”).

General Fiduciary Matters

In contemplating an investment of a portion of Plan assets in Shares, the Plan fiduciary responsible for making such investment should carefully consider, taking into account the facts and circumstances of the Plan, the risks discussed in this prospectus, and whether such investment is consistent with its fiduciary responsibilities, including, but not limited to (i) whether the fiduciary has the authority to make the investment under the appropriate governing plan instrument, (ii) whether the investment would constitute a direct or indirect non-exempt prohibited transaction under ERISA or the Code, (iii) the Plan’s funding objectives, and (iv) whether under the general fiduciary standards of investment prudence and diversification such investment is appropriate for the Plan, taking into account the overall investment policy of the Plan, the composition of the Plan’s investment portfolio and the Plan’s need for sufficient liquidity to pay benefits when due. Fiduciaries of Non-ERISA Arrangements should carefully consider whether an investment in Shares would violate any applicable Similar Laws.

Plan Asset Issues

Under the Department of Labor’s regulations at section 2510.3-101, as amended by Section 3(42) of ERISA (the “Plan Asset Regulations”), if a Plan invests in an equity interest of an entity that is “a publicly-offered security,” the entity will not be deemed to hold “plan assets” subject to ERISA, and a party managing the assets of such entity will not be subject to the fiduciary responsibility and prohibited transaction rules of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Code. A “publicly-offered security” is a security that is freely transferable, part of a class of securities that is widely held, and is either (i) part of a class of securities registered under section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act or (ii) sold to the plan as part of an offering of securities to the public pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act and the class of securities of which such security is a part is registered under the Exchange Act within 120 days (or such later time as may be allowed by the Securities and Exchange Commission) after the end of the fiscal year of the issuer during which the offering of such securities to the public occurred. Whether a security is “freely transferable” is a factual question determined on the basis of facts and circumstances. A class of securities is “widely-held” if it is a class of securities that is owned by 100 or more investors independent of the issuer and of one another. It is anticipated that the Shares will constitute “publicly-offered securities” as defined in the Plan Asset Regulations. Accordingly, only Shares held by a Plan, and not the underlying DOGE held in the Trust represented by the Shares, should be treated as assets of the Plan, for purposes of applying the fiduciary responsibility and prohibited transaction rules of ERISA and the Code.

Investment by Certain Retirement Plans

IRAs and participant-directed accounts under tax-qualified retirement plans are limited in the types of investments they may make under the Code. Potential purchasers of Shares that are IRAs or participant-directed accounts under a Code Section 401(a) plan should consult with their own advisors as to the consequences of an investment in Shares.

Ineligible Purchasers

In general, Shares may not be purchased with the assets of a Plan if the Trustee, the Sponsor, the distributor or any of their respective affiliates or employees either: (i) has investment discretion with respect to the investment of such Plan assets; (ii) has authority or responsibility to give or regularly gives investment advice with respect to such Plan assets, for a fee, and pursuant to an agreement or understanding that such advice will serve as a primary basis for investment decisions with respect to such Plan assets and that such advice will be based on the particular

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investment needs of the Plan; or (iii) is an employer maintaining or contributing to such Plan. A party that is described in clause (i) or (ii) of the preceding sentence is a fiduciary under ERISA and the Code with respect to the Plan, and any such purchase might result in a prohibited transaction under ERISA and/or the Code, unless an exemption is available.

Representation

Accordingly, by acceptance of Shares, each purchaser and subsequent transferee of Shares will be deemed to have represented and warranted that either (i) no portion of the assets used by such purchaser or transferee to acquire or hold the Shares constitutes assets of any Plan or Non-ERISA Arrangement or (ii) the acquisition, holding and subsequent disposition of the Shares by such purchaser or transferee will not constitute or result in any non-exempt prohibited transaction under Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code or violate any applicable Similar Law.

Except as otherwise set forth, the foregoing statements regarding the consequences under ERISA and the Code of an investment in the Trust are based on the provisions of ERISA and the Code as currently in effect, and the existing administrative and judicial interpretations thereunder. No assurance can be given that administrative, judicial or legislative changes will not occur that may make the foregoing statements incorrect or incomplete.

ACCEPTANCE OF SUBSCRIPTIONS ON BEHALF OF PLANS OR NON-ERISA ARRANGEMENTS IS IN NO RESPECT A REPRESENTATION BY THE SPONSOR OR ANY OTHER PARTY RELATED TO THE TRUST THAT THIS INVESTMENT MEETS THE RELEVANT LEGAL REQUIREMENTS WITH RESPECT TO INVESTMENTS BY ANY PARTICULAR PLAN OR NON-ERISA ARRANGEMENT OR PLANS OR NON-ERISA ARRANGEMENTS GENERALLY, OR THAT THIS INVESTMENT IS APPROPRIATE FOR ANY PARTICULAR PLAN OR NON-ERISA ARRANGEMENT OR PLANS OR NON-ERISA ARRANGEMENTS GENERALLY. THE PERSON WITH INVESTMENT DISCRETION WITH RESPECT TO ANY PLAN OR NON-ERISA ARRANGEMENT SHOULD CONSULT WITH ITS OWN COUNSEL AND ADVISERS AS TO THE PROPRIETY OF AN INVESTMENT IN THE TRUST, IN LIGHT OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE PARTICULAR PLAN OR NON-ERISA ARRANGEMENT BEFORE PURCHASING SHARES. NEITHER THIS DISCUSSION NOR ANYTHING IN THIS PROSPECTUS IS OR IS INTENDED TO BE INVESTMENT ADVICE DIRECTED AT ANY POTENTIAL PURCHASER THAT IS A PLAN OR NON-ERISA ARRANGEMENT, OR AT SUCH PURCHASERS GENERALLY.

 

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Plan of Distribution

The Trust issues Shares in Baskets only to Authorized Participants in exchange for deposits of DOGE via a Liquidity Provider, together with corresponding deposits of cash from such Authorized Participants, on an ongoing continuous basis. The Trust does not issue fractions of a Basket. Although the Trust creates Baskets only upon the receipt of DOGE, at this time an Authorized Participant can only submit Cash Orders, pursuant to which the Authorized Participant will deposit cash into the Cash Account (and a Liquidity Provider will transfer to the Trust’s Vault Balance the corresponding DOGE) in connection with the creation and redemption of Baskets. Subject to In-Kind Regulatory Approval, in the future the Trust may also create and redeem Baskets via In-Kind Orders, pursuant to which an Authorized Participant or its AP Designee would deposit DOGE directly with the Trust or receive DOGE directly from the Trust. However, because In-Kind Regulatory Approval has not been obtained, at this time Baskets will not be created or redeemed through In-Kind Orders and will only be created or redeemed through Cash Orders. There can be no assurance as to when In-Kind Regulatory Approval will be sought or obtained, if at all.

Cash Orders will be facilitated by the Transfer Agent and Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC, which will engage one or more eligible companies (each, a “Liquidity Provider”) that is not an agent of, or otherwise acting on behalf of, any Authorized Participant to obtain or receive DOGE in connection with such orders. Authorized Participants may create a Basket pursuant to a Cash Order by delivering to the Cash Account (x) in the case of a Variable Fee Cash Order, the Basket NAV and any Variable Fee, or (y) in the case of an Actual Execution Cash Order, the Basket NAV, plus any Additional Creation Cash, less any Excess Creation Cash (such amount, as applicable, the “Required Creation Cash”), and the Liquidity Provider transferring the corresponding Basket Amount to the Trust’s Vault Balance. The Basket Amount equals the amount of DOGE owned by the Trust at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on each trade date (after deducting the amount of DOGE representing the U.S. dollar value of accrued but unpaid fees and expenses of the Trust) by the number of Shares outstanding at such time and multiplying such quotient by 10,000. The Basket NAV equals the U.S. dollar value of a Basket calculated by multiplying the Basket Amount by the Index Price as of the trade date. Shares will only be created and delivered to the Authorized Participant after the Trust is in simultaneous possession of (i) the Basket Amount and (ii) the Required Creation Cash.

It is expected that Authorized Participants that create Shares will sell Shares to the public at varying prices to be determined by reference to, among other considerations, the price of DOGE and the trading price of the Shares on the NYSE Arca at the time of each sale. There will not be an “initial” creation of Baskets upon the Trust’s listing on NYSE Arca given that the Trust already has created Baskets of Shares that will continue to be outstanding as of such date.

While the arbitrage mechanism is expected to keep the value of the Shares closely linked to the Index Price, due to price volatility and differentials, trading volume, and closings of Digital Asset Trading Platforms due to fraud, failure, security breaches or otherwise, there can be no assurance that the value of the Shares will reflect the value of the Trust’s DOGE, less the Trust’s expenses and other liabilities, and the Shares may trade at a substantial premium over, or a substantial discount to, the value of the Trust’s DOGE, less the Trust’s expenses and other liabilities. This risk may be exacerbated to the extent in-kind creations and redemptions of Shares continue to be unavailable for any reason. See “Risk Factors—Risk Factors Related to the Trust and the Shares— The lack of ability to facilitate in-kind creations and redemptions of Shares could have adverse consequences for the Trust.” Moreover, there may be variances in the prices of DOGE on the various Digital Asset Trading Platforms, including as a result of differences in fee structures or administrative procedures on different Digital Asset Trading Platforms, which could enhance or inhibit the arbitrage mechanism in a manner that is beyond our control.

Because new Shares can be created and issued on an ongoing basis at any point during the life of the Trust, a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities Act, will be occurring. Authorized Participants, other broker-dealers and other persons are cautioned that some of their activities may result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner which would render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the prospectus delivery and liability provisions of the Securities Act. For example, an Authorized Participant, other broker-dealer firm or its client will be deemed a statutory underwriter if it purchases a Basket from the Trust, breaks the Basket down into its constituent Shares and sells the Shares directly to its customers, or if it chooses to couple the creation of a new Basket with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for the Shares. A determination of whether a particular market participant is an underwriter must take into account all the facts and

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circumstances pertaining to the activities of the broker-dealer or its client in the particular case, and the examples mentioned above should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could lead to designation as an underwriter and subject them to the prospectus delivery and liability provisions of the Securities Act.

Investors that purchase shares through a brokerage account (whether commission-based or fee-based) may pay commissions or fees charged by the brokerage account.

Dealers that are not “underwriters” but are participating in a distribution (as contrasted to ordinary secondary trading transactions), and thus dealing with Shares that are part of an “unsold allotment” within the meaning of Section 4(3)(C) of the Securities Act, would be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(3) of the Securities Act.

The Sponsor intends to qualify the Shares in states selected by the Sponsor and that sales be made through broker-dealers who are members of FINRA. Investors intending to create or redeem Baskets through Authorized Participants in transactions not involving a broker-dealer registered in such investor’s state of domicile or residence should consult their legal advisor regarding applicable broker-dealer or securities regulatory requirements under the state securities laws prior to such creation or redemption.

Authorized Participants will not receive from the Trust or the Sponsor any compensation in connection with an offering or reoffering of the Shares. Accordingly, there is, and will be, no payment of underwriting compensation in connection with any such offering of Shares in excess of 10% of the gross proceeds of the offering.

Pursuant to a Marketing Agent Agreement (the “Marketing Agent Agreement”) entered into between the Sponsor and Foreside Fund Services, LLC, as Marketing Agent (the “Marketing Agent”), the Marketing Agent will be paid by the Sponsor an annual fee. In addition, the Sponsor will pay certain out-of-pocket fees and expenses of the Marketing Agent incurred in connection with its assistance in the marketing of the Trust and its Shares.

Under the Marketing Agent Agreement, the Marketing Agent will provide the following services to the Sponsor:

•
Assist the Sponsor in facilitating Participation Agreements between and among Authorized Participants, the Trust, the Transfer Agent;
•
Provide prospectuses to Authorized Participants;
•
Work with the Transfer Agent to review and approve orders placed by the Authorized Participants and transmitted to the Transfer Agent;
•
Review and file applicable marketing materials with FINRA; and
•
Maintain, reproduce and store applicable books and records related to the services provided under the Marketing Agent Agreement.

The Trust intends to list the Shares on NYSE Arca under the symbol “GDOG.”

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The validity of the Shares will be passed upon by Richards, Layton & Finger, P.A., as special Delaware counsel to the Trust. Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, as special tax counsel to the Trust, will render an opinion regarding the material U.S. federal income tax consequences of the ownership of Shares.

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Experts

The financial statements of the Trust as of and for the period from January 30, 2025 (the Commencement of the Trust’s Operations) to June 30, 2025, have been included herein and in the registration statement in reliance upon the report of KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, appearing elsewhere herein, and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

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Where You Can Find More Information

We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-1 under the Securities Act with respect to the Shares offered hereby. This prospectus does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement and the exhibits and schedules thereto. For further information with respect to the Trust and its Shares, reference is made to the registration statement and the exhibits and any schedules filed therewith. Statements contained in this prospectus as to the contents of any contract or other document referred to are not necessarily complete and, in each instance, if such contract or document is filed as an exhibit, reference is made to the copy of such contract or other document filed as an exhibit to the registration statement, each statement being qualified in all respects by such reference. The SEC maintains an Internet site at www.sec.gov that contains reports, proxy and information statements we have filed electronically with the SEC.

As a result of the offering, we will be required to file periodic reports and other information with the SEC. We also maintain an Internet site at etfs.grayscale.com/gdog. Our website and the information contained therein or connected thereto shall not be deemed to be incorporated into this prospectus or the registration statement of which it forms a part.

We intend to make available to holders of the Shares annual reports containing consolidated financial statements audited by an independent registered public accounting firm.

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Glossary of Defined Terms

In this prospectus, each of the following terms has the meaning set forth below.

“Account”—The accounts associated with the Trust’s Vault Balance and Settlement Balance.

“Actual Exchange Rate”—With respect to any particular asset, at any time, the price per single unit of such asset (determined net of any associated fees) at which the Trust is able to sell such asset for U.S. dollars (or other applicable fiat currency) at such time to enable the Trust to timely pay any Additional Trust Expenses, through use of the Sponsor’s commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the highest such price.

“Actual Execution Cash Order”—A Cash Order pursuant to which any price differential between (x) the Total Basket NAV on the trade date and (y) the price realized in acquiring or disposing of the corresponding Total Basket Amount, as the case may be, will be borne solely by the Authorized Participant.

“Additional Creation Cash”—In connection with a creation pursuant to an Actual Execution Cash Order, the amount of additional cash required to be delivered by the Authorized Participant in the event the price realized in acquiring the corresponding Total Basket Amount is higher than the Total Basket NAV on the trade date.

“Additional Redemption Cash”—In connection with a redemption pursuant to an Actual Execution Cash Order, the amount of additional cash to be delivered to the Authorized Participant in the event the price realized in disposing the corresponding Total Basket Amount is higher than the Total Basket NAV on the trade date.

“Additional Trust Expenses”—Together, any expenses incurred by the Trust in addition to the Sponsor’s Fee that are not Sponsor-paid Expenses, including, but not limited to, (i) taxes and governmental charges, (ii) expenses and costs of any extraordinary services performed by the Sponsor (or any other service provider) on behalf of the Trust to protect the Trust or the interests of shareholders, (iii) any indemnification of the Custodian or other agents, service providers or counterparties of the Trust, (iv) the fees and expenses related to the listing, quotation or trading of the Shares on any Secondary Market (including legal, marketing and audit fees and expenses) to the extent exceeding $600,000 in any given fiscal year and (v) extraordinary legal fees and expenses, including any legal fees and expenses incurred in connection with litigation, regulatory enforcement or investigation matters.

“Administrator”—The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York corporation authorized to conduct banking business.

“Administrator Fee”—The fee payable to any administrator of the Trust for services it provides to the Trust, which the Sponsor will pay such administrator as a Sponsor-paid Expense.

“Affirmative Action”—A decision by the Trust to acquire or abandon specific Incidental Rights and IR Virtual Currency at any time prior to the time of a creation or redemption of Shares.

“AP Designee”—An Authorized Participant’s designee in connection with In-Kind Orders (to the extent In-Kind Regulatory Approval is obtained).

“Authorized Participant”—Certain eligible financial institutions that have entered into an agreement with the Trust and the Sponsor concerning the creation or redemption of Shares. Each Authorized Participant (i) is a registered broker-dealer and (ii) has entered into a Participant Agreement with the Sponsor and the Transfer Agent. Subject to In-Kind Regulatory Approval, in the future any Authorized Participants creating and redeeming Shares through In-Kind Orders must also own, or their AP Designee (as defined above) must own, a digital wallet address that is known to the Custodian as belonging to the Authorized Participant or its AP Designee and maintain an account with the Custodian.

“Basket”—A block of 10,000 Shares.

“Basket Amount”—On any trade date, the amount of DOGE required as of such trade date for the creation or redemption of a Basket, as determined by dividing (x) the amount of DOGE owned by the Trust at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on such trade date, after deducting the amount of DOGE representing the U.S. dollar value of accrued but unpaid fees and expenses of the Trust (converted using the Index Price at such time, and carried to the eighth

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decimal place), by (y) the number of Shares outstanding at such time (with the quotient so obtained calculated to one one-hundred-millionth of one DOGE (i.e., carried to the eighth decimal place)), and multiplying such quotient by 10,000.

“Basket NAV”—The U.S. dollar value of a Basket calculated by multiplying the Basket Amount by the Index Price as of the trade date.

“Binance”—Binance Holdings Ltd.

“Bitcoin”—A type of digital asset based on an open-source cryptographic protocol existing on the Bitcoin network.

“Bitcoin Network”—The online, end-user-to-end-user network hosting the public transaction ledger, known as the Blockchain, and the source code comprising the basis for the cryptographic and algorithmic protocols governing the Bitcoin Network.

“Blockchain” or “Dogecoin Blockchain”—The public transaction ledger of the Dogecoin Network on which transactions in DOGE are recorded.

"Board"—Board of Directors of Grayscale Investments, Inc., which as of October 22, 2025, and pursuant to the Management Reorganization, manages and directs the affairs of the Sponsor. Prior to January 1, 2025, any references to the "Board" refer to the board of directors of Grayscale Investments, LLC, the former Sponsor of the Trust. From January 1, 2025, to October 22, 2025, any references to the "Board" refer to the board of directors of GSOIH. From and after October 22, 2025, any references to the "Board" refer to the board of directors of Grayscale Investments.

“Cash Account”—The segregated account maintained by the Transfer Agent in the name of the Trust for purposes of receiving cash from Authorized Participants and Liquidity Providers in connection with creations of Shares and distributing cash to Authorized Participants and Liquidity Providers in connection with redemptions of Shares.

“Cash Order”—An order for the creation or redemption of Shares pursuant to procedures facilitated by the Transfer Agent and pursuant to which a Liquidity Provider is engaged to facilitate the purchase or sale of DOGE. A Cash Order may be executed as either a Variable Fee Cash Order or an Actual Execution Cash Order. Unless the Sponsor determines otherwise in its sole discretion based on market conditions and other factors existing at the time of such Cash Order, all creations and redemptions pursuant to Cash Orders are expected to be executed as Variable Fee Cash Orders.

“CEA”—Commodity Exchange Act of 1936, as amended.

“CFTC”—The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission, an independent agency with the mandate to regulate commodity futures and option markets in the United States.

“Code”—The U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

“Coinbase”—Coinbase, Inc.

“Coinbase Credit”—Coinbase Credit, Inc.

“Coinbase Derivatives”—Coinbase Derivatives, LLC.

“Co-Transfer Agent”—Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company.

“Covered Person”—The Sponsor and its affiliates. See “Business—Description of the Trust Agreement— The Sponsor—Liability of the Sponsor and Indemnification.”

“Creation Basket”—Basket of Shares issued by the Trust upon deposit of the Basket Amount required for each such Creation Basket.

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“Creation Time”—With respect to the creation of any Shares by the Trust, the time at which the Trust creates such Shares.

“Custodial and Prime Broker Services”—The services of the Custodian and the Prime Broker that provide for: (i) holding of the Trust’s DOGE in the Vault Balance and the Settlement Balance; (ii) transfer of the Trust’s DOGE between the relevant Vault Balance and the Settlement Balance; (iii) the deposit of DOGE from a public blockchain address into the respective account or accounts in which the Vault Balance or the Settlement Balance are maintained; and (iv) the withdrawal of DOGE from the Vault Balance to a public blockchain address the Trust controls.

“Custodial Entities”—The Prime Broker, together with the Custodian.

“Custodian”—Coinbase Custody Trust Company, LLC.

“Custodian Fee”—Fee payable to the Custodian and the Prime Broker for services they provide to the Trust, which the Sponsor shall pay to the Custodian and the Prime Broker as a Sponsor-paid Expense.

“DCG”—Digital Currency Group, Inc.

“DCG Holdco”—DCG Grayscale Holdco, LLC.

“Digital Asset Market”—A “Brokered Market,” “Dealer Market,” “Principal-to-Principal Market” or “Exchange Market,” as each such term is defined in the Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Master Glossary.

“Digital Asset Trading Platform”—An electronic marketplace where trading platform participants may trade, buy and sell DOGE based on bid-ask trading. The largest Digital Asset Trading Platforms are online and typically trade on a 24-hour basis, publishing transaction price and volume data.

“Digital Asset Trading Platform Market”—The global exchange market for the trading of DOGE, which consists of transactions on electronic Digital Asset Trading Platforms.

“DOGE”— Dogecoin tokens, which are a type of digital asset based on an open source cryptographic protocol existing on the Dogecoin Network, comprising units that constitute the assets underlying the Trust’s Shares. See “Overview of the Dogecoin Industry and Market.”

“Dogecoin Network”—The online, end-user-to-end-user network hosting the public transaction ledger, known as the Blockchain, and the source code comprising the basis for the cryptographic and algorithmic protocols governing the Dogecoin Network.

“DSTA”—The Delaware Statutory Trust Act, as amended.

“DTC”—The Depository Trust Company. DTC is a limited purpose trust company organized under New York law, a member of the U.S. Federal Reserve System and a clearing agency registered with the SEC. DTC will act as the securities depository for the Shares.

“ERISA”—The U.S. Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.

“ETC” or “Ethereum Classic”— Ether Classic tokens, which are a type of digital asset based on an open-source cryptographic protocol existing on the Ethereum Classic Network.

“Ether”—Ethereum tokens, which are a type of digital asset based on an open source cryptographic protocol existing on the Ethereum Network, comprising units that constitute the assets underlying the Trust’s Shares.

“Ethereum Classic Network”—The online, end-user-to-end-user network hosting a public transaction ledger, known as the Ethereum Classic blockchain, and the source code comprising the basis for the cryptographic and algorithmic protocols governing the Ethereum Classic network.

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“Ethereum Network”—The online, end-user-to-end-user network hosting the public transaction ledger, known as the “Ethereum Blockchain,” and the source code comprising the basis for the cryptographic and algorithmic protocols governing the Ethereum Network.

“Excess Creation Cash”—In connection with a creation pursuant to an Actual Execution Cash Order, the amount of excess cash to be returned to the Authorized Participant in the event the price realized in acquiring the corresponding Total Basket Amount is lower than the Total Basket NAV on the trade date.

“Exchange Act”—The Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

“FCA” — The Financial Conduct Authority.

“FDIC”— The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

“FinCEN”—The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, a bureau of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

“FINRA”—The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., which is the primary regulator in the United States for broker-dealers, including Authorized Participants.

“FTX”—FTX Trading, Ltd.

“GAAP”—United States generally accepted accounting principles.

“Grayscale Investments”—Grayscale Investments, Inc., a Delaware corporation and consolidated subsidiary of DCG.

“Grayscale Securities”—Grayscale Securities, LLC.

“GSI”—Grayscale Investments, LLC, the Sponsor of the Trust until December 31, 2024.

“GSIS”—Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and a consolidated subsidiary of Grayscale Operating, LLC.

“GSO”—Grayscale Operating, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and a consolidated subsidiary of Digital Currency Group, Inc.

“GSOIH”—GSO Intermediate Holdings Corporation, a Delaware corporation and a consolidated subsidiary of DCG.


“Incidental Rights”—Rights to acquire, or otherwise establish dominion and control over, any virtual currency or other asset or right, which rights are incident to the Trust’s ownership of DOGE and arise without any action of the Trust, or of the Sponsor or Trustee on behalf of the Trust.

“Index”—The CoinDesk DOGE CCIXber Reference Rate.

“Index License Agreement”—The license agreement, dated as of February 1, 2022, between the Index Provider and the Sponsor, governing the Sponsor’s use of the Index for calculation of the Index Price, as amended by Amendment No. 1 thereto and as the same may be amended from time to time.

“Index Price”—The U.S. dollar value of a DOGE derived from the Digital Asset Trading Platforms that are reflected in the Index, calculated at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on each business day. See “Business—Overview of the Dogecoin Industry and Market—The Index and the Index Price” for a description of how the Index Price is calculated.

“Index Provider”—CoinDesk Indices, Inc., a Delaware corporation that publishes the Index. Prior to its sale to an unaffiliated third party on November 20, 2023, DCG was the indirect parent company of CoinDesk Indices, Inc. As a result, CoinDesk Indices, Inc. was an affiliate of the Sponsor and the Trust and was considered a related party of the Trust.

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“In-Kind Order”—An order for the creation or redemption of Shares pursuant to which the Authorized Participant (or its AP Designee) will deliver or receive DOGE directly from the Trust’s Vault Balance. Because In-Kind Regulatory Approval has not been obtained, at this time Shares will not be created or redeemed through In-Kind Orders.

“In-Kind Regulatory Approval”—The necessary regulatory approval to permit NYSE Arca to list the Shares of the Trust utilizing a structure that allows the Trust to create and redeem Shares via in-kind transactions with Authorized Participants or their AP Designees in exchange for DOGE. Although the SEC recently approved orders to permit in-kind creations and redemptions by authorized participants for certain spot digital asset ETP shares, the Trust is not at this time able to create and redeem shares via in-kind transactions with Authorized Participants. In light of new SEC staff orders, NYSE Arca may seek the necessary regulatory approval to amend its listing rules to permit the Trust to create and redeem Shares through In-Kind Orders. There can be no assurance as to when NYSE Arca will seek or obtain such regulatory approval, if at all.

“Investment Advisers Act”—Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended.

“Investment Company Act”—Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

“Investor”—Any investor that has entered into a subscription agreement with an Authorized Participant, pursuant to which such Authorized Participant will act as agent for the investor.

“IRS”—The U.S. Internal Revenue Service, a bureau of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

“IR Virtual Currency”—Any virtual currency tokens, or other asset or right, acquired by the Trust through the exercise (subject to the applicable provisions of the Trust Agreement) of any Incidental Right.

“Liquidity Engager”—Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC, acting other than in its capacity as Sponsor, and in its capacity to engage one or more Liquidity Providers.

“Liquidity Provider”— One or more eligible companies that facilitate the purchase and sale of DOGE in connection with creations or redemptions pursuant to Cash Orders. The Liquidity Providers with which Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC, acting in its capacity as the Liquidity Engager, will engage in DOGE transactions are third parties that are not affiliated with the Sponsor or the Trust and are not acting as agents of the Trust, the Sponsor, or any Authorized Participant, and all transactions will be done on an arms-length basis. Except for the contractual relationships between each Liquidity Provider and Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC in its capacity as the Liquidity Engager, there is no contractual relationship between each Liquidity Provider and the Trust, the Sponsor, or any Authorized Participant.

"Management Reorganization"—An internal corporate reorganization consummated on October 22, 2025. As a result of the Management Reorganization, Grayscale Investments is now the sole managing member of GSO, the sole member of the Sponsor, and the Board of Grayscale Investments is responsible for managing and directing the affairs of the Sponsor.

“Marketing Agent”—Foreside Fund Services, LLC.

“Marketing Agent Agreement”—An agreement entered into by the Sponsor, on behalf of the Trust, dated October 9, 2025 with Foreside Fund Services, LLC.

“Marketing Fee”—Fee payable to the marketer for services it provides to the Trust, which the Sponsor will pay to the marketer as a Sponsor-paid Expense.

“Merger”—The merger of Grayscale Investments, LLC with and into Grayscale Operating, LLC, with Grayscale Operating, LLC continuing as the surviving company.

“NAV”—The aggregate value, expressed in U.S. dollars, of the Trust’s assets (other than U.S. dollars or other fiat currency), less its liabilities (which include estimated accrued but unpaid fees and expenses) calculated in the manner set forth under “Business—Valuation of DOGE and Determination of NAV.” See also “Business— Trust

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Objective and Determination of Principal Market NAV and NAV” for a description of the Trust’s Principal Market NAV, as calculated in accordance with GAAP.

“NAV Fee Basis Amount”—The amount on which the Sponsor’s Fee for the Trust is based, as calculated in the manner set forth under “Valuation of DOGE and Determination of NAV”.

“NYSE Arca”—NYSE Arca, Inc.

“Participant Agreement”—An agreement entered into by an Authorized Participant with the Sponsor and the Transfer Agent, that provides the procedures for the creation and redemption of Baskets via a Liquidity Provider.

“Pre-Creation/Redemption Abandonment”—The abandonment by the Trust, irrevocably for no direct or indirect consideration, all Incidental Rights and IR Virtual Currency to which the Trust would otherwise be entitled, effective immediately prior to a Creation Time or a Redemption Time (as the case may be) for the Trust.

“Pre-Creation/Redemption Abandonment Notices”—The notices, collectively, as amended or supplemented from time to time, delivered by the Sponsor to each of the Prime Broker, the Custodian and Coinbase Credit, on behalf of the Trust, stating that the Trust will abandon, irrevocably and for no direct or indirect consideration, effective immediately prior to each Creation Time and each Redemption Time for the Trust, all Incidental Rights and IR Virtual Currency to which it would otherwise be entitled as of such time and with respect to which the Trust has not taken any Affirmative Action at or prior to such time.

“Prime Broker”—Coinbase, Inc.

“Prime Broker Agreement”—The Prime Broker Agreement, dated as of October 3, 2025 by and among the Trust, the Sponsor and the Prime Broker, on behalf of itself, the Custodian and Coinbase Credit, that governs the Trust’s and the Sponsor’s use of the Custodial and Prime Broker Services provided by the Custodian and the Prime Broker. Although executed as of October 3, 2025, the Prime Broker Agreement shall not become effective with respect to the Trust until the date on which shares of the Trust begin trading on NYSE Arca as shares of an exchange-traded product.


“Principal Market NAV”—The net asset value of the Trust determined on a GAAP basis.

“Redemption Cash Shortfall”—In connection with a redemption pursuant to an Actual Execution Cash Order, the amount by which the cash to be delivered to the Authorized Participant is reduced in the event the price realized in disposing the corresponding Total Basket Amount is lower than the Total Basket NAV on the trade date.

“Redemption Time”—With respect to the redemption of any Shares by the Trust, the time at which the Trust redeems such Shares.

“Reorganization”—The internal corporate reorganization of Grayscale Investments, LLC consummated on January 1, 2025.

“Required Redemption Cash”—The actual proceeds to the Trust from the liquidation of the Total Basket Amount.

“SEC”—The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

“Secondary Index”—The Coin Metrics Real-Time Rate.

“Secondary Index Price”—The price set by Coin Metrics Real-Time Rate as of 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the valuation date. See “Business—Overview of the Dogecoin Industry and Market—The Index and the Index Price—Determination of the Index Price When Index Price is Unavailable” for a description of how the Secondary Index Price is utilized when the Index Price is unavailable.

“Secondary Index Provider”—Coin Metrics Inc., a Delaware corporation that publishes the Secondary Index.

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“Secondary Market”—Any marketplace or other alternative trading system, as determined by the Sponsor, on which the Shares may then be listed, quoted or traded, including but not limited to, NYSE Arca.

“Securities Act”—The Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

“Settlement Balance”—An account controlled and maintained by the Custodian to which cash and digital assets of the Trust are credited on the Trust’s behalf.

“Shares”—Common units of fractional undivided beneficial interest in, and ownership of, the Trust.

“SIPC”—The Securities Investor Protection Corporation.

“Sponsor” or “Co-Sponsor”—The sponsor of the Trust. Grayscale Investments, LLC was the sponsor of the Trust before January 1, 2025, Grayscale Operating, LLC was a co-sponsor of the Trust from January 1, 2025 to May 3, 2025, and Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC was a co-sponsor of the Trust from January 1, 2025 to May 3, 2025 and is the sole sponsor thereafter.

“Sponsor-paid Expenses”—The fees and expenses incurred by the Trust in the ordinary course of its affairs that the Sponsor is obligated to assume and pay, excluding taxes, but including: (i) the Marketing Fee, (ii) the Administrator Fee, (iii) the Custodian Fee and fees for any other security vendor engaged by the Trust, (iv) the Transfer Agent fee, (v) the Trustee fee, (vi) the fees and expenses related to the listing, quotation or trading of the Shares on any Secondary Market (including customary legal, marketing and audit fees and expenses) in an amount up to $600,000 in any given fiscal year, (vii) ordinary course, legal fees and expenses, (viii) audit fees, (ix) regulatory fees, including, if applicable, any fees relating to the registration of the Shares under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, (x) printing and mailing costs, (xi) costs of maintaining the Trust’s website and (xii) applicable license fees, provided that any expense that qualifies as an Additional Trust Expense will be deemed to be an Additional Trust Expense and not a Sponsor-paid Expense.

“Sponsor’s Fee”—A fee, payable in DOGE, which accrues daily in U.S. dollars at an annual rate of 0.35% of the NAV Fee Basis Amount of the Trust as of 4:00 p.m., New York time, on each day; provided that for a day that is not a business day, the calculation of the Sponsor’s Fee will be based on the NAV Fee Basis Amount from the most recent business day, reduced by the accrued and unpaid Sponsor’s Fee for such most recent business day and for each day after such most recent business day and prior to the relevant calculation date. The Sponsor, from time to time, may temporarily waive all or a portion of the Sponsor’s Fee in its sole discretion. Presently, the Sponsor has agreed to waive the entire Sponsor Fee until the earlier of (x) a 3-month period commencing on the day the Shares are initially listed on the NYSE Arca or (y) the Trust reaching $1 billion in assets under management. There are no circumstances under which the Sponsor has determined it will definitely waive the fee. In connection with the effectiveness of this registration statement and the listing of the Shares on NYSE Arca, the Sponsor intends to amend the Trust Agreement to reflect the Sponsor's Fee.

“Total Basket Amount”—With respect to any creation or redemption order, the applicable Basket Amount multiplied by the number of Baskets being created or redeemed.

“Total Basket NAV”—The applicable Basket NAV Amount multiplied by the number of Baskets being created or redeemed.

“Transfer Agency and Service Agreement”—The agreement between the Sponsor and the Transfer Agent which sets forth the obligations and responsibilities of the Transfer Agent with respect to transfer agency services and related matters.

“Transfer Agent”— The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York corporation authorized to conduct banking business.

“Transfer Agent Fee”—Fee payable to the Transfer Agent for services it provides to the Trust, which the Sponsor will pay to the Transfer Agent as a Sponsor-paid Expense.

“Treasury Regulations”—The regulations, including proposed or temporary regulations, promulgated under the Code.

143


 

“Trust”—Grayscale Dogecoin Trust (DOGE), a Delaware statutory trust, formed on January 27, 2021 under the DSTA and pursuant to the Trust Agreement. In connection with the effectiveness of this registration statement and the listing of the Shares on NYSE Arca, the Sponsor intends to rename the Trust as Grayscale Dogecoin Trust ETF by filing a Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Trust with the Delaware Secretary of State in accordance with the provisions of the DSTA.

“Trust Agreement”—The Third Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust and Trust Agreement between the Trustee and the Sponsor establishing and governing the operations of the Trust, as the same may be amended from time to time.

“Trustee”—CSC Delaware Trust Company (formerly known as Delaware Trust Company), a Delaware trust company, is the Delaware trustee of the Trust.

“U.S.”—United States.

“U.S. dollar” or “$”—United States dollar or dollars.

“Variable Fee”—An amount in cash based on the Total Basket NAV, which shall be paid by the Authorized Participant in connection with Variable Fee Cash Orders. The amount may be changed by the Sponsor in its sole discretion at any time.

“Variable Fee Cash Order”—A Cash Order pursuant to which any price differential between (x) the Total Basket NAV on the trade date and (y) the price realized in acquiring or disposing of the corresponding Total Basket Amount, as the case may be, will be borne solely by the applicable Liquidity Provider.

“Vault Balance”—A segregated custody account controlled and secured by the Custodian to store private keys, which allow for the transfer of ownership or control of the Trust’s DOGE on the Trust’s behalf.

“Zcash” or “ZEC”—A type of digital asset based on an open source cryptographic protocol existing on the Zcash network.

 

 

 

144


 

Index to Financial Statements

Grayscale Dogecoin Trust (DOGE) Unaudited Interim Financial Statements

Page

Statement of Assets and Liabilities at September 30, 2025

F-2

Schedule of Investment at September 30, 2025

F-3

Statements of Operations for the Three Months Ended September 30, 2025 and the Period from January 30, 2025 (the Commencement of the Trust’s Operations) to September 30, 2025

 

F-4

Statements of Changes in Net Assets for the Three Months Ended September 30, 2025 and the Period from January 30, 2025 (the Commencement of the Trust’s Operations) to September 30, 2025

 

F-5

Notes to Financial Statements

 

F-6

 

Grayscale Dogecoin Trust (DOGE) Interim Financial Statements

Page

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

F-13

Statement of Assets and Liabilities at June 30, 2025

F-14

Schedule of Investment at June 30, 2025

 

F-15

Statement of Operations for the period from January 30, 2025 (the Commencement of the Trust’s Operations) to June 30, 2025

 

F-16

Statement of Changes in Net Assets for the period from January 30, 2025 (the Commencement of the Trust’s Operations) to June 30, 2025

 

F-17

Notes to Financial Statements

F-18

 

F-1


 

Grayscale DOGECOIN Trust (DOGE)

Statement of Assets and Liabilities (Unaudited)

(Amounts in thousands, except Share and per Share amounts)

 

 

 

September 30, 2025

 

Assets:

 

 

 

Investment in DOGE, at fair value (cost $2,742 as of September 30, 2025)

 

$

2,600

 

Total assets

 

$

2,600

 

 

 

 

 

Liabilities:

 

 

 

Sponsor’s Fee payable, related party

 

$

-

 

Total liabilities

 

 

-

 

Net assets

 

$

2,600

 

Shares issued and outstanding, no par value (unlimited Shares authorized)

 

 

378,800

 

Principal Market NAV per Share

 

$

6.86

 

 

See accompanying notes to the unaudited financial statements.


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

F-2


 

Grayscale DOGECOIN Trust (DOGE)

Schedule of Investment (Unaudited)

(Amounts in thousands, except quantity of DOGE and percentages)

 

September 30, 2025

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quantity of DOGE

 

 

Cost

 

 

Fair Value

 

 

% of Net
Assets

 

Investment in DOGE

 

 

11,176,418.39704280

 

 

$

2,742

 

 

$

2,600

 

 

 

100

%

Total Investment

 

 

 

 

$

2,742

 

 

$

2,600

 

 

 

100

%

Net assets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$

2,600

 

 

 

100

%

 

See accompanying notes to the unaudited financial statements.

 

F-3


 

Grayscale DOGECOIN Trust (DOGE)

StatementS of Operations (Unaudited)

(Amounts in thousands)

 

 

 

Three Months Ended September 30, 2025

 

 

January 30, 2025 (the Commencement of the Trust's Operations) to September 30, 2025

 

Investment income:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Investment income

 

$

-

 

 

$

-

 

Expenses:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sponsor’s Fee, related party

 

 

16

 

 

 

36

 

Net investment loss

 

 

(16

)

 

 

(36

)

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) from:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net realized loss on investment in DOGE

 

 

(2

)

 

 

(8

)

Net change in unrealized depreciation on investment in DOGE

 

 

733

 

 

 

(142

)

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investment

 

 

731

 

 

 

(150

)

Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

 

$

715

 

 

$

(186

)

 

See accompanying notes to the unaudited financial statements.

 

F-4


 

Grayscale DOGECOIN Trust (DOGE)

Statements of Changes in Net Assets (Unaudited)

(Amounts in thousands, except change in Shares outstanding)

 

 

 

Three Months Ended September 30, 2025

 

 

January 30, 2025 (the Commencement of the Trust's Operations) to September 30, 2025

 

Increase (decrease) in net assets from operations:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net investment loss

 

$

(16

)

 

$

(36

)

Net realized loss on investment in DOGE

 

 

(2

)

 

 

(8

)

Net change in unrealized depreciation on investment in DOGE

 

 

733

 

 

 

(142

)

Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

 

 

715

 

 

 

(186

)

Increase in net assets from capital share transactions:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shares issued

 

 

-

 

 

 

2,786

 

Net increase in net assets resulting from capital share transactions

 

 

-

 

 

 

2,786

 

Total increase in net assets from operations and capital share transactions

 

 

715

 

 

 

2,600

 

Net assets:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beginning of period

 

 

1,885

 

 

 

-

 

End of period

 

$

2,600

 

 

$

2,600

 

Change in Shares outstanding:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shares outstanding at beginning of period

 

 

378,800

 

 

 

-

 

Shares issued

 

 

-

 

 

 

378,800

 

Net increase in Shares

 

 

-

 

 

 

378,800

 

Shares outstanding at end of period

 

 

378,800

 

 

 

378,800

 

 

See accompanying notes to the unaudited financial statements.

 

F-5


 

1. Organization

Grayscale Dogecoin Trust (DOGE) (the “Trust”) is a Delaware Statutory Trust that was formed on January 27, 2021 and commenced operations on January 30, 2025. In general, the Trust holds Dogecoin (“DOGE”) and, from time to time, issues common units of fractional undivided beneficial interest (“Shares”) (in minimum baskets of 100 Shares, referred to as “Baskets”) in exchange for DOGE. As of September 30, 2025, the Trust did not operate a redemption program. Subject to receipt of regulatory approval and approval by the Sponsor in its sole discretion, the Trust may in the future operate a redemption program. On August 15, 2025, the Sponsor filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-1 to register the Shares of the Trust under the Securities Act of 1933. The registration statement on Form S-3 has not been declared effective. On September 17, 2025, the SEC approved a proposed rule change for new Rule 8.201-E (Generic) with the SEC pursuant to Rule 19b-4 under the Exchange Act to amend NYSE Arca’s listing rules to permit the listing and trading of shares of certain commodity-based exchange-traded products that satisfy certain generic requirements (the “Generic Listing Standards”). As of the date of this filing, the Sponsor believes that the Trust’s Shares would qualify for listing and trading under the Generic Listing Standards, but the Trust makes no representation as to when or if such approval and relief will be obtained. The Trust’s investment objective is for the value of the Shares (based on DOGE per Share) to reflect the value of the DOGE held by the Trust, less the Trust’s expenses and other liabilities.

Grayscale Investments, LLC (“GSI”) was the sponsor of the Trust before January 1, 2025, Grayscale Operating, LLC (“GSO”) was the co-sponsor of the Trust from January 1, 2025 to May 3, 2025, and Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC (“GSIS”, or the “Sponsor”) was the co-sponsor of the Trust from January 1, 2025 to May 3, 2025 and is the sole remaining sponsor thereafter. GSI was, and each of GSO and GSIS are, a consolidated subsidiary of Digital Currency Group, Inc. (“DCG”). The Sponsor is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the Trust pursuant to the provisions of the Trust Agreement. The Sponsor is responsible for preparing and providing annual and quarterly reports on behalf of the Trust to investors and is also responsible for selecting and monitoring the Trust’s service providers. As partial consideration for the Sponsor’s services, the Trust pays the Sponsor a Sponsor’s Fee as discussed in Note 6. The Sponsor also acts as the sponsor and manager of other single-asset and diversified investment products, each of which is an affiliate of the Trust. Information related to the affiliated investment products can be found on the Sponsor’s website at www.grayscale.com/resources/regulatory-filings. Any information contained on or linked from such website is not part of nor incorporated by reference into these unaudited financial statements. Several of the affiliated investment products are SEC reporting companies with their shares registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act. In addition, the following affiliated investment products are SEC reporting companies with their shares registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act: Grayscale Bitcoin Trust ETF, Grayscale Ethereum Trust ETF, Grayscale Ethereum Mini Trust ETF, Grayscale Bitcoin Mini Trust ETF, Grayscale CoinDesk Crypto 5 ETF and, as of October 29, 2025, Grayscale Solana Trust ETF.

Authorized Participants of the Trust are the only entities who may place orders to create or, if permitted, redeem Baskets. Grayscale Securities, LLC (“Grayscale Securities” or, in such capacity, an “Authorized Participant”), a registered broker-dealer and affiliate of the Sponsor, is the only Authorized Participant, and is party to a participant agreement with the Sponsor and the Trust. Additional Authorized Participants may be added at any time, subject to the discretion of the Sponsor. Liquidity Providers who are unaffiliated with the Trust may be engaged from time to time and at any time.

The custodian of the Trust is Coinbase Custody Trust Company, LLC (the “Custodian”), a third-party service provider. The Custodian is responsible for safeguarding the DOGE, Incidental Rights, and IR Virtual Currency held by the Trust, and holding the private key(s) that provide access to the Trust’s digital wallets and vaults.

The transfer agent for the Trust (the “Transfer Agent”) is Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company. The responsibilities of the Transfer Agent are to maintain creations, redemptions, transfers, and distributions of the Trust’s Shares which are primarily held in book-entry form.

The Trust may also receive Incidental Rights and/or IR Virtual Currency as a result of the Trust’s investment in DOGE, in accordance with the terms of the Trust Agreement.

Incidental Rights are rights to claim, or otherwise establish dominion and control over, any virtual currency or other asset or right, which rights are incident to the Trust’s ownership of DOGE and arise without any action of the Trust, or of the Sponsor or Trustee on behalf of the Trust; IR Virtual Currency is any virtual currency tokens, or other asset or right, received by the Trust through the exercise (subject to the applicable provisions of the Trust Agreement) of any Incidental Right.

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

In the opinion of management of the Sponsor of the Trust, all adjustments (which include normal recurring adjustments) necessary to present fairly the financial position as of September 30, 2025 and results of operations for the three months ended September 30, 2025 and the period from January 30, 2025 (the commencement of the Trust's operations) to September 30, 2025 have been made. The results of operations for the periods presented are not necessarily indicative of the results of operations expected for the full year. These unaudited financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements for the period ended June 30, 2025 included in our Registration Statement on Form S-1, as filed with the SEC on October 6, 2025.

The following is a summary of significant accounting policies followed by the Trust:

F-6


 

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”). The Trust qualifies as an investment company for accounting purposes pursuant to the accounting and reporting guidance under Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 946, Financial Services—Investment Companies. The Trust uses fair value as its method of accounting for DOGE in accordance with its classification as an investment company for accounting purposes. The Trust is not a registered investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940. U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates and these differences could be material.

The Trust conducts its transactions in DOGE, including receiving DOGE for the creation of Shares and delivering DOGE for the redemption of Shares and for the payment of the Sponsor’s Fee. At this time, the Trust is not accepting redemption requests from shareholders. Since its inception, the Trust has not held cash or cash equivalents. The Sponsor will determine the Trust’s net asset value on each business day as of 4:00 p.m., New York time, or as soon thereafter as practicable.

Principal Market and Fair Value Determination

To determine which market is the Trust’s principal market (or in the absence of a principal market, the most advantageous market) for purposes of calculating the Trust’s net asset value in accordance with U.S. GAAP (“Principal Market NAV”), the Trust follows ASC Topic 820-10, Fair Value Measurement, which outlines the application of fair value accounting. ASC 820-10 determines fair value to be the price that would be received for DOGE in a current sale, which assumes an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. ASC 820-10 requires the Trust to assume that DOGE is sold in its principal market to market participants or, in the absence of a principal market, the most advantageous market. Market participants are defined as buyers and sellers in the principal or most advantageous market that are independent, knowledgeable, and willing and able to transact.

The Trust only receives DOGE in connection with a creation order from the Authorized Participant (or a Liquidity Provider) and does not itself transact on any Digital Asset Markets. Therefore, the Trust looks to market-based volume and level of activity for Digital Asset Markets. The Authorized Participant(s), or a Liquidity Provider, may transact in a Brokered Market, a Dealer Market, Principal-to-Principal Markets and Exchange Markets (referred to as “Trading Platform Markets” in this Quarterly Report), each as defined in the FASB ASC Master Glossary (collectively, “Digital Asset Markets”).

In determining which of the eligible Digital Asset Markets is the Trust’s principal market, the Trust reviews these criteria in the following order:

First, the Trust reviews a list of Digital Asset Markets that maintain practices and policies designed to comply with anti-money laundering (“AML”) and know-your-customer (“KYC”) regulations, and non-Digital Asset Trading Platform Markets that the Trust reasonably believes are operating in compliance with applicable law, including federal and state licensing requirements, based upon information and assurances provided to it by each market.

Second, the Trust sorts these Digital Asset Markets from high to low by market-based volume and level of activity of DOGE traded on each Digital Asset Market in the trailing twelve months.

Third, the Trust then reviews pricing fluctuations and the degree of variances in price on Digital Asset Markets to identify any material notable variances that may impact the volume or price information of a particular Digital Asset Market.

Fourth, the Trust then selects a Digital Asset Market as its principal market based on the highest market-based volume, level of activity and price stability in comparison to the other Digital Asset Markets on the list. Based on information reasonably available to the Trust, Trading Platform Markets have the greatest volume and level of activity for the asset. The Trust therefore looks to accessible Trading Platform Markets as opposed to the Brokered Market, Dealer Market and Principal-to-Principal Markets to determine its principal market. As a result of the aforementioned analysis, a Trading Platform Market has been selected as the Trust’s principal market.

The Trust determines its principal market (or in the absence of a principal market the most advantageous market) annually and conducts a quarterly analysis to determine (i) if there have been recent changes to each Digital Asset Market’s trading volume and level of activity in the trailing twelve months, (ii) if any Digital Asset Markets have developed that the Trust has access to, or (iii) if recent changes to each Digital Asset Market’s price stability have occurred that would materially impact the selection of the principal market and necessitate a change in the Trust’s determination of its principal market.

The cost basis of the DOGE received by the Trust in connection with a creation order is recorded by the Trust at the fair value of DOGE at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the creation date for financial reporting purposes. The cost basis recorded by the Trust may differ from proceeds collected by the Authorized Participant from the sale of the corresponding Shares to investors.

Investment Transactions and Revenue Recognition

The Trust considers investment transactions to be the receipt of DOGE for Share creations and the delivery of DOGE for Share redemptions or for payment of expenses in DOGE. At this time, the Trust is not accepting redemption requests from shareholders. The Trust records its investment transactions on a trade date basis and changes in fair value are reflected as net change in unrealized appreciation or depreciation on investments. Realized gains and losses are calculated using the specific identification method. Realized gains and losses are recognized in connection with transactions including settling obligations for the Sponsor’s Fee in DOGE.

F-7


 

Fair Value Measurement

Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability (i.e., the ‘exit price’) in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date.

U.S. GAAP utilizes a fair value hierarchy for inputs used in measuring fair value that maximizes the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use of unobservable inputs by requiring that the most observable inputs be used when available. Observable inputs are those that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability based on market data obtained from sources independent of the Trust. Unobservable inputs reflect the Trust’s assumptions about the inputs market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability developed based on the best information available in the circumstances.

The fair value hierarchy is categorized into three levels based on the inputs as follows:

•
Level 1 – Valuations based on unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Trust has the ability to access. Since valuations are based on quoted prices that are readily and regularly available in an active market, these valuations do not entail a significant degree of judgment.
•
Level 2 – Valuations based on quoted prices in markets that are not active or for which significant inputs are observable, either directly or indirectly.
•
Level 3 – Valuations based on inputs that are unobservable and significant to the overall fair value measurement.

The availability of valuation techniques and observable inputs can vary by investment. To the extent that valuations are based on sources that are less observable or unobservable in the market, the determination of fair value requires more judgment. Fair value estimates do not necessarily represent the amounts that may be ultimately realized by the Trust.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fair Value Measurement Using

 

(Amounts in thousands)

 

Amount at
Fair Value

 

 

Level 1

 

 

Level 2

 

 

Level 3

 

September 30, 2025

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Investment in DOGE

 

$

2,600

 

 

$

2,600

 

 

$

-

 

 

$

-

 


Segment Reporting

The Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Sponsor act as the Trust’s chief operating decision maker (“CODM”). The Trust represents a single operating segment, as the CODM monitors the operating results of the Trust as a whole and the Trust’s passive investment objective is pre-determined in accordance with the terms of the Trust Agreement. The financial information in the form of the Trust’s total returns, expense ratios and changes in net assets (i.e., changes in net assets resulting from operations and capital share transactions), which are used by the CODM to assess the segment’s performance, are consistent with that presented within the Trust’s financial statements. Segment assets are reflected on the accompanying Statements of Assets and Liabilities as Total assets and the only significant segment expense, the Sponsor’s fee, related party, is included in the accompanying Statements of Operations.
 

3. Fair Value of DOGE

DOGE is held by the Custodian on behalf of the Trust and is carried at fair value. As of September 30, 2025, the Trust held 11,176,418.39704280 DOGE.

The Trust determined the fair value per DOGE to be $0.23 on September 30, 2025, using the price provided at 4:00 p.m., New York time, by the Digital Asset Trading Platform Market considered to be the Trust’s principal market (Coinbase).

The following represents the changes in quantity of DOGE and the respective fair value:


(Amounts in thousands, except DOGE amounts)

 

Quantity

 

 

Fair Value

 

Balance at January 30, 2025 (the Commencement of the Trust's Operations)

 

 

-

 

 

$

-

 

DOGE contributed

 

 

11,353,765.43592000

 

 

 

2,786

 

DOGE distributed for Sponsor’s Fee, related party

 

(177,347.03887720)

 

 

 

(36

)

Net change in unrealized depreciation on investment in DOGE

 

 

-

 

 

 

(142

)

Net realized loss on investment in DOGE

 

 

-

 

 

 

(8

)

Balance at September 30, 2025

 

 

11,176,418.39704280

 

 

 

2,600

 

 

4. Creations and Redemptions of Shares

F-8


 

At September 30, 2025, there were an unlimited number of Shares authorized by the Trust. The Trust creates (and, should the Trust commence a redemption program, redeems) Shares from time to time, but only in one or more Baskets. The creation and redemption of Baskets on behalf of investors are made by the Authorized Participant in exchange for the delivery of DOGE to the Trust or the distribution of DOGE by the Trust. The amount of DOGE required for each Creation Basket or redemption Basket is determined by dividing (x) the amount of DOGE owned by the Trust at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on such trade date of a creation or redemption order, after deducting the amount of DOGE representing the U.S. dollar value of accrued but unpaid fees and expenses of the Trust, by (y) the number of Shares outstanding at such time and multiplying the quotient obtained by 100. Each Share represented approximately 29.5048 at September 30, 2025. The decrease in the amount of DOGE represented by each Share is primarily a result of the periodic withdrawal of DOGE to pay the Sponsor’s Fee.

The cost basis of investments in DOGE recorded by the Trust is the fair value of DOGE, as determined by the Trust, at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the date of transfer to the Trust by the Authorized Participant, or Liquidity Provider, based on the Creation Baskets. The cost basis recorded by the Trust may differ from proceeds collected by the Authorized Participant from the sale of each Share to investors. The Authorized Participant or Liquidity Provider may realize significant profits buying, selling, creating, and, if permitted, redeeming Shares as a result of changes in the value of Shares or DOGE.

At this time, the Trust is not operating a redemption program and is not accepting redemption requests. Subject to receipt of regulatory approval and approval by the Sponsor in its sole discretion, the Trust may in the future operate a redemption program. On August 15, 2025, the Sponsor filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-1 to register the Shares of the Trust under the Securities Act of 1933. As of the date of this filing, the Sponsor believes that the Trust’s Shares would qualify for listing and trading under the Generic Listing Standards, but the Trust has not obtained relief from the SEC under Regulation M, and the Trust makes no representation as to when or if such approval and relief will be obtained.

5. Income Taxes

The Sponsor takes the position that the Trust is properly treated as a grantor trust for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Assuming that the Trust is a grantor trust, the Trust will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax. Rather, if the Trust is a grantor trust, each beneficial owner of Shares will be treated as directly owning its pro rata Share of the Trust’s assets and a pro rata portion of the Trust’s income, gains, losses and deductions will “flow through” to each beneficial owner of Shares.

If the Trust were not properly classified as a grantor trust, the Trust might be classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. However, due to the uncertain treatment of digital assets, including forks, airdrops and similar occurrences for U.S. federal income tax purposes, there can be no assurance in this regard. If the Trust were classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the tax consequences of owning Shares generally would not be materially different from the tax consequences described herein, although there might be certain differences, including with respect to timing. In addition, tax information reports provided to beneficial owners of Shares would be made in a different form. If the Trust were not classified as either a grantor trust or a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, it would be classified as a corporation for such purposes. In that event, the Trust would be subject to entity-level U.S. federal income tax (currently at the rate of 21%) on its net taxable income and certain distributions made by the Trust to shareholders would be treated as taxable dividends to the extent of the Trust’s current and accumulated earnings and profits.

In accordance with U.S. GAAP, the Trust has defined the threshold for recognizing the benefits of tax positions in the financial statements as “more-likely-than-not” to be sustained by the applicable taxing authority and requires measurement of a tax position meeting the “more-likely-than-not” threshold, based on the largest benefit that is more than 50% likely to be realized. Tax positions deemed to meet the “more-likely-than-not” threshold are recorded as a tax benefit in the current period. As of, and during the periods ended September 30, 2025, the Trust did not have a liability for any unrecognized tax amounts. However, the Sponsor’s conclusions concerning its determination of “more-likely-than-not” tax positions may be subject to review and adjustment at a later date based on factors including, but not limited to, further implementation guidance, and ongoing analyses of and changes to tax laws, regulations and interpretations thereof.

The Sponsor of the Trust has evaluated whether or not there are uncertain tax positions that require financial statement recognition and has determined that no reserves for uncertain tax positions related to federal, state and local income taxes existed as of September 30, 2025.

6. Related Parties

The Trust considered the following entities, their directors, and certain employees to be related parties of the Trust as of September 30, 2025: DCG, GSO, GSIS, and Grayscale Securities. As of September 30, 2025, 48,158 Shares of the Trust were held by related parties of the Trust.

In accordance with the Trust Agreement governing the Trust, the Trust pays a fee to the Sponsor, calculated as 2.5% of the aggregate value of the Trust’s assets, less its liabilities (which include any accrued but unpaid expenses up to, but excluding, the date of calculation), as calculated and published by the Sponsor or its delegates in the manner set forth in the Trust Agreement (the “Sponsor’s Fee”). The Sponsor’s Fee accrues daily in U.S. dollars and is payable in DOGE, monthly in arrears. The amount of DOGE payable in respect of each daily U.S. dollar accrual will be determined by reference to the same U.S. dollar value of DOGE used to determine such accrual. For purposes of these financial statements, the U.S. dollar value of DOGE is determined by reference to the Digital Asset Trading

F-9


 

Platform Market that the Trust considers its principal market as of 4:00 p.m., New York time, on each valuation date. The Trust held no Incidental Rights or IR Virtual Currency as of September 30, 2025. No Incidental Rights or IR Virtual Currencies have been distributed in payment of the Sponsor’s Fee during the periods ended September 30, 2025.

As partial consideration for receipt of the Sponsor’s Fee, the Sponsor is obligated under the Trust Agreement to assume and pay all fees and other expenses incurred by the Trust in the ordinary course of its affairs, excluding taxes, but including marketing fees; administrator fees, if any; custodian fees; transfer agent fees; trustee fees; the fees and expenses related to the listing, quotation or trading of the Shares on any secondary market (including customary legal, marketing and audit fees and expenses) in an amount up to $600,000 in any given fiscal year; ordinary course legal fees and expenses; audit fees; regulatory fees, including, if applicable, any fees relating to the registration of the Shares under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act; printing and mailing costs; the costs of maintaining the Trust’s website and applicable license fees (together, the “Sponsor-paid Expenses”), provided that any expense that qualifies as an Additional Trust Expense will be deemed to be an Additional Trust Expense and not a Sponsor-paid Expense.

The Trust may incur certain extraordinary, non-recurring expenses that are not Sponsor-paid Expenses, including, but not limited to, taxes and governmental charges, expenses and costs of any extraordinary services performed by the Sponsor (or any other service provider) on behalf of the Trust to protect the Trust or the interests of shareholders (including in connection with any Incidental Rights and any IR Virtual Currency), any indemnification of the Custodian or other agents, service providers or counterparties of the Trust, the fees and expenses related to the listing, quotation or trading of the Shares on any secondary market (including legal, marketing and audit fees and expenses) to the extent exceeding $600,000 in any given fiscal year and extraordinary legal fees and expenses, including any legal fees and expenses incurred in connection with litigation, regulatory enforcement or investigation matters (collectively “Additional Trust Expenses”). In such circumstances, the Sponsor or its delegate (i) will instruct the Custodian to withdraw from the Digital Asset Account DOGE, Incidental Rights and/or IR Virtual Currency in such quantity as may be necessary to permit payment of such Additional Trust Expenses and (ii) may either (x) cause the Trust (or its delegate) to convert such DOGE, Incidental Rights and/or IR Virtual Currency into U.S. dollars or other fiat currencies at the Actual Exchange Rate or (y) when the Sponsor incurs such expenses on behalf of the Trust, cause the Trust (or its delegate) to deliver such DOGE, Incidental Rights and/or IR Virtual Currency in kind to the Sponsor, in each case in such quantity as may be necessary to permit payment of such Additional Trust Expenses.

For the three months ended September 30, 2025 and the period from January 30, 2025 (the commencement of the Trust's operations) to September 30, 2025, the Trust incurred Sponsor’s Fees of $15,830 and $36,223, respectively. As of September 30, 2025, there were no accrued and unpaid Sponsor’s Fees. In addition, the Sponsor may pay Additional Trust Expenses on behalf of the Trust, which are reimbursable by the Trust to the Sponsor. For the period ended September 30, 2025, the Sponsor did not pay any Additional Trust Expenses on behalf of the Trust.

7. Risks and Uncertainties

The Trust is subject to various risks including market risk, liquidity risk, and other risks related to its concentration in a single asset, DOGE. Investing in DOGE is currently highly speculative and volatile.

The Principal Market NAV of the Trust, calculated by reference to the principal market price in accordance with U.S. GAAP, relates primarily to the value of the DOGE held by the Trust, and fluctuations in the price of DOGE could materially and adversely affect an investment in the Shares of the Trust. The price of DOGE has a limited history. During such history, DOGE prices have been volatile and subject to influence by many factors, including the levels of liquidity. If Digital Asset Markets continue to experience significant price fluctuations, the Trust may experience losses. Several factors may affect the price of DOGE, including, but not limited to, global DOGE supply and demand, theft of DOGE from global trading platforms or vaults, competition from other forms of digital currency or payment services, global or regional political, economic or financial conditions, and other unforeseen events and situations.

The DOGE held by the Trust are commingled, and the Trust’s shareholders have no specific rights to any specific DOGE. In the event of the insolvency of the Trust, its assets may be inadequate to satisfy a claim by its shareholders.

There is currently no clearing house for DOGE, nor is there a central or major depository for the custody of DOGE. There is a risk that some or all of the Trust’s DOGE could be lost or stolen. There can be no assurance that the Custodian will maintain adequate insurance or that such coverage will cover losses with respect to the Trust’s DOGE. Further, transactions in DOGE are irrevocable. Stolen or incorrectly transferred DOGE may be irretrievable. As a result, any incorrectly executed DOGE transactions could adversely affect an investment in the Shares.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), at least under the prior administration, has stated that certain digital assets may be considered “securities” under the federal securities laws. The test for determining whether a particular digital asset is a “security” is complex and difficult to apply, and the outcome is difficult to predict. A number of SEC and SEC staff actions with respect to a variety of digital assets demonstrate this difficulty. For example, public though non-binding, statements by senior officials at the SEC have indicated that the SEC did not consider Bitcoin or Ether to be securities, and does not currently consider Bitcoin to be a security. In addition, the SEC appears to have implicitly taken the view that Ether is not a security (i) by not objecting to Ether futures trading on Commodity Futures Trading Commission-regulated markets under rules designed for futures on non-security commodity underliers and (ii) by approving the listing and trading of exchange-traded products (“ETPs”) that invest in Ether (i.e., approving the redemption of shares of such ETPs) under the rules for commodity-based trust shares, without requiring these ETPs to be registered as investment

F-10


 

companies. Likewise, in various courts filings and arguments the SEC has distinguished Ether from assets that it claimed were securities, and in judicial opinions, courts have accepted or even assumed that Ether is not a security. Moreover, in a recent settlement with another market participant relating to allegations that it acted as an unregistered broker-dealer for facilitating trading in certain digital assets, the SEC highlighted that the firm would cease trading in all digital assets other than Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash and Ether—activity that, if the SEC believed Ether was presently a security—would continue to constitute unregistered brokerage activity. The SEC staff has also provided informal assurances via no-action letter to a handful of promoters that their digital assets are not securities. Moreover, the SEC’s Division of Corporation Finance has published statements that it does not consider, under certain circumstances, “meme coins” or some stablecoins to be securities. However, such statements may be withdrawn at any time without notice and comment by the Division of Corporation Finance at the SEC or the SEC itself. In addition, the SEC has brought enforcement actions against the issuers and promoters of several other digital assets on the basis that the digital assets in question are securities, and has not formally or explicitly confirmed that it does not deem Ether to be a security. These developments demonstrate the difficulty in applying the federal securities laws to digital assets generally. In January 2025, the SEC launched a crypto task force dedicated to developing a comprehensive and clear regulatory framework for digital assets led by Commissioner Hester Peirce. Subsequently, Commissioner Peirce announced a list of specific priorities to further that initiative, which included pursuing final rules related to a digital asset’s security status, a revised path to registered offerings and listings for digital assets-based investment vehicles, and clarity regarding digital asset custody, lending, and staking. However, the efforts of the crypto task force have only just begun, and how or whether the SEC regulates digital asset activity in the future remains to be seen.

If DOGE is determined to be a “security” under federal or state securities laws by the SEC or any other agency, or in a proceeding in a court of law or otherwise, it may have material adverse consequences for DOGE. For example, it may become more difficult for DOGE to be traded, cleared and custodied as compared to other digital assets that are not considered to be securities, which could, in turn, negatively affect the liquidity and general acceptance of DOGE and cause users to migrate to other digital assets. As such, any determination that DOGE is a security under federal or state securities laws may adversely affect the value of DOGE and, as a result, an investment in the Shares.

In addition, if DOGE is in fact a security, the Trust could be considered an unregistered “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, which could necessitate the Trust’s liquidation. In this case, the Trust and the Sponsor may be deemed to have participated in an illegal offering of securities and there is no guarantee that the Sponsor will be able to register the Trust under the Investment Company Act of 1940 at such time or take such other actions as may be necessary to ensure the Trust’s activities comply with applicable law, which could force the Sponsor to liquidate the Trust.

To the extent a private key, held by the Custodian, required to access a DOGE address is lost, destroyed or otherwise compromised and no backup of the private keys are accessible, the Trust may be unable to access the DOGE controlled by the private key and the private key will not be capable of being restored by the Dogecoin Network. The processes by which DOGE transactions are settled are dependent on the DOGE peer-to-peer network, and as such, the Trust is subject to operational risk. A risk also exists with respect to previously unknown technical vulnerabilities, which may adversely affect the value of DOGE.

The Trust relies on third-party service providers to perform certain functions essential to its operations. Any disruptions to the Trust’s service providers’ business operations resulting from business failures, financial instability, security failures, government mandated regulation or operational problems could have an adverse impact on the Trust’s ability to access critical services and be disruptive to the operations of the Trust.

The Sponsor and the Trust may be subject to various litigation, regulatory investigations, and other legal proceedings that arise in the ordinary course of its business.

8. Financial Highlights Per Share Performance


 

 

Three Months Ended September 30, 2025

 

 

January 30, 2025 (the Commencement of the Trust's Operations) to September 30, 2025

 

Per Share Data:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Principal Market NAV, beginning of period

 

$

4.98

 

 

$

9.93

 

Net increase (decrease) in net assets from investment operations:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net investment loss

 

 

(0.04

)

 

 

(0.10

)

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

 

 

1.92

 

 

 

(2.97

)

Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

 

 

1.88

 

 

 

(3.07

)

Principal Market NAV, end of period

 

$

6.86

 

 

$

6.86

 

Total return

 

 

37.75

%

 

 

-30.91

%

Ratios to average net assets:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net investment loss

 

 

-2.50

%

 

 

-2.50

%

Expenses

 

 

-2.50

%

 

 

-2.50

%

 

F-11


 

Ratios of net investment loss and expenses to average net assets have been annualized.

An individual shareholder’s return, ratios, and per Share performance may vary from those presented above based on the timing of Share transactions. The amount shown for a Share outstanding throughout the period may not correlate with the Statement of Operations for the period due to the number of Shares issued in Creations occurring at an operational value derived from an operating metric as defined in the Trust Agreement.

Total return is calculated assuming an initial investment made at the Principal Market NAV at the beginning of the period and assuming redemption on the last day of the period.

9. Indemnifications

In the normal course of business, the Trust enters into certain contracts that provide a variety of indemnities, including contracts with the Sponsor and affiliates of the Sponsor, DCG and its officers, directors, employees, subsidiaries and affiliates, and the Custodian as well as others relating to services provided to the Trust. The Trust’s maximum exposure under these and its other indemnities is unknown. However, no liabilities have arisen under these indemnities in the past and, while there can be no assurances in this regard, there is no expectation that any will occur in the future. Therefore, the Sponsor does not consider it necessary to record a liability in this regard.

10. Subsequent Events

On October 20, 2025, the Trust completed a 1-for-4 Reverse Share Split of the Trust’s issued and outstanding Shares. In connection with the Reverse Share Split effective for shareholders of record on October 19, 2025, every 4 issued and outstanding Shares of the Trust were converted into one Share.

On October 22, 2025, GSO Intermediate Holdings Corporation (“GSOIH”), a Delaware corporation which was the sole managing member of GSO, a Delaware limited liability company which is the sole member of the Sponsor, consummated an internal corporate reorganization (the “Management Reorganization”). Pursuant to the Management Reorganization, GSOIH transferred a portion of its common membership units of GSO for Class A shares of Grayscale Investments, Inc. (“Grayscale Investments”), a Delaware corporation incorporated in connection with the Management Reorganization, and ceded its managing member rights in GSO to Grayscale Investments. As a result of the Management Reorganization, Grayscale Investments is now the sole managing member of GSO, the sole member of the Sponsor.

Also in connection with the Management Reorganization, on October 22, 2025, DCG Grayscale Holdco, LLC (“DCG Holdco”), the sole stockholder of Grayscale Investments, elected a board of directors (the “Board”) at Grayscale Investments. Prior to the Management Reorganization, GSOIH’s board of directors was responsible for managing and directing the affairs of the Sponsor. As a result of the Management Reorganization, the Board of Grayscale Investments is responsible for managing and directing the affairs of the Sponsor, and consists of Barry Silbert, Mark Shifke, Simon Koster, Peter Mintzberg and Edward McGee, the same members as the board of directors of GSOIH prior to the Management Reorganization. Mr. Mintzberg and Mr. McGee also retain the authority granted to them as officers of the Sponsor under the limited liability company agreement of the Sponsor. Mr. Silbert is the Chairperson of the Board of Grayscale Investments.

DCG Holdco, Grayscale Investments, GSOIH, GSO and the Sponsor are all consolidated subsidiaries of Digital Currency Group, Inc.

The Sponsor does not expect the Management Reorganization to have any material impact on the operations of the Trust.

As of the close of business on October 30, 2025, the fair value of DOGE determined in accordance with the Trust’s accounting policy was $0.18 per DOGE.

There are no known events that have occurred that require disclosure other than that which has already been disclosed in these notes to the financial statements.

F-12


 

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

To the Shareholders and Sponsor of
Grayscale Dogecoin Trust (DOGE):

Opinion on the Financial Statements

We have audited the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities of Grayscale Dogecoin Trust (DOGE) (the Trust), including the schedule of investment, as of June 30, 2025, the related statements of operations and changes in net assets for the period from January 30, 2025 (the commencement of the Trust’s operations) to June 30, 2025, and the related notes (collectively, the financial statements). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Trust as of June 30, 2025, and the results of its operations and changes in its net assets for the period then ended, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

Basis for Opinion

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Trust’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Trust in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. Our audit included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audit also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

/s/ KPMG LLP

We have served as the Trust’s auditor since 2025.

New York, New York

October 6, 2025

 

 

F-13


 

Grayscale DOGECOIN Trust (DOGE)

Statement of Assets and Liabilities

(Amounts in thousands, except Share and per Share amounts)

 

 

 

June 30, 2025

 

Assets:

 

 

 

Investment in DOGE, at fair value (cost $2,760 as of June 30, 2025)

 

$

1,885

 

Total assets

 

$

1,885

 

 

 

 

 

Liabilities:

 

 

 

Sponsor’s Fee payable, related party

 

$

-

 

Total liabilities

 

 

-

 

Net assets

 

$

1,885

 

Shares issued and outstanding, no par value (unlimited Shares authorized)

 

 

378,800

 

Principal Market NAV per Share

 

$

4.98

 

 

(1)
No comparative financial statements have been provided as the Trust’s operations commenced on January 30, 2025.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

F-14


 

Grayscale DOGECOIN Trust (DOGE)

Schedule of Investment

(Amounts in thousands, except quantity of DOGE and percentages)

 

June 30, 2025

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quantity of DOGE

 

 

Cost

 

 

Fair Value

 

 

% of Net
Assets

 

Investment in DOGE

 

 

11,247,069.92963670

 

 

$

2,760

 

 

$

1,885

 

 

 

100

%

Total Investment

 

 

 

 

$

2,760

 

 

$

1,885

 

 

 

100

%

Net assets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$

1,885

 

 

 

100

%

 

(1)
No comparative financial statements have been provided as the Trust’s operations commenced on January 30, 2025.

 

F-15


 

Grayscale DOGECOIN Trust (DOGE)

StatementS of Operations

(Amounts in thousands)

 

 

 

January 30, 2025 (the Commencement of the Trust’s Operations) to June 30, 2025

 

Investment income:

 

 

 

Investment income

 

$

-

 

Expenses:

 

 

 

Sponsor’s Fee, related party

 

 

20

 

Net investment loss

 

 

(20

)

Net realized and unrealized loss from:

 

 

 

Net realized loss on investment in DOGE

 

 

(6

)

Net change in unrealized depreciation on investment in DOGE

 

 

(875

)

Net realized and unrealized loss on investment

 

 

(881

)

Net decrease in net assets resulting from operations

 

$

(901

)

 

(1)
No comparative financial statements have been provided as the Trust’s operations commenced on January 30, 2025.

 

F-16


 

Grayscale DOGECOIN Trust (DOGE)

StatementS of Changes in Net Assets

(Amounts in thousands, except change in Shares outstanding)

 

 

 

January 30, 2025 (the Commencement of the Trust’s Operations) to June 30, 2025

 

Decrease in net assets from operations:

 

 

 

Net investment loss

 

$

(20

)

Net realized loss on investment in DOGE

 

 

(6

)

Net change in unrealized depreciation on investment in DOGE

 

 

(875

)

Net decrease in net assets resulting from operations

 

 

(901

)

Increase in net assets from capital share transactions:

 

 

 

Shares issued

 

 

2,786

 

Net increase in net assets resulting from capital share transactions

 

 

2,786

 

Total increase in net assets from operations and capital share transactions

 

 

1,885

 

Net assets:

 

 

 

Beginning of period

 

 

-

 

End of period

 

$

1,885

 

Change in Shares outstanding:

 

 

 

Shares outstanding at beginning of period

 

 

-

 

Shares issued

 

 

378,800

 

Net increase in Shares

 

 

378,800

 

Shares outstanding at end of period

 

 

378,800

 

 

(1)
No comparative financial statements have been provided as the Trust’s operations commenced on January 30, 2025.

 

F-17


Grayscale DOGECOIN Trust (DOGE)

Notes to Financial Statements

 

1. Organization

Grayscale Dogecoin Trust (DOGE) (the “Trust”) is a Delaware Statutory Trust that was formed on January 27, 2021 and commenced operations on January 30, 2025. In general, the Trust holds Dogecoin (“DOGE”) and, from time to time, issues common units of fractional undivided beneficial interest (“Shares”) (in minimum baskets of 100 Shares, referred to as “Baskets”) in exchange for DOGE. The Trust does not currently operate a redemption program. Subject to receipt of regulatory approval and approval by the Sponsor in its sole discretion, the Trust may in the future operate a redemption program. On August 15, 2025, the Sponsor filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-1 to register the Shares of the Trust under the Securities Act of 1933. The registration statement on Form S-3 has not been declared effective. The Trust’s investment objective is for the value of the Shares (based on DOGE per Share) to reflect the value of the DOGE held by the Trust, less the Trust’s expenses and other liabilities.

Grayscale Investments, LLC (“GSI”), the sponsor of the Trust before January 1, 2025, Grayscale Operating, LLC (“GSO”), the co-sponsor of the Trust from January 1, 2025 to May 3, 2025, and Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC (“GSIS”), the co-sponsor of the Trust from January 1, 2025 to May 3, 2025 and the sole remaining sponsor thereafter (each of GSI, GSO and GSIS, the “Sponsor”, as the context may require, and GSO and GSIS, together, the “Co-Sponsors”) are each an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Digital Currency Group, Inc. (“DCG”). The Sponsor is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the Trust pursuant to the provisions of the Trust Agreement. The Sponsor is responsible for preparing and providing annual and quarterly reports on behalf of the Trust to investors and is also responsible for selecting and monitoring the Trust’s service providers. As partial consideration for the Sponsor’s services, the Trust pays the Sponsor a Sponsor’s Fee as discussed in Note 6. The Sponsor also acts as the sponsor and manager of other single-asset and diversified investment products, each of which is an affiliate of the Trust. Information related to the affiliated investment products can be found on the Sponsor’s website at www.grayscale.com/resources/regulatory-filings. Any information contained on or linked from such website is not part of nor incorporated by reference into these audited financial statements. Several of the affiliated investment products are SEC reporting companies with their shares registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act. In addition, the following affiliated investment products are SEC reporting companies with their shares registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act: Grayscale Bitcoin Trust ETF, Grayscale Ethereum Trust ETF, Grayscale Ethereum Mini Trust ETF, Grayscale Bitcoin Mini Trust ETF and Grayscale CoinDesk Crypto 5 ETF.

Authorized Participants of the Trust are the only entities who may place orders to create or, if permitted, redeem Baskets. Grayscale Securities, LLC (“Grayscale Securities” or, in such capacity, an “Authorized Participant”), a registered broker-dealer and affiliate of the Sponsor, is the only Authorized Participant, and is party to a participant agreement with the Sponsor and the Trust. Additional Authorized Participants may be added at any time, subject to the discretion of the Sponsor. Liquidity Providers who are unaffiliated with the Trust may be engaged from time to time and at any time.

The custodian of the Trust is Coinbase Custody Trust Company, LLC (the “Custodian”), a third-party service provider. The Custodian is responsible for safeguarding the DOGE, Incidental Rights, and IR Virtual Currency held by the Trust, and holding the private key(s) that provide access to the Trust’s digital wallets and vaults.

The transfer agent for the Trust (the “Transfer Agent”) is Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company. The responsibilities of the Transfer Agent are to maintain creations, redemptions, transfers, and distributions of the Trust’s Shares which are primarily held in book-entry form.

The Trust may also receive Incidental Rights and/or IR Virtual Currency as a result of the Trust’s investment in DOGE, in accordance with the terms of the Trust Agreement.

Incidental Rights are rights to claim, or otherwise establish dominion and control over, any virtual currency or other asset or right, which rights are incident to the Trust’s ownership of DOGE and arise without any action of the Trust, or of the Sponsor or Trustee on behalf of the Trust; IR Virtual Currency is any virtual currency tokens, or other asset or right, received by the Trust through the exercise (subject to the applicable provisions of the Trust Agreement) of any Incidental Right.

 

F-18


Grayscale DOGECOIN Trust (DOGE)

Notes to Financial Statements

 

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

In the opinion of management of the Sponsor of the Trust, all adjustments (which include normal recurring adjustments) necessary to present fairly the financial position as of June 30, 2025 and results of operations for the period from January 30, 2025 (the commencement of the Trust’s operations) to June 30, 2025 have been made. The results of operations for the periods presented are not necessarily indicative of the results of operations expected for the full year.

The following is a summary of significant accounting policies followed by the Trust:

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”). The Trust qualifies as an investment company for accounting purposes pursuant to the accounting and reporting guidance under Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 946, Financial Services—Investment Companies. The Trust uses fair value as its method of accounting for DOGE in accordance with its classification as an investment company for accounting purposes. The Trust is not a registered investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940. U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates and these differences could be material.

The Trust conducts its transactions in DOGE, including receiving DOGE for the creation of Shares and delivering DOGE for the redemption of Shares and for the payment of the Sponsor’s Fee. At this time, the Trust is not accepting redemption requests from shareholders. Since its inception, the Trust has not held cash or cash equivalents. The Sponsor will determine the Trust’s net asset value on each business day as of 4:00 p.m., New York time, or as soon thereafter as practicable.

Principal Market and Fair Value Determination

To determine which market is the Trust’s principal market (or in the absence of a principal market, the most advantageous market) for purposes of calculating the Trust’s net asset value in accordance with U.S. GAAP (“Principal Market NAV”), the Trust follows ASC Topic 820-10, Fair Value Measurement, which outlines the application of fair value accounting. ASC 820-10 determines fair value to be the price that would be received for DOGE in a current sale, which assumes an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. ASC 820-10 requires the Trust to assume that DOGE is sold in its principal market to market participants or, in the absence of a principal market, the most advantageous market. Market participants are defined as buyers and sellers in the principal or most advantageous market that are independent, knowledgeable, and willing and able to transact.

The Trust only receives DOGE in connection with a creation order from the Authorized Participant (or a Liquidity Provider) and does not itself transact on any Digital Asset Markets. Therefore, the Trust looks to market-based volume and level of activity for Digital Asset Markets. The Authorized Participant(s), or a Liquidity Provider, may transact in a Brokered Market, a Dealer Market, Principal-to-Principal Markets and Exchange Markets (referred to as “Trading Platform Markets” in this Interim Report), each as defined in the FASB ASC Master Glossary (collectively, “Digital Asset Markets”).

In determining which of the eligible Digital Asset Markets is the Trust’s principal market, the Trust reviews these criteria in the following order:

First, the Trust reviews a list of Digital Asset Markets that maintain practices and policies designed to comply with anti-money laundering (“AML”) and know-your-customer (“KYC”) regulations, and non-Digital Asset Trading Platform Markets that the Trust reasonably believes are operating in compliance with applicable law, including federal and state licensing requirements, based upon information and assurances provided to it by each market.

Second, the Trust sorts these Digital Asset Markets from high to low by market-based volume and level of activity of DOGE traded on each Digital Asset Market in the trailing twelve months.

Third, the Trust then reviews pricing fluctuations and the degree of variances in price on Digital Asset Markets to identify any material notable variances that may impact the volume or price information of a particular Digital Asset Market.

Fourth, the Trust then selects a Digital Asset Market as its principal market based on the highest market-based volume, level of activity and price stability in comparison to the other Digital Asset Markets on the list. Based on information reasonably available to the Trust, Trading Platform Markets have the greatest volume and level of activity for the asset. The Trust therefore looks to accessible Trading Platform Markets as opposed to the Brokered Market, Dealer Market and Principal-to-Principal Markets to determine its principal market. As a result of the aforementioned analysis, a Trading Platform Market has been selected as the Trust’s principal market.

The Trust determines its principal market (or in the absence of a principal market the most advantageous market) annually and conducts a quarterly analysis to determine (i) if there have been recent changes to each Digital Asset Market’s trading volume and level of activity in the trailing twelve months, (ii) if any Digital Asset Markets have developed that the Trust has access to, or (iii) if

F-19


Grayscale DOGECOIN Trust (DOGE)

Notes to Financial Statements

 

recent changes to each Digital Asset Market’s price stability have occurred that would materially impact the selection of the principal market and necessitate a change in the Trust’s determination of its principal market.

The cost basis of the DOGE received by the Trust in connection with a creation order is recorded by the Trust at the fair value of DOGE at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the creation date for financial reporting purposes. The cost basis recorded by the Trust may differ from proceeds collected by the Authorized Participant from the sale of the corresponding Shares to investors.

Investment Transactions and Revenue Recognition

The Trust considers investment transactions to be the receipt of DOGE for Share creations and the delivery of DOGE for Share redemptions or for payment of expenses in DOGE. At this time, the Trust is not accepting redemption requests from shareholders. The Trust records its investment transactions on a trade date basis and changes in fair value are reflected as net change in unrealized appreciation or depreciation on investments. Realized gains and losses are calculated using the specific identification method. Realized gains and losses are recognized in connection with transactions including settling obligations for the Sponsor’s Fee in DOGE.

Fair Value Measurement

Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability (i.e., the ‘exit price’) in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date.

U.S. GAAP utilizes a fair value hierarchy for inputs used in measuring fair value that maximizes the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use of unobservable inputs by requiring that the most observable inputs be used when available. Observable inputs are those that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability based on market data obtained from sources independent of the Trust. Unobservable inputs reflect the Trust’s assumptions about the inputs market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability developed based on the best information available in the circumstances.

The fair value hierarchy is categorized into three levels based on the inputs as follows:

•
Level 1 – Valuations based on unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Trust has the ability to access. Since valuations are based on quoted prices that are readily and regularly available in an active market, these valuations do not entail a significant degree of judgment.
•
Level 2 – Valuations based on quoted prices in markets that are not active or for which significant inputs are observable, either directly or indirectly.
•
Level 3 – Valuations based on inputs that are unobservable and significant to the overall fair value measurement.

The availability of valuation techniques and observable inputs can vary by investment. To the extent that valuations are based on sources that are less observable or unobservable in the market, the determination of fair value requires more judgment. Fair value estimates do not necessarily represent the amounts that may be ultimately realized by the Trust.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fair Value Measurement Using

 

(Amounts in thousands)

 

Amount at
Fair Value

 

 

Level 1

 

 

Level 2

 

 

Level 3

 

June 30, 2025

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Investment in DOGE

 

$

1,885

 

 

$

1,885

 

 

$

-

 

 

$

-

 

Segment Reporting

The Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Sponsor act as the Trust’s chief operating decision maker (“CODM”). The Trust represents a single operating segment, as the CODM monitors the operating results of the Trust as a whole and the Trust’s passive investment objective is pre-determined in accordance with the terms of the Trust Agreement. The financial information in the form of the Trust’s total returns, expense ratios and changes in net assets (i.e., changes in net assets resulting from operations and capital share transactions), which are used by the CODM to assess the segment’s performance, are consistent with that presented within the Trust’s financial statements. Segment assets are reflected on the accompanying Statements of Assets and Liabilities as Total assets and the only significant segment expense, the Sponsor’s fee, related party, is included in the accompanying Statements of Operations.

 

F-20


Grayscale DOGECOIN Trust (DOGE)

Notes to Financial Statements

 

3. Fair Value of DOGE

DOGE is held by the Custodian on behalf of the Trust and is carried at fair value. As of June 30, 2025, the Trust held 11,247,069.92963670 DOGE.

The Trust determined the fair value per DOGE to be $0.17 on June 30, 2025, using the price provided at 4:00 p.m., New York time, by the Digital Asset Trading Platform Market considered to be the Trust’s principal market (Coinbase).

The following represents the changes in quantity of DOGE and the respective fair value:

 

(Amounts in thousands, except DOGE amounts)

 

Quantity

 

 

Fair Value

 

Balance at January 30, 2025 (the Commencement of the Trust’s Operations)

 

 

-

 

 

$

-

 

DOGE contributed

 

 

11,353,765.43592000

 

 

 

2,786

 

DOGE distributed for Sponsor’s Fee, related party

 

 

(106,695.50628330

)

 

 

(20

)

Net change in unrealized depreciation on investment in DOGE

 

 

-

 

 

 

(875

)

Net realized loss on investment in DOGE

 

 

-

 

 

 

(6

)

Balance at June 30, 2025

 

 

11,247,069.92963670

 

 

$

1,885

 

 

 

4. Creations and Redemptions of Shares

At June 30, 2025 there were an unlimited number of Shares authorized by the Trust. The Trust creates (and, should the Trust commence a redemption program, redeems) Shares from time to time, but only in one or more Baskets. The creation and redemption of Baskets on behalf of investors are made by the Authorized Participant in exchange for the delivery of DOGE to the Trust or the distribution of DOGE by the Trust. The amount of DOGE required for each Creation Basket or redemption Basket is determined by dividing (x) the amount of DOGE owned by the Trust at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on such trade date of a creation or redemption order, after deducting the amount of DOGE representing the U.S. dollar value of accrued but unpaid fees and expenses of the Trust, by (y) the number of Shares outstanding at such time and multiplying the quotient obtained by 100. Each Share represented approximately 29.6913 DOGE at June 30, 2025.

The cost basis of investments in DOGE recorded by the Trust is the fair value of DOGE, as determined by the Trust, at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the date of transfer to the Trust by the Authorized Participant, or Liquidity Provider, based on the Creation Baskets. The cost basis recorded by the Trust may differ from proceeds collected by the Authorized Participant from the sale of each Share to investors. The Authorized Participant or Liquidity Provider may realize significant profits buying, selling, creating, and, if permitted, redeeming Shares as a result of changes in the value of Shares or DOGE.

At this time, the Trust is not operating a redemption program and is not accepting redemption requests. Subject to receipt of regulatory approval and approval by the Sponsor in its sole discretion, the Trust may in the future operate a redemption program. On August 15, 2025, the Sponsor filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-1 to register the Shares of the Trust under the Securities Act of 1933. The registration statement on Form S-3 has not been declared effective.

 

 

F-21


Grayscale DOGECOIN Trust (DOGE)

Notes to Financial Statements

 

5. Income Taxes

The Sponsor takes the position that the Trust is properly treated as a grantor trust for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Assuming that the Trust is a grantor trust, the Trust will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax. Rather, if the Trust is a grantor trust, each beneficial owner of Shares will be treated as directly owning its pro rata Share of the Trust’s assets and a pro rata portion of the Trust’s income, gains, losses and deductions will “flow through” to each beneficial owner of Shares.

If the Trust were not properly classified as a grantor trust, the Trust might be classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. However, due to the uncertain treatment of digital assets, including forks, airdrops and similar occurrences for U.S. federal income tax purposes, there can be no assurance in this regard. If the Trust were classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the tax consequences of owning Shares generally would not be materially different from the tax consequences described herein, although there might be certain differences, including with respect to timing. In addition, tax information reports provided to beneficial owners of Shares would be made in a different form. If the Trust were not classified as either a grantor trust or a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, it would be classified as a corporation for such purposes. In that event, the Trust would be subject to entity-level U.S. federal income tax (currently at the rate of 21%) on its net taxable income and certain distributions made by the Trust to shareholders would be treated as taxable dividends to the extent of the Trust’s current and accumulated earnings and profits.

In accordance with U.S. GAAP, the Trust has defined the threshold for recognizing the benefits of tax positions in the financial statements as “more-likely-than-not” to be sustained by the applicable taxing authority and requires measurement of a tax position meeting the “more-likely-than-not” threshold, based on the largest benefit that is more than 50% likely to be realized. Tax positions deemed to meet the “more-likely-than-not” threshold are recorded as a tax benefit in the current period. As of June 30, 2025, and during the period from January 30, 2025 (the commencement of the Trust’s operations) to June 30, 2025, the Trust did not have a liability for any unrecognized tax amounts. However, the Sponsor’s conclusions concerning its determination of “more-likely-than-not” tax positions may be subject to review and adjustment at a later date based on factors including, but not limited to, further implementation guidance, and ongoing analyses of and changes to tax laws, regulations and interpretations thereof.

The Sponsor of the Trust has evaluated whether or not there are uncertain tax positions that require financial statement recognition and has determined that no reserves for uncertain tax positions related to federal, state and local income taxes existed as of June 30, 2025.

 

6. Related Parties

The Trust considered the following entities, their directors, and certain employees to be related parties of the Trust as of June 30, 2025: DCG, GSO, GSIS, and Grayscale Securities. As of June 30, 2025, 48,158 Shares of the Trust were held by related parties of the Trust.

In accordance with the Trust Agreement governing the Trust, the Trust pays a fee to the Sponsor, calculated as 2.5% of the aggregate value of the Trust’s assets, less its liabilities (which include any accrued but unpaid expenses up to, but excluding, the date of calculation), as calculated and published by the Sponsor or its delegates in the manner set forth in the Trust Agreement (the “Sponsor’s Fee”). The Sponsor’s Fee accrues daily in U.S. dollars and is payable in DOGE, monthly in arrears. The amount of DOGE payable in respect of each daily U.S. dollar accrual will be determined by reference to the same U.S. dollar value of DOGE used to determine such accrual. For purposes of these financial statements, the U.S. dollar value of DOGE is determined by reference to the Digital Asset Trading Platform Market that the Trust considers its principal market as of 4:00 p.m., New York time, on each valuation date. The Trust held no Incidental Rights or IR Virtual Currency as of June 30, 2025. No Incidental Rights or IR Virtual Currencies have been distributed in payment of the Sponsor’s Fee during the period from January 30, 2025 (the commencement of the Trust’s operations) to June 30, 2025.

As partial consideration for receipt of the Sponsor’s Fee, the Sponsor is obligated under the Trust Agreement to assume and pay all fees and other expenses incurred by the Trust in the ordinary course of its affairs, excluding taxes, but including marketing fees; administrator fees, if any; custodian fees; transfer agent fees; trustee fees; the fees and expenses related to the listing, quotation or trading of the Shares on any secondary market (including customary legal, marketing and audit fees and expenses) in an amount up to $600,000 in any given fiscal year; ordinary course legal fees and expenses; audit fees; regulatory fees, including, if applicable, any fees relating to the registration of the Shares under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act; printing and mailing costs; the costs of maintaining the Trust’s website and applicable license fees (together, the “Sponsor-paid Expenses”), provided that any expense that qualifies as an Additional Trust Expense will be deemed to be an Additional Trust Expense and not a Sponsor-paid Expense.

The Trust may incur certain extraordinary, non-recurring expenses that are not Sponsor-paid Expenses, including, but not limited to, taxes and governmental charges, expenses and costs of any extraordinary services performed by the Sponsor (or any other service provider) on behalf of the Trust to protect the Trust or the interests of shareholders (including in connection with any Incidental Rights and any IR Virtual Currency), any indemnification of the Custodian or other agents, service providers or counterparties of the Trust, the fees and expenses related to the listing, quotation or trading of the Shares on any secondary market (including legal, marketing and audit fees and expenses) to the extent exceeding $600,000 in any given fiscal year and extraordinary legal fees and expenses, including any legal fees and expenses incurred in connection with litigation, regulatory enforcement or investigation matters (collectively “Additional

F-22


Grayscale DOGECOIN Trust (DOGE)

Notes to Financial Statements

 

Trust Expenses”). In such circumstances, the Sponsor or its delegate (i) will instruct the Custodian to withdraw from the Digital Asset Account DOGE, Incidental Rights and/or IR Virtual Currency in such quantity as may be necessary to permit payment of such Additional Trust Expenses and (ii) may either (x) cause the Trust (or its delegate) to convert such DOGE, Incidental Rights and/or IR Virtual Currency into U.S. dollars or other fiat currencies at the Actual Exchange Rate or (y) when the Sponsor incurs such expenses on behalf of the Trust, cause the Trust (or its delegate) to deliver such DOGE, Incidental Rights and/or IR Virtual Currency in kind to the Sponsor, in each case in such quantity as may be necessary to permit payment of such Additional Trust Expenses.

For the period from January 30, 2025 (the commencement of the Trust’s operations) to June 30, 2025, the Trust incurred Sponsor’s Fees of $20,393. As of June 30, 2025, there were no accrued and unpaid Sponsor’s Fees. In addition, the Sponsor may pay Additional Trust Expenses on behalf of the Trust, which are reimbursable by the Trust to the Sponsor. For the period from January 30, 2025 (the commencement of the Trust’s operations) to June 30, 2025, the Sponsor did not pay any Additional Trust Expenses on behalf of the Trust.

 

7. Risks and Uncertainties

The Trust is subject to various risks including market risk, liquidity risk, and other risks related to its concentration in a single asset, DOGE. Investing in DOGE is currently highly speculative and volatile.

The Principal Market NAV of the Trust, calculated by reference to the principal market price in accordance with U.S. GAAP, relates primarily to the value of the DOGE held by the Trust, and fluctuations in the price of DOGE could materially and adversely affect an investment in the Shares of the Trust. The price of DOGE has a limited history. During such history, DOGE prices have been volatile and subject to influence by many factors, including the levels of liquidity. If Digital Asset Markets continue to experience significant price fluctuations, the Trust may experience losses. Several factors may affect the price of DOGE, including, but not limited to, global DOGE supply and demand, theft of DOGE from global trading platforms or vaults, competition from other forms of digital currency or payment services, global or regional political, economic or financial conditions, and other unforeseen events and situations.

The DOGE held by the Trust are commingled, and the Trust’s shareholders have no specific rights to any specific DOGE. In the event of the insolvency of the Trust, its assets may be inadequate to satisfy a claim by its shareholders.

There is currently no clearing house for DOGE, nor is there a central or major depository for the custody of DOGE. There is a risk that some or all of the Trust’s DOGE could be lost or stolen. There can be no assurance that the Custodian will maintain adequate insurance or that such coverage will cover losses with respect to the Trust’s DOGE. Further, transactions in DOGE are irrevocable. Stolen or incorrectly transferred DOGE may be irretrievable. As a result, any incorrectly executed DOGE transactions could adversely affect an investment in the Shares.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), at least under the prior administration, has stated that certain digital assets may be considered “securities” under the federal securities laws. The test for determining whether a particular digital asset is a “security” is complex and difficult to apply, and the outcome is difficult to predict. A number of SEC and SEC staff actions with respect to a variety of digital assets demonstrate this difficulty. For example, public though non-binding, statements by senior officials at the SEC have indicated that the SEC did not consider Bitcoin or Ether to be securities, and does not currently consider Bitcoin to be a security. In addition, the SEC appears to have implicitly taken the view that Ether is not a security (i) by not objecting to Ether futures trading on Commodity Futures Trading Commission-regulated markets under rules designed for futures on non-security commodity underliers and (ii) by approving the listing and trading of exchange-traded products (“ETPs”) that invest in Ether (i.e., approving the redemption of shares of such ETPs) under the rules for commodity-based trust shares, without requiring these ETPs to be registered as investment companies. Likewise, in various courts filings and arguments the SEC has distinguished Ether from assets that it claimed were securities, and in judicial opinions, courts have accepted or even assumed that Ether is not a security. Moreover, in a recent settlement with another market participant relating to allegations that it acted as an unregistered broker-dealer for facilitating trading in certain digital assets, the SEC highlighted that the firm would cease trading in all digital assets other than Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash and Ether—activity that, if the SEC believed Ether was presently a security—would continue to constitute unregistered brokerage activity. The SEC staff has also provided informal assurances via no-action letter to a handful of promoters that their digital assets are not securities. Moreover, the SEC’s Division of Corporation Finance has published statements that it does not consider, under certain circumstances, “meme coins” or some stablecoins to be securities. However, such statements may be withdrawn at any time without notice and comment by the Division of Corporation Finance at the SEC or the SEC itself. In addition, the SEC has brought enforcement actions against the issuers and promoters of several other digital assets on the basis that the digital assets in question are securities, and has not formally or explicitly confirmed that it does not deem Ether to be a security. These developments demonstrate the difficulty in applying the federal securities laws to digital assets generally. In January 2025, the SEC launched a crypto task force dedicated to developing a comprehensive and clear regulatory framework for digital assets led by Commissioner Hester Peirce. Subsequently, Commissioner Peirce announced a list of specific priorities to further that initiative, which included pursuing final rules related to a digital asset’s security status, a revised path to registered offerings and listings for digital assets-based investment vehicles, and clarity regarding digital asset custody, lending, and

F-23


Grayscale DOGECOIN Trust (DOGE)

Notes to Financial Statements

 

staking. However, the efforts of the crypto task force have only just begun, and how or whether the SEC regulates digital asset activity in the future remains to be seen.

If DOGE is determined to be a “security” under federal or state securities laws by the SEC or any other agency, or in a proceeding in a court of law or otherwise, it may have material adverse consequences for DOGE. For example, it may become more difficult for DOGE to be traded, cleared and custodied as compared to other digital assets that are not considered to be securities, which could, in turn, negatively affect the liquidity and general acceptance of DOGE and cause users to migrate to other digital assets. As such, any determination that DOGE is a security under federal or state securities laws may adversely affect the value of DOGE and, as a result, an investment in the Shares.

In addition, if DOGE is in fact a security, the Trust could be considered an unregistered “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, which could necessitate the Trust’s liquidation. In this case, the Trust and the Sponsor may be deemed to have participated in an illegal offering of securities and there is no guarantee that the Sponsor will be able to register the Trust under the Investment Company Act of 1940 at such time or take such other actions as may be necessary to ensure the Trust’s activities comply with applicable law, which could force the Sponsor to liquidate the Trust.

To the extent a private key, held by the Custodian, required to access a DOGE address is lost, destroyed or otherwise compromised and no backup of the private keys are accessible, the Trust may be unable to access the DOGE controlled by the private key and the private key will not be capable of being restored by the Dogecoin Network. The processes by which DOGE transactions are settled are dependent on the DOGE peer-to-peer network, and as such, the Trust is subject to operational risk. A risk also exists with respect to previously unknown technical vulnerabilities, which may adversely affect the value of DOGE.

The Trust relies on third-party service providers to perform certain functions essential to its operations. Any disruptions to the Trust’s service providers’ business operations resulting from business failures, financial instability, security failures, government mandated regulation or operational problems could have an adverse impact on the Trust’s ability to access critical services and be disruptive to the operations of the Trust.

The Sponsor and the Trust may be subject to various litigation, regulatory investigations, and other legal proceedings that arise in the ordinary course of its business.

 

8. Financial Highlights Per Share Performance

 

 

January 30, 2025 (the Commencement of the Trust’s Operations) to June 30, 2025

 

Per Share Data:

 

 

 

Principal Market NAV, beginning of period

 

$

9.93

 

Net decrease in net assets from investment operations:

 

 

 

Net investment loss

 

 

(0.06

)

Net realized and unrealized loss

 

 

(4.89

)

Net decrease in net assets resulting from operations

 

 

(4.95

)

Principal Market NAV, end of period

 

$

4.98

 

Total return

 

 

-49.84

%

Ratios to average net assets:

 

 

 

Net investment loss

 

 

-2.50

%

Expenses

 

 

-2.50

%

 

Ratios of net investment loss and expenses to average net assets have been annualized.

An individual shareholder’s return, ratios, and per Share performance may vary from those presented above based on the timing of Share transactions. The amount shown for a Share outstanding throughout the period may not correlate with the Statement of Operations for the period due to the number of Shares issued in Creations occurring at an operational value derived from an operating metric as defined in the Trust Agreement.

Total return is calculated assuming an initial investment made at the Principal Market NAV at the beginning of the period and assuming redemption on the last day of the period.

F-24


Grayscale DOGECOIN Trust (DOGE)

Notes to Financial Statements

 

9. Indemnifications

In the normal course of business, the Trust enters into certain contracts that provide a variety of indemnities, including contracts with the Sponsor and affiliates of the Sponsor, DCG and its officers, directors, employees, subsidiaries and affiliates, and the Custodian as well as others relating to services provided to the Trust. The Trust’s maximum exposure under these and its other indemnities is unknown. However, no liabilities have arisen under these indemnities in the past and, while there can be no assurances in this regard, there is no expectation that any will occur in the future. Therefore, the Sponsor does not consider it necessary to record a liability in this regard.

 

10. Subsequent Events

As of the close of business on October 2, 2025, the fair value of DOGE determined in accordance with the Trust’s accounting policy was $0.26 per DOGE.

There are no known events that have occurred that require disclosure other than that which has already been disclosed in these notes to the financial statements.

 

 

F-25


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GRAYSCALE DOGECOIN TRUST (DOGE)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

img64892675_3.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS

 

, 2025

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 13. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution

The Registrant (“Registrant” or “Trust”) does not bear any expenses incurred in connection with the issuance and distribution of the securities being registered. These expenses will be paid by Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC, the sponsor of the Registrant (“Sponsor”).

Item 14. Indemnification of Directors and Officers

Section 2.4(a) of the Trust Agreement (“Trust Agreement”) between CSC Delaware Trust Company, the Registrant’s Trustee (“Trustee”), and the Sponsor provides that the Trustee and any of the officers, directors, employees and agents of the Trustee (the “Indemnified Persons”) shall be indemnified by the Trust as primary obligor and held harmless against any loss, damage, liability, claim, action, suit, cost, expense, disbursement (including the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel), tax or penalty of any kind and nature whatsoever (collectively, “Expenses”), arising out of, imposed upon or asserted at any time against such Indemnified Person in connection with the performance of its obligations under the Trust Agreement, the creation, operation or termination of the Trust or the transactions contemplated therein; provided, however, that neither the Trust nor the Sponsor shall be required to indemnify any Indemnified Person for any Expenses which are a result of the willful misconduct, bad faith or gross negligence of the Indemnified Person. If the Trust shall have insufficient assets or improperly refuses to pay an Indemnified Person within 60 days of a request for payment owed under Section 2.4 of the Trust Agreement, the Sponsor shall, as secondary obligor, compensate or reimburse the Trustee or indemnify, defend and hold harmless an Indemnified Person as if it were the primary obligor under Section 2.4 of the Trust Agreement. Any amount payable to an Indemnified Person under Section 2.4 of the Trust Agreement may be payable in advance and shall be secured by a lien on the Trust property. The obligations of the Sponsor and the Trust to indemnify the Indemnified Persons under this Section 2.4 shall survive the termination of the Trust Agreement.

Section 6.7 of the Trust Agreement provides that the Sponsor, its affiliates and their respective members, managers, directors, officers, employees, agents and controlling persons (each a “Sponsor Indemnified Party”) shall be indemnified by the Trust against any loss, judgment, liability, expense and amount paid in settlement of any claims sustained by it in connection with its activities for the Trust, provided that (i) the Sponsor Indemnified Party was acting on behalf of or performing services for the Trust and has determined, in good faith, that such course of conduct was in the best interests of the Trust and such liability or loss was not the result of fraud, gross negligence, bad faith, willful misconduct, or a material breach of the Trust Agreement on the part of the Sponsor Indemnified Party and (ii) any such indemnification will only be recoverable from the DOGE and proceeds from the disposition of DOGE on deposit in the Trust’s accounts as well as any rights of the Trust pursuant to any other agreements to which the Trust is a party.

All rights to indemnification permitted in Section 6.7 of the Trust Agreement and payment of associated expenses shall not be affected by the dissolution or other cessation to exist of the Sponsor Indemnified Party, or the withdrawal, adjudication of bankruptcy or insolvency of the Sponsor Indemnified Party, or the filing of a voluntary or involuntary petition in bankruptcy under Title 11 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, by or against the Sponsor Indemnified Party.

Notwithstanding the other provisions of Section 6.7 of the Trust Agreement, the Sponsor Indemnified Party and any person acting as broker-dealer for the Trust shall not be indemnified for any losses, liabilities or expenses arising from or out of an alleged violation of U.S. federal or state securities laws unless (i) there has been a successful adjudication on the merits of each count involving alleged securities law violations as to the particular indemnitee and the court approves the indemnification of such expenses (including, without limitation, litigation costs), (ii) such claims have been dismissed with prejudice on the merits by a court of competent jurisdiction as to the particular indemnitee and the court approves the indemnification of such expenses (including, without limitation, litigation costs) or (iii) a court of competent jurisdiction approves a settlement of the claims against a particular indemnitee and finds that indemnification of the settlement and related costs should be made. The Trust shall not incur the cost of that portion of any insurance which insures any party against any liability, the indemnification of which is prohibited by the Trust Agreement. Expenses incurred in defending a threatened or pending civil, administrative or criminal action suit or proceeding against the Sponsor Indemnified Party shall be paid by the Trust in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding, if (i) the legal action relates to the performance of duties or services by the Sponsor Indemnified Party on behalf of the Trust; (ii) the legal action is initiated by a third party who is not a shareholder of the Trust or the legal action is initiated by a shareholder of the Trust and a court of competent jurisdiction specifically approves such advance; and (iii) the Sponsor Indemnified Party undertakes to repay the advanced funds with interest to the Trust in cases in which it is not entitled to indemnification under Section 6.7 of the Trust Agreement. In the event the Trust is made a party to any claim, dispute, demand or litigation or otherwise incurs any loss, liability, damage, cost or expense as a result of or in connection with any shareholder of the Trust’s (or assignee’s) obligations or liabilities unrelated to Trust business, such shareholder of the Trust (or assignees cumulatively) shall indemnify, defend, hold harmless, and reimburse the Trust for all such loss, liability, damage, cost and expense incurred, including attorneys’ and accountants’ fees.

II-1


 

Item 15. Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities

The following sets forth information regarding securities sold or issued by the registrant in the three years preceding the date of this registration statement without registration under the Securities Act of 1933:

As of September 30, 2025, Grayscale Dogecoin Trust (DOGE) has distributed 378,800 Shares at varying prices determined by reference to the NAV per Share to selected “accredited investors,” within the meaning of Rule 501 of Regulation D under the Securities Act. The Shares were sold in connection with an ongoing offering pursuant to Rule 506(c) of Regulation D under the Securities Act. Grayscale Securities, LLC acted as the Authorized Participant with respect to these distributions. In exchange for these sales, the Trust received an aggregate of 11,353,765.43592000 DOGE. Because Shares have been, and continue to be, created and issued on a periodic basis, a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities Act, may be occurring from time to time. As a result, the Authorized Participant facilitating the creation of Shares and acting as a distributor and marketer during any such period may be deemed an “underwriter” under Section 2(a)(11) of the Securities Act. No underwriting discounts or commissions were paid to the Authorized Participant with respect to such sales.

II-2


 

Item 16. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules

(a)
The following exhibits are filed as part of this registration statement:

 

Exhibit Number

Description

3.1#

Certificate of Trust.

3.2#

Certificate of Amendment to Certificate of Trust

4.1#

Third Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust and Trust Agreement, by and among CSC Delaware Trust Company, as trustee, and Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC, as sponsor.

4.2

Form of Participant Agreement.

5.1

Opinion of Richards, Layton & Finger, P.A., as special Delaware counsel to the Trust.

8.1

Opinion of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, as special tax counsel to the Trust.

10.1

Prime Broker Agreement.

10.2

Fund Administration and Accounting Agreement.

10.3†#

Index License Agreement, dated February 1, 2022, between the Sponsor, and the Index Provider.

10.4†#

Amendment No. 1 to the Index License Agreement, dated June 20, 2023, between the Sponsor and Index Provider.

10.5†#

Amendment No. 6 to the Index License Agreement, dated March 1, 2025, between the Sponsor and Index Provider.

10.6

Marketing Agent Agreement.

10.7

Transfer Agency and Service Agreement.

10.8

Co-Transfer Agency Agreement, dated October 9, 2025, between the Sponsor and the Co-Transfer Agent.

10.9†#

Assignment and Assumption Agreement.

10.10†#

Coinbase Assignment Agreement.

23.1

Consent of KPMG LLP, Independent Registered Certified Public Accounting Firm.

23.2

Consent of Richards, Layton & Finger, P.A., as special Delaware counsel to the Trust, included in Exhibit 5.1.

23.3

Consent of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, as special tax counsel to the Trust, included in Exhibit 8.1.

24.1

Power of Attorney of certain officers and directors of the Sponsor (included on the signature page of the original filing of this Registration Statement).

107#

Filing Fee Table.

 

† Portions of this exhibit (indicated by asterisks) have been omitted as the Registrant has determined that (i) the omitted information is not material and (ii) the omitted information is of the type that the Registrant treats as private or confidential.

# Previously filed.

(b)
No financial statement schedules are provided because the information called for is not required or is shown either in the financial statements or the notes hereto.

II-3


 

Item 17. Undertakings

(a)
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:
(1)
To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:
(i)
To include any prospectus required by section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933; (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Filing Fee Tables or “Calculation of Registration Fee” table, as applicable in the effective registration statement; and
(ii)
To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement.

Provided, however, that:

Paragraphs (1)(i), (ii), and (iii) of this section do not apply if the registration statement is on Form S-1 and the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to section 13 or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78m or 78o(d)) that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement; and

(2)
That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(3)
To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.
(4)
That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser:
(i)
If the registrant is relying on Rule 430B:
(A)
Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and
(B)
Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii), or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date; or
(ii)
If the registrant is subject to Rule 430C, each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) as part of a registration statement relating to an offering, other than registration statements relying on Rule 430B or other than prospectuses filed in reliance on Rule 430A, shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the date it is first used after effectiveness. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such first use, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such date of first use.

II-4


 

(5)
That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities:

The undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

(i)
Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;
(ii)
Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;
(iii)
The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and
(iv)
Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.
(b)
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(c)
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
(1)
For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective.
(2)
For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

II-5


 

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of New York, New York, on November 3, 2025.

 

GRAYSCALE INVESTMENTS SPONSORS, LLC

as Sponsor of Grayscale Dogecoin Trust (DOGE)

 

By:

/s/ Edward McGee

Name:

Edward McGee

Title:

Member of the Board of Directors and Chief Financial Officer*

 

POWER OF ATTORNEY

Each of the undersigned officers and directors of the Sponsor of the Registrant hereby severally ‎constitutes and appoints Peter Mintzberg and Edward McGee, and each of them singly (with full ‎power to each of them to act alone), as his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full ‎power of substitution and resubstitution in each of them, for him or her and in his or her name, place and ‎stead, and in any and all capacities, to file and sign any and all amendments, including post-effective amendments, to this ‎registration statement and any other registration statement for the same offering that is to be effective ‎under Rule 462(b) of the Securities Act of 1933, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other ‎documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said ‎attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every ‎act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith and about the premises as fully to ‎all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that ‎said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof. This power of attorney shall be ‎governed by and construed with the laws of the State of Delaware and applicable federal securities laws.‎

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature

 

Title

 

Date

 

 

 

 

 

#

 

Chairman of the Board of Directors*

 

November 3, 2025

Barry Silbert

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#

 

Member of the Board of Directors

 

November 3, 2025

Peter Mintzberg

 

 

and Chief Executive Officer*

(principal executive officer)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Edward McGee

 

Member of the Board of Directors

 

November 3, 2025

Edward McGee

 

and Chief Financial Officer*

 

 

 

 

(principal financial and principal accounting officer)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#

Mark Shifke

 

Member of the Board of Directors*

 

November 3, 2025

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Simon Koster

 

Member of the Board of Directors*

 

November 3, 2025

Simon Koster

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

II-6


 

 

* The Registrant is a trust and the persons are signing in their capacities as officers of Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC, the Sponsor of the Registrant or directors of GSO Intermediate Holdings Corporation, the sole managing member of Grayscale Operating, LLC, as applicable.

#/s/ Edward McGee

Edward McGee, as attorney-in-fact

II-7


Exhibit 4.2

AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT AGREEMENT

AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) dated as of [●] among: (i) [●], a company organized under the laws of [●] (the “Authorized Participant”); (ii) Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC, except as otherwise specified herein, acting in its capacity as sponsor (the “Sponsor”) of each trust listed on Schedule V attached hereto, as the same may be amended from time to time by the Sponsor (each, the applicable “Trust” when referred to throughout the remainder of this Agreement), created under Delaware law pursuant to its applicable declaration of trust and trust agreement listed on Schedule V attached hereto between the CSC Delaware Trust Company acting in its capacity as Trustee (the “Trustee”) and the Sponsor (each, the applicable “Trust Agreement” when referred to throughout the remainder of this Agreement); and (iii) subject to its acceptance hereof, The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York Banking corporation acting in its capacity as transfer agent (the “Transfer Agent”) of the Trust.

R E C I T A L S

A. Pursuant to the provisions of the Trust Agreement, the Trust may from time to time issue or redeem equity securities representing common units of fractional undivided beneficial interest in the profits, losses, distributions, capital and assets of, and ownership of, the Trust (“Shares”), in each case only in aggregate amounts of 10,000 Shares (such block of 10,000 shares, a “Basket”), and integral multiples thereof, and only in transactions with a party who, at the time of the transaction, shall have signed and entered into an effective Authorized Participant Agreement with the Trust.

B. [●] has requested to become an “Authorized Participant” with respect to the Trust (as such term is defined in the Trust Agreement), and the Sponsor and the Distributor (as such term is defined in the Trust Agreement) have agreed to such request. Nothing in this Agreement shall obligate the Authorized Participant to create or redeem one or more Baskets of Shares or to sell or offer to sell Shares.

C. The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that, at present, the Trust may only create and redeem Shares pursuant to Cash Orders (as defined herein). Unless and until NYSE Arca (as defined herein) shall have obtained necessary regulatory approval from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) to amend its listing rules to permit the Trust to create and redeem Shares pursuant to In-Kind Orders (as defined herein) (the “In-Kind Regulatory Approval”), the procedures described herein under Section 8, and any other references to In-Kind Orders, shall not be operative, and Shares shall only be created and redeemed by the Trust in a manner that is consistent with the following concepts:

1.
The Authorized Participant will deliver only cash to create Shares and will receive only cash when redeeming Shares;
2.
The Authorized Participants will not directly or indirectly purchase, hold, deliver, or receive Digital Assets as part of the creation or redemption process or otherwise direct the Trust or a third party with respect to purchasing, holding, delivering, or receiving Digital Assets as part of the creation or redemption process;

 

 


 

3.
The Trust will create Shares by receiving Digital Assets from a third party that is not the Authorized Participant, and the Sponsor (and in any event not the Authorized Participant) is responsible for selecting the third party to deliver the Digital Assets;
4.
The third party will not be acting as an agent of the Authorized Participant with respect to the delivery of the Digital Assets to the Trust or acting at the direction of the Authorized Participant with respect to the delivery of the Digital Asset to the Trust;
5.
The Trust will redeem Shares by delivering Digital Assets to a third party that is not the Authorized Participant, and the Sponsor (and in any event not the Authorized Participant) is responsible for selecting the third party to receive the Digital Assets; and
6.
The third party will not be acting as an agent of the Authorized Participant with respect to the receipt of the Digital Assets from the Trust or acting at the direction of the Authorized Participant with respect to the receipt of the Digital Asset from the Trust.

D. Upon the In-Kind Regulatory Approval (and not before such time), notice of which shall be provided by the Sponsor to the Authorized Participant, the Authorized Participant may designate others, including affiliates or its agents (each, an “AP Designee” and collectively, “AP Designees”), to perform certain functions in this Agreement on behalf of the Authorized Participant, such as transferring, delivering and/or receiving Digital Assets. To the extent In-Kind Regulatory Approval is obtained and the Authorized Participant is under an obligation to transfer, deliver or receive Digital Assets under this Agreement (including any schedule or attachment hereto) or makes any representation, warranty or covenant related to such obligation, that obligation may be performed by, and that representation, warranty or covenant may be made by, its AP Designee, not the Authorized Participant, provided that for the avoidance of doubt, the Authorized Participant shall be fully liable for any failure of any AP Designee to perform such obligation or make such representation, warranty or covenant.

E. The Sponsor may designate Grayscale Securities, LLC or any other party, including affiliates or its agents, which may include the Trust (such party, the “Sponsor Agent”), to perform certain functions in this Agreement, such as transferring, delivering and/or receiving cash in connection with the creation or redemption of Shares. Where the creation or redemption of Shares requires the transfer, delivery or receipt of cash under this Agreement (including any schedule or attachment hereto), that obligation shall be performed by, and any applicable representation, warranty or covenant shall be made by, the Sponsor Agent, not the Sponsor, provided that for the avoidance of doubt, (i) any such action taken by the Sponsor or any Sponsor Agent shall be taken solely to facilitate Cash Orders and, except in the case of Alternate Cash Orders (as defined herein), shall not be actions taken on behalf of the Trust, and (ii) the Trust shall have no responsibility or liability for any such action (or any failure to take such action) or for such representation, warranty or covenant.

2

 


 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing premises, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties, hereto, intending to be legally bound, agree as follows:

Section 1.
Procedures. The Authorized Participant will create or redeem Baskets of Shares of the Trust in compliance with procedures provided in the Trust Agreement as supplemented by the Creation and Redemption Procedures attached to this Agreement as Schedule I (such procedures, as the same may be amended or modified from time to time with notice to the Authorized Participant and in compliance with the provisions hereof and thereof, the “Procedures”), using either (i) the form attached thereto as Annex I-A or in such other formats as may be agreed to by the parties (in the case of an order to create one or more Baskets, a “Creation Order”, in the case of an order to redeem one or more Baskets, a “Redemption Order” and, collectively, “Orders”) or (ii) through the Transfer Agent’s electronic order entry system, as such may be made available and constituted from time to time, the use of which shall be subject to the terms and conditions attached thereto as Annex I-B. All Orders shall be placed and executed in accordance with the Trust Agreement as supplemented by the Procedures. Capitalized terms used in this Agreement and not otherwise defined herein have the meaning ascribed to them in the Procedures or, if not defined in the Procedures, the Standard Terms for this Agreement, which are attached hereto as Schedule II (the “Standard Terms”).
Section 2.
Incorporation of Procedures and Standard Terms. The Procedures and the Standard Terms are hereby incorporated by reference into, and made a part of, this Agreement.
Section 3.
Conflicts Rules. In case of any inconsistency between the provisions of this Agreement and the Trust Agreement, the provisions of this Agreement shall control. In case of inconsistency between the Standard Terms and any other provision of this Agreement, the latter will control. To the extent there is a conflict between this Agreement, the Procedures or the Standard Terms and the Prospectus (as defined in the Standard Terms), the Prospectus shall control.
Section 4.
Authorized Representatives. Pursuant to Section 2.01 of the Standard Terms, attached hereto as Schedule III is a certificate listing the Authorized Representatives of the Authorized Participant.
Section 5.
Covenants of the Authorized Participant. The Authorized Participant covenants and agrees:
(a)
The Authorized Participant is registered as a broker-dealer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) and is a member in good standing of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”). The Authorized Participant will maintain such registration and membership in good standing and any other registration, qualification or membership in good standing applicable to it or, if applicable, exempt status, in full force and effect throughout the term of this Agreement. The Authorized Participant will comply with all applicable United States federal laws, the laws of the states or other jurisdictions concerned, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and with the Constitution, By-Laws and Conduct Rules of FINRA and shall not offer or sell Shares in any state or jurisdiction where they may not lawfully be offered and/or sold.

3

 


 

(b)
Subject to In-Kind Regulatory Approval, if the Authorized Participant will participate in In-Kind Orders, the Authorized Participant hereby represents, covenants and warrants that at such time, it or an AP Designee will maintain a digital wallet address that is previously known to the Custodian as belonging to the Authorized Participant or its AP Designee (an “Authorized Participant Self-Administered Account”). If there is any change in the foregoing, the Authorized Participant shall give immediate notice to the Sponsor of such event.
(c)
The Authorized Participant hereby acknowledges and agrees that some activities on its or any AP Designee’s part, depending on the circumstances and under certain possible interpretations of applicable law, could be interpreted as resulting in its being deemed a Money Services Business, as such term is defined by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, a bureau of the United States Department of the Treasury responsible for the federal regulation of Money Services Businesses, including certain virtual currency market participants. The Authorized Participant agrees to consult its own counsel in connection with entering into this Agreement and transacting in Digital Assets to determine if it must register with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network as a Money Services Business.
(d)
Each of the Authorized Participant and any AP Designee has policies and procedures reasonably designed to comply with the money laundering and related provisions of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970 (also known as the “Bank Secrecy Act”), the United States Money Laundering Control Act of 1986, and the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (the “USA PATRIOT Act”), and the regulations promulgated under each, in each case, as amended from time to time (all such laws and regulations collectively, “AML Laws”).
(e)
None of the Authorized Participant, any AP Designee, nor any of their subsidiaries nor any of their respective directors, officers, employees or agents is an individual or entity that is, or is owned or controlled by one or more individuals or entities that are, (i) the subject of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, the U.S. Department of State, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union or His Majesty’s Treasury (collectively, “Sanctions”), or (ii) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of comprehensive Sanctions (including, as of the date of this Agreement and without limitation, the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic, so-called Luhansk People’s Republic or any other Covered Region of Ukraine identified pursuant to Executive Order 14065, and the non-government controlled areas of the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson Regions of Ukraine, the Crimea region, Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria).

Each of the Authorized Participant and the AP Designees shall act in a manner consistent with all applicable AML Laws, the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 as amended, the UK Bribery Act 2010 and other applicable anti-corruption laws (the “Anti-Corruption Laws”) and Sanctions. In furtherance of such efforts, the Authorized Participant and its AP Designees shall not mention the Trust, or send any materials related to the Trust, to any prospective investor, or accept any contribution or payment in connection with an investment in the Trust (including, without limitation, any Creation and Redemption transactions with the Trust) by any prospective investor, unless the Authorized Participant or any AP Designee, as applicable, has no knowledge or reason to believe that: (i) any cash or property or, subject to In-Kind Regulatory Approval, Digital Assets, that would be paid to the Authorized Participant in connection with an investment

4

 


 

in the Trust, would be derived from, or related to, any activity that would violate, or cause the Authorized Participant, any of its AP Designees (as applicable), the Trust, the Sponsor or the Sponsor Agent to be in violation of, any United States law or any other applicable law, including AML Laws, Anti-Corruption Laws, Sanctions or otherwise; or (ii) any contribution or payment to the Authorized Participant in connection with an investment in the Trust by such prospective investor would cause the Authorized Participant, any of its AP Designees (as applicable), the Trust, the Sponsor or the Sponsor Agent to be in violation of AML Laws, Anti-Corruption Laws or Sanctions.

(f)
The Authorized Participant hereby represents, covenants and warrants that it has all requisite authority, under applicable federal or state law, the rules and regulations of any regulatory or self-regulatory organization to which it is subject and its certificate of incorporation, formation or limited liability company operating agreement or other organizational document to enter into this Agreement and to discharge the duties and obligations apportioned to it in accordance with the terms hereof.
(g)
The Authorized Participant hereby represents, covenants and warrants that it and its AP Designees will maintain such registration and membership in good standing and any other registration, qualification or membership in good standing applicable to it or its AP Designees or, if applicable, exempt status, in full force and effect throughout the term of this Agreement. The Authorized Participant and the AP Designees will comply with all applicable United States federal laws, the laws of the states or other jurisdictions concerned, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
(h)
The Authorized Participant hereby represents, covenants and warrants that, subject to In-Kind Regulatory Approval, any Authorized Participant Self-Administered Accounts that it or its AP Designee, if applicable, maintains (i) will be dedicated exclusively for Creation and Redemption transactions with the Trust and (ii) will be active at the time of a Creation or Redemption transaction with the Trust.
(i)
The Authorized Participant hereby represents, covenants and warrants that, subject to In-Kind Regulatory Approval, the aforementioned Authorized Participant Self-Administered Accounts will be managed and maintained by the Authorized Participant or the AP Designee on behalf of the Authorized Participant to facilitate and fulfill the duties dedicated for the Creation and Redemption of Basket Shares with the Trust.
(j)
The Authorized Participant hereby represents, covenants and warrants that there are no actions, grievances, proceedings (including, without limitation, arbitration proceedings), orders, inquiries or claims pending, or to the Authorized Participant’s knowledge, threatened against or affecting it or any of its or its AP Designee’s employees (in his or her capacity as such) by the SEC, FINRA or any other regulatory or self-regulatory organization that would affect the Authorized Participant’s ability to fulfill its obligations hereunder.
(k)
The Authorized Participant hereby covenants and agrees that it shall promptly notify the Sponsor in the event that it or its AP Designee is not in compliance with any of the representations and warranties set forth in clauses ‎(a) through ‎(j) above.

5

 


 

Section 6.
[Reserved]
Section 7.
Notices. Except as otherwise specifically provided in this Agreement, all notices required or permitted to be given pursuant to this Agreement shall be given in writing and delivered by (i) personal delivery, (ii) postage prepaid registered or certified United States first class mail, return receipt requested, (iii) overnight traceable mail (e.g., Federal Express), (iv) facsimile, (v) electronic mail (e-mail) or (vi) similar means of same day delivery. Any notice or other communication required by this Agreement shall be deemed to be duly received (i) if via personal delivery, at the time when it was delivered; (ii) if via postage prepaid registered or certified United States first class mail, return receipt requested or overnight traceable mail (e.g., Federal Express), at the time when that mail is delivered; (iii) if via facsimile, at the time when the transmission is received by a responsible employee of the recipient in legible form (it being agreed that the burden of proving receipt will be on the sender and will not be met by a transmission report generated by the sender’s facsimile machine); (iv) if via electronic mail (e-mail), at the time that electronic message is received; except that any notice or communication which is received, or delivery of which is attempted, after close of business on the date of receipt or attempted delivery or on a day which is not a day on which commercial banks are open for business in the place where that notice or other communication is to be given shall be treated as given at the opening of business on the next following day which is such a day or (v) via similar means of same day delivery, on the date actually sent or on the first Business Day after such notice is sent via reputable overnight courier. Unless otherwise notified in writing, all notices to the Transfer Agent, Sponsor and Authorized Participant shall be directed to the address, e-mail address or facsimile number indicated below:
(vii)
If to the Transfer Agent:

The Bank of New York Mellon

Attn: ETF Services

240 Greenwich St.

New York, NY 10286

Telephone: (212) 635-6314

E-Mail: ETFservicesGrayscale@bnymellon.com

(viii)
If to the Sponsor:

Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC

Attn: Edward McGee

290 Harbor Drive, 4th Floor

Stamford, CT 06902

Telephone: (212) 668-1427

E-Mail: ETFs@grayscale.com

(ix)
If to the Authorized Participant:

[ ]

[ ]

[ ]

Telephone: [ ]

6

 


 

E-mail: [ ]

or such other address as any of the parties hereto shall have communicated in writing to the remaining parties in compliance with the provisions hereof.

Section 8.
In-Kind Orders. Subject to In-Kind Regulatory Approval, the following procedures apply to creations or redemptions in which the Authorized Participant or its AP Designees will deliver Digital Asset from, or receive Digital Asset in, an Authorized Participant Self-Administered Account (“In-Kind Orders”). EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT DIGITAL ASSET TRANSFERS MAY BE IRREVERSIBLE.
(a)
The Authorized Participant shall provide the Sponsor or its delegates with one or more Authorized Participant Self-Administered Accounts maintained by the Authorized Participant or its AP Designee. If the Authorized Participant becomes unable to continue to provide the Sponsor with at least one Authorized Participant Self-Administered Account, the Authorized Participant shall give immediate notice to the Sponsor of such event.
(b)
Any Digital Assets to be transferred in connection with any Creation Order or Redemption Order shall be transferred between an Authorized Participant Self-Administered Account and the Digital Asset Account (as defined in the Procedures) in accordance with the Procedures for Authorized Participants participating in In-Kind Orders.
(c)
The Authorized Participant acknowledges and agrees that (i) it or its AP Designee has the computer hardware, software and technological knowhow required to transact in Digital Assets; and (ii) it or its AP Designee is responsible for confirming the accuracy of any Account (as defined below) it is provided or that it provides in connection with any Creation Order or Redemption Order pursuant to this Agreement.
(d)
None of the Authorized Participant(s) or any AP Designee will receive fees, commissions or other form of compensation or inducement of any kind from either the Sponsor or the Trust in connection with any Order.
(e)
To the extent that the Authorized Participant (or its AP Designee) or the Sponsor (or its Sponsor Agent) or Custodian provide information in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, such party is solely responsible for any loss that arises out of another party’s actions in strict conformity with such information.
Section 9.
In-Cash Orders. The following procedures apply to creations or redemptions other than In-Kind Orders (“Cash Orders”). EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT DIGITAL ASSET TRANSFERS MAY BE IRREVERSIBLE.
(a)
The Authorized Participant shall provide the Transfer Agent or its delegates with one or more bank accounts from which or into which funds may be deposited in connection with Orders.
(b)
The Sponsor or its delegates shall identify to the Custodian one or more Digital Asset wallet addresses from a Digital Asset wallet software provider or with a third-party provider of Digital Asset wallets belonging to liquidity providers that (i) will be dedicated exclusively for Creation

7

 


 

and Redemption transactions with the Trust, (ii) is previously known to the Custodian (or the Sponsor or its delegates) and (iii) is currently active at the time of a Creation or Redemption transaction with the Trust (each, a “Liquidity Provider Account” and, together with each Digital Asset Account and Authorized Participant Self-Administered Account, an “Account”). If the Sponsor is unable to identify at least one Liquidity Provider Account, the Sponsor shall promptly notify the Authorized Participant and Cash Orders shall not be accepted until such time as at least one Liquidity Provider Account is identified to the Custodian.
(c)
Any Digital Assets to be transferred in connection with any Creation Order or Redemption Order shall be transferred between a Liquidity Provider Account and the Digital Asset Account in accordance with the Procedures for Cash Orders.
(d)
The Sponsor acknowledges and agrees that (i) the relevant liquidity provider has the computer hardware, software and technological knowhow required to transact in Digital Assets; and (ii) it is responsible for confirming the accuracy of all Accounts it is provided and that it or the relevant liquidity provider provides in connection with any Creation Order or Redemption Order pursuant to this Agreement.
(e)
The Authorized Participants will receive no fees, commissions or other form of compensation or inducement of any kind from either the Sponsor or the Trust in connection with Creation Orders and Redemption Orders.
(f)
To the extent that the Authorized Participant, Sponsor or Custodian provide information in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, such party is solely responsible for any loss that arises out of another party’s actions in strict conformity with such information.
(g)
(1) In the case of any Cash Order other than an Alternate Cash Order, each of the parties hereto hereby acknowledges and agrees that the Sponsor and the Transfer Agent, in taking any action contemplated herein to facilitate any transaction in which cash is delivered to or received by any Person, including in exchange for Digital Asset, whether by the Authorized Participant or a liquidity provider, as applicable, or as consideration for any agreement to deliver (or cause to be delivered) Digital Asset to the Trust or any other Person (each, a “Cash Transaction”), are not acting, and are not authorized to act, for or on behalf of the Trust. For the avoidance of doubt, neither the Trust nor any of its agents or representatives (in their capacities as such) shall be party to, or have any direct or indirect liability for, any such Cash Transaction, any actions of (or failures to act by) the Sponsor, the Transfer Agent, the Authorized Participant or any liquidity provider in connection with any such Cash Transaction, or any claims, losses, judgments, liabilities or expenses sustained in connection with any such Cash Transaction; provided that, without limiting the foregoing, the Trust agrees to (i) accept Digital Asset from a Liquidity Provider Account in connection with the issuance of Shares to the Authorized Participant or (ii) deliver Digital Asset to a Liquidity Provider Account in connection with the delivery of Shares to the Trust by the Authorized Participant, in each case, pursuant to the procedures applicable to Cash Orders (other than Alternate Cash Orders).

(2) In the case of any Alternate Cash Order, the Sponsor and the Authorized Participant hereby agree, as a condition to the participation in the consummation of any such Alternate Cash Order, (A) to fully (and without exception) exculpate the Trust with respect to, and to irrevocably waive

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any and all claims against the Trust or the Trust Estate (as defined in the Trust Agreement) arising from or in connection with, such Alternate Cash Order and (B) to fully indemnify and hold the Trust harmless against (x) any breach by such person of any provision of this Agreement; (y) any failure on the part of such person to perform any of its obligations set forth in this Agreement; and (z) any failure by such person to comply with applicable laws, including, without limitation, rules and regulations of any regulatory or self-regulatory organizations in relation to its role under this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing, the Trust agrees to (i) (x) accept cash from the Authorized Participant and deliver cash to the applicable liquidity provider and (y) accept Digital Asset from a Liquidity Provider Account, in each case of this clause (i), in connection with the issuance of Shares to the Authorized Participant or (ii) (x) accept cash from the applicable liquidity provider and deliver cash to the Authorized Participant and (y) deliver Digital Asset to a Liquidity Provider Account, in each case of this clause (ii), in connection with the delivery of Shares to the Trust by the Authorized Participant for redemption, and in each case of clause (i) or (ii), pursuant to the procedures applicable to Alternate Cash Orders.

Section 10.
Effectiveness and Amendment. This Agreement shall become effective upon execution and delivery by each of the parties hereto. This Agreement, along with any other agreement or instrument delivered pursuant to this Agreement, supersedes any prior agreement between or among the parties concerning the matters governed hereby. This Agreement (including the Standard Terms) may not be amended without the written consent of all parties. Notwithstanding the foregoing, however, the Procedures may be amended by the Transfer Agent and the Sponsor from time to time without the consent of the Authorized Participant by the following procedure: the Transfer Agent or the Sponsor will send a copy of the amendment to the Authorized Participant in compliance with the notice provisions of this Agreement; if the Authorized Participant does not object in writing to the amendment within fifteen (15) Business Days after receipt of the proposed amendment, the amendment will become part of this Agreement in accordance with its terms; provided, however, that any amendments to the Procedures shall not apply retroactively to Orders submitted prior to the effectiveness of such amended Procedures as set forth herein. Titles and section headings in this Agreement (and in the Standard Terms and the Procedures) are included solely for convenient reference and are not a part of this Agreement.
Section 11.
Termination. This Agreement may be terminated at any time by any party upon sixty (60) days prior written notice delivered in the manner prescribed in ‎Section 7 hereof to the other parties and may be terminated earlier by any party hereto at any time on the event of a material breach by any other party hereto of any provision of this Agreement (including, without limitation, the Standard Terms). For the avoidance of doubt, if the Sponsor determines that the Authorized Participant or its AP Designee has breached the provisions of Sections ‎5(a) and ‎5(d) through ‎5(f), the Sponsor and the Transfer Agent have the authority to terminate the Authorized Participant’s role in this Agreement.
Section 12.
Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York (regardless of the laws that might otherwise govern under applicable New York conflict of laws principles) as to all matters, including matters of validity, construction, effect, performance and remedies. Each party hereto irrevocably consents to the jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York and of any federal court located in the Borough of Manhattan in such State in connection with any action, suit or other proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any action taken or omitted hereunder, and waives any claim of

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forum non conveniens and any objections as to laying of venue. Each party further waives personal service of any summons, complaint or other process and agrees that service thereof may be made by certified or registered mail directed to such party at such party’s address for purposes of notices hereunder. EACH PARTY HERETO IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY AND ALL RIGHTS TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT.
Section 13.
Assignment. Except as otherwise expressly set forth herein, no party to this Agreement shall assign any rights, or delegate the performance of any obligations, arising hereunder without the prior written consent of the other parties hereto, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, provided that any entity into which a party hereto may be merged or converted, or with which it may be consolidated, or any entity resulting from any merger, consolidation or conversion to which a party hereunder shall be a party, shall be the successor of such party hereunder without further action. The party resulting from any such merger, conversion, consolidation or succession shall promptly notify the other parties hereto of the change. Any purported assignment or delegation in violation of these provisions shall be null and void. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any successor Transfer Agent appointed in compliance with the Trust Agreement shall automatically become a party hereto and shall assume all the obligations of, and be entitled to all the rights and remedies of, the Transfer Agent hereunder with respect to the Trust.
Section 14.
No Strict Construction. The language used in this Agreement will be deemed to be the language chosen by the parties to express their mutual intent, and no rule of strict construction will be applied against any party.
Section 15.
Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in several counterparts, each of which shall be an original and all of which shall constitute but one and the same instrument.
Section 16.
Severability. Any term or provision of this Agreement that is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or any governmental or regulatory (including stock exchange) body, agency, court, commission, instrumentality, authority or other legislative, executive or judicial entity (each, a “Governmental Entity”) to be invalid, void or unenforceable in any situation in any jurisdiction will not affect the validity or enforceability of the remaining terms and provisions of this Agreement or the validity or enforceability of the offending term or provision in any other situation or in any other jurisdiction. If the final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction or other Governmental Entity declares that any term or provision of this Agreement is invalid, void or unenforceable, the parties hereto will negotiate in good faith to modify this Agreement so as to effect the original intent of the parties as closely as possible.
Section 17.
Waiver of Compliance. Any failure of any of the parties hereto to comply with any obligation, covenant, agreement or condition herein may be waived by the party entitled to the benefits thereof by a written instrument signed by the party granting such waiver, provided, however, that any such written waiver, or the failure to insist upon strict compliance with any obligation, covenant, agreement or condition herein, shall not operate as a waiver of, or give rise to any claim of estoppel with respect to, any subsequent or other failure hereunder.

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Section 18.
Survival of Certain Representations and Obligations. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Trust or the Sponsor and the Authorized Participant set forth in, or made pursuant, to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation, or statement as to the results thereof, made by or on behalf of the Authorized Participant, the Trust, the Sponsor or any of their respective representatives, officers or directors or any controlling person, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Securities. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to ‎Section 11, the respective obligations of the Trust, the Sponsor and the Authorized Participant pursuant to Article 6 of the Standard Terms shall remain in effect, and if any Shares have been purchased hereunder, the representations and warranties in ‎Section 5 hereof and Article 5 of the Standard Terms shall also remain in effect.

[Signatures Follow on Next Page]

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Authorized Participant Agreement as of the date set forth above.

[●], as Authorized Participant

By:

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

 

GRAYSCALE INVESTMENTS SPONSORS, LLC, as Sponsor

By:

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

 

Accepted by: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, as Transfer Agent

By:

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

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SCHEDULE I - CREATION AND REDEMPTION PROCEDURES

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS - SCHEDULE I

ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION

Section 1.01 Definitions

Section 1.02 Interpretation

ARTICLE II CREATION PROCEDURES

Section 2.01 Creation of Shares Pursuant to In-Kind Orders

Section 2.02 Creation of Shares Pursuant to Cash Orders

Section 2.03 Creation of Shares Pursuant to Alternate Cash Orders

Section 2.04 Suspension or Rejection of Creation of Shares

ARTICLE III REDEMPTION PROCEDURES

Section 3.01 Redemption of Shares Pursuant to In-Kind Orders

Section 3.02 Redemption of Shares Pursuant to Cash Orders

Section 3.03 Redemption of Shares Pursuant to Alternate Cash Orders

Section 3.04 Suspension or Rejection of Redemption of Shares

ANNEX I-A TO CREATION AND REDEMPTION PROCEDURES

Creation/Redemption Order Form

ANNEX I-B TO CREATION AND REDEMPTION PROCEDURES

Order Entry System Terms and Conditions

 

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CREATION AND REDEMPTION PROCEDURES

CREATION AND REDEMPTION PROCEDURES FOR AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT AGREEMENTS (the “Procedures”) adopted by the Sponsor, Transfer Agent, Authorized Participant and Marketing Agent (each as defined below) as of [●].

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION

Section 1.01. Definitions. For purposes of these Procedures, and the Standard Terms incorporated by reference into the Authorized Participant Agreement to which these Procedures are attached, unless the context otherwise requires, the following terms will have the following meanings:

“Actual Execution Cash Order” shall mean a Cash Order pursuant to which any price differential between (x) the Total Basket NAV on the Trade Date and (y) the price realized in acquiring or disposing of the corresponding Total Basket Amount, as the case may be, will be borne solely by the Authorized Participant.

“Affiliate” shall have the meaning given to it by Rule 501(b) under the Securities Act.

“Alternate Cash Order” shall mean a Cash Order pursuant to the alternative procedures for creation and redemption of Shares set forth in Section 13.12 of the Trust Agreement, as may be amended or supplemented from time to time.

“Alternate Cash Account” shall mean the account maintained by the Transfer Agent in the name of the Trust for purposes of (i) receiving cash from Authorized Participants, and distributing cash to liquidity providers, in connection with Creations pursuant to Alternate Cash Orders and (ii) receiving cash from liquidity providers, and distributing cash to Authorized Participants, in connection with Redemptions pursuant to Alternate Cash Orders.

“AP Designee” shall mean the party that acts as a designee, including affiliates or agents of the Authorized Participant in the case of In-Kind Orders.

“AP Indemnified Party” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Sections 6.01(a) of the Standard Terms.

“Authorized Participant” shall have the meaning ascribed to the term in the introductory paragraph of the Authorized Participant Agreement.

“Authorized Participant Agreement” shall mean each Authorized Participant Agreement (including the Schedules thereto) among the Authorized Participant, the Transfer Agent and the Sponsor authorizing the Authorized Participant to submit Creation Orders and Redemption Orders.

“Authorized Participant Client” shall mean any party on whose behalf the Authorized Participant acts in connection with an Order (whether a customer or otherwise).

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“Authorized Participant Self-Administered Account” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(b) of the Authorized Participant Agreement.

“Authorized Representative” shall mean, with respect to an Authorized Participant, each individual who, pursuant to the provisions of the Authorized Participant Agreement, has the power and authority to act on behalf of the Authorized Participant in connection with the placement of Creation Orders or Redemption Orders and is in possession of the personal identification number (PIN) assigned by the Transfer Agent for use in any communications regarding Purchase or Redemption Orders on behalf of such Authorized Participant.

“Basket” shall have the meaning ascribed to the term in the recitals to the Authorized Participant Agreement.

“Basket Amount” shall mean, on any Trade Date, the number of Digital Assets required as of such Trade Date for each Basket, as determined by dividing (x) the number of Digital Assets owned by the Trust at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on such Trade Date, after deducting the number of Digital Assets representing the U.S. dollar value of accrued but unpaid fees and expenses of the Trust (in the case of any such fee and expenses other than the Sponsor’s Fee, converted using the Index Price at such time, and carried to the eighth decimal place), by (y) the number of Shares outstanding at such time (with the quotient so obtained calculated to one one-hundred-millionth of one Digital Asset (i.e., carried to the eighth decimal place)), and multiplying such quotient by 10,000.

“Basket NAV” shall mean the U.S. dollar value of a Basket of Shares calculated by multiplying the Basket Amount by the Index Price as of the Trade Date.

“Blockchain” or “Digital Asset Blockchain” shall mean the public transaction ledger of the Digital Asset Network on which transactions in Digital Asset are recorded.

“Business Day” shall mean each day the Shares trade on NYSE Arca.

“Capped Amount” shall mean a number of Shares that may be created pursuant to Cash Orders on any specified day.

“Cash Account” shall mean the account maintained by the Transfer Agent in the name of a Sponsor Agent for purposes of receiving cash from, and distributing cash to, Authorized Participants in connection with Creations and Redemptions pursuant to Cash Orders (other than Alternate Cash Orders). For the avoidance of doubt, the Trust shall have no interest (beneficial, equitable or otherwise) in the Cash Account or any cash held therein.

“Cash Orders” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Section 9 of the Authorized Participant Agreement.

“Cash Order Delivery Amount” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.02(d)(i).

“Collateral Amount” shall mean 115% of the U.S. dollar value of the Total Basket Amount determined using the Index Price on the Business Day prior to the Creation Settlement Date, in the case of in-kind Creations, or the Business Day prior to the Redemption Settlement

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Date, in the case of in-kind or in-cash Redemptions. The Collateral Amount may be changed by the Sponsor in its sole discretion at any time.

“Creation” shall mean the process that begins when an Authorized Participant first indicates to the Transfer Agent its intention to acquire one or more Baskets pursuant to these Procedures and concludes with the issuance by the Trust and Delivery to such Authorized Participant of the corresponding number of Shares.

“Creation and Redemption Line” shall mean a telephone number designated as such by the Transfer Agent and specified in Annex I-A of the Procedures or otherwise communicated to each Authorized Participant in compliance with the notice provisions of the respective Authorized Participant Agreement.

“Creation Order” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Section 1 of the Authorized Participant Agreement.

“Creation Settlement Date” shall mean the first or second Business Day following the Trade Date as specified in the applicable Creation Order, subject to the exceptions described in the Procedures.

“Custodial Services” shall mean the Custodian’s services that (i) allow Digital Assets to be deposited from a public blockchain address to the Trust’s Digital Asset Account and (ii) allow the Trust and the Sponsor to withdraw Digital Asset from the Trust’s Digital Asset Account to a public blockchain address the Trust or the Sponsor controls pursuant to instructions the Trust or the Sponsor provides to the Custodian.

“Custodian” shall mean Coinbase Custody Trust Company, LLC, or any other Person from time to time engaged to provide custodian services or related services (including, for the avoidance of doubt, prime brokerage services) to the Trust pursuant to authority delegated by the Sponsor.

“Custody Agreement” or “Custody Agreements” shall mean the Custodial Services Agreement by and between the Trust and the Sponsor and Custodian that governs the Trust’s and the Sponsor’s use of the Custodial Services provided by the Custodian as a fiduciary with respect to the Trust’s assets.

“Deliver” shall mean the act of delivering Digital Assets, Cash or Shares, as applicable.

“Delivery” shall mean a delivery of Digital Assets, Cash or Shares, as applicable.

“Depositor” shall mean any Authorized Participant, any AP Designee or any liquidity provider that deposits Digital Assets with the Custodian.

“Deposit Property” shall mean Digital Assets that are, in compliance with the provisions of the Trust Agreement and these Procedures, transferred by the Depositor to the Custodian to effectuate Orders.

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“Digital Asset” shall mean the applicable digital asset underlying the Shares of the applicable Trust on Schedule V hereto.

“Digital Asset Account” shall mean a segregated custody account controlled and secured by the Custodian to store private keys, which allow for the transfer of ownership or control of the Trust’s Digital Assets on the Trust’s behalf.

“Digital Asset Network” shall mean the online, end-user-to-end-user network hosting the public transaction ledger, known as the Blockchain, and the source code comprising the basis for the cryptographic and algorithmic protocols governing the digital asset network for the applicable Digital Asset.

“DTC” shall mean The Depository Trust Company, its nominees and their respective successors.

“DTC Participant” shall mean a direct participant in DTC.

“FINRA” shall mean the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.

“In-Kind Orders” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Section 8 of the Authorized Participant Agreement.

“Index” shall mean the applicable index listed alongside the applicable Trust on Schedule V hereto.

“Index Price” shall mean the U.S. dollar value of a Digital Asset derived from the Digital Asset Exchanges that are reflected in the Index, calculated at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on each Business Day.

“Index Provider” shall mean CoinDesk Indices, Inc., a Delaware corporation that publishes the Index.

“Marketing Agent” shall mean Foreside Fund Services, LLC or any other Person or Persons from time to time engaged to provide marking services or related services to the Trust pursuant to authority delegated by the Sponsor.

“NYSE Arca” shall mean NYSE Arca, Inc.

“Order” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Section 1 of the Authorized Participant Agreement.

“Order Cutoff Time” shall mean (i) 3:59:59 p.m. (New York time) on any Business Day, in the case of In-Kind Orders, and (ii) 1:59:59 p.m. (New York time) on any Business Day, in the case of Cash Orders.

“Order Date” shall mean the Business Day on which an Order is accepted by the Marketing Agent.

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“Person” shall mean any natural person, partnership, limited liability company, statutory trust, corporation, association, or other legal entity.

“Procedures” shall have the meaning ascribed to the term in the introductory paragraph of this Schedule I.

“Prospectus” or “Prospectuses” shall mean the current prospectus of the Trust included in its Registration Statement, as supplemented or amended from time to time.

“Redemption” shall mean the process that begins when an Authorized Participant first indicates to the Transfer Agent its intention to redeem one or more Baskets pursuant to these Procedures and concludes with the cancellation of a corresponding number of Shares Delivered by such Authorized Participant for cancellation.

“Redemption Order” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Section 1 of the Authorized Participant Agreement.

“Redemption Settlement Date” shall mean the second Business Day after the Trade Date, subject to the exceptions described in the Procedures.

“Registration Statement” shall mean the Trust’s effective registration statement filed with the SEC, as the same may at any time and from time to time be amended or supplemented.

“Securities Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

“Shares” shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals to the Authorized Participant Agreement.

“Sponsor” shall mean Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, in its capacity as the sponsor of the Trust under the Trust Agreement except as otherwise specified, and any successor thereto in compliance with the provisions thereof.

“Sponsor Agent” shall mean the Sponsor, or any other party that acts as a designee, including affiliates or agents of the Sponsor in the case of Cash Orders.

“Sponsor Indemnified Party” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 6.01(b) of the Standard Terms.

“Standard Terms” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 1 of the Authorized Participant Agreement.

“Time of Creation” shall mean each time of acquisition by the Authorized Participant of a Basket from the Trust.

“Total Basket Amount” shall mean the Basket Amount multiplied by the number of Baskets being created or redeemed, specified in the applicable Creation Order or Redemption Order.

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“Total Basket NAV” shall mean the Basket NAV multiplied by the number of Baskets being created or redeemed.

“Trade Date” shall mean the Business Day on which the Total Basket Amount is determined in accordance with the Procedures.

“Transaction Fee” shall mean a fee of $500.00 to be paid by the Authorized Participant to the Transfer Agent for each Creation Order or Redemption Order. The fee may be changed by the Transfer Agent with the prior written consent of the Sponsor.

“Transfer Agent” shall mean The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York corporation authorized to do banking business.

“Trustee” shall mean Delaware Trust Company, its successors and assigns, or any substitute therefor, acting not in its individual capacity but solely as trustee of the Trust as provided for in the Trust Agreement.

“Trust” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in the introductory paragraph of the Authorized Participant Agreement.

“Trust Agreement” shall have the meanings ascribed to it in the introductory paragraph of the Authorized Participant Agreement.

“VAT” shall mean (a) any tax imposed pursuant to or in compliance with the Sixth Directive of the Council of the European Economic Communities (77/388/EEC) including, without limitation, in relation to the United Kingdom, value added tax imposed by the Value Added Tax Act 1994 and legislation and regulations supplemental thereto; and (b) any other tax of a similar nature, whether imposed in a member state of the European Union or elsewhere, in substitution for, or levied in addition to, such tax referred to in “(a)”.

“Variable Fee” shall mean an amount in cash based on the Total Basket NAV, which shall be paid by the Authorized Participant in connection with Variable Fee Cash Orders. The amount may be changed by the Sponsor in its sole discretion at any time.

“Variable Fee Cash Order” shall mean a Cash Order pursuant to which any price difference between (x) the Total Basket NAV on the Trade Date and (y) the price realized in acquiring or disposing of the corresponding Total Basket Amount, as the case may be, will be borne solely by the applicable liquidity provider.

Section 1.02. Interpretation. In these Procedures:

Unless otherwise indicated, all references to Sections, clauses, paragraphs, schedules or exhibits, are to Sections, clauses, paragraphs, schedules or exhibits in or to these Procedures.

The words “hereof,” “herein,” “hereunder” and words of similar import shall refer to these Procedures as a whole, and not to any individual provision in which such words may appear.

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A reference to any statute, law, decree, rule, regulation or other applicable norm shall be construed as a reference to such statute, law, decree, rule, regulation or other applicable norm as re-enacted, re-designated or amended from time to time.

A reference to any agreement, instrument or document shall be construed as a reference to such agreement, instrument or document as the same may have been amended from time to time in compliance with the provisions thereof.

Section 1.03. In-Kind Regulatory Approval.

As set forth in the recitals to the Authorized Participant Agreement, it is the current position of the SEC that the Trust shall only create and redeem Shares pursuant to Cash Orders. Unless and until NYSE Arca shall have obtained necessary regulatory approval from the SEC to amend its listing rules to permit the Trust to create and redeem Shares pursuant to In-Kind Orders, the procedures described herein with respect to In-Kind Orders (including without limitation Sections 2.01 and 3.01) shall not be operative.

ARTICLE II
CREATION PROCEDURES

Section 2.01. Creation of Shares Pursuant to In-Kind Orders. The Creation of Shares pursuant to In-Kind Orders shall take place only in compliance with the rules of this Section 2.01:

(a) Authorized Participants wishing to acquire from the Trust one or more Baskets shall place a Creation Order with the Transfer Agent no later than the Order Cutoff Time on any Business Day. Creation Orders received by the Transfer Agent on or after the Order Cutoff Time on any Business Day shall be considered rejected unless determined otherwise by the Sponsor in writing in its sole discretion.

(b) The Trade Date for the Creation of Shares pursuant to In-Kind Orders shall be the Order Date.

(c) For purposes of Section 2.01(a) above, a Creation Order shall be deemed received by the Transfer Agent only when either of the following has occurred no later than the Order Cutoff Time:

(i) Telephone Order – An Authorized Representative shall have placed a telephone call to the Creation and Redemption Line informing the Transfer Agent that the Authorized Participant wishes to place a Creation Order for a specified number of Baskets, received an Order Number from the Transfer Agent for insertion in the Creation Order and submitted a properly completed, irrevocable Creation Order in the form set out in Annex I-A to these Procedures executed by an Authorized Representative of such Authorized Participant via electronic mail message at the address specified in such Annex I-A, and such Creation Order shall have been received by the Transfer Agent within thirty (30) minutes following such phone call; or

(ii) Web-based Order – An Authorized Representative shall have accessed the Transfer Agent’s online services (nexen.bnymellon.com) and submitted a properly

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completed, irrevocable Creation Order in the form set out in Annex I-A to these Procedures executed by an Authorized Representative of such Authorized Participant, via electronic mail message at the address specified in such Annex I-A.

(d) Creation Orders are accepted or rejected by the Marketing Agent. The Marketing Agent will accept or reject a Creation Order as soon as reasonably practicable following receipt of a properly completed Creation Order but no later than 4:30 p.m. (New York time) on the Order Date.

(i) If a Creation Order is accepted, the Transfer Agent shall send to the Authorized Participant, via electronic mail message, as soon as reasonably practicable but no later than 4:30 p.m. (New York time) on the Order Date, a copy of the corresponding Creation Order endorsed “Accepted” by the Marketing Agent and indicating the Basket Amount that the Authorized Participant (or its AP Designee) shall Deliver to the Custodian in respect of each Basket being created. Prior to the transmission of the acceptance as specified above, a Creation Order for an In-Kind Order will only represent the Authorized Participant’s firm unilateral offer to deposit (or cause its AP Designee to deposit) Digital Assets in exchange for a Delivery of Baskets and will have no binding effect upon the Trust, the Transfer Agent or any other party. Following the transmission of the acceptance as specified above, a Creation Order will be a binding agreement between the Trust and the Authorized Participant for the deposit of Digital Assets in exchange for the Creation of Baskets pursuant to the terms of the Creation Order and these Procedures. The Authorized Participant may submit an amended Creation Order changing the number of Baskets ordered no later than the Order Cutoff Time.

(ii) If a Creation Order is rejected, the Transfer Agent shall send to the Authorized Participant, via electronic mail message, as soon as reasonably practicable but no later than 4:30 p.m. (New York time) on the Order Date, a copy of the corresponding Creation Order endorsed “Declined” by the Marketing Agent. A Creation Order which is not properly completed will be deemed invalid and rejected by the Marketing Agent; the Authorized Participant may submit a corrected Creation Order no later than the Order Cutoff Time. If the Marketing Agent rejects a Creation Order pursuant to these Procedures or the Standard Terms, the Transfer Agent will promptly return to the Authorized Participant all consideration tendered by the Authorized Participant in respect of such rejected Creation Order.

(iii) Creation Orders not accepted or rejected by 4:30 p.m. (New York time) on the Order Date shall be accepted or rejected on the same Business Day as soon as practicable.

(e) The Transfer Agent shall provide a written summary to the Sponsor of all accepted In-Kind Orders for Creation for such Order Date no later than 6:00 p.m. (New York time).

(f) Each Creation Order shall require the Authorized Participant, or any AP Designee acting on behalf of the Authorized Participant (as the case may be), to obtain Digital Asset equal to the Total Basket Amount.

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(g) Except as provided in Section 2.01(i) below, each Creation Order shall settle on the Creation Settlement Date. In connection with settlement, by 12:00 p.m. (New York time) on the Creation Settlement Date, or at such later date and time as the Transfer Agent and the Sponsor in their absolute discretion may agree in writing with the Authorized Participant (i) the Total Basket Amount must be deposited by the Authorized Participant, or the AP Designee acting on behalf of the Authorized Participant (as the case may be), in the Trust’s Digital Asset Account and (ii) the Authorized Participant shall have paid the Transfer Agent the Transaction Fee, if applicable, and all taxes, governmental charges and fees payable in connection with such deposit, the transfer of Digital Assets and the issuance and Delivery of Shares.

(h) On the Creation Settlement Date, or on such earlier date and time as the Transfer Agent in its absolute discretion may agree in writing with the Authorized Participant and the Sponsor, the Transfer Agent shall cause the Trust to issue the aggregate number of Shares corresponding to the Baskets ordered by the Authorized Participant and shall Deliver such Shares to the Authorized Participant, by credit to the account at DTC that the Authorized Participant shall have identified for such purpose in its Creation Order, no later than 6:00 p.m. (New York time) on the Creation Settlement Date; provided that, by 12:00 p.m. (New York time) on the Creation Settlement Date the Transfer Agent is notified that the Total Basket Amount has been deposited in the Trust’s Digital Asset Account in compliance with the provisions of Section 2.01(g) above.

(i) In the event that on the Creation Settlement Date, the Trust’s Digital Asset Account shall not have been credited with the Total Basket Amount in compliance with the provisions of Section 2.01(g)(i) above, the Transfer Agent shall send to the Authorized Participant and the Sponsor via electronic mail message notice of such fact.

(i) The Transfer Agent and the Sponsor each agree not to treat such Creation Order as a failed trade or a failed settlement provided that as soon as practicable between 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. (New York time) on the Creation Settlement Date, the Authorized Participant shall wire the Collateral Amount to the Cash Account.

(ii) If the Authorized Participant fails to deposit the Collateral Amount in the Cash Account as provided in Section 2.01(i)(i) or the Authorized Participant, or the AP Designee acting on behalf of the Authorized Participant (as the case may be), fails to deposit the Total Basket Amount in the Trust’s Digital Asset Account by 12:00 p.m. (New York time) on the Business Day following the Creation Settlement Date, then the Sponsor and Transfer Agent may (A) deem the relevant Creation Order as a failed trade and the Authorized Participant will be solely responsible for all damages, losses, costs and expenses incurred by the Trust, the Sponsor, any liquidity provider, the Transfer Agent or the Custodian related to the pending Creation Order or (B) complete such Creation Order by (1) applying the Collateral Amount to the purchase, for the account of the Authorized Participant, of Digital Assets constituting the Total Basket Amount and to the payment or reimbursement of any actual costs of the Sponsor in connection with otherwise completing the Creation Order and (2) delivering such Digital Assets to the Trust’s Digital Asset Account in satisfaction of the Authorized Participant’s delivery obligations under such Creation Order.

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(iii) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Authorized Participant has deposited the Collateral Amount in accordance with the requirements of Section 2.01(i)(i) but fails to deposit the Total Basket Amount by 12:00 p.m. (New York time) on the Business Day following the Creation Settlement Date, the Transfer Agent and the Sponsor may nonetheless agree not to treat such Creation Order as a failed trade, provided that (i) if the U.S. dollar value of the Total Basket Amount exceeds the Collateral Amount, as determined using the Index Price on the previous Business Day, then by 6:00 p.m. (New York time) on such Business Day, the Authorized Participant deposits in the Cash Account an additional amount in U.S. dollars such that the amount in the Cash Account is equal to 115% of the U.S. dollar value of the Total Basket Amount, as determined using the Index Price on the previous Business Day and (ii) the Authorized Participant, or the AP Designee acting on behalf of the Authorized Participant (as the case may be), deposits the Total Basket Amount in the Trust’s Digital Asset Account by 12:00 p.m. (New York time) on the following Business Day. If the Authorized Participant fails to deposit such excess amount in the Cash Account or fails to so deposit the Total Basket Amount, the Sponsor and Transfer Agent may (A) deem the relevant Creation Order as a failed trade and the Authorized Participant will be solely responsible for all damages, losses, costs and expenses incurred by the Trust, the Sponsor, any liquidity provider, the Transfer Agent or the Custodian related to the pending Creation Order or (B) complete such Creation Order by (1) applying the Collateral Amount (and any additional amount subsequently deposited in the Cash Account) to the purchase, for the account of the Authorized Participant, of Digital Assets constituting the Total Basket Amount and to the payment or reimbursement of any actual costs of the Sponsor in connection with otherwise completing the Creation Order and (2) delivering such Digital Assets to the Trust’s Digital Asset Account in satisfaction of the Authorized Participant’s delivery obligations under such Creation Order.

(iv) If the Sponsor and the Transfer Agent deem the relevant Creation Order a failed trade in accordance with Section 2.01(i)(ii) or Section 2.01(i)(iii), they shall return the Collateral Amount (and any additional amount deposited pursuant to this Section 2.01(i)) by wire transfer to the Authorized Participant.

(v) The Transfer Agent shall cause the Trust to issue the aggregate number of Shares corresponding to the Baskets ordered by the Authorized Participant and shall Deliver such Shares to the Authorized Participant, by credit to the account at DTC that the Authorized Participant shall have identified for such purpose in its Creation Order, no later than 6:00 p.m. (New York time) on the date on which the Transfer Agent is notified that the Total Basket Amount has been deposited in the Trust’s Digital Asset Account by 12:00 p.m. (New York time) on such date.

(j) The Transfer Agent shall under no circumstances cause the Trust to issue the aggregate number of Shares ordered until such time as (i) the Authorized Participant (or its AP Designee) Delivers the Total Basket Amount or (ii) the Total Basket Amount is Delivered to the Trust, funded by the Collateral Amount.

(k) The foregoing provisions notwithstanding, none of the Authorized Participant, the Trust, the Transfer Agent, the Sponsor nor the Custodian shall be liable for any failure or delay in making Delivery of Shares, Digital Assets or cash, as the case may be, in respect of a Creation

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Order arising from nuclear fission or fusion, radioactivity, war, terrorist event, invasion, insurrection, civil commotion, riot, strike, act of government, public authority, public service or utility problems, power outages resulting in telephone, telecopy and computer failures, acts of God such as fires, floods or extreme weather conditions, market conditions or activities causing trading halts, systems failures involving computer or other information systems, including any failures or outages of the Digital Asset Network, affecting the Authorized Participant, the Sponsor, the Trust, the Transfer Agent, the Marketing Agent and the Custodian and similar extraordinary events beyond the Authorized Participant’s, the Sponsor’s, the Trust’s, the Custodian’s, the Marketing Agent’s or the Transfer Agent’s reasonable control. In the event of any such delay, the time to complete Delivery in respect of a Creation Order will be extended for a period equal to that during which the inability to perform continues as determined by the Transfer Agent in its sole discretion.

(l) Except as provided in Sections 2.01(e), 2.01(h) and the Standard Terms, none of the Transfer Agent, the Sponsor, Marketing Agent or the Custodian are under any duty to give notification of any defects or irregularities in any Creation Order or the Delivery of the Total Basket Amount, and shall not incur any liability for the failure to give any such notification.

Section 2.02. Creation of Shares Pursuant to Cash Orders. The Creation of Shares pursuant to Cash Orders that are not Alternate Cash Orders shall take place only in compliance with the rules of this Section 2.02:

(a) Authorized Participants wishing to acquire from the Trust one or more Baskets shall place a Creation Order with the Transfer Agent no later than the Order Cutoff Time on any Business Day. Creation Orders received by the Transfer Agent on or after the Order Cutoff Time on any Business Day shall be considered rejected unless determined otherwise by the Sponsor in writing in its sole discretion.

(b) The Trade Date for the Creation of Shares pursuant to Cash Orders shall be the Order Date.

(c) The Sponsor may in its absolute discretion limit the Creation of Shares pursuant to Cash Orders to the Capped Amount at any time without notice to the Authorized Participant and may direct the Marketing Agent to reject any Cash Orders in excess of the Capped Amount.

(d) For purposes of Section 2.02(a) above, a Creation Order shall be deemed received by the Transfer Agent only when either of the following has occurred no later than the Order Cutoff Time:

(i) Telephone Order – An Authorized Representative shall have placed a telephone call to the Creation and Redemption Line informing the Transfer Agent that the Authorized Participant wishes to place a Creation Order for a specified number of Baskets, received an Order Number from the Transfer Agent for insertion in the Creation Order and submitted a properly completed, irrevocable Creation Order in the form set out in Annex I-A to these Procedures executed by an Authorized Representative of such Authorized Participant via electronic mail message at the address specified in such Annex I-A, and such Creation Order shall have been received by the Transfer Agent within thirty (30) minutes following such phone call; or

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(ii) Web-based Order – An Authorized Representative shall have accessed the Transfer Agent’s online services (nexen.bnymellon.com) and submitted a properly completed, irrevocable Creation Order in the form set out in Annex I-A to these Procedures executed by an Authorized Representative of such Authorized Participant, via electronic mail message at the address specified in such Annex I-A.

(e) Creation Orders are accepted or rejected by the Marketing Agent. The Marketing Agent will accept or reject a Creation Order as soon as reasonably practicable following receipt of a properly completed Creation Order but no later than 2:30 p.m. (New York time) on the Order Date.

(i) If a Creation Order is accepted, the Transfer Agent shall send to the Authorized Participant, via electronic mail message, as soon as reasonably practicable but no later than 2:30 p.m. (New York time) on the Order Date, a copy of the corresponding Creation Order endorsed “Accepted” by the Marketing Agent. Prior to the transmission of the acceptance as specified above, a Cash Order for Creation will only represent the Authorized Participant’s firm unilateral offer to (x) deposit into the Cash Account, the Total Basket NAV and Variable Fee for Delivery to a liquidity provider and (y) accept a Delivery of Baskets upon such liquidity provider’s Delivery to the Custodian of the Total Basket Amount and will have no binding effect upon the Trust, the Transfer Agent, or any other party. Following the transmission of the acceptance as specified above, a Creation Order will be a binding agreement among (x) the Trust and the Authorized Participant for the Creation of Baskets in exchange for the Delivery of the Total Basket Amount, (y) the Sponsor and the Authorized Participant for the engagement by the Sponsor of a liquidity provider to deposit the Total Basket Amount with the Custodian and (z) the Sponsor and the Authorized Participant for the Delivery by the Authorized Participant of the Total Basket NAV and the Variable Fee to the Cash Account no later than 10:00 a.m. (New York time) on the Creation Settlement Date, in each case pursuant to the terms of the Creation Order and these Procedures. Subject to the Capped Amount, the Authorized Participant may submit an amended Creation Order changing the number of Baskets ordered no later than the Order Cutoff Time.

(ii) If a Creation Order is rejected, the Transfer Agent shall send to the Authorized Participant, via electronic mail message, as soon as reasonably practicable but no later than 2:30 p.m. (New York time) on the Order Date, a copy of the corresponding Creation Order endorsed “Declined” by the Marketing Agent. A Creation Order which is not properly completed will be deemed invalid and rejected by the Marketing Agent; the Authorized Participant may submit a corrected Creation Order no later than the Order Cutoff Time. If the Marketing Agent rejects a Creation Order pursuant to these Procedures or the Standard Terms, the Transfer Agent will promptly return to the Authorized Participant all consideration tendered by the Authorized Participant in respect of such rejected Creation Order.

(iii) Creation Orders not accepted or rejected by 2:30 p.m. (New York time) on the Order Date shall be accepted or rejected on the same Business Day as soon as practicable.

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The Transfer Agent shall provide a written summary to the Sponsor of all accepted Cash Orders for Creation for such Order Date no later than 2:30 p.m. (New York time). Promptly following 4:00 p.m. (New York time) on the Trade Date, the Transfer Agent shall notify the Sponsor and the Authorized Participant of the Total Basket Amount, the Total Basket NAV and the dollar amount of any Variable Fees.

(f) Each Cash Order shall require (i) the Sponsor to engage a liquidity provider to obtain Digital Asset equal to the Total Basket Amount and (ii) the Authorized Participant to Deliver the Total Basket NAV and the Variable Fee to the Cash Account by 10:00 a.m. (New York time) on the Creation Settlement Date.

(g) Except as provided in Section 2.02(k) below, each Creation Order shall settle on the Creation Settlement Date. In connection with settlement, by 12:00 p.m. (New York time) on the Creation Settlement Date, or at such later date and time as the Transfer Agent and the Sponsor in their absolute discretion may agree in writing with the Authorized Participant (i) the Total Basket Amount must be deposited by the Sponsor, or a liquidity provider on behalf of the Sponsor (as the case may be), in the Trust’s Digital Asset Account, (ii) the Authorized Participant shall have deposited the Total Basket NAV and the Variable Fee in the Cash Account in compliance with Section 2.02(f) above and (iii) the Authorized Participant shall have paid the Transfer Agent the Transaction Fee, if applicable, and all taxes, governmental charges and fees payable in connection with such deposit, the transfer of Digital Assets and the issuance and Delivery of Shares.

(h) On the Creation Settlement Date, or on such earlier date and time as the Transfer Agent in its absolute discretion may agree in writing with the Authorized Participant and the Sponsor, the Transfer Agent shall cause the Trust to issue the aggregate number of Shares corresponding to the Baskets ordered by the Authorized Participant and shall Deliver such Shares to the Authorized Participant, by credit to the account at DTC that the Authorized Participant shall have identified for such purpose in its Creation Order, no later than 6:00 p.m. (New York time) on the Creation Settlement Date; provided that, by 12:00 p.m. (New York time) on the Creation Settlement Date the Transfer Agent is notified that the Total Basket Amount has been deposited in the Trust’s Digital Asset Account in compliance with the provisions of Section 2.02(g) above.

(i) Upon deposit of the Total Basket Amount in the Trust’s Digital Asset Account, the Shares will be deemed issued and delivered with no further action required to be taken by the Trust or any other person; provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing, the Transfer Agent shall take the further actions contemplated hereby to evidence such issuance and delivery to the Authorized Participant.

(j) In the event that on the Creation Settlement Date, the Trust’s Digital Asset Account shall not have been credited with the Total Basket Amount in compliance with the provisions of Section 2.02(g)(i) above, the Transfer Agent shall send to the Authorized Participant and the Sponsor via electronic mail message notice of such fact. The relevant Creation Order shall be deemed a failed trade and the Authorized Participant will be solely responsible for all damages, losses, costs and expenses incurred by the Trust, the Sponsor, any liquidity provider, the Transfer Agent or the Custodian related to the pending Creation Order, unless the Sponsor, in its sole discretion, chooses to complete such Creation Order by (i) applying any related Total Basket NAV

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to the purchase of Digital Assets constituting the Total Basket Amount and (ii) delivering such Digital Assets to the Trust’s Digital Asset Account in satisfaction of the liquidity provider’s delivery obligations. In the event that on the Creation Settlement Date, the Trust’s Digital Asset Account shall have been credited with the Total Basket Amount in compliance with the provisions of Section 2.02(g)(i) above but the Authorized Participant shall not have deposited the Total Basket NAV and the Variable Fee in the Cash Account as required by Section 2.02(f), the Transfer Agent shall send to the Authorized Participant and the Sponsor via electronic mail message notice of such fact. The relevant Creation Order shall settle in accordance with Section 2.02(h) and the Authorized Participant will be solely responsible for all damages, losses, costs and expenses incurred by the Trust, the Transfer Agent, the Sponsor, any liquidity provider or the Custodian related to the Creation Order.

(k) The Transfer Agent shall under no circumstances cause the Trust to issue the aggregate number of Shares ordered until such time as the Total Basket Amount has been Delivered to the Trust.

(l) The foregoing provisions notwithstanding, none of the Authorized Participant, the Trust, the Transfer Agent, the Sponsor nor the Custodian shall be liable for any failure or delay in making Delivery of Shares, Digital Assets or cash, as the case may be, in respect of a Creation Order arising from nuclear fission or fusion, radioactivity, war, terrorist event, invasion, insurrection, civil commotion, riot, strike, act of government, public authority, public service or utility problems, power outages resulting in telephone, telecopy and computer failures, acts of God such as fires, floods or extreme weather conditions, market conditions or activities causing trading halts, systems failures involving computer or other information systems, including any failures or outages of the Digital Asset Network, affecting the Authorized Participant, the Sponsor, the Trust, the Transfer Agent, the Marketing Agent and the Custodian and similar extraordinary events beyond the Authorized Participant’s, the Sponsor’s, the Trust’s, the Custodian’s, the Marketing Agent’s or the Transfer Agent’s reasonable control. In the event of any such delay, the time to complete Delivery in respect of a Creation Order will be extended for a period equal to that during which the inability to perform continues as determined by the Transfer Agent in its sole discretion.

(m) Except as provided in Sections 2.02(f), 2.02(j) and the Standard Terms, none of the Transfer Agent, the Marketing Agent, the Sponsor nor the Custodian are under any duty to give notification of any defects or irregularities in any Creation Order or the Delivery of the Total Basket Amount, and shall not incur any liability for the failure to give any such notification.

(n) For the avoidance of doubt, the Trust shall not be liable to the Authorized Participant, the Transfer Agent, the Sponsor or any other party for actions taken or not taken in relation to Cash Orders for the Creation of Shares other than for a failure by the Trust to deliver Shares upon receipt of the Total Basket Amount.

Section 2.03. Creation of Shares Pursuant to Alternate Cash Orders. Unless otherwise specified by the Sponsor in writing, any Creation of Shares pursuant to a Cash Order shall be executed as an Alternate Cash Order. The Creation of Shares pursuant to Cash Orders to be executed as Alternate Cash Orders shall take place only in compliance with the rules set forth in Section 2.02(a) through (d), and the following rules of this Section 2.03:

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(a) Creation Orders are accepted or rejected by the Marketing Agent. The Sponsor will determine if such Creation Order will be a Variable Fee Cash Order or an Actual Execution Cash Order, which determination will be communicated to the Authorized Participant. The Marketing Agent will accept or reject a Creation Order as soon as reasonably practicable following receipt of a properly completed Creation Order but no later than 2:30 p.m. (New York time) on the Order Date.

(i) If a Creation Order is accepted, the Transfer Agent shall send to the Authorized Participant, via electronic mail message, as soon as reasonably practicable but no later than 2:30 p.m. (New York time) on the Order Date, a copy of the corresponding Creation Order endorsed “Accepted” by the Marketing Agent. Prior to the transmission of the acceptance as specified above, an Alternate Cash Order for Creation will only represent the Authorized Participant’s firm unilateral offer to (x) deposit into the Alternate Cash Account, the Total Basket NAV and, in the case of a Variable Fee Cash Order, any Variable Fee, for Delivery to a liquidity provider and (y) accept a Delivery of Baskets upon such liquidity provider’s Delivery to the Custodian of the Total Basket Amount, and will have no binding effect upon the Trust, the Transfer Agent or any other party. Following the transmission of the acceptance as specified above, a Creation Order will be a binding agreement between the Trust and the Authorized Participant for the Creation of Baskets in exchange for the Delivery of the Total Basket Amount, in each case subject to (x) the Trust being in simultaneous possession of (1) the Total Basket NAV plus (A) in the case of a Variable Fee Cash Order, the Variable Fee or (B) in the case of an Actual Execution Cash Order, any Additional Creation Cash (as defined below), less any Excess Creation Cash, if applicable, in the Alternate Cash Account and (2) such Total Basket Amount, no later than 10:00 a.m. (New York time) on the Creation Settlement Date, (y) the Trust delivering such Total Basket NAV plus (A) in the case of a Variable Fee Cash Order, the Variable Fee or (B) in the case of an Actual Execution Cash Order, any Additional Creation Cash, less any Excess Creation Cash, if applicable, to the liquidity provider and (z) any remaining cash originally Delivered by the Authorized Participant to the Alternate Cash Account in connection with such Creation Order being returned to the Authorized Participant, in each case pursuant to the terms of the Creation Order and these Procedures. Subject to the Capped Amount, the Authorized Participant may submit an amended Creation Order changing the number of Baskets ordered no later than the Order Cutoff Time. For the avoidance of doubt, (i) in the event that, in connection with a Creation Order that is effected as an Actual Execution Cash Order, the Authorized Participant has Delivered cash to the Alternate Cash Account in excess of the total cash purchase price actually paid by the Trust to purchase the corresponding Total Basket Amount (the “Excess Creation Cash”), such excess cash shall promptly be returned to the Authorized Participant and (ii) in the event that, in connection with a Creation Order that is effected as an Actual Execution Cash Order, the total cash purchase price to be paid by the Trust to purchase the corresponding Total Basket Amount exceeds the Total Basket NAV, the Authorized Participant shall deliver cash in the amount of such excess (the “Additional Creation Cash”) to the Alternate Cash Account prior 10:00 a.m. (New York time) on the Creation Settlement Date.

(ii) If a Creation Order is rejected, the Transfer Agent shall send to the Authorized Participant, via electronic mail message, as soon as reasonably practicable but no later than 2:30 p.m. (New York time) on the Order Date, a copy of the corresponding

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Creation Order endorsed “Declined” by the Marketing Agent. A Creation Order which is not properly completed will be deemed invalid and rejected by the Marketing Agent; the Authorized Participant may submit a corrected Creation Order no later than the Order Cutoff Time. If the Marketing Agent rejects a Creation Order pursuant to these Procedures or the Standard Terms, the Transfer Agent will promptly return to the Authorized Participant all consideration tendered by the Authorized Participant in respect of such rejected Creation Order.

(iii) Creation Orders not accepted or rejected by 2:30 p.m. (New York time) on the Order Date shall be accepted or rejected on the same Business Day as soon as practicable.

The Transfer Agent shall provide a written summary to the Sponsor of all accepted Alternate Cash Orders for Creation for such Order Date no later than 2:30 p.m. (New York time). Promptly following 4:00 p.m. (New York time) on the Trade Date, the Transfer Agent shall notify the Sponsor and the Authorized Participant of the Total Basket Amount, the Total Basket NAV and the dollar amount of any Variable Fees.

(b) Each Alternate Cash Order shall require (i) the Sponsor to engage a liquidity provider to obtain Digital Asset equal to the Total Basket Amount and (ii) the Authorized Participant to Deliver the Total Basket NAV plus (A) in the case of a Variable Fee Cash Order, the Variable Fee or (B) in the case of an Actual Execution Cash Order, any Additional Creation Cash, less any Excess Creation Cash, if applicable, to the Alternate Cash Account by 10:00 a.m. (New York time) on the Creation Settlement Date.

(c) Except as provided in Section 2.03(g) below, each Creation Order shall settle on the Creation Settlement Date. In connection with settlement, by 12:00 p.m. (New York time) on the Creation Settlement Date, or at such later date and time as the Transfer Agent and the Sponsor in their absolute discretion may agree in writing with the Authorized Participant, (i) the Total Basket Amount must be deposited by a liquidity provider in the Trust’s Digital Asset Account, (ii) the Authorized Participant shall have deposited the Total Basket NAV plus (A) in the case of a Variable Fee Cash Order, the Variable Fee or (B) in the case of an Actual Execution Cash Order, any Additional Creation Cash (or less any Excess Creation Cash), if applicable, in the Alternate Cash Account in compliance with Section 2.03(b) above and (iii) the Authorized Participant shall have paid the Transfer Agent the Transaction Fee, if applicable, and all taxes, governmental charges and fees payable in connection with such deposit, the transfer of Digital Assets and the issuance and Delivery of Shares.

(d) On the Creation Settlement Date, or on such earlier date and time as the Transfer Agent in its absolute discretion may agree in writing with the Authorized Participant and the Sponsor, the Transfer Agent shall cause the Trust to issue the aggregate number of Shares corresponding to the Baskets ordered by the Authorized Participant and shall Deliver such Shares to the Authorized Participant, by credit to the account at DTC that the Authorized Participant shall have identified for such purpose in its Creation Order, no later than 6:00 p.m. (New York time) on the Creation Settlement Date; provided that, by 12:00 p.m. (New York time) on the Creation Settlement Date the Transfer Agent has been notified that the Total Basket Amount has been

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deposited in the Trust’s Digital Asset Account in compliance with the provisions of Section 2.03(c) above.

(e) In the event that, by 10:00 a.m. on the Creation Settlement Date, either (x) the Trust’s Digital Asset Account shall not have been credited with the Total Basket Amount in compliance with the provisions of Section 2.03(c)(i) above or (y) the Alternate Cash Account shall not have been credited with the Total Basket NAV plus (A) in the case of a Variable Fee Cash Order, the Variable Fee or (B) in the case of an Actual Execution Cash Order, any Additional Creation Cash (less any Excess Creation Cash), if applicable, in compliance with the provisions of Section 2.03(c)(ii) above, the Transfer Agent shall send to the Authorized Participant and the Sponsor via electronic mail message notice of such fact. The relevant Creation Order shall be deemed a failed trade and the Trust will return (x) the Total Basket Amount to the liquidity provider and/or (y) the Total Basket NAV plus (A) in the case of a Variable Fee Cash Order, the Variable Fee or (B) in the case of an Actual Execution Cash Order, any Additional Creation Cash (less any Excess Creation Cash), if applicable, to the Authorized Participant, in each case to the extent then in possession of the Trust.

(f) The Transfer Agent shall under no circumstances cause the Trust to issue the aggregate number of Shares ordered until such time as each of (x) the Total Basket Amount and (y) the Total Basket NAV plus (A) in the case of a Variable Fee Cash Order, the Variable Fee or (B) in the case of an Actual Execution Cash Order, any Additional Creation Cash (less any Excess Creation Cash), if applicable, has been Delivered to the Trust (and the Trust is in simultaneous possession of both).

(g) The foregoing provisions notwithstanding, none of the Authorized Participant, the Trust, the Transfer Agent, the Sponsor nor the Custodian shall be liable for any failure or delay in making Delivery of Shares, Digital Assets or cash, as the case may be, in respect of a Creation Order arising from nuclear fission or fusion, radioactivity, war, terrorist event, invasion, insurrection, civil commotion, riot, strike, act of government, public authority, public service or utility problems, power outages resulting in telephone, telecopy and computer failures, acts of God such as fires, floods or extreme weather conditions, market conditions or activities causing trading halts, systems failures involving computer or other information systems, including any failures or outages of the Digital Asset Network, affecting the Authorized Participant, the Sponsor, the Trust, the Transfer Agent, the Marketing Agent and the Custodian and similar extraordinary events beyond the Authorized Participant’s, the Sponsor’s, the Trust’s, the Custodian’s, the Marketing Agent’s or the Transfer Agent’s reasonable control. In the event of any such delay, the time to complete Delivery in respect of a Creation Order will be extended for a period equal to that during which the inability to perform continues as determined by the Transfer Agent in its sole discretion.

(h) Except as provided in Sections 2.03(b), 2.03(f) and the Standard Terms, none of the Transfer Agent, the Marketing Agent, the Sponsor nor the Custodian are under any duty to give notification of any defects or irregularities in any Creation Order or the Delivery of the Total Basket Amount, and shall not incur any liability for the failure to give any such notification.

(i) For the avoidance of doubt, the Trust shall not be liable to the Authorized Participant, the Transfer Agent, the Sponsor or any other party for actions taken or not taken in relation to Alternate Cash Orders for the Creation of Shares other than for a failure by the Trust to

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deliver Shares (and, if applicable, any Excess Creation Cash) upon receipt and simultaneous possession of (x) the Total Basket Amount and (y) the Total Basket NAV plus (A) in the case of a Variable Fee Cash Order, the Variable Fee or (B) in the case of an Actual Execution Cash Order, any Additional Creation Cash, if applicable. The Sponsor and the Authorized Participant hereby agree, as a condition to the participation in the consummation of any such Alternate Cash Order, (A) to fully (and without exception) exculpate the Trust with respect to, and to irrevocably waive any and all claims against the Trust or the Trust Estate arising from or in connection with, such Alternate Cash Order and (B) to indemnify and hold the Trust harmless, in each case as provided in clause (g)(2) of Section 9 of the Authorized Participant Agreement.

Section 2.04. Suspension or Rejection of Creation of Shares. The Creation of Shares, whether pursuant to In-Kind Orders or Cash Orders, may be suspended or rejected under the circumstances specified in the Trust Agreement, these Procedures or the Standard Terms. If the Marketing Agent rejects a Creation Order pursuant to these Procedures or the Standard Terms, the Transfer Agent or Sponsor will notify the Authorized Participant as soon as reasonably practicable, and the Transfer Agent will promptly return to the Authorized Participant all consideration tendered by the Authorized Participant in respect of such rejected Creation Order. If the Trust, Transfer Agent or Sponsor suspends the right to submit Creation Orders pursuant to these Procedures or the Standard Terms, the Transfer Agent or Sponsor will notify the Authorized Participant as soon as reasonably practicable.

ARTICLE III
REDEMPTION PROCEDURES

Section 3.01. Redemption of Shares Pursuant to In-Kind Orders. The Redemption of Shares pursuant to In-Kind Orders shall take place only in compliance with the rules of this Section 3.01:

(a) Authorized Participants wishing to redeem one or more Baskets shall place a Redemption Order with the Transfer Agent no later than the Order Cutoff Time on any Business Day. Redemption Orders received by the Transfer Agent on or after the Order Cutoff Time on any Business Day shall be considered rejected unless determined otherwise by the Sponsor in writing in its sole discretion.

(b) The Trade Date for the Redemption of Shares pursuant to In-Kind Orders shall be the Order Date.

(c) For purposes of Section 3.01(a) above, a Redemption Order shall be deemed received by the Transfer Agent only when either of the following has occurred no later than the Order Cutoff Time:

(i) Telephone Order – An Authorized Representative shall have placed a telephone call to the Creation and Redemption Line informing the Transfer Agent that the Authorized Participant wishes to place a Redemption Order for a specified number of Baskets, received an Order Number from the Transfer Agent for insertion in the Redemption Order and submitted a properly completed, irrevocable Redemption Order in the form set out in Annex I-A to these Procedures executed by an Authorized Representative of such Authorized Participant via electronic mail message at the address

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specified in such Annex I-A, and such Redemption Order shall have been received by the Transfer Agent within thirty (30) minutes following such phone call; or

(ii) Web-based Order – An Authorized Representative shall have accessed the Transfer Agent’s online services (nexen.bnymellon.com) and submitted a properly completed, irrevocable Redemption Order in the form set out in Annex I-A to these Procedures executed by an Authorized Representative of such Authorized Participant, via electronic mail message at the address specified in such Annex I-A.

(d) Redemption Orders are accepted or rejected by the Marketing Agent. The Marketing Agent will accept or reject a Redemption Order as soon as reasonably practicable following receipt of a properly completed Redemption Order but no later than 4:30 p.m. (New York time) on the Order Date.

(i) If a Redemption Order is accepted, the Transfer Agent shall send to the Authorized Participant (with a copy to the Custodian), via electronic mail message, as soon as reasonably practicable but no later than 4:30 p.m. (New York time) on the Order Date, a copy of the corresponding Redemption Order endorsed “Accepted” by the Marketing Agent and indicating the Basket Amount that the Custodian shall Deliver to the Authorized Participant (or its AP Designee) in respect of each Basket being redeemed. Prior to the transmission of the acceptance as specified above, an In-Kind Order for Redemption will only represent the Authorized Participant’s firm unilateral offer for the Redemption of Baskets in exchange for a Delivery of the Total Basket Amount by the Custodian to the Authorized Participant (or its AP Designee) and will have no binding effect upon the Trust, the Transfer Agent, the Custodian, or any other party. Following the transmission of the acceptance as specified above, a Redemption Order will be a binding agreement between the Trust and the Authorized Participant for the Redemption of Baskets in exchange for the Delivery of Digital Assets pursuant to the terms of the Redemption Order and these Procedures. The Authorized Participant may submit an amended Redemption Order changing the number of Baskets to be redeemed no later than the Order Cutoff Time.

(ii) If a Redemption Order is rejected, the Transfer Agent shall send to the Authorized Participant (with a copy to the Custodian), via electronic mail message, as soon as reasonably practicable but no later than 4:30 p.m. (New York time) on the Order Date, a copy of the corresponding Redemption Order endorsed “Declined” by the Marketing Agent. A Redemption Order which is not properly completed will be deemed invalid and rejected by the Marketing Agent; the Authorized Participant may submit a corrected Redemption Order no later than the Order Cutoff Time. If the Marketing Agent rejects a Redemption Order pursuant to these Procedures or the Standard Terms, the Transfer Agent will promptly return to the Authorized Participant all consideration tendered by the Authorized Participant in respect of such rejected Redemption Order.

(e) The Transfer Agent shall provide a written summary to the Sponsor and the Custodian of all accepted In-Kind Orders for Redemption for such Order Date no later than 5:00 p.m. (New York time).

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(f) Except as provided in Section 3.01(h) below, each Redemption Order shall settle on the Redemption Settlement Date. In connection with settlement, by 12:00 p.m. (New York time) on the Redemption Settlement Date, or at such later date and time as the Transfer Agent and the Sponsor in their absolute discretion may agree in writing with the Authorized Participant (i) the Baskets to be redeemed must be Delivered to the Transfer Agent by the Authorized Participant and (ii) the Authorized Participant shall have paid the Transfer Agent the Transaction Fee, if applicable, and all taxes, governmental charges and fees payable in connection with such deposit, the transfer of Digital Assets and the Delivery of Shares, and any expenses incurred in connection with the Delivery of Digital Assets.

(g) On the Redemption Settlement Date, or on such earlier date and time as the Transfer Agent in its absolute discretion may agree in writing with the Authorized Participant and the Sponsor, the Transfer Agent shall instruct the Custodian to Deliver the Total Basket Amount to the Authorized Participant Self-Administered Account no later than 4:30 p.m. (New York time) on the Redemption Settlement Date; provided that, by 12:00 p.m. (New York time) on the Redemption Settlement Date the Authorized Participant has Delivered to the Transfer Agent’s account at DTC the total number of Shares corresponding to the total number of Baskets to be redeemed by such Authorized Participant pursuant to such Redemption Order.

(h) In the event that on the Redemption Settlement Date, the Transfer Agent’s account at DTC shall not have been credited with the total number of Shares corresponding to the total number of Baskets to be redeemed in compliance with the provisions of Section 3.01(f)(i) above, the Transfer Agent shall send to the Authorized Participant, the Sponsor and the Custodian via electronic mail message notice of such fact.

(i) The Transfer Agent and the Sponsor each agree not to treat such Redemption Order as a failed trade or a failed settlement provided that as soon as practicable between 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. (New York time) on the Redemption Settlement Date, the Authorized Participant shall wire the Collateral Amount to the Cash Account.

(ii) If the Authorized Participant fails to deposit the Collateral Amount in the Cash Account as provided in Section 3.01(h)(i) or the Transfer Agent’s account at DTC shall not have been credited with the total number of Shares corresponding to the total number of Baskets to be redeemed by 12:00 p.m. (New York time) on the Business Day following the Redemption Settlement Date, then the Sponsor and Transfer Agent may (A) deem the relevant Redemption Order as a failed trade and the Authorized Participant will be solely responsible for all damages, losses, costs and expenses incurred by the Trust, the Sponsor, the Transfer Agent or the Custodian related to the pending Redemption Order or (B) complete such Redemption Order by (1) applying the Collateral Amount to the purchase, for the account of the Authorized Participant, of Shares and (2) crediting such Shares to the Transfer Agent’s account at DTC in satisfaction of the Authorized Participant’s delivery obligations under such Redemption Order.

(iii) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Authorized Participant has deposited the Collateral Amount in accordance with the requirements of Section 3.01(h)(i) but the Transfer Agent’s account at DTC shall not have been credited with the total number of Shares corresponding to the total number of Baskets to be redeemed by 12:00 p.m. (New

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York time) on the Business Day following the Redemption Settlement Date, the Sponsor and the Transfer Agent may nonetheless agree not to treat such Redemption Order as a failed trade, provided that (i) if the U.S. dollar value of the Total Basket Amount exceeds the Collateral Amount, as determined using the Index Price on the previous Business Day, then by 6:00 p.m. (New York time) on such Business Day, the Authorized Participant deposits in the Cash Account an additional amount in U.S. dollars such that the amount in the Cash Account is equal to 115% of the U.S. dollar value of the Total Basket Amount, as determined using the Index Price on the previous Business Day, and (ii) the Transfer Agent’s account at DTC shall have been credited with the total number of Shares corresponding to the total number of Baskets to be redeemed by 12:00 p.m. (New York time) on the following Business Day. If the Authorized Participant fails to deposit such excess amount in the Cash Account or the Transfer Agent’s account at DTC shall not have been credited with the total number of Shares corresponding to the total number of Baskets to be redeemed, the Sponsor and Transfer Agent may (A) deem the relevant Redemption Order as a failed trade and the Authorized Participant will be solely responsible for all damages, losses, costs and expenses incurred by the Trust, the Sponsor, the Transfer Agent or the Custodian related to the pending Redemption Order or (B) complete such Redemption Order by (1) applying the Collateral Amount (and any excess amount subsequently deposited in respect thereof) to the purchase, for the account of the Authorized Participant, of Shares and (2) crediting such Shares to the Transfer Agent’s account at DTC in satisfaction of the Authorized Participant’s delivery obligations under such Redemption Order.

(iv) If the Sponsor and the Transfer Agent deem the relevant Creation Order a failed trade in accordance with Section 3.01(h)(ii) or Section 3.01(h)(iii), they shall return the Collateral Amount (and any additional amount deposited pursuant to this Section 3.01(h)) by wire transfer to the Authorized Participant.

(v) The Transfer Agent shall instruct the Custodian to Deliver the Total Basket Amount to the Authorized Participant Self-Administered Account no later than 4:30 p.m. (New York time) on date on which the Authorized Participant has Delivered to the Transfer Agent’s account at DTC the total number of Shares corresponding to the total number of Baskets to be redeemed by such Authorized Participant pursuant to such Redemption Order prior to 12:00 p.m. (New York time) on such date.

(i) The Transfer Agent shall under no circumstances cause the Custodian to Deliver to the Authorized Participant the Total Basket Amount until the Authorized Participant Delivers the corresponding number of Shares.

(j) Once the Transfer Agent has received the Shares pursuant to Section 3.01(g) or 3.01(h) above, the Transfer Agent shall instruct the Transfer Agent to cancel such Shares.

(k) The foregoing provisions notwithstanding, none of the Authorized Participant, the Trust, the Transfer Agent, the Sponsor nor the Custodian shall be liable for any failure or delay in making Delivery of Shares, Digital Assets or cash, as the case may be, in respect of a Redemption Order arising from nuclear fission or fusion, radioactivity, war, terrorist event, invasion, insurrection, civil commotion, riot, strike, act of government, public authority, public service or

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utility problems, power outages resulting in telephone, telecopy and computer failures, acts of God such as fires, floods or extreme weather conditions, market conditions or activities causing trading halts, systems failures involving computer or other information systems, including any failures or outages of the Digital Asset Network, affecting the Authorized Participant, the Sponsor, the Trust, the Transfer Agent, the Marketing Agent and the Custodian and similar extraordinary events beyond the Authorized Participant’s, the Sponsor’s, the Trust’s, the Custodian’s, the Marketing Agent’s or the Transfer Agent’s reasonable control. In the event of any such delay, the time to complete Delivery in respect of a Redemption Order will be extended for a period equal to that during which the inability to perform continues as determined by the Transfer Agent in its sole discretion.

(l) Except as provided in Sections 3.01(e), 3.01(h) and the Standard Terms, none of the Transfer Agent, the Marketing Agent, the Sponsor nor the Custodian are under any duty to give notification of any defects or irregularities in any Redemption Order or the Delivery of the Shares, and shall not incur any liability for the failure to give any such notification.

Section 3.02. Redemption of Shares Pursuant to Cash Orders. The Redemption of Shares pursuant to Cash Orders that are not Alternate Cash Orders shall only take place if approved by the Sponsor in writing in its absolute discretion and on a case-by-case basis. If accepted by the Sponsor, such Redemption of Shares shall take place only in compliance with the rules of this Section 3.02:

(a) Authorized Participants wishing to redeem one or more Baskets may place a Redemption Order with the Transfer Agent no later than the Order Cutoff Time on any Business Day. Redemption Orders received by the Transfer Agent on or after the Order Cutoff Time on any Business Day shall be considered rejected unless determined otherwise by the Sponsor in writing in its sole discretion.

(b) The Trade Date for the Redemption of Shares pursuant to Cash Orders shall be the Order Date.

(c) For purposes of Section 3.02(a) above, a Redemption Order shall be deemed received by the Transfer Agent only when either of the following has occurred no later than the Order Cutoff Time:

(i) Telephone Order – An Authorized Representative shall have placed a telephone call to the Creation and Redemption Line informing the Transfer Agent that the Authorized Participant wishes to place a Redemption Order for a specified number of Baskets, received an Order Number from the Transfer Agent for insertion in the Redemption Order and submitted a properly completed, irrevocable Redemption Order in the form set out in Annex I-A to these Procedures executed by an Authorized Representative of such Authorized Participant via electronic mail message at the address specified in such Annex I-A, and such Redemption Order shall have been received by the Transfer Agent within thirty (30) minutes following such phone call; or

(ii) Web-based Order – An Authorized Representative shall have accessed the Transfer Agent’s online services (nexen.bnymellon.com) and submitted a properly

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completed, irrevocable Redemption Order in the form set out in Annex I-A to these Procedures executed by an Authorized Representative of such Authorized Participant, via electronic mail message at the address specified in such Annex I-A.

(d) Redemption Orders are accepted or rejected by the Marketing Agent. The Marketing Agent will accept or reject a Redemption Order as soon as reasonably practicable following receipt of a properly completed Redemption Order but no later than 2:30 p.m. (New York time) on the Order Date.

(i) If a Redemption Order is accepted, the Transfer Agent shall send to the Authorized Participant (with a copy to the Custodian), via electronic mail message, as soon as reasonably practicable but no later than 2:30 p.m. (New York time) on the Order Date, a copy of the corresponding Redemption Order endorsed “Accepted” by the Marketing Agent. Prior to the transmission of the acceptance as specified above, a Cash Order for Redemption will only represent the Authorized Participant’s firm unilateral offer to (x) deposit Baskets for cancellation upon the Trust’s Delivery of the Total Basket Amount to a Liquidity Provider Account in exchange for (y) a Delivery by the Sponsor or a Sponsor Agent of cash to the Authorized Participant in an amount equal to the Total Basket NAV pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.02(f), after deduction of the Transaction Fee, the Variable Fee and all taxes, governmental charges and fees payable in connection with such deposit, the transfer of Digital Assets and the Delivery of Shares, and any expenses incurred in connection with the Delivery of Digital Assets (the “Cash Order Delivery Amount”) and will have no binding effect upon the Trust, the Transfer Agent or any other party. Following the transmission of the acceptance as specified above, a Redemption Order will be a binding agreement among (i) the Trust and the Authorized Participant for the Redemption of Baskets in exchange for the Delivery of the Total Basket Amount to a Liquidity Provider Account, (ii) the Sponsor and the Authorized Participant for the engagement by the Sponsor of a liquidity provider to receive the Total Basket Amount and (iii) the Sponsor and the Authorized Participant for the Delivery of the Cash Order Delivery Amount to the Authorized Participant on the Redemption Settlement Date, in each case pursuant to the terms of the Redemption Order and these Procedures. The Authorized Participant may submit an amended Redemption Order changing the number of Baskets to be redeemed no later than the Order Cutoff Time.

(ii) If a Redemption Order is rejected, the Transfer Agent shall send to the Authorized Participant (with a copy to the Custodian), via electronic mail message, as soon as reasonably practicable but no later than 2:30 p.m. (New York time) on the Order Date, a copy of the corresponding Redemption Order endorsed “Declined” by the Marketing Agent. A Redemption Order which is not properly completed will be deemed invalid and rejected by the Marketing Agent; the Authorized Participant may submit a corrected Redemption Order no later than the Order Cutoff Time. If the Marketing Agent rejects a Redemption Order pursuant to these Procedures or the Standard Terms, the Transfer Agent will promptly return to the Authorized Participant all consideration tendered by the Authorized Participant in respect of such rejected Redemption Order.

(e) The Transfer Agent shall provide a written summary to the Sponsor and the Custodian of all accepted Cash Orders for Redemption for such Order Date no later than 12:00

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p.m. (New York time). Promptly following receipt of the written summary of accepted Redemption Orders pursuant to 3.02(d) above, the Sponsor shall notify a liquidity provider as soon as practicable thereafter.

(f) Except as provided in Section 3.02(i), each Redemption Order shall settle on the Redemption Settlement Date. In connection with settlement, by 12:00 p.m. (New York time) on the Redemption Settlement Date, or at such later date and time as the Transfer Agent and the Sponsor in their absolute discretion may agree in writing with the Authorized Participant, (i) the Baskets to be redeemed must be Delivered to the DTC account of the Transfer Agent by the Authorized Participant and (ii) the Total Basket NAV, less the Variable Fee, must be deposited in the Cash Account by the relevant liquidity provider at the instruction of the Sponsor.

(g) On the Redemption Settlement Date, or on such earlier date and time as the Transfer Agent in its absolute discretion may agree in writing with the Authorized Participant and the Sponsor, (i) the Sponsor Agent shall send the Cash Order Delivery Amount to the Authorized Participant, by wire to the account that the Authorized Participant shall have identified for such purpose in its Redemption Order, and (ii) the Transfer Agent shall cause the Trust to Deliver the Total Basket Amount to the Liquidity Provider Account, in each case no later than 4:30 p.m. (New York time) on the Redemption Settlement Date; provided that, by 12:00 p.m. (New York time) on the Redemption Settlement Date (i) the Authorized Participant has Delivered to the Transfer Agent’s account at DTC the total number of Baskets to be redeemed by such Authorized Participant pursuant to such Redemption Order and (ii) the Total Basket NAV, less the Variable Fee, shall have been deposited in the Cash Account by the relevant liquidity provider at the instruction of the Sponsor.

(h) In the event that on the Redemption Settlement Date, the Transfer Agent’s account at DTC shall not have been credited with the total number of Shares corresponding to the total number of Baskets to be redeemed in compliance with the provisions of Section 3.02(f) above, the Transfer Agent shall send to the Authorized Participant, the Sponsor and the Custodian via electronic mail message notice of such fact.

(i) The Transfer Agent and the Sponsor each agree not to treat such Redemption Order as a failed trade or a failed settlement provided that as soon as practicable between 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. (New York time) on the Redemption Settlement Date, the Authorized Participant shall wire the Collateral Amount to the Cash Account.

(ii) If the Authorized Participant fails to deposit the Collateral Amount in the Cash Account as provided in Section 3.02(h)(i) or the Transfer Agent’s account at DTC shall not have been credited with the total number of Shares corresponding to the total number of Baskets to be redeemed by 12:00 p.m. (New York time) on the Business Day following the Redemption Settlement Date, then the Sponsor and Transfer Agent may (A) deem the relevant Redemption Order as a failed trade and the Authorized Participant will be solely responsible for all damages, losses, costs and expenses incurred by the Trust, the Sponsor, any liquidity provider, the Transfer Agent or the Custodian related to the pending Redemption Order or (B) complete such Redemption Order by (1) applying the Collateral Amount to the purchase, for the account of the Authorized Participant, of Shares, (2) crediting such Shares to the Transfer Agent’s account at DTC in satisfaction of the

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Authorized Participant’s delivery obligations under such Redemption Order and (3) causing the Trust to deliver the Total Basket Amount to the relevant liquidity provider.

(iii) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Authorized Participant has deposited the Collateral Amount in accordance with the requirements of Section 3.02(h)(i) but the Transfer Agent’s account at DTC shall not have been credited with the total number of Shares corresponding to the total number of Baskets to be redeemed by 12:00 p.m. (New York time) on the Business Day following the Redemption Settlement Date, the Transfer Agent and the Sponsor may nonetheless agree not to treat such Redemption Order as a failed trade, provided that (i) if the U.S. dollar value of the Total Basket Amount exceeds the Collateral Amount, as determined using the Index Price on the previous Business Day, then by 6:00 p.m. (New York time) on such Business Day, the Authorized Participant deposits in the Cash Account an additional amount in U.S. dollars such that the amount in the Cash Account is equal to 115% of the U.S. dollar value of the Total Basket Amount, as determined using the Index Price on the previous Business Day and (ii) the Transfer Agent’s account at DTC shall have been credited with the total number of Shares corresponding to the total number of Baskets to be redeemed by 12:00 p.m. (New York time) on the following Business Day. If the Authorized Participant fails to deposit such excess amount in the Cash Account or the Transfer Agent’s account at DTC shall not have been credited with the total number of Shares corresponding to the total number of Baskets to be redeemed, the Sponsor and Transfer Agent may (A) deem the relevant Redemption Order as a failed trade and the Authorized Participant will be solely responsible for all damages, losses, costs and expenses incurred by the Trust, the Sponsor, any liquidity provider, the Transfer Agent or the Custodian related to the pending Redemption Order or (B) complete such Redemption Order by (1) applying the Collateral Amount to the purchase, for the account of the Authorized Participant, of Shares, (2) crediting such Shares to the Transfer Agent’s account at DTC in satisfaction of the Authorized Participant’s delivery obligations under such Redemption Order and (3) causing the Trust to deliver the Total Basket Amount to the relevant liquidity provider.

(iv) If the Sponsor and the Transfer Agent deem the relevant Redemption Order a failed trade in accordance with Section 3.02(h)(ii) or Section 3.02(h)(iii), they shall promptly return the Collateral Amount (and any additional amount deposited pursuant to this Section 3.02(i)) by wire transfer to the Authorized Participant.

(v) (A) The Sponsor Agent shall send the Cash Order Delivery Amount to the Authorized Participant, by wire to the account that the Authorized Participant shall have identified for such purpose in its Redemption Order, and (B) the Transfer Agent shall cause the Trust to Deliver the Total Basket Amount to the Liquidity Provider Account, in each case on the date on which (1) the Authorized Participant has Delivered to the Transfer Agent’s account at DTC the total number of Baskets to be redeemed by such Authorized Participant pursuant to such Redemption Order and (2) the Total Basket NAV, less the Variable Fee, shall have been deposited in the Cash Account by the relevant liquidity provider at the instruction of the Sponsor, in each case, prior to 12:00 p.m. (New York time) on such date.

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(i) The Transfer Agent shall under no circumstances wire the Cash Order Delivery Amount to the Authorized Participant until the Authorized Participant Delivers the corresponding number of Shares to the Transfer Agent.

(j) In the event that, upon notification by the Transfer Agent that the Shares have been Delivered, the Cash Account shall not have been credited with the Total Basket NAV, less any Variable Fee, from a liquidity provider at the direction of the Sponsor, the Transfer Agent shall send to the Authorized Participant, the Sponsor and the Custodian via electronic mail message notice of such fact. If the Redemption Order is deemed a failed trade, the Transfer Agent shall return the Shares to the Authorized Participant. The Authorized Participant will be solely responsible for all damages, losses, costs and expenses incurred by the Trust, the Transfer Agent, the Sponsor or the Custodian related to the pending Redemption Order for failure to Deliver the Total Basket NAV, less any Variable Fee, to the Cash Account.

(k) Once the Transfer Agent has received the Shares from the Authorized Participant pursuant to Section 3.02(h) or 3.02(i) above and the Total Basket NAV, less any Variable Fee, has been Delivered to the Cash Account, the Transfer Agent shall promptly (x) instruct (i) the Transfer Agent to cancel such Shares and (ii) the Custodian to Deliver the Total Basket Amount to the applicable Liquidity Provider Account. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, upon the Delivery of the Total Basket Amount to the Liquidity Provider Account, whether pursuant to Section 3.02(h) or this Section 3.02(k), and without further action by any Person, the Shares comprising the corresponding Baskets shall be deemed irrevocably canceled and retired; provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing, the Transfer Agent shall take the further actions contemplated hereby to evidence such cancellation.

(l) The foregoing provisions notwithstanding, none of the Authorized Participant, the Trust, the Transfer Agent, the Sponsor nor the Custodian shall be liable for any failure or delay in making Delivery of Shares, Digital Assets or cash, as the case may be, in respect of a Redemption Order arising from nuclear fission or fusion, radioactivity, war, terrorist event, invasion, insurrection, civil commotion, riot, strike, act of government, public authority, public service or utility problems, power outages resulting in telephone, telecopy and computer failures, acts of God such as fires, floods or extreme weather conditions, market conditions or activities causing trading halts, systems failures involving computer or other information systems, including any failures or outages of the Digital Asset Network, affecting the Authorized Participant, the Sponsor, the Trust, the Transfer Agent, the Marketing Agent and the Custodian and similar extraordinary events beyond the Authorized Participant’s, the Sponsor’s, the Trust’s, the Custodian’s, the Marketing Agent’s or the Transfer Agent’s reasonable control. In the event of any such delay, the time to complete Delivery in respect of a Redemption Order will be extended for a period equal to that during which the inability to perform continues as determined by the Transfer Agent in its sole discretion.

(m) Except as provided in Sections 3.02(e), 3.02(i) and the Standard Terms, none of the Transfer Agent, the Marketing Agent, the Sponsor nor the Custodian are under any duty to give notification of any defects or irregularities in any Redemption Order or the Delivery of the Shares, and shall not incur any liability for the failure to give any such notification.

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(n) For the avoidance of doubt, the Trust shall not be liable to the Authorized Participant, the Transfer Agent, the Sponsor or any other party for actions taken or not taken in relation to Cash Orders for the Redemption of Shares other than a failure to deliver the Total Basket Amount to the Liquidity Provider Account upon receipt of Shares.

Section 3.03 Redemption of Shares Pursuant to Alternate Cash Orders. Unless otherwise specified by the Sponsor in writing, any Redemption of Shares pursuant to a Cash Order shall be executed as an Alternate Cash Order, which for the avoidance of doubt, shall only take place if approved by the Sponsor in writing in its absolute discretion and on a case-by-case basis. If accepted by the Sponsor, such Redemption of Shares shall take place only in compliance with the rules set forth in Section 3.02(a) through (c), and the following rules of this Section 3.03:

(a) Redemption Orders are accepted or rejected by the Marketing Agent. The Sponsor will determine if such Redemption Order will be a Variable Fee Cash Order or an Actual Execution Cash Order, which determination will be communicated to the Authorized Participant. The Marketing Agent will accept or reject a Redemption Order as soon as reasonably practicable following receipt of a properly completed Redemption Order but no later than 2:30 p.m. (New York time) on the Order Date.

(i) If a Redemption Order is accepted, the Transfer Agent shall send to the Authorized Participant (with a copy to the Custodian), via electronic mail message, as soon as reasonably practicable but no later than 2:30 p.m. (New York time) on the Order Date, a copy of the corresponding Redemption Order endorsed “Accepted” by the Marketing Agent. Prior to the transmission of the acceptance as specified above, an Alternate Cash Order for Redemption will only represent the Authorized Participant’s firm unilateral offer to (x) deposit Baskets for cancellation upon the Trust’s Delivery of the Total Basket Amount to a Liquidity Provider Account in exchange for (y) a Delivery by the Trust of cash to the Authorized Participant in an amount equal to the Cash Order Delivery Amount (as adjusted, if applicable, pursuant to clause (ii) of the final sentence of this Section 3.03(a)(i)), and will have no binding effect upon the Trust, the Transfer Agent or any other party. Following the transmission of the acceptance as specified above, a Redemption Order will be a binding agreement between the Trust and the Authorized Participant for the Redemption of Baskets in exchange for the Delivery of the Total Basket Amount to a Liquidity Provider Account, in each case subject to (x) the Trust being in simultaneous possession of (A) in the case of a Variable Fee Cash Order, the Total Basket NAV less any Variable Fee; or (B) in the case of an Actual Execution Cash Order, the Total Basket NAV less any Redemption Cash Shortfall (as defined below) (plus any Additional Redemption Cash), if applicable, in the Alternate Cash Account and such Baskets to be redeemed, (y) the Trust delivering the Total Basket Amount to the liquidity provider and (z) any remaining cash in the Alternate Cash Account attributable to such Cash Order being Delivered to the Authorized Participant, in each case pursuant to the terms of the Redemption Order and these Procedures. The Authorized Participant may submit an amended Redemption Order changing the number of Baskets to be redeemed no later than the Order Cutoff Time. For the avoidance of doubt, (i) in the event that, in connection with a Redemption Order that is effected as an Actual Execution Cash Order, the total cash proceeds Delivered to the Alternate Cash Account exceeds the Total Basket NAV (the amount of such excess, the “Additional Redemption Cash”), such excess cash shall

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promptly be Delivered to the Authorized Participant and (ii) in the event that, in connection with a Redemption Order that is effected as an Actual Execution Cash Order, the total cash proceeds Delivered to the Alternate Cash Account is less than the Total Basket NAV (the amount of such difference, the “Redemption Cash Shortfall”), the amount of cash to be Delivered to the Authorized Participant in connection with such Redemption Order shall be reduced by the amount of such Redemption Cash Shortfall.

(ii) If a Redemption Order is rejected, the Transfer Agent shall send to the Authorized Participant (with a copy to the Custodian), via electronic mail message, as soon as reasonably practicable but no later than 2:30 p.m. (New York time) on the Order Date, a copy of the corresponding Redemption Order endorsed “Declined” by the Marketing Agent. A Redemption Order which is not properly completed will be deemed invalid and rejected by the Marketing Agent; the Authorized Participant may submit a corrected Redemption Order no later than the Order Cutoff Time. If the Marketing Agent rejects a Redemption Order pursuant to these Procedures or the Standard Terms, the Transfer Agent will promptly return to the Authorized Participant all consideration tendered by the Authorized Participant in respect of such rejected Redemption Order and the Trust will promptly return to the liquidity provider all consideration tendered by the liquidity provider in respect of such rejected Redemption Order.

(b) The Transfer Agent shall provide a written summary to the Sponsor and the Custodian of all accepted Alternate Cash Orders for Redemption for such Order Date no later than 12:00 p.m. (New York time). Promptly following receipt of the written summary of accepted Redemption Orders pursuant to 3.03(a) above, the Sponsor shall notify a liquidity provider as soon as practicable thereafter.

(c) Except as provided in Section 3.03(g), each Redemption Order shall settle on the Redemption Settlement Date. In connection with settlement, by 12:00 p.m. (New York time) on the Redemption Settlement Date, or at such later date and time as the Transfer Agent and the Sponsor in their absolute discretion may agree in writing with the Authorized Participant, (i) the Baskets to be redeemed must be Delivered to the DTC account of the Transfer Agent by the Authorized Participant and (ii) (A) in the case of a Variable Fee Cash Order, the Total Basket NAV less any Variable Fee; or (B) in the case of an Actual Execution Cash Order, the Total Basket NAV less any Redemption Cash Shortfall (plus any Additional Redemption Cash), if applicable, must be deposited in the Alternate Cash Account by the relevant liquidity provider at the instruction of the Sponsor.

(d) On the Redemption Settlement Date, or on such earlier date and time as the Transfer Agent in its absolute discretion may agree in writing with the Authorized Participant and the Sponsor, (i) the Trust shall send the Cash Order Delivery Amount (less any Redemption Cash Shortfall) to the Authorized Participant, by wire to the account that the Authorized Participant shall have identified for such purpose in its Redemption Order, and (ii) the Transfer Agent shall cause the Trust to Deliver the Total Basket Amount to the Liquidity Provider Account, in each case no later than 4:30 p.m. (New York time) on the Redemption Settlement Date; provided that, by 12:00 p.m. (New York time) on the Redemption Settlement Date (i) the Authorized Participant has Delivered to the Transfer Agent’s account at DTC the total number of Baskets to be redeemed by such Authorized Participant pursuant to such Redemption Order and (ii) (A) in the case of a

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Variable Fee Cash Order, the Total Basket NAV less any Variable Fee; or (B) in the case of an Actual Execution Cash Order, the Total Basket NAV less any Redemption Cash Shortfall (plus any Additional Redemption Cash), if applicable, shall have been deposited in the Alternate Cash Account by the relevant liquidity provider at the instruction of the Sponsor.

(e) In the event that on the Redemption Settlement Date, the Transfer Agent’s account at DTC shall not have been credited with the total number of Shares corresponding to the total number of Baskets to be redeemed in compliance with the provisions of Section 3.03(c) above, the Transfer Agent shall send to the Authorized Participant, the Sponsor and the Custodian via electronic mail message notice of such fact. The Sponsor and Transfer Agent may deem the relevant Redemption Order as a failed trade, and the Trust shall return (A) in the case of a Variable Fee Cash Order, the Total Basket NAV less any Variable Fee; or (B) in the case of an Actual Execution Cash Order, the Total Basket NAV less any Redemption Cash Shortfall (plus any Additional Redemption Cash), if applicable, to the relevant liquidity provider. The Authorized Participant will be solely responsible for all damages, losses, costs and expenses incurred by the Trust, the Sponsor, any liquidity provider, the Transfer Agent or the Custodian related to the pending Redemption Order for failure to deliver the Baskets to the Transfer Agent’s account at DTC.

(f) In the event that, upon notification by the Transfer Agent that the Shares have been Delivered, the Alternate Cash Account shall not have been credited with (A) in the case of a Variable Fee Cash Order, the Total Basket NAV less any Variable Fee; or (B) in the case of an Actual Execution Cash Order, the Total Basket NAV less any Redemption Cash Shortfall (plus any Additional Redemption Cash), if applicable, from a liquidity provider at the direction of the Sponsor, the Transfer Agent shall send to the Authorized Participant, the Sponsor and the Custodian via electronic mail message notice of such fact. The Sponsor and Transfer Agent shall deem the relevant Redemption Order as a failed trade, and the Transfer Agent shall return the Shares to the Authorized Participant. The Authorized Participant will be solely responsible for all damages, losses, costs and expenses incurred by the Trust, the Transfer Agent, the Sponsor or the Custodian related to the pending Redemption Order for failure to Deliver (A) in the case of a Variable Fee Cash Order, the Total Basket NAV less any Variable Fee; or (B) in the case of an Actual Execution Cash Order, the Total Basket NAV less any Redemption Cash Shortfall (plus any Additional Redemption Cash), if applicable, to the Alternate Cash Account.

(g) The Transfer Agent shall under no circumstances wire the Cash Order Delivery Amount to the Authorized Participant until such time as (x) the Authorized Participant has Delivered the corresponding number of Shares to the Transfer Agent and (y) (A) in the case of a Variable Fee Cash Order, the Total Basket NAV less any Variable Fee; or (B) in the case of an Actual Execution Cash Order, the Total Basket NAV less any Redemption Cash Shortfall (plus any Additional Redemption Cash), if applicable, has been Delivered to the Trust (and the Trust and/or the Transfer Agent are in simultaneous possession of both).

(h) Once the Transfer Agent has received the Shares from the Authorized Participant pursuant to Section 3.03(e) above and (A) in the case of a Variable Fee Cash Order, the Total Basket NAV less any Variable Fee; or (B) in the case of an Actual Execution Cash Order, the Total Basket NAV less any Redemption Cash Shortfall (plus any Additional Redemption Cash), if applicable, has been Delivered to the Alternate Cash Account, the Transfer Agent shall promptly

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(x) instruct (i) the Transfer Agent to cancel such Shares and Deliver (A) in the case of a Variable Fee Cash Order, the Total Basket NAV less any Variable Fee; or (B) in the case of an Actual Execution Cash Order, the Total Basket NAV less any Redemption Cash Shortfall (plus any Additional Redemption Cash), if applicable, to the Authorized Participant and (ii) the Custodian to Deliver the Total Basket Amount to the applicable Liquidity Provider Account. In the event that, by 12:00 p.m. on the Redemption Settlement Date, either (x) the Alternate Cash Account shall not have been credited with (A) in the case of a Variable Fee Cash Order, the Total Basket NAV less any Variable Fee; or (B) in the case of an Actual Execution Cash Order, the Total Basket NAV less any Redemption Cash Shortfall (plus any Additional Redemption Cash), if applicable, in compliance with the provisions of Section 3.03(c)(ii) above or (y) the Transfer Agent shall not have received the Shares from the Authorized Participant in compliance with the provisions of Section 3.03(c)(i) above, the Transfer Agent shall send to the Authorized Participant and the Sponsor via electronic mail message notice of such fact. The relevant Redemption Order shall be deemed a failed trade and the Trust will return (x) (A) in the case of a Variable Fee Cash Order, the Total Basket NAV less any Variable Fee; or (B) in the case of an Actual Execution Cash Order, the Total Basket NAV less any Redemption Cash Shortfall (plus any Additional Redemption Cash), if applicable, to the liquidity provider and/or (y) the Shares to the Authorized Participant, in each case to the extent received by the Trust.

(i) The foregoing provisions notwithstanding, none of the Authorized Participant, the Trust, the Transfer Agent, the Sponsor nor the Custodian shall be liable for any failure or delay in making Delivery of Shares, Digital Assets or cash, as the case may be, in respect of a Redemption Order arising from nuclear fission or fusion, radioactivity, war, terrorist event, invasion, insurrection, civil commotion, riot, strike, act of government, public authority, public service or utility problems, power outages resulting in telephone, telecopy and computer failures, acts of God such as fires, floods or extreme weather conditions, market conditions or activities causing trading halts, systems failures involving computer or other information systems, including any failures or outages of the Digital Asset Network, affecting the Authorized Participant, the Sponsor, the Trust, the Transfer Agent, the Marketing Agent and the Custodian and similar extraordinary events beyond the Authorized Participant’s, the Sponsor’s, the Trust’s, the Custodian’s, the Marketing Agent’s or the Transfer Agent’s reasonable control. In the event of any such delay, the time to complete Delivery in respect of a Redemption Order will be extended for a period equal to that during which the inability to perform continues as determined by the Transfer Agent in its sole discretion.

(j) Except as provided in Sections 3.03(b), 3.03(e), 3.03(f) and the Standard Terms, none of the Transfer Agent, the Marketing Agent, the Sponsor nor the Custodian are under any duty to give notification of any defects or irregularities in any Redemption Order or the Delivery of the Shares, and shall not incur any liability for the failure to give any such notification.

(k) For the avoidance of doubt, the Trust shall not be liable to the Authorized Participant, the Transfer Agent, the Sponsor or any other party for actions taken or not taken in relation to Alternate Cash Orders for the Redemption of Shares other than a failure to deliver (1) the Total Basket Amount to the Liquidity Provider Account and (2) (A) in the case of a Variable Fee Cash Order, the Total Basket NAV less any Variable Fee; or (B) in the case of an Actual Execution Cash Order, the Total Basket NAV less any Redemption Cash Shortfall (plus any Additional Redemption Cash), if applicable, to the Authorized Participant, in each case, upon the

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Trust’s receipt and simultaneous possession of (x) Shares and (y) (A) in the case of a Variable Fee Cash Order, the Total Basket NAV less any Variable Fee; or (B) in the case of an Actual Execution Cash Order, the Total Basket NAV less any Redemption Cash Shortfall (plus any Additional Redemption Cash), if applicable. The Sponsor and the Authorized participant hereby agree, as a condition to the participation in the consummation of any such Alternate Cash Order, (A) to fully (and without exception) exculpate the Trust with respect to, and to irrevocably waive any and all claims against the Trust or the Trust Estate arising from or in connection with, such Alternate Cash Order and (B) to fully indemnify and hold the Trust harmless, in each case as provided in clause (g)(2) of Section 9 of the Authorized Participant Agreement.

Section 3.04 Suspension or Rejection of Redemption of Shares. The Redemption of Shares, whether In-Kind Orders or Cash Orders, may be suspended or rejected under the circumstances specified in the Trust Agreement, these Procedures or the Standard Terms. If the Marketing Agent rejects a Redemption Order pursuant to these Procedures or the Standard Terms, the Transfer Agent or Sponsor will notify the Authorized Participant as soon as reasonably practicable and the Transfer Agent will promptly return to the Authorized Participant all consideration tendered by the Authorized Participant in respect of such rejected Redemption Order. If the Trust, Transfer Agent or Sponsor suspends the right to submit Redemption Orders pursuant to these Procedures or the Standard Terms, the Transfer Agent or Sponsor will notify the Authorized Participant as soon as reasonably practicable.

[Signatures Follow on Next Page]

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, [●], the Sponsor, Transfer Agent, have executed these Creation and Redemption Procedures as of the date set forth above.

[●], as Authorized Participant

By:

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

 

GRAYSCALE INVESTMENTS SPONSORS, LLC, as Sponsor

By:

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, as Transfer Agent

By:

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

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ANNEX I-A TO CREATION AND REDEMPTION PROCEDURES

FORESIDE FUND SERVICES, LLC, MARKETING
AGENT CSC DELAWARE TRUST COMPANY, TRUSTEE
CREATION/REDEMPTION ORDER
FORM
[TRUST]

CONTACT INFORMATION FOR ORDER EXECUTION:

Creation and Redemption Line: [●]

 

ALL ITEMS IN PART I MUST BE COMPLETED BY THE AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT. THE MARKETING AGENT, THE TRANSFER AGENT AND/OR THE ADMINISTRATOR, IN THEIR DISCRETION, MAY REJECT ANY ORDER NOT SUBMITTED IN COMPLETE FORM OR CONTAINING AMBIGUOUS INSTRUCTIONS. CAPITALIZED TERMS USED BUT NOT DEFINED BELOW SHALL HAVE THE MEANING SET FORTH IN THE AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT AGREEMENT.

I. TO BE COMPLETED BY THE AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT

Date:

 

Time:

(ET)

Your Name:

 

Firm Name:

 

NSCC/DTC Participant Number:

/

Telephone Number:

 

Email Address:

 

 

 

 

Type of order (Check One): Creation Redemption

Settlement type (Check One): Digital Asset Cash

Select ETF for transaction (1 Basket = 10,000 Shares)

ETF NAME

TICKER

CUT-OFF

CREATION/
REDEMPTION SETTLEMENT DATE (T+[1][2])

[TRUST]

[TICKER]

3:59:59 p.m. (ET) for settlement in Digital Asset

 

1:59:59 p.m. (ET) for settlement in Cash

 

 

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Please provide wire information below.

Bank Account No.

 

Beneficiary Account Name

 

ABA Routing No.

 

Swift Code

 

 

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THIS TRANSACTION SHALL BE EFFECTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE TRUST’S CURRENT PROSPECTUS AND THE AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT AGREEMENT

#of Baskets Transacted Number: __________ Number written out: ___________________ Order #: ___________ Authorized Person’s Signature __________________________________

 

II. TO BE COMPLETED BY MARKETING AGENT

This certifies that the above order has been:

 Accepted by the Marketing Agent  Rejected

This certifies that the above order will be executed as a:

 Variable Fee Cash Order (default if neither checked)  Actual Execution Cash Order

 

Date ____________ Time ________________ Authorized Person’s Signature ______________

 

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ANNEX I-B TO CREATION AND REDEMPTION PROCEDURES ORDER ENTRY SYSTEM TERMS AND CONDITIONS

This Annex I-B shall govern use by Authorized Participant of the electronic order entry system for placing Creation Orders and Redemption Orders for Shares (the “System”). Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms in Schedule I of the Authorized Participant Agreement. In the event of any conflict between the terms of this Annex I-B and Section 2.01 and 2.02 of the Authorized Participant Agreement with respect to the placing of Creation Orders and Redemption Orders, the terms of this Annex I-B shall control.

1. (a) Authorized Participant shall provide to The Bank of New York Mellon a duly executed authorization letter, in a form satisfactory to The Bank of New York Mellon, identifying those authorized persons who will access the System (the “Authorized Persons”). Authorized Participant shall notify The Bank of New York Mellon in writing in the event that any person’s status as an Authorized Person is revoked or terminated as soon as possible, and The Bank of New York Mellon shall promptly terminate such Authorized Person’s access to the System.

(b) It is understood and agreed that each Authorized Person shall be designated as an Authorized Representative of Authorized Participant for the purpose of the Authorized Participant Agreement. Upon termination of the Authorized Participant Agreement, the Authorized Participant’s and each Authorized Person’s access rights with respect to the System shall be immediately revoked.

2. The Bank of New York Mellon grants to Authorized Participant a personal, nontransferable and nonexclusive license to use the System solely for the purpose of transmitting Creation Orders and Redemption Orders and otherwise communicating with The Bank of New York Mellon in connection with the same. Authorized Participant shall use the System solely for its own internal and proper business purposes. Except as set forth herein, no license or right of any kind is granted to Authorized Participant with respect to the System. Authorized Participant acknowledges that The Bank of New York Mellon and its suppliers retain and have title and exclusive proprietary rights to the System. Authorized Participant further acknowledges that all or a part of the System may be copyrighted or trademarked (or a registration or claim made therefor) by The Bank of New York Mellon or its suppliers. Authorized Participant shall not take any action with respect to the System inconsistent with the foregoing acknowledgments. Authorized Participant may not copy, distribute, sell, lease or provide, directly or indirectly, the System or any portion thereof to any other person or entity without The Bank of New York Mellon’s prior written consent. Authorized Participant may not remove any statutory copyright notice or other notice included in the System. Authorized Participant shall reproduce any such notice on any reproduction of any portion of the System and shall add any statutory copyright notice or other notice upon The Bank of New York Mellon’s request.

3. (a) Authorized Participant acknowledges that any user manuals or other documentation (whether in hard copy or electronic form) (collectively, the “Material”), which is delivered or made available to Authorized Participant regarding the System is the exclusive and confidential property of The Bank of New York Mellon. Authorized Participant shall keep the Material confidential by using the same care and discretion that Authorized Participant uses with respect to

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its own confidential property and trade secrets, but in no event less than reasonable care. Authorized Participant may make such copies of the Material as is reasonably necessary for Authorized Participant to use the System and shall reproduce The Bank of New York Mellon’s proprietary markings on any such copy. The foregoing shall not in any way be deemed to affect the copyright status of any of the Material which may be copyrighted and shall apply to all Material whether or not copyrighted. THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON AND ITS SUPPLIERS MAKE NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, CONCERNING THE MATERIAL OR ANY PRODUCT OR SERVICE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

(b) Upon termination of the Authorized Participant Agreement for any reason Authorized Participant shall return to The Bank of New York Mellon all copies of the Material which is in Authorized Participant’s possession or under its control, except to the extent required by applicable law or Authorized Participant’s commercially reasonable internal document retention, electronic backup or similar policies.

4. Authorized Participant agrees that it shall have sole responsibility for maintaining adequate security and control of the user IDs, passwords and codes for access to the System, which shall not be disclosed to any third party without the prior written consent of The Bank of New York Mellon. The Bank of New York Mellon shall be entitled to rely on the information received by it from the Authorized Participant and The Bank of New York Mellon may assume that all such information was transmitted by or on behalf of an Authorized Person regardless of by whom it was actually transmitted, unless the Authorized Participant previously notified The Bank of New York Mellon that the user IDs, passwords and codes for access to the System have been compromised or the Authorized Participant has properly revoked the authority of such Authorized Person pursuant to Section 2.03 of the Standard Terms.

5. The Bank of New York Mellon shall have no liability in connection with the use of the System, the access granted to the Authorized Participant and its Authorized Persons hereunder, or any transaction effected or attempted to be effected by the Authorized Participant hereunder, except for damages incurred by the Authorized Participant as a direct result of The Bank of New York Mellon’s gross negligence or willful misconduct. WITHOUT LIMITING THE GENERALITY OF THE FOREGOING, IT IS HEREBY AGREED THAT IN NO EVENT SHALL THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON OR ANY MANUFACTURER OR SUPPLIER OF EQUIPMENT, SOFTWARE OR SERVICES BE RESPONSIBLE OR LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES WHICH THE AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT MAY INCUR OR EXPERIENCE BY REASON OF ITS HAVING ENTERED INTO OR RELIED ON THIS AGREEMENT, OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE ACCESS GRANTED TO AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT HEREUNDER, OR ANY TRANSACTION EFFECTED OR ATTEMPTED TO BE EFFECTED BY AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT HEREUNDER, EVEN IF THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON OR SUCH MANUFACTURER OR SUPPLIER HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, NOR SHALL THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON OR ANY SUCH MANUFACTURER OR SUPPLIER BE LIABLE FOR ACTS OF GOD, MACHINE OR COMPUTER BREAKDOWN OR MALFUNCTION, INTERRUPTION OR MALFUNCTION OF COMMUNICATION FACILITIES, LABOR DIFFICULTIES OR ANY OTHER SIMILAR OR DISSIMILAR CAUSE BEYOND SUCH PERSON’S REASONABLE CONTROL.

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6. The Bank of New York Mellon reserves the right to revoke Authorized Participant’s access to the System immediately and without notice upon any material breach by the Authorized Participant of the terms and conditions of this Annex I-B.

7. The Bank of New York Mellon shall acknowledge through the System its receipt of each Creation Order or Redemption Order communicated through the System, and in the absence of such acknowledgment The Bank of New York Mellon shall not be liable for any failure to act in accordance with such orders and Authorized Participant may not claim that such Creation Order or Redemption Order was received by The Bank of New York Mellon. The Bank of New York Mellon may in its discretion and with notice to the Authorized Participant decline to act upon any instructions or communications that are insufficient or incomplete or are not received by The Bank of New York Mellon in sufficient time for The Bank of New York Mellon to act upon, or in accordance with, such instructions or communications.

8. Authorized Participant agrees to use reasonable efforts to prevent the transmission through the System of any software or file which contains any viruses, worms, harmful component or corrupted data and agrees not to use any device, software, or routine to interfere or attempt to interfere with the proper working of the Systems.

9. Authorized Participant acknowledges and agrees that encryption may not be available for every communication through the System, or for all data. Authorized Participant agrees that The Bank of New York Mellon may deactivate any encryption features at any time, without notice or liability to Authorized Participant, for the purpose of maintaining, repairing or troubleshooting its systems.

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SCHEDULE II

STANDARD TERMS FOR AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT AGREEMENTS

ARTICLE I ORDERS FOR PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION

Section 1.01. Authorization to Purchase and Redeem Baskets

Section 1.02. Procedures for Orders

Section 1.03. Consent to Recording

Section 1.04. Irrevocability

Section 1.05. Costs and Expenses

Section 1.06. Delivery of Property to the Trust and Shares Surrendered for Redemption

Section 1.07. Title to Deposit Property and Shares Surrendered for Redemption

Section 1.08. Certain Payments or Distributions

Section 1.09. Ambiguous Instructions

ARTICLE II AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVES

Section 2.01. Certification

Section 2.02. PIN Numbers

Section 2.03. Termination of Authority

Section 2.04. Verification

ARTICLE III STATUS OF THE AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT

Section 3.01. Clearing Status

Section 3.02. Broker-Dealer Status

Section 3.03. Foreign Status

Section 3.04. Compliance with Certain Laws

Section 3.05. Authorized Participant Status

ARTICLE IV ROLE OF AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT

Section 4.01. No Agency

Section 4.02. Rights and Obligations of DTC Participant

Section 4.03. Beneficial Owner Communications

Section 4.04. Authorized Participant Customer Information

ARTICLE V MARKETING MATERIALS AND REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

Section 5.01. Representations of the Trust

Section 5.02. Representations of the Authorized Participant

Section 5.03. Prospectus

Section 5.04. Use of Authorized Participant’s Name

ARTICLE VI INDEMNIFICATION; LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

Section 6.01. Indemnification

ARTICLE VII LIABILITY PROVISIONS

Section 7.01. No Special Damages

Section 7.02. Force Majeure

Section 7.03. Reliance on Instructions

Section 7.04. Limited Liability

ARTICLE VIII MISCELLANEOUS

Section 8.01. Commencement of Trading

Section 8.02. Defined Terms

Section 8.03. Third-Party Beneficiaries

 

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STANDARD TERMS FOR AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT AGREEMENTS

STANDARD TERMS FOR AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT AGREEMENTS (the “Standard Terms”) dated as of [●] among: (i) [●], a company organized under the laws of [●] (the “Authorized Participant”); (ii) The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York banking corporation, as Transfer Agent for the Grayscale Digital Asset Trust (the “Transfer Agent”); and (iii) Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, as sponsor (the “Sponsor”) for the each Trust listed on Schedule V attached hereto and incorporated herein (each, the applicable “Trust” when referred to throughout the remainder of this Agreement), as the same may be amended from time to time by the Sponsor except as otherwise specified. Capitalized terms used in these Standard Terms and not otherwise defined herein have the meaning ascribed to them in the Creation and Redemption Procedures attached to the Authorized Participant Agreement as Schedule I (the “Procedures”).

ARTICLE I
ORDERS FOR PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION

Section 1.01. Authorization to Purchase and Redeem Baskets. Subject to the provisions of the Authorized Participant Agreement, during the term of the Authorized Participant Agreement the Authorized Participant will be authorized to purchase and tender for redemption Baskets in compliance with the provisions of the Trust Agreement, the Procedures and these Standard Terms.

Section 1.02. Procedures for Orders. Each party hereto agrees to comply with the provisions of the Trust Agreement, the Procedures and these Standard Terms to the extent applicable to it.

Section 1.03. Consent to Recording. The phone lines used by the Transfer Agent, the Custodian, the Sponsor and/or their affiliated persons may be recorded, and the Authorized Participant hereby consents to the recording of all calls with any of those parties; provided, that, the Transfer Agent shall use its reasonable efforts to provide the Authorized Participant with copies of such recordings upon the reasonable request of the Authorized Participant. The parties agree that either party may use such recordings in connection with any dispute or proceeding related to this Agreement. In the event that the Transfer Agent, the Custodian, the Sponsor or any of their affiliated persons becomes legally compelled to disclose to any third party any recording involving communications with the Authorized Participant, the Sponsor agrees to provide the Authorized Participant with reasonable advance written notice identifying the recordings to be so disclosed unless prohibited by applicable rule, law or order, together with copies of such recordings, so that the Authorized Participant may seek a protective order or other appropriate remedy with respect to the recordings or waive its right to do so. In the event that such protective order or other remedy is not obtained or the Authorized Participant waives its right to seek such protective order or remedy, the Sponsor will use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain reliable assurance that confidential treatment will be accorded the recorded conversation. The Transfer Agent, the Sponsor or any of their affiliated persons shall not otherwise disclose to any third party any recording involving communications with the Authorized Participant without the Authorized Participant’s express written consent, except that the Transfer Agent and the Sponsor may disclose to any regulatory or self-regulatory organization with competent jurisdiction over Transfer Agent

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or Sponsor, as applicable, to the extent required by applicable rule or law, any recording involving communications with the Authorized Participant.

Section 1.04. Irrevocability. The Authorized Participant agrees that delivery to the Transfer Agent of an Order shall be irrevocable, provided that the Transfer Agent will reject any Order that is not completed in accordance with the Procedures. In the event that the Creation or Redemption of Baskets is suspended by the Transfer Agent or the Sponsor and such suspension affects any Order submitted by the Authorized Participant, the Transfer Agent or Sponsor, as applicable, will notify the Authorized Participant as soon as reasonably practicable of such suspension. The Sponsor agrees to undertake commercially reasonable efforts to accommodate any request by the Authorized Participant to cancel a previously placed Order if such Order has not yet been accepted, but the Sponsor shall have no liability for the Trust’s inability to accommodate such a request. The Trust, the Sponsor and the Transfer Agent will promptly return to the Authorized Participant upon cancellation or rejection of an Order all consideration, including any Shares, Digital Asset or other consideration tendered by the Authorized Participant, in respect of such cancelled or rejected Order to the extent reasonably practicable.

Section 1.05. Costs and Expenses. The Authorized Participant shall be responsible for the expenses and costs incurred by the Trust that can be directly attributable to Orders submitted by the Authorized Participant other than ordinary course expenses and costs which are reimbursed through payment of the fee contemplated in Sections 2.01(h) and 2.02(h) of the Procedures. The Transfer Agent or the Sponsor shall provide the Authorized Participant with reasonably detailed information relating to such expenses and costs upon request by the Authorized Participant.

Section 1.06. Delivery of Property to the Trust and Shares Surrendered for Redemption.

(a) The Authorized Participant understands and agrees that in the event Deposit Property in connection with an In-Kind Order for Creation is not transferred to the Trust, or Shares are not delivered to the Transfer Agent by the applicable Settlement Date in connection with any Redemption Order, in compliance with the Procedures and these Standard Terms, and, in each case, the Authorized Participant does not deposit the Collateral Amount pursuant to the Procedures, the Authorized Participant will be solely responsible for all damages, losses, costs and expenses incurred by the Trust, the Sponsor, the Transfer Agent or the Custodian related to any such Order. The Authorized Participant will not, however, be responsible for damages, losses, costs and expenses incurred by the Trust, the Sponsor, the Transfer Agent or the Custodian related to such Orders to the extent the failure to transfer Deposit Property in connection with a Cash Order for Creation, in the case of a Creation Order, or Shares, in the case of a Redemption Order, to the Trust is due to the negligence, bad faith or reckless or willful misconduct of the Transfer Agent, the Sponsor, a liquidity provider or the Custodian or if such failure arises from nuclear fission or fusion, radioactivity, war, terrorist event, invasion, insurrection, civil commotion, riot, strike, act of government, public authority, public service or utility problems, power outages resulting in telephone, telecopy and computer failures, acts of God, such as fires, floods or extreme weather conditions, market conditions or activities causing trading halts, systems failures involving computer or other information systems, including any failures or outages of the Digital Asset Network, affecting the Authorized Participant, or similar extraordinary events beyond the Authorized Participant’s control. In the event of any such delay, the time to complete Delivery in respect of a Creation Order or Redemption Order will be extended for a period equal to that during

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which the inability to perform continues as determined by the Transfer Agent in its sole discretion. Upon the deposit of Digital Assets by the Authorized Participant or any AP Designee, the Authorized Participant represents and warrants that (i) the Authorized Participant (or its AP Designee) is duly authorized to make such deposit of Digital Assets and (ii) at the time of Delivery, the Digital Assets are free and clear of any lien, pledge, encumbrance, right, charge or claim.

(b) The Sponsor understands and agrees that in the event Deposit Property is not transferred to the Trust by a liquidity provider at the Sponsor’s direction in connection with a Cash Order for Creation, in compliance with the Procedures and these Standard Terms, the liquidity provider will be solely responsible for all damages, losses, costs and expenses incurred by the Trust, the Transfer Agent or the Custodian related to any such Order. The Sponsor will not, however, be responsible for damages, losses, costs and expenses incurred by the Trust, the Authorized Participant, the Transfer Agent or the Custodian related to such Orders to the extent the failure to transfer Deposit Property to the Trust is due to the negligence, bad faith or reckless or willful misconduct of the Transfer Agent, the Authorized Participant or the Custodian or if such failure arises from nuclear fission or fusion, radioactivity, war, terrorist event, invasion, insurrection, civil commotion, riot, strike, act of government, public authority, public service or utility problems, power outages resulting in telephone, telecopy and computer failures, acts of God, such as fires, floods or extreme weather conditions, market conditions or activities causing trading halts, systems failures involving computer or other information systems, including any failures or outages of the Digital Asset Network, affecting the Sponsor, or similar extraordinary events beyond the Sponsor’s control. In the event of any such delay, the time to complete Delivery in respect of a Creation Order will be extended for a period equal to that during which the inability to perform continues as determined by the Transfer Agent in its sole discretion.

Section 1.07. Title to Deposit Property and Shares Surrendered for Redemption. (a) The Authorized Participant represents and warrants to the Transfer Agent and the Sponsor that:

(i) in connection with each In-Kind Order for Creation, the Authorized Participant, as Depositor, will have the right and authority to transfer to the Trust the corresponding Deposit Property, and that upon delivery of such Deposit Property to the Custodian on the Creation Settlement Date, the Trust will acquire good and unencumbered title to such property, free and clear of all liens, charges, duties imposed on the transfer of assets and encumbrances and not subject to any adverse claims or transferability restrictions, whether arising by operation of law or otherwise; and

(ii) in connection with a Redemption Order, the Authorized Participant has reasonable grounds to believe that it or the Authorized Participant Client, as the case may be, will on the Redemption Settlement Date own (within the meaning of Rule 200 of Regulation SHO of the Exchange Act) the requisite number of Shares to be redeemed such that the Shares will be surrendered to the Transfer Agent on or prior to the Redemption Settlement Date. In either case, the Authorized Participant or the Authorized Participant Client, as the case may be, (i) has or will have the right and authority to surrender to the Transfer Agent for redemption on the Redemption Settlement Date the corresponding Shares, (ii) has or will have the right and authority to receive the entire proceeds of the redemption on the Redemption Settlement Date, and (iii) upon such surrender on the Redemption Settlement Date, the Trust will acquire good and unencumbered title to such Shares, free and clear of all liens, charges, duties imposed on the transfer of assets and

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encumbrances and not subject to any adverse claims, transferability restrictions (whether arising by operation of law or otherwise), loan, pledge, repurchase or securities lending agreements or other arrangements affecting legal or beneficial ownership of such Shares being submitted for redemption which, under such circumstances, would preclude the delivery of such Shares to the Transfer Agent on the Redemption Settlement Date.

Section 1.08. Ambiguous Instructions. In the event that a Creation Order or Redemption Order contains terms that differ from the information provided in the related telephone call or email transmission, the Transfer Agent will use its commercially reasonable efforts to contact the Authorized Participant to request confirmation of the terms of the order at the telephone number indicated in the Creation Order or Redemption Order. If an Authorized Representative (as defined below) confirms the terms as they appear in the Creation Order or Redemption Order, then the order will be accepted and processed. If an Authorized Representative contradicts the terms of the Creation Order or Redemption Order, the order will be deemed invalid, and a corrected Creation Order or Redemption Order must be received by the Transfer Agent no later than the Order Cutoff Time. For the avoidance of doubt, notwithstanding the invalidation of the initial Creation Order or Redemption Order pursuant to this paragraph, a Creation Order or Redemption Order that is otherwise in proper form shall be deemed submitted at the time of its initial submission for purposes of determining when orders are deemed received. If the Transfer Agent makes a commercially reasonable effort to contact the Authorized Participant but is not able to contact an Authorized Representative by the Order Cutoff Time, then the Creation Order or Redemption Order shall be accepted and processed in accordance with its terms notwithstanding any inconsistency from the terms of the telephone information. In the event that a Creation Order or Redemption Order contains terms that are illegible, the submission will be deemed invalid and the Transfer Agent will attempt to contact the Authorized Participant to request retransmission. A corrected Creation Order or Redemption Order must be received by the Transfer Agent, as applicable, no later than the Order Cutoff Time.

Section 1.09. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, in the event that the Deposit Property to be delivered by the Authorized Participant in connection with any Creation Order or the Shares to be delivered by the Authorized Participant in connection with any Redemption Order are missing some of the required assets on the applicable settlement date for such Creation Order or Redemption Order, the Sponsor and the Transfer Agent agree not to treat such Creation Order or Redemption Order as a failed trade or a failed settlement provided that the Authorized Participant adheres to the remedial steps set forth in the Procedures.

ARTICLE II
AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVES

Section 2.01. Certification. Concurrently with the execution of the Authorized Participant Agreement, the Authorized Participant shall deliver to the Transfer Agent and the Marketing Agent a certificate in a form as attached at Schedule III to the Authorized Participant Agreement or in such other formats as may be mutually agreed to by the parties (an “Authorized Representative Certificate”) signed by the Authorized Participant’s Secretary or other duly authorized person setting forth the names, signatures, e-mail addresses and telephone numbers of all persons authorized to give instructions relating to any activity contemplated hereby or any other notice, request or instruction on behalf of the Authorized Participant (each an “Authorized

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Representative”). Such certificate may be accepted and relied upon by each of the Transfer Agent and the Marketing Agent as conclusive evidence of the facts set forth therein and shall be considered to be in full force and effect until (i) receipt by the Transfer Agent and the Marketing Agent of a superseding Authorized Representative Certificate, or (ii) termination of the Authorized Participant Agreement. After such Authorized Representative Certificate is accepted by the Transfer Agent and the Marketing Agent, the Authorized Participant may authorize additional Authorized Representatives to give instructions relating to any activity contemplated hereby or any other notice, request or instruction on behalf of the Authorized Participant by delivering to the Transfer Agent and the Marketing Agent an addendum to the certificate described above in a form as attached at Schedule IV to the Authorized Participant Agreement.

Section 2.02. PIN Numbers. The Transfer Agent shall issue to each Authorized Participant a unique personal identification number (“PIN Number”) by which such Authorized Participant shall be identified and instructions issued by the Authorized Participant shall be authenticated. The PIN Number shall be kept confidential and only provided to Authorized Representatives. The Transfer Agent acknowledges and agrees that certain employees of the Authorized Participant, such as those who work in legal, compliance, risk management or other supervisory roles may have a reasonable need to know or may have incidental access to one or more PIN Numbers. The Authorized Participant may revoke the PIN Number at any time upon written notice to the Transfer Agent pursuant to Section 2.03 hereof, and the Authorized Participant shall be responsible for doing so in the event that it becomes aware that an unauthorized person has received access to its PIN Number or has or intends to use the PIN Number in an unauthorized manner. Except as otherwise provided in these Standard Terms, the Authorized Participant agrees that neither the Trust nor the Transfer Agent shall be liable for losses incurred by the Authorized Participant as a result of unauthorized use of the Authorized Participant’s PIN Number prior to the time when the Authorized Participant provides notice to the Transfer Agent of the termination or revocation of authority pursuant to Section 2.03 and the Transfer Agent has de-activated the PIN Number as provided for in Section 2.03 hereof.

Section 2.03. Termination of Authority. Upon the termination or revocation of authority of an Authorized Representative by the Authorized Participant or the revocation of a PIN Number by the Authorized Participant, the Authorized Participant shall (i) give, as promptly as practicable under the circumstances, written notice of such fact to the Transfer Agent and such notice shall be effective upon receipt by the Transfer Agent in accordance with the notice provisions herein; and (ii) request a new PIN Number. The Transfer Agent shall, as promptly as practicable, de-activate the PIN Number upon receipt of such written notice. If an Authorized Participant’s PIN Number is changed, the new PIN Number will become effective on a date mutually agreed upon by the Authorized Participant and the Transfer Agent.

Section 2.04. Verification. The Transfer Agent may assume that all instructions issued to it using the Authorized Participant’s PIN Number have been properly placed by Authorized Representatives, unless the Transfer Agent has actual knowledge to the contrary or the Authorized Participant has properly revoked such PIN Number prior to the placement of such instructions. The Transfer Agent shall have no duty to verify that an Order is being placed by an Authorized Representative that uses a valid PIN Number. The Authorized Participant agrees that the Transfer Agent shall not be responsible for any losses incurred by the Authorized Participant as a result of an Authorized Representative identifying himself or herself as a different Authorized

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Representative or an unauthorized person identifying himself or herself as an Authorized Representative, unless such person uses a PIN Number which the Authorized Participant had previously revoked in accordance with Section 2.03 hereof or which was acquired through a breach of the Transfer Agent’s security system.

ARTICLE III
STATUS OF THE AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT

Section 3.01. Clearing Status. The Authorized Participant represents, covenants and warrants that, as of the date of execution of the Authorized Participant Agreement, and at all times during the term of the Authorized Participant Agreement, the Authorized Participant is and will be entitled to use the clearing and settlement services of each of the national or international clearing and settlement organizations through which, in compliance with the Procedures, the transactions contemplated hereby will clear and settle. Any change in the foregoing status of the Authorized Participant shall terminate the Authorized Participant Agreement, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the parties, and the Authorized Participant shall give prompt written notice thereof to the Transfer Agent.

Section 3.02. Broker-Dealer Status. The Authorized Participant represents and warrants that it is (i) registered as a broker-dealer under the Exchange Act or other securities market participant, such as a bank or other financial institution, which, but for an exclusion from registration, would be required to register as a broker-dealer to engage in securities transactions, (ii) qualified to act as a broker or dealer in the states or other jurisdictions where it transacts business to the extent so required by applicable law, and (iii) a member in good standing with FINRA. The Authorized Participant agrees that it will maintain such registration and membership in good standing and any other registrations, qualifications and membership in good standing applicable to it in full force and effect throughout the term of the Authorized Participant Agreement. The Authorized Participant further agrees to comply with all applicable U.S. federal laws, the laws of the states or other jurisdictions concerned, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, to the extent such laws and regulations are applicable to the Authorized Participant’s transactions in, and activities with respect to, Shares, and with the FINRA By-Laws and the FINRA Conduct Rules to the extent the foregoing relates to the Authorized Participant’s transactions in, and activities with respect to, Shares, and that it will not offer or sell Shares in any state or jurisdiction where they may not lawfully be offered and/or sold. The Authorized Participant shall be solely responsible for determining the application of any such laws or regulations in all cases at its own expense.

Section 3.03. Foreign Status. If the Authorized Participant is offering and selling Shares in jurisdictions outside the several states, territories and possessions of the United States and is not otherwise required to meet the requirements of clauses (i) through (iii) of Section 3.02 hereof, the Authorized Participant agrees to observe the applicable laws of the jurisdiction in which such offer and/or sale is made and to conduct its business in accordance with the FINRA Conduct Rules, to the extent the foregoing relates to the Authorized Participant’s transactions in, and activities with respect to, Shares.

Section 3.04. Compliance with Certain Laws. The Authorized Participant has policies and procedures reasonably designed to comply with the anti-money laundering and related provisions

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of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001, as amended (the “U.S.A. PATRIOT Act”), and the operations of the Authorized Participant are and have been conducted in compliance with the U.S.A. PATRIOT Act.

Section 3.05. Authorized Participant Status. The Authorized Participant understands and acknowledges that the method by which Baskets will be created and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. For example, because new Baskets of Shares may be issued and sold by the Trust on an ongoing basis, at any point a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities Act, may occur. The Authorized Participant understands and acknowledges that some activities on its part, depending on the facts, and based on certain possible interpretations of applicable law, may result in its being deemed a participant in a distribution in a manner which could render it a statutory underwriter as such term is defined in Section 2(a)(11) of the Securities Act and subject it to the prospectus delivery and liability provisions of the Securities Act.

ARTICLE IV
ROLE OF AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT

Section 4.01. No Agency. The Authorized Participant acknowledges and agrees that, for purposes of the Authorized Participant Agreement, the Authorized Participant will have no authority to act as agent for the Trust or the Transfer Agent in any matter or in any respect. The Authorized Participant agrees to make itself and its employees available, upon reasonable request and reasonable notice, during normal business hours to consult with the Transfer Agent, the Custodian, the Sponsor or their designees concerning the performance of the Authorized Participant’s responsibilities under the Authorized Participant Agreement; provided, however, that the Authorized Participant shall be under no obligation to divulge or otherwise disclose any information that the Authorized Participant reasonably believes (i) the disclosure of which to third parties is in violation of any applicable law or regulation or is otherwise prohibited or (ii) is confidential or proprietary in nature.

Section 4.02. Rights and Obligations of DTC Participant. The Authorized Participant, as a DTC Participant, agrees that it shall be bound by all of the obligations of a DTC Participant in addition to any obligations that it undertakes hereunder or in accordance with the Procedures.

Section 4.03. Beneficial Owner Communications. The Authorized Participant agrees (i) subject to any limitations arising under federal or state securities laws relating to privacy, or other obligations it may have to its customers, to assist the Transfer Agent or the Sponsor in determining certain information that the Authorized Participant may have in its possession regarding sales of Shares made by or through the Authorized Participant (including, without limitation, the ownership level of each beneficial owner relating to positions in Shares that the Authorized Participant may hold as record holder) upon the request of the Transfer Agent or the Sponsor that is necessary for the Transfer Agent or Sponsor to comply with their obligations to distribute information to beneficial owners of Shares under applicable state or federal securities laws and (ii) to forward to such beneficial owners written materials and communications received, directly or indirectly, from the Sponsor or the Transfer Agent in sufficient quantities to allow mailing thereof to such beneficial owners, including, without limitation, notices, annual reports, disclosure or other informational materials and any amendments or supplements thereto that may be required to be

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sent by the Sponsor or the Transfer Agent to such beneficial owners pursuant to applicable law or regulation or otherwise, or that the Sponsor or the Transfer Agent reasonably wishes to distribute to such beneficial owners, in each case at the expense of the Sponsor and/or the Trust.

Section 4.04. Authorized Participant Customer Information. The Sponsor and the Transfer Agent agree that the names and addresses and other information concerning the Authorized Participant’s customers are and shall remain the sole property of the Authorized Participant, and none of the Sponsor, the Trust, or the Transfer Agent, or any of their respective affiliates, shall use such names, addresses or other information for any purpose except as required for performance of their duties and responsibilities under the Authorized Participant Agreement, the Procedures, the Standard Terms, the Trust Agreement and the applicable Prospectus and except for servicing and informational mailings related to the Trust referred to in Section 4.03 above.

ARTICLE V
MARKETING MATERIALS AND REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

Section 5.01. Representations of the Trust. The Sponsor hereby represents and warrants on behalf of the Trust:

(a) The Registration Statement will have become effective, and on the effective date of the Registration Statement (the “Effective Date”) and at each Time of Purchase, the Registration Statement shall be effective and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement will be in effect and no proceedings for such purpose will be pending before or, to the Sponsor’s knowledge, threatened by the SEC.

The Registration Statement complies, or will comply when so filed, in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder, and the Prospectus complied, or will comply, as of its date, and complies at each Time of Purchase, in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder. As of the Effective Date and as of each Time of Purchase, the Registration Statement will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and the Prospectus, as of its date or as of each Time of Purchase, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading; provided, however, that the Sponsor makes no warranty or representation with respect to any statement contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information concerning the Authorized Participant and furnished in writing by or on behalf of the Authorized Participant to the Sponsor expressly for use therein.

No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration, qualification or other action of, or filing with, any federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory authority, agency, body or court having jurisdiction over the Trust is required in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares, except (i) such as have been obtained and made or will have been obtained and made under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act on or prior to the Creation of such Shares, (ii) approval of listing on NYSE Arca, (iii) such as may be required by the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares and (iv) if required,

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exemptive relief from the SEC pursuant to Regulation M regarding the reinstatement of the Trust’s ability to redeem Shares.

(b) As of the Effective Date, the Trust will have all requisite corporate power and authority to execute, deliver and perform each of its obligations under this Agreement and issue the Shares. The Shares, when issued, will be in the form contemplated by the Trust Agreement and when delivered against payment of consideration therefor, as provided in this Agreement, will be duly and validly authorized, issued, fully paid and non-assessable and free of statutory and contractual preemptive rights, rights of first refusal and similar rights. The Shares will be consistent with the descriptions thereof contained in the Prospectus.

(c) All marketing and promotional materials other than the Prospectus provided to the Authorized Participant by the Sponsor will comply in all material respects with applicable law, including, without limitation, the provisions of the Securities Act, FINRA’s marketing rules and the rules and regulations of the SEC.

(d) As of the Effective Date, the Shares will have been approved for listing on NYSE Arca; the Sponsor will comply, at all times during which this Agreement is in effect, with all applicable disclosure requirements in connection with its offering of the Shares, including, without limitation, those under the Securities Act and the rules of the SEC thereunder.

Section 5.02. Representations of the Authorized Participant. The Authorized Participant represents, warrants and agrees that, in connection with any sale or solicitation of a sale of Shares, it will not make, or permit any of its representatives to make on its behalf, any representations concerning Shares, the Trust or the Sponsor other than those not inconsistent with the Trust’s Prospectus or any promotional materials or sales literature furnished to the Authorized Participant by the Sponsor or other information and materials filed by the Trust with the SEC or made available on any website controlled by the Sponsor or the Trust. The Authorized Participant agrees not to furnish or cause to be furnished to any person or display or publish any information or materials concerning the Shares, the Trust or the Sponsor, including, without limitation, research materials, market color commentaries, training and educational materials, promotional materials and sales literature, advertisements, press releases, announcements, statements, posters, signs or other similar materials (“Marketing Materials”), except such Marketing Materials as may be furnished to the Authorized Participant by the Sponsor and such other information and materials as may be approved in writing by the Sponsor. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Authorized Participant and its Affiliates and representatives may, without the approval of the Sponsor, prepare and circulate in the regular course of their respective businesses research, reports, commentary or similar materials that include information, opinions or recommendations relating to Shares (i) for public dissemination, provided that such reports, research, commentary or other similar materials comply with applicable FINRA rules and/or (ii) for internal use by the Authorized Participant and its Affiliates and representatives.

Section 5.03. Prospectus. The Sponsor will provide, or cause to be provided, to the Authorized Participant copies of the Prospectus and any printed supplemental information in reasonable quantities upon request. The Sponsor will, as promptly as practicable under the circumstances, notify the Authorized Participant when a revised, supplemented or amended Prospectus for the Shares is available, and deliver or otherwise make available to the Authorized

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Participant copies of such revised, supplemented or amended Prospectus at such time and in such quantities as may be reasonable to permit the Authorized Participant to comply with any obligation the Authorized Participant may have to deliver such Prospectus to its customers. The Sponsor will make such revised, supplemented or amended Prospectus available to the Authorized Participant no later than its effective date. The Sponsor shall be deemed to have complied with this Section 5.03 when the Authorized Participant has received such revised, supplemented or amended Prospectus by e-mail at [ ], in printable form, with such number of hard copies as may be agreed from time to time by the parties promptly thereafter.

Section 5.04. Use of Authorized Participant’s Name.

(a) The Sponsor agrees that it will not, without prior written consent of the Authorized Participant, use in advertising or publicity the name of the Authorized Participant or any affiliate of the Authorized Participant, any trade name, trademark, trade device, service mark, symbol or any abbreviation, contraction or simulation thereof owned by the Authorized Participant or any of its affiliates or represent, directly or indirectly, that any product or any service provided or distributed by the Trust or the Sponsor has been approved or endorsed by the Authorized Participant or any of its affiliates or that the Authorized Participant acts as underwriter, distributor, marketing agent or selling group member with respect to the Shares.

(b) The Sponsor agrees not to identify or name the Authorized Participant in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any free-writing prospectus or in any Marketing Materials of the Trust, except as required by applicable law or regulation, and in no event shall identify the Authorized Participant as an underwriter in any communications, documentation, materials, or filings of the Trust without the Authorized Participant’s prior written consent, and provided that in all cases, the Sponsor shall provide advance written notice of such disclosure to the Authorized Participant and upon receipt of such notice, provided that the Authorized Participant has not previously consented in writing to such disclosure, the Authorized Participant may elect to terminate this Agreement in its sole discretion. If the Authorized Participant agrees to be identified in any such documents, upon the notification of termination of the Authorized Participant Agreement, the Sponsor shall promptly (i) file a current report on Form 8-K indicating the notification of withdrawal of the Authorized Participant as an authorized participant of the Trust and (ii) update the website of the Trust and any investment adviser of the Trust to remove any identification of the Authorized Participant as an authorized participant of the Trust. Further and for the avoidance of doubt, if the Authorized Participant agrees to be identified in any of such documents, the Trust and Sponsor each agree and acknowledge that the Authorized Participant is not intended to serve as an underwriter to the Trust by granting such consent.

ARTICLE VI
INDEMNIFICATION; LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

Section 6.01. Indemnification.

(a) The Authorized Participant shall indemnify and hold harmless the Sponsor, in its capacity as sponsor of the Trust, the Transfer Agent, the Trust and their respective Affiliates, subsidiaries, directors, officers, employees and agents, and each person, if any, who controls such persons within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act (each an “AP Indemnified Party”)

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from and against any claim, loss, liability, cost and expense (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees) incurred by such AP Indemnified Party as a result of (i) any breach by the Authorized Participant (or its AP Designee) of any provision of the Authorized Participant Agreement that relates to the Authorized Participant, including the representations and warranties contained in the Procedures and these Standard Terms (together, the “Trust Documents”); (ii) any failure on the part of the Authorized Participant to perform any of its obligations set forth in the Authorized Participant Agreement or Trust Documents; (iii) any failure by the Authorized Participant to comply with applicable laws, including, without limitation, rules and regulations of any regulatory or self-regulatory organizations in relation to its role as Authorized Participant; (iv) actions of such AP Indemnified Party taken in reliance upon any instructions issued or representations made in accordance with the Trust Documents reasonably believed by the AP Indemnified Party to be genuine and to have been given by the Authorized Participant; or (v) (A) any representation by the Authorized Participant or any of their employees or agents or other representatives about the Shares or any AP Indemnified Party that is not consistent with the Trust’s then-current Prospectus made in connection with the offer or the solicitation of an offer to buy or sell Shares, (B) any untrue statement of a material fact or omission to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading in any Marketing Materials to the extent that such statement or omission relates to the Shares or any AP Indemnified Party, unless such statement or omission was furnished to the Authorized Participant or otherwise approved in writing by the Sponsor, the Trust or any of their designees and (C) any untrue statement of a material fact or omission to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in the Registration Statement or any untrue statement of a material fact or omission to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading in the Prospectus to the extent such statement or omission were based upon written information furnished to an AP Indemnified Party by the Authorized Participant specifically for use therein. The Authorized Participant shall not be liable under its indemnity agreement contained in this paragraph with respect to any claim made against any AP Indemnified Party unless the AP Indemnified Party shall have notified the Authorized Participant in writing of the claim within a reasonable time after the summons or other first written notification giving information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon the AP Indemnified Party (or after the AP Indemnified Party shall have received notice of service on any designated agent). However, failure to notify the Authorized Participant of any claim shall not relieve the Authorized Participant from any liability which it may have to any AP Indemnified Party against whom such action is brought otherwise than on account of its indemnity agreement contained in this paragraph, and shall not release it from such liability under this paragraph unless and to the extent it did not otherwise learn of such action and such failure results in the forfeiture by the Authorized Participant of substantial rights and defenses. The Authorized Participant shall be entitled to participate at its own expense in the defense, or, if it so elects, to assume the defense of any suit brought to enforce any claims, but if the Authorized Participant elects to assume the defense, the defense shall be conducted by counsel chosen by it.

(b) The Sponsor shall indemnify and hold harmless the Authorized Participant, its Affiliates, subsidiaries, directors, officers, employees and agents, and each person, if any, who controls such persons within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act (each a “Sponsor Indemnified Party”) from and against any claim, loss, liability, cost and expense (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees) incurred by such Sponsor Indemnified Party as a

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result of (i) any breach by the Sponsor (or its Sponsor Agent) of any provision of the Authorized Participant Agreement that relates to the Sponsor; (ii) any failure by the Sponsor to perform any of its obligations set forth in the Authorized Participant Agreement applicable to it; (iii) any failure on the part of the Sponsor to comply in all material respects with applicable laws, including, without limitation, rules and regulations of any regulatory or self-regulatory organizations to the extent such laws, rules and regulations are applicable to the transactions being undertaken pursuant to the Authorized Participant Agreement; (iv) actions of such Sponsor Indemnified Party taken in reliance upon any instructions issued or representations made in accordance with the Authorized Participant Agreement, the Procedures, the Trust Agreement or these Standard Terms reasonably believed by the Sponsor Indemnified Party to be genuine and to have been given by the Sponsor; or (v) with respect to the Registration Statement, any untrue statement of a material fact or omission to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or, with respect to the Prospectus and any Marketing Materials, any untrue statement of a material fact or omission to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading to the extent that such statement or omission relates to the Shares or the Trust, unless such statement or omission was furnished to the Sponsor or otherwise approved in writing by the Authorized Participant or any of their designees. The Sponsor shall not be liable under its indemnity agreement contained in this paragraph with respect to any claim made against any Sponsor Indemnified Party unless the Sponsor Indemnified Party shall have notified the Sponsor in writing of the claim within a reasonable time after the summons or other first written notification giving information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon the Sponsor Indemnified Party (or after the Sponsor Indemnified Party shall have received notice of service on any designated agent). However, failure to notify the Sponsor of any claim shall not relieve the Sponsor from any liability which it may have to any Sponsor Indemnified Party against whom such action is brought otherwise than on account of its indemnity agreement contained in this paragraph, and shall not release it from such liability under this paragraph unless and to the extent it did not otherwise learn of such action and such failure results in the forfeiture by the Sponsor of substantial rights and defenses. The Sponsor shall be entitled to participate at its own expense in the defense, or, if it so elects, to assume the defense of any suit brought to enforce any claims, but if the Sponsor elects to assume the defense, the defense shall be conducted by counsel chosen by it. If the Sponsor does not elect to assume the defense of any suit, it will reimburse the Sponsor Indemnified Parties in the suit for the reasonable fees and expenses of any counsel retained by them.

(c) No indemnifying party, as described in paragraphs (a) and (b) above, shall, without the written consent of the AP Indemnified Party or the Sponsor Indemnified Party, as the case may be, effect the settlement or compromise of, or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened action or claim in respect of which indemnification may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified party is an actual or potential party to such action or claim) unless such settlement, compromise or judgment (i) includes an unconditional release of the AP Indemnified Party or Sponsor Indemnified Party, as the case may be, from all liability arising out of such action or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of any AP Indemnified Party or Sponsor Indemnified Party, as the case may be.

(d) The Authorized Participant shall not be liable to any AP Indemnified Party for any damages arising out of (i) mistakes or errors in data provided in connection with Creations or

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Redemptions except for data provided by the Authorized Participant, or (ii) mistakes or errors by, or arising out of interruptions or delays of communications with, the Transfer Agent or any AP Indemnified Party.

(e) The indemnification provided for in Section 6.01(a) shall not apply to the extent any such losses, liabilities, damages, costs and expenses are incurred as a result of any fraud, gross negligence, bad faith or reckless or willful misconduct on the part of an AP Indemnified Party. The indemnification provided for in Section 6.01(b) shall not apply to the extent any such losses, liabilities, damages, costs and expenses are incurred as a result of any fraud, gross negligence, bad faith or reckless or willful misconduct on the part of a Sponsor Indemnified Party.

(f) The indemnity agreements contained in this Section 6.01 shall remain in full force and effect and shall survive any termination of this Agreement. The Sponsor and the Authorized Participant agree promptly to notify each other of the commencement of any proceeding against it and against any of their officers or directors in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares or in connection with the Registration Statement or the relevant Prospectus.

ARTICLE VII
LIABILITY PROVISIONS

Section 7.01. No Special Damages. In the absence of gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct, in no event shall any party to these Standard Terms be liable for any special, indirect, incidental, exemplary, punitive or consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including, but not limited to, loss of revenue, loss of actual or anticipated profit, loss of contracts, loss of the use of money, loss of anticipated savings, loss of business, loss of opportunity, loss of market share, loss of goodwill or loss of reputation), even if such parties have been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of action. In no event shall any party be liable for the acts or omissions of DTC, NSCC or any other securities depository or clearing corporation.

Section 7.02. Force Majeure. No party to these Standard Terms shall be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations under this Agreement arising out of or caused, directly or indirectly, by circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including, without limitation: acts of God; earthquakes; fires; floods; wars; civil or military disturbances; terrorism; sabotage; epidemics; riots; interruptions; loss or malfunction of utilities, computer (hardware or software) or communications service; failures or outages of the Digital Asset Network; accidents; labor disputes; acts of civil or military authority or governmental actions.

Section 7.03. Reliance on Instructions. Subject to Sections 2.02, 2.03 and 2.04, the Transfer Agent may conclusively rely upon, and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting upon, any communication authorized under these Standard Terms and upon any written or oral instruction, notice, request, direction or consent reasonably believed by it to be genuine.

Section 7.04. Limited Liability. In the absence of fraud, bad faith, gross negligence or willful misconduct on its part, the Transfer Agent, whether acting directly or through agents, affiliates or attorneys, shall not be liable for any action taken, suffered or omitted or for any error of judgment made by it in the performance of its duties hereunder. The Transfer Agent shall not

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be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith unless in exercising such, it shall have been grossly negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts necessary to make such judgment. The Transfer Agent shall not be required to advance, expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur or become exposed to financial liability in the performance of its duties hereunder, except as may be required as a result of its own fraud, bad faith, gross negligence or willful misconduct.

ARTICLE VIII
MISCELLANEOUS

Section 8.01. Commencement of Trading. The Authorized Participant may not submit an Order prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, or amendment to the Registration Statement, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Section 8.02. Defined Terms. All capitalized terms used in these Standard Terms and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the Authorized Participant Agreement and the Procedures.

Section 8.03. Third-Party Beneficiaries. The parties acknowledge and agree that the Trust shall be a third-party beneficiary of the Authorized Participant Agreement, including, without limitation, as to Section 6.01(c) of these Standard Terms.

[Signatures Follow on Next Page]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed these Standard Terms as of the date set forth above.

 

[●], as Authorized Participant

By:

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

 

GRAYSCALE INVESTMENTS SPONSORS, LLC, as Sponsor

By:

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, as Transfer Agent

By:

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

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SCHEDULE III

FORM OF LIST OF CERTIFIED AUTHORIZED
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE AUTHORIZED
PARTICIPANT

The following are the names, titles, signatures, phone numbers, and email addresses of all persons (each, an “Authorized Representative”) authorized to give instructions relating to any activity contemplated by this Authorized Participant Agreement for the [TRUST] (the “Agreement”) or any other notice, request or instruction on behalf of the Authorized Participant pursuant to the Authorized Participant Agreement.

Authorized Participant:

Name:

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

Title:

 

Signature:

 

Signature:

 

Phone:

 

Phone:

 

Email:

 

Email:

 

 

 

 

 

Name:

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

Title:

 

Signature:

 

Signature:

 

Phone:

 

Phone:

 

Email:

 

Email:

 

 

 

 

 

Name:

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

Title:

 

Signature:

 

Signature:

 

Phone:

 

Phone:

 

Email:

 

Email:

 

 

Date:

 

Certified By:

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

DTC Participant Number:

 

 

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SCHEDULE IV
ADDENDUM TO THE CERTIFICATE OF AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVES

[On Authorized Participant’s Firm Letterhead]

[DATE]

 

Attn:

The Bank of New York Mellon

240 Greenwich Street

New York, NY 10007

Attn: Foreside Fund Services, LLC [●]

[●],

NY [●]

Re: Addendum to the Certificate of Authorized Representatives for [●] under the Authorized Participant Agreement for the [TRUST], sponsored by Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC, dated [DATE] (the “Agreement”)

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Pursuant to the Agreement, the following are the names, titles, signatures, phone numbers, and email addresses of additional Authorized Representatives of [●] (the “Authorized Participant”) authorized to give instructions relating to any activity contemplated by the Agreement or any other notice, request or instruction on behalf of the Authorized Participant pursuant to the Agreement. This list of Authorized Representatives is an addendum and adds further Authorized Representatives to the Authorized Participant’s most recently executed certificate (entitled “Certificate of Authorized Representatives of the Authorized Participant”).

Name:

Name:

Title:

Title:

Signature:

Signature:

Phone:

Phone:

Email:

Email:

 

 

 

 

Name:

Name:

Title:

Title:

Signature:

Signature:

Phone:

Phone:

Email:

Email:

 

Please provide PIN numbers for such Authorized Representatives who are not already established in the Transfer Agent’s system.

IV-70

 


 

The undersigned does hereby certify that the persons listed above have been duly authorized to act as Authorized Representatives pursuant to the Authorized Participant Agreement.

 

By:

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

Date:

 

IV-71

 


 

SCHEDULE V

LIST OF TRUSTS

 

 

Trust

Trust Agreement

Digital Asset

Index

[]

[]

[]

[]

 

IV-72

 


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gfx204556072_0.jpg

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November 3, 2025

Grayscale Dogecoin Trust (DOGE)

c/o Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC

290 Harbor Drive, 4th Floor

Stamford, Connecticut 06902

Re: Grayscale Dogecoin Trust (DOGE)

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as special Delaware counsel to Grayscale Dogecoin Trust (DOGE) (the “Trust”), a Delaware statutory trust, in connection with the matters set forth herein. This opinion is being delivered to you at your request.

We have examined and relied upon such records, documents, certificates and other instruments as in our judgment are necessary or appropriate to enable us to render the opinions expressed below, including the following documents:

(a)
The Certificate of Trust of the Trust, as filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware (the “Secretary of State”) on January 27, 2021, as amended by the Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Trust, filed with the Secretary of State on July 9, 2024 (the “Certificate of Trust”);
(b)
The Declaration of Trust and Trust Agreement of the Trust, dated as of January 27, 2021, among Grayscale Investments, LLC, as sponsor, Digital Currency Group, Inc., solely with respect to Section 3 thereof), and CSC Delaware Trust Company (formerly known as Delaware Trust Company), as trustee (the “Trustee”);
(c)
The Third Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust and Trust Agreement, dated as of January 29, 2025 (the “Amended and Restated Trust Agreement”), among the Trustee, Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC, as sponsor (the “Sponsor”), and the shareholders from time to time thereunder;
(d)
A form of the Authorized Participant Agreement to be entered into by the Sponsor, acting in its capacity as Sponsor of the Trust, The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York Banking corporation acting in its capacity as transfer agent of the Trust, and each authorized participant (the “Authorized Participant Agreement”);

 

 


Grayscale Dogecoin Trust (DOGE)

November 3, 2025
Page
2

 

(e)
Amendment No. 3 to the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (the “Registration Statement”), including a preliminary prospectus (the “Prospectus”), filed by the Sponsor and the Trust with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on or about the date hereof relating to an unspecified number of shares to be issued by the Trust representing units of fractional undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Trust (each, a “Share” and collectively, the “Shares); and
(f)
A Certificate of Good Standing for the Trust, dated November 3, 2025, obtained from the Secretary of State.

With respect to all documents examined by us, we have assumed (i) the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as authentic originals, (ii) the conformity with the originals of all documents submitted to us as copies or forms, and (iii) the genuineness of all signatures. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined are used as defined in, or by reference in, the Amended and Restated Trust Agreement, except that references herein to any document shall mean such document as in effect on the date hereof.

Based upon and subject to the foregoing and subject to the assumptions, exceptions, qualifications and limitations set forth hereinbelow, it is our opinion that:

1.
The Trust is validly existing as a statutory trust under the Delaware Statutory Trust Act, 12 Del. C. § 3801 et seq. (the “Act”) and has the power and authority to issue and deliver the Shares.
2.
When the Shares to be issued by the Trust have been delivered and sold to and paid for by the subscribers thereof as contemplated in the Registration Statement, the Authorized Participant Agreement and the Amended and Restated Trust Agreement, such Shares will be validly issued and will be fully paid and nonassessable beneficial interests in the Trust.

The foregoing opinions are subject to the following assumptions, exceptions, qualifications and limitations:

A.
This opinion is limited to the laws of the State of Delaware (excluding the securities laws of the State of Delaware), and we have not considered and express no opinion on the laws of any other jurisdiction, including federal laws and rules and regulations relating thereto. Our opinions are rendered only with respect to Delaware laws and rules, regulations and orders thereunder which are currently in effect.
B.
We have assumed (i) that the Amended and Restated Trust Agreement constitutes the entire agreement among the parties thereto with respect to the subject matter thereof, including, without limitation, the creation, operation and termination of the Trust and that the Amended and Restated Trust Agreement and the Certificate of Trust are in full force and effect and have not been amended, (ii) the due creation, due formation or due organization, as the case may be, and valid existence in good standing of each party to the documents (other than the Trust) examined by us under the laws of the jurisdiction governing its creation, formation or organization,

 


Grayscale Dogecoin Trust (DOGE)

November 3, 2025
Page
3

 

(iii) the legal capacity of each natural person who is a signatory to the documents examined by us, (iv) that each of the parties to the documents (other than the Trust) examined by us has the power and authority to execute and deliver, and to perform its obligations under, such documents, (v) the due authorization, execution and delivery by all parties thereto of all documents (other than the Trust) examined by us, (vi) the due submission to the Sponsor or its delegate of a Creation Order by each Authorized Participant, (vii) the due acceptance by the Sponsor or its delegate of each Creation Order, (viii) the payment by each Shareholder to the Trust of the full consideration due from it for the Shares subscribed to by it, (ix) the Shares will be offered and sold as described in the Registration Statement, the Authorized Participant Agreement, and the Amended and Restated Trust Agreement, and (x) that any amendment or restatement of any document reviewed by us has been accomplished in accordance with, and was permitted by, the relevant provisions of said document prior to its amendment or restatement from time to time.
C.
We have not participated in the preparation of the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (except for providing this opinion) and assume no responsibility for its contents.
D.
We note that Section 6.7(f) of the Amended and Restated Trust Agreement provides that the Shareholders will indemnify the Trust in certain circumstances.

We consent to the filing of this opinion with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. We hereby consent to the use of our name under the heading “Legal Matters” in the Prospectus. In giving the foregoing consents, we do not thereby admit that we come within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Richards, Layton & Finger, P.A.

JWP/CZD

 


img182712555_0.jpg

 

 

 

Exhibit 8.1

 

Davis Polk & Wardwell llp

450 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10017

davispolk.com

 

 

November 3, 2025

Grayscale Dogecoin Trust (DOGE)
c/o Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC
290 Harbor Drive, 4th Floor
Stamford, Connecticut 06902

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as special tax counsel for Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the "Company"), in connection with the preparation and filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, a registration statement on Form S-1 (the "Registration Statement"), including the prospectus constituting Part I of the Registration Statement (the "Prospectus"). The Registration Statement relates to the proposed issuance by the Grayscale Dogecoin Trust (the "Trust"), a Delaware trust governed by the Third Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust and Trust Agreement dated January 29, 2025 between the Company, as Sponsor and CSC Delaware Trust Company, as Trustee (as amended from time to time, the “Trust Agreement”), of an unspecified amount of shares representing units of fractional undivided beneficial interest in and ownership of the Trust (the "Shares").

We have examined the Prospectus and originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of all such agreements, certificates and other statements of corporate officers and other representatives of the Company, and such other documents, as we have deemed necessary or appropriate in order to enable us to render this opinion. In such examination we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of natural persons, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity with the originals of all documents submitted to us as duplicates or certified or conformed copies, and the authenticity of the originals of such latter documents. We have, when relevant facts material to our opinion were not independently established by us, relied, to the extent we deemed such reliance proper, upon written or oral statements of officers and other representatives of the Company. We have assumed, with your permission, that all statements concerning the Trust set forth in the Prospectus and in the written and oral statements described above are true, correct and complete, and that each of the Company and the Trust has complied with, and will continue to comply with, the obligations, covenants, and agreements contained in the Trust Agreement without waiver or modification.

Based on and subject to the foregoing, we advise you that, subject to the limitations and qualifications, and based on the assumptions, described herein and therein, the statements of law and legal conclusions set forth in the discussion under the caption "Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences" in the Prospectus constitute our opinion as to the material United States federal income tax consequences of the ownership and disposition of Shares that generally may apply to a "U.S. Holder" or a “non-U.S. Holder” (in each case, as defined in the material under such caption), as applicable, under currently applicable law.

We express our opinion herein only as to those matters specifically set forth above, and no opinion should be inferred as to the tax consequences of the ownership and disposition of Shares under any state, local or foreign law, or with respect to other areas of U.S. federal taxation. We are members of the Bar of the State of New York, and we do not express any opinion herein concerning any law other than the federal law of the United States.

 


img182712555_1.jpg

 

 

 

draft

 

Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC

 

 

 

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, and to the references to our firm in the material under the caption "Legal Matters" in the said Prospectus. In giving this consent, we do not admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act.

Very truly yours,

 

/s/ Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP

 

November 3, 2025

2


Exhibit 10.1

Certain confidential information contained in this document, marked by [***], has been omitted

because the registrant has determined that the information (i) is not material and (ii) is the type

that the registrant treats as private or confidential.

 

COINBASE PRIME BROKER AGREEMENT

 

General Terms and Conditions

 

1.
Introduction

This agreement (including, the Coinbase Custody Custodial Services Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “Custody Agreement”), the Coinbase Settlement and Transfer Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit B (the “STA”), and all other exhibits, addenda and supplements attached hereto or referenced herein, collectively, the “Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement”), is entered into by and between each entity listed in Schedule A (each a “Client”), Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC (“Sponsor”) , and Coinbase, Inc. (“Coinbase”), on behalf of itself and as agent for Coinbase Custody Trust Company, LLC (“Coinbase Custody” or “Trust Company”), and, as applicable, Coinbase Credit, Inc. (“Coinbase Credit,” and collectively with Coinbase and Coinbase Custody, the “Coinbase Entities”). This Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement sets forth the terms and conditions pursuant to which the Coinbase Entities will open and maintain the prime broker account (the “Prime Broker Account”) for Client and provide services relating to custody and other services (collectively, the “Prime Broker Services”) for certain digital assets (“Digital Assets”) as set forth herein. Client and the Coinbase Entities (individually or collectively, as the context requires) may also be referred to as a “Party”. Capitalized terms not defined in these General Terms and Conditions (the “General Terms”) shall have the meanings assigned to them in the respective exhibit, addendum, or supplement. In the event of a conflict between these General Terms and any exhibit, addendum, or supplement hereto, then the document governing the specific relevant Prime Broker Service shall control in respect of such Prime Broker Service.

Except where stated otherwise, this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement shall constitute separate agreements, each between a single Client and the Coinbase Entities, as if such Client had executed a separate Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement naming only itself as the Client, and no Client shall have any liability for the obligations of any other Client.

Although executed as of the date hereof, this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement shall not become effective until the date on which shares of each Client begins trading on NYSE Arca as shares of an exchange-traded product.

2.
Conflicts of Interest Acknowledgement

Client acknowledges that the Coinbase Entities may have actual or potential conflicts of interest in connection with providing the Prime Broker Services including that Coinbase does not engage in front-running, but is, or may be, aware of pending movements of Digital Assets, and may execute a trade for its own inventory (or the account of an affiliate) while in possession of that knowledge. As a result of these and other conflicts, the Coinbase Entities may have an incentive to favor their own interests and the interests of their affiliates over a particular Client’s interests and have in place certain policies and procedures in place that are designed to mitigate such conflicts. Coinbase will maintain appropriate and effective arrangements to eliminate or manage conflicts of interest, including segregation of duties, information barriers and training. Coinbase will notify Client in accordance with the notice provisions hereof of changes to its business that have a material adverse effect on Coinbase's ability to manage its conflicts of interest.

3.
Account Statements

Client authorizes Coinbase to combine information regarding all Prime Broker Services activities into a single statement. Coinbase will provide Client with an electronic account statement every month, at a

Coinbase 2023

 


 

minimum. Each account statement will identify the amount of cash and each Digital Asset in Client’s Prime Broker Account at the end of the period and set forth all Prime Broker Account activity during that period. Client shall have on demand access to its account information on the Coinbase Prime Broker site subject to section 8.1 and availability of the Prime Broker site.

4.
Client Instructions

 

4.1
In a written notice to Coinbase, Client may designate persons and/or entities (including auditors or service providers) authorized to act on behalf of Client with respect to the Prime Broker Account (the “Authorized Representative”). Upon such designation, Coinbase may rely on the validity of such appointment until such time as Coinbase receives Instructions (as defined below) from Client revoking such appointment or designating a new Authorized Representative. Coinbase will disable the access of an Authorized Representative as soon as reasonably practicable upon request from Client and in no event greater than one day following the receipt of such request and the execution of any documents reasonably required by Client. Any removal of an Authorized Representative shall occur automatically, without any request for documentation, upon Client removing such person via the portal.

 

4.2
The Coinbase Entities may act upon instructions received from Client or Client’s Authorized Representative (“Instructions”). When taking action upon Instructions, the applicable Coinbase Entity shall act in a reasonable manner, and in conformance with the following: (a) Instructions shall continue in full force and effect until executed, canceled or superseded; (b) if any Coinbase Entity becomes aware of any Instructions that are illegible, unclear or ambiguous, the applicable Coinbase Entity shall promptly notify Client and may refuse to execute such Instructions until any ambiguity or conflict has been resolved to the Coinbase Entity’s satisfaction; (c) the Coinbase Entities may refuse to execute Instructions if in the applicable Coinbase Entity’s reasonable opinion such Instructions are outside the scope of its obligations under this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement or are contrary to any applicable laws, rules, or regulations, and the applicable Coinbase Entity shall promptly notify Client of such refusal; and (d) the Coinbase Entities may rely on any Instructions, notice or other communication believed by it in good faith and in a commercially reasonable manner to be genuine and to be signed or furnished by the proper party or parties thereto, to be given by Client or Client’s Authorized Representative. Client shall be fully responsible and liable for, and the Coinbase Entities shall have no liability with respect to, any and all Claims and Losses arising out of or relating to inaccurate or ambiguous Instructions except for errors as a result of Coinbase’s negligence, fraud or willful misconduct. Subject to the foregoing and except as otherwise provided for hereunder, Coinbase may not transfer Client Assets absent: (i) Instructions; (ii) a default or an event of default under an agreement with a Coinbase Entity; (iii) a Data Security Event (as defined below); or (iv) in accordance with any applicable laws, rules, regulations, court order or binding order of a government authority. The applicable Coinbase Entity is responsible for losses resulting from its errors in executing a transaction (e.g., if Client provides the correct destination address for executing a withdrawal transaction, but Coinbase Entity erroneously sends Client's Digital Assets to another destination address) subject to the standard of care agreed in Section 20.

 

4.3
Coinbase shall comply with the Client’s Instructions to stake, stack or vote the Client’s Digital Assets to the extent the applicable Coinbase Entity supports proof of stake validation, proof of transfer validation, or voting for such Digital Assets. The Coinbase Entities may, in their sole discretion, decide whether or not to support (or cease supporting) staking services or staking or voting for a Digital Asset. In the event that Coinbase ceases to support staking the Coinbase Entities will promptly notify Client provided that (i) such notice is being given to all clients on the prime platform, and (ii) that such notice may be in the same form and manner as Coinbase provides to its other clients on the prime platform.

 

Coinbase 2025 2

 


 

5.
Representations, Warranties, and Additional Covenants

Client represents, warrants, and covenants that:

5.1
Client has the full power, authority, and capacity to enter into this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement and to engage in transactions with respect to all Digital Assets relating to the Prime Broker Services;
5.2
Neither the Client, nor the Sponsor nor to the Client’s knowledge, any of the Client’s beneficial owners are the target of applicable economic, trade and financial sanctions laws, resolutions, executive orders, and regulations enabled by the United States (including those administered by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Controls), the United Kingdom, the European Union, the United Nations and other applicable jurisdictions (collectively, “Sanctions Laws”). Client has implemented policies, procedures and controls designed to comply with said Sanctions Laws.
5.3
To the best of Client’s knowledge, Client is and shall remain in full compliance with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations in each jurisdiction in which Client operates or otherwise uses the Prime Broker Services, including U.S. securities laws and regulations, as well as any applicable state and federal laws, including AML Laws, USA PATRIOT Act and Bank Secrecy Act requirements, and other anti-terrorism statutes, regulations, and conventions of the United States or other international jurisdictions to the extent relevant and material to its performance hereunder;
5.4
To the best of Client’s knowledge, Client is and shall remain in good standing with all relevant government agencies, departments, regulatory, and supervisory bodies in all relevant jurisdictions in which Client does business, and Client will promptly notify Coinbase if Client ceases to be in good standing with any regulatory authority;
5.5
Client shall promptly provide information as the Coinbase Entities may reasonably request from time to time regarding: (a) Client’s policies, procedures, and activities which relate to the Prime Broker Services; and (b) Client’s use of the Prime Broker Services, in each case to the extent reasonably necessary for the Coinbase Entities to comply with any applicable laws, rules, and regulations (including money laundering statutes, regulations and conventions of the United States or other jurisdictions), or the guidance or direction of, or request from, any regulatory authority or financial institution, in each case related to its performance hereunder, provided that such information may be redacted to remove Confidential Information not relevant to the requirements of this Prime Broker Agreement;
5.6
Client’s use of the Prime Broker Services shall be for commercial, business purposes only, limited to activities disclosed in the due diligence information submitted to Coinbase, and shall not include any personal, family or household purposes. Client shall promptly notify Coinbase in writing in the event it intends to use the Prime Broker Services in connection with any business activities not previously disclosed to Coinbase. Coinbase may, in its sole discretion acting in good faith, prohibit Client from using the Prime Broker Services in connection with any business activities not previously disclosed;
5.7
Client’s Authorized Representatives have the: (a) full power, authority and capacity to access and use the Prime Broker Services; and (b) appropriate sophistication, expertise, and knowledge necessary to understand the nature and risks, and make informed decisions, in respect of Digital Assets and the Prime Broker Services;
5.8
This Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement is Client’s legal, valid, and binding obligation, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms and the person executing or otherwise accepting this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement; and Client has full legal capacity and authorization to do so;

 

Coinbase 2025 3

 


 

5.9
In connection with this Coinbase Prime Brokerage Agreement, Client will not use, access or attempt to access or use any trading services provided by the Coinbase Entities including accessing or using any Market Data (as defined below);
5.10
Client will not deposit to a Prime Broker Account any Digital Asset that is not supported by the Prime Broker Services;
5.11
Subject to Section 8.3 and Section 11, Client will not make any public statement, including any press release, media release, or blog post which mentions or refers to a Coinbase Entity or a partnership between Client and a Coinbase Entity, without the prior written consent of the Coinbase Entity;
5.12
All information provided by Client to Coinbase in the course of negotiating this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement, and the onboarding of Client as Coinbase customer and user of the Prime Broker Services is complete, true, and accurate in all material respects, and no material information has been excluded;
5.13
Client is not a resident in nor organized under the laws of any country with which transactions or dealings are prohibited by governmental sanctions imposed by the U.S., the United Nations, the European Union, the United Kingdom, or any other applicable jurisdiction (collectively, “Sanctions Regimes”), nor is it owned or controlled by a person, entity or government prohibited under an applicable Sanctions Regime;
5.14
Sponsor has implemented an AML and sanctions program that is reasonably designed to comply with applicable AML, anti-terrorist, anti-bribery/corruption, and Sanctions Regime laws and regulations, including, but not limited to, the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by the USA PATRIOT Act (collectively, “AML and Sanctions Laws and Regulations”). Said program includes: (a) a customer due diligence program designed to identify and verify the identities of Client’s customers; (b) enhanced due diligence on high-risk customers, including but not limited to customers designated as politically exposed persons or residing in high-risk jurisdictions; (c) processes to conduct ongoing monitoring of customer transactional activity and report any activity deemed to be suspicious; (d) ongoing customer sanctions screening against applicable Sanctions Regimes lists; and (e) processes to maintain records related to the above controls as required by law;
5.15
To its knowledge, Client does not maintain any asset in an Account which is derived from any unlawful activity and it will not knowingly instruct or otherwise cause Coinbase to hold any assets or engage in any transaction that would cause Coinbase to violate applicable laws and regulations, including applicable AML and Sanctions Laws and Regulations; and
5.16
Although investors in Client may include plans subject to the Employment Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), or a federal, state, local or non-U.S. law that is similar to such laws (“Similar Law”), unless Client advises Coinbase to the contrary in writing, at all times, none of Client’s assets constitute, directly or indirectly, as determined under Department of Labor Regulation Section 2510.3-101, as modified by Section 3(42) of ERISA, “plan assets” subject to the fiduciary responsibility and prohibited transaction sections of ERISA or the prohibited transaction provisions of the Code, and no Similar Law applies to the operations of Client as a result of the investment in Client by plans subject to Similar Law and Client shall immediately provide Coinbase with a written notice in the event that Client becomes aware that Client is in breach of the foregoing. Moreover, securities issued by Client are registered under section 12(g) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and such securities otherwise meet the definition of “publicly offered securities” under Department of Labor Regulation Section 2510.3-101(b)(2) and therefore, de facto, the assets of Client do not constitute “plan assets” as defined in such regulation.

 

Coinbase 2025 4

 


 

Coinbase, on behalf of itself and each other Coinbase Entity, represents, warrants, and covenants that:

5.17
It has the full power, authority, and capacity to enter into and be bound by this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement;
5.18
It possesses and will maintain, all licenses, registrations, authorizations and approvals required by any applicable government agency, regulatory authority, or self-regulatory authority for it to operate its business and provide the Prime Broker Services;
5.19
Coinbase is and shall operate in compliance in all material respects with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations in each jurisdiction in which Coinbase operates, including U.S. securities laws and regulations, as well as any applicable state and federal laws, including AML Laws, USA Patriot Act and Bank Secrecy Act requirements, and other anti-terrorism statutes, regulations, and conventions of the United States or other international jurisdiction;
5.20
To the best of Coinbase’s knowledge, it is currently in good standing with all relevant government agencies, departments, regulatory, and supervisory bodies in all relevant jurisdictions in which it does business, including, as applicable, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board, the Securities Investor Protection Corporation, the National Futures Association, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the Securities and Exchange Commission, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the New York State Department of Financial Services to the extent relevant and material to its performance hereunder, and it will, to the extent permitted under applicable law and by such relevant government agency, department, regulatory and supervisory body, and in compliance with its policies and procedures addressing material non-public information, promptly notify Client if it ceases to be in good standing with any regulatory authority to the extent such cessation would materially impact either party's performance hereunder;
5.21
Coinbase possess, and will maintain, all consents, permits, licenses, registrations, authorizations, approvals and exemptions required by any governmental agency, regulatory authority or other party necessary for it to operate its business and engage in the business relating to its provision of the Prime Broker Services;
5.22
Coinbase shall promptly provide information as the Client may reasonably request in writing from time to time in connection with its provision of the Prime Broker Services, to the extent reasonably necessary for the Client to comply with any applicable laws, rules, and regulations (including money laundering statutes, regulations and conventions of the United States or other jurisdictions), or the guidance or direction of, or request from, any regulatory authority or financial institution, in each case related to its performance hereunder and to the extent that providing such information is not prohibited by applicable law or any internal policies and procedures in furtherance of applicable law or addressing material non-public information, and does not constitute material nonpublic information;
5.23
It has all rights necessary to provide Client with access to the Coinbase Prime Broker Site and Content, Coinbase Prime, Coinbase Prime API, Market Data and any other tech/data provided by Coinbase (the "Coinbase Tech") as contemplated herein; (b) the intended use by Client of the Coinbase Tech as described in and in accordance with this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement shall not infringe, violate or misappropriate the intellectual property rights of any third party;
5.24
This Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement is its legal, valid, and binding obligation, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms and the person executing or otherwise accepting this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement has full legal capacity and authorization to do so;

 

Coinbase 2025 5

 


 

5.25
Each Coinbase Entity has adopted, implemented, and shall maintain and follow a reasonable risk- based program (“Sanctions Program”) that is designed to comply with all applicable Sanctions Laws. That Sanctions Program includes reasonable steps designed to prevent Digital Assets, Orders or transactions from being directly derived from or knowingly associated with persons, entities or countries that are the target or subject of sanctions or any country embargoes, in violation of any Sanctions Laws;
5.26
Each Coinbase Entity, as applicable, has also adopted, implemented, and shall maintain and follow an anti-money laundering program (“AML Program”) that is designed to comply with all applicable AML Laws. As part of its AML Program, each Coinbase entity performs both initial and ongoing due diligence on each of its customers, as well as ongoing transaction monitoring that is designed to identify and report suspicious activity conducted through customer accounts, as required by law. The above AML controls are applied to all customer accounts, including those opened by: (a) authorized participants of the Client; or (b) agents/partners of such authorized participants (collectively as “Authorized Participant Accounts”) for the purpose of facilitating Specified Digital Asset (as defined below) deposits to, and withdrawals from, the Client's Custody or Settlement Account;

“Specified Digital Asset” means the digital assets listed on Schedule A (and any other assets that may be added pursuant to routine rebalancing (provided it is a Digital Asset supported by Coinbase)).

 

5.27
Any external fund movement into an Authorized Participants Account(s) at Coinbase will be subject to a sanctions screening check performed by Coinbase, prior to any transfer to the Client’s Settlement Account(s), designed to ensure that any Specified Digital Assets in-kind transactions did not, directly originate from persons, entities or countries that are the target or subject of sanctions or any country embargoes, or were not knowingly associated with such persons, entities or countries, in violation of any Sanctions Laws. Similarly, external transaction flows into and out of the Client’s Custody Account(s) will be subject to periodic sanctions screening for the same purposes;
5.28
In the event that, based on sanctions screening described above, a transfer is determined to have been conducted in violation of Sanctions Laws, Coinbase will: (a) block or reject such Specified Digital Asset, where required by applicable Sanctions Laws; and (b) agree to promptly inform the Client, so long as permitted by law;
5.29
Each Coinbase Entity also agrees to provide Client with: (i) a quarterly report on the sanctions screening results outlined in section 5.24 after the end of the calendar quarter; and (ii) to the extent permitted by law, such information as it may reasonably request, to enable Client to fulfill its obligations under Sanctions Laws and AML Laws, including an annual attestation regarding Coinbase's AML and Sanctions Law controls. Client is permitted to share this report with service providers of the Client and authorized participants;
5.30
Coinbase Entities will maintain control of the Client’s Specified Digital Asset in a manner consistent with industry leading standards; and
5.31
Subject to Section 8.3, Coinbase Entities will not make any public statement, including any press release, media release, or blog post which mentions or refers to the Client or a partnership between Coinbase Entities and the Client, without the prior written consent of the Client. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, Coinbase Entities may disclose the existence of this Prime Broker Agreement to its investors and prospective investors. Additionally, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Client permits the Coinbase Entities to reference the Client (including a description of the Client and/or business, as obtained from publicly available information on Client's website or filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission) as a Client hereunder

 

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along with the existence and terms of this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement, in its public disclosures contained in public filings, each as may be required under applicable law. In addition, Coinbase Entities may file the Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement as an exhibit in public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as may be required under applicable law, provided that such information may be redacted to remove pricing and other proprietary information in the Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement as permitted under applicable law.
6.
No Investment Advice or Brokerage
6.1
Client assumes responsibility for each transaction in or for its Prime Broker Account. Client understands and agrees that none of the Coinbase Entities are a SEC/FINRA registered broker-dealer or investment adviser to Client in any respect, and the Coinbase Entities have no liability, obligation, or responsibility whatsoever for Client decisions relating to the Prime Broker Services. Client should consult its own legal, tax, investment and accounting professionals.
6.2
While the Coinbase Entities may make certain general information available to Client, the Coinbase Entities are not providing and will not provide Client with any investment, legal, tax or accounting advice regarding Client’s specific situation. Client is solely responsible, and shall not rely on the Coinbase Entities, for determining whether any investment, investment strategy, or transaction involving Digital Assets is appropriate for Client based on Client’s investment objectives, financial circumstances, risk tolerance, and tax consequences. The Coinbase Entities shall have no liability, obligation, or responsibility whatsoever regarding any Client decision to enter into in any transaction with respect to any Digital Asset.
7.
Opt-In to Article 8 of the Uniform Commercial Code

Client Assets in the Settlement Balance and Vault Balance (as defined hereinafter) will be treated as “financial assets” under Article 8 of the New York Uniform Commercial Code (“Article 8”). Coinbase and Coinbase Custody are “securities intermediaries,” the Settlement Balance and Vault Balance are each “securities accounts,” and Client is an “entitlement holder” under Article 8. This Agreement sets forth how the Coinbase Entities will satisfy their Article 8 duties. Treating Client Assets in the Settlement Balance and Vault Balance as financial assets under Article 8 does not determine the characterization or treatment of the cash and Digital Assets under any other law or rule. New York will be the securities intermediary’s jurisdiction with respect to Coinbase and Coinbase Custody, and New York law will govern all issues addressed in Article 2(1) of the Hague Securities Convention. Coinbase and Coinbase Custody will credit the Client with any payments or distributions on any Client Assets it holds for Client’s Settlement Balance and Vault Balance. Coinbase and Coinbase Custody will comply with Client’s Instructions with respect to Client Assets in Client’s Settlement Balance or Vault Balance, subject to the terms of the STA or Custody Agreement, as applicable, and related Coinbase rules. Neither Coinbase nor Coinbase Custody may grant a security interest in the Digital Assets in either the Settlement Balance or Vault Balance, respectively. Digital Assets in Client's Custodial Account are custodial assets. Under Article 8, the Digital Assets in either the Settlement Balance or Vault Balance are not general assets of Coinbase or Coinbase Custody, respectively and are not available to satisfy claims of creditors of Coinbase or Coinbase Custody, respectively. Coinbase and Coinbase Custody will comply at all times with the duties of a securities intermediary under Article 8, including those set forth at sections 8-504(a), 8505(a), 8-506(a), 8-507 and 8-508, in accordance with the terms of this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement.

8.
General Use, Security and Prohibited Use
8.1
Prime Broker Site and Content. During the term of this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement, the Coinbase Entities hereby grant Client a limited, nonexclusive, non-transferable, non-sublicensable, revocable and royalty-free license, subject to the terms of this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement, to access and use the Coinbase Prime Broker Site accessible at prime.coinbase.com (“Coinbase Prime Broker Site”) and related content, materials, and information (collectively, the “Content”)

 

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solely for Client’s internal business use and other purposes as permitted by Coinbase in writing from time to time. Any other use of the Coinbase Prime Broker Site or Content is hereby prohibited. All other right, title, and interest (including all copyright, trademark, patent, trade secrets, and all other intellectual property rights) in the Coinbase Prime Broker Site, Content, and Prime Broker Services is and will remain the exclusive property of the Coinbase Entities and their licensors. Except as expressly permitted herein, Client shall not copy, transmit, distribute, sell, license, reverse engineer, modify, publish, or participate in the transfer or sale of, create derivative works from, or in any other way exploit any of the Prime Broker Services or Content, in whole or in part. “Coinbase,” “Coinbase Prime,” “prime.coinbase.com,” and all logos related to the Prime Broker Services or displayed on the Coinbase Prime Broker Site are either trademarks or registered marks of the Coinbase Entities or their licensors. Client may not copy, imitate or use them without Coinbase’s prior written consent. The license granted under this Section 8.1 will automatically terminate upon termination of this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement, or the suspension or termination of Client’s access to the Coinbase Prime Broker Site or Prime Broker Services.
8.2
Website Accuracy. Although Coinbase intends to provide accurate and timely information on the Coinbase Prime Broker Site, the Coinbase Prime Broker Site (including, without limitation, the Content) may not always be entirely accurate, complete, or current and may also include technical inaccuracies or typographical errors. In an effort to continue to provide Client with as complete and accurate information as possible, information may be changed or updated from time to time without notice, including without limitation information regarding Coinbase Entities policies, products and services. Accordingly, Client should verify all information before relying on it, and all decisions based on information contained on the Coinbase Prime Broker Site are Client’s sole responsibility and the Coinbase Entities shall have no liability for such decisions. Links to third-party materials (including without limitation websites) may be provided as a convenience but are not controlled by the Coinbase Entities. The Coinbase Entities is not responsible for any aspect of the information, content, or services contained in any third-party materials or on any third-party sites accessible from or linked to the Coinbase Prime Broker Site.
8.3
Limited License of Coinbase Brand. Notwithstanding Section 5 of this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement, Coinbase hereby grants to Client a nonexclusive, non-transferable, non-sublicensable, revocable, and royalty-free right, subject to the terms of this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement, to display, in accordance with Coinbase’s brand guidelines, Coinbase’s trademark and logo as set forth in the Coinbase Trademark Usage Guidelines, or otherwise refer to its name (the “Coinbase Brand”), for the sole and limited purpose of identifying Coinbase as a provider of Prime Broker Services to Client on Client’s website or to investors or the public, as required by its investment activities. Client may also use the Coinbase Brand in published form, including but not limited to investor or related marketing materials using only the content pre-approved by Coinbase (“Pre-Approved Marketing Content”). Client (1) shall not deviate from nor modify the Pre-Approved Marketing Content, and (2) shall not make any representations or warranties regarding the Prime Services provided by Coinbase (other than factually accurate statements that Coinbase is a provider of Prime Broker Services). Client acknowledges that it shall not acquire any right of ownership to any Coinbase copyrights, patents, trade secrets, trademarks, trade dresses, service marks, or other intellectual property rights, and further agrees that it will cease using any materials that bear the Coinbase Brand upon termination of this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement. All uses of the Coinbase Brand hereunder shall inure to the benefit of Coinbase and Client shall not do or cause to be done any act or thing that may in any way adversely affect any rights of Coinbase in and to the Coinbase Brand or otherwise challenge the validity of the Coinbase Brand or any application for registration thereof, or any trademark registration thereof, or any rights therein. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Coinbase shall retain the right to request that Client modify or terminate its use of the Coinbase Brand if Coinbase, in its sole and absolute discretion, disapproves of Client’s use of the Coinbase Brand.

 

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8.4
Unauthorized Users. Client shall not knowingly permit any person or entity that is not the Client or an Authorized Representative (each, an “Unauthorized User”) to access, connect to, and/or use Client’s Prime Broker Account. The Coinbase Entities shall have no liability, obligation, or responsibility whatsoever for, and Client shall be fully responsible and liable for, any and all Claims and Losses arising out of or relating to the acts and omissions of any Unauthorized User, except to the extent caused by any Coinbase Entity’s negligence, fraud or willful misconduct, in respect of the Prime Broker Services, Prime Broker Account, and/or the Prime Broker Site. Client shall notify Coinbase promptly if Client believes or becomes aware that an Unauthorized User has accessed, connected to, or used Client’s Prime Broker Account.
8.5
Password Security; Contact Information. Client is fully responsible for maintaining adequate security and control of any and all IDs, passwords, hints, personal identification numbers (PINs), API keys, YubiKeys, other security or confirmation information or hardware, and any other codes that Client uses to access the Prime Broker Account and Prime Broker Services. Client agrees to keep Client’s email address and telephone number up to date in Client’s Prime Broker Account in order to receive any notices or alerts that the Coinbase Entities may send to Client. Client shall be fully responsible for, and the Coinbase Entities shall have no liability, obligation, or responsibility whatsoever for, any Losses that Client may sustain due to compromise of Prime Broker Account login credentials. In the event Client believes Client’s Prime Broker Account information has been compromised, Client must promptly contact Coinbase.
8.6
Prohibited Use. Client shall not engage in any of the following activities with its use of the Prime Broker Services:
8.6.1.
Unlawful Activity. Activity that would violate, or assist in violation of, any law, statute, ordinance, or regulation, sanctions programs administered in the countries where Coinbase conducts business, including but not limited to the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), or which would involve proceeds of any unlawful activity; publish, distribute or disseminate any unlawful material or information;
8.6.2.
Abusive Activity. Client shall use reasonable efforts not to engage in actions that impose an unreasonable or disproportionately large load on Coinbase’s infrastructure, or detrimentally interfere with, intercept, or expropriate any system, data, or information; transmit or upload any material to Coinbase systems that contains viruses, trojan horses, worms, or any other harmful or deleterious programs; attempt to gain unauthorized access to Coinbase systems, other Coinbase accounts, computer systems or networks connected to Coinbase systems, Coinbase Site, through password mining or any other means; use Coinbase Account information of another party to access or use the Coinbase systems, except in the case of specific Clients and/or applications which are specifically authorized by a Client to access such Client’s Coinbase Account and information; or transfer Client’s account access or rights to Client’s account to a third party, unless by operation of law or with the express permission of Coinbase; and
8.6.3.
Fraud. Activity which operates to defraud Coinbase or any other person or entity.
8.7
Computer Viruses. The Coinbase Entities shall not have any liability, obligation, or responsibility whatsoever for any damage or interruptions caused by any computer viruses, spyware, scareware, Trojan horses, worms or other malware that may affect Client’s computer or other equipment, or any phishing, spoofing or other attack, unless such damage or interruption directly resulted from the Coinbase Entities’ negligence, fraud, or willful misconduct. Client agrees to access and use its Prime Broker Account through the Coinbase Prime Broker Site to review any Orders, deposits or

 

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withdrawals or required actions to confirm the authenticity of any communication or notice from the Coinbase Entities.
9.
Taxes
9.1
Taxes. Except as otherwise expressly stated herein, Client shall be fully responsible and liable for, and the Coinbase Entities shall have no liability, obligation, or responsibility whatsoever for, the payment of any and all present and future tariffs, duties or taxes (including withholding taxes, transfer taxes, stamp taxes, documentary taxes, value added taxes, personal property taxes and all similar costs) imposed or levied by any government or governmental agency (collectively, “Taxes”) and any related Claims and Losses or the accounting or reporting of income or other Taxes arising from or relating to any transactions Client conducts through the Prime Broker Services. Client shall file all tax returns, reports, and disclosures required by applicable law.
9.2
Withholding Tax. Except as required by applicable law, each payment under this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement or collateral deliverable by Client to any Coinbase Entities shall be made, and the value of any collateral or margin shall be calculated, without withholding or deducting of any Taxes. If any Taxes are required to be withheld or deducted, Client: (a) authorizes the Coinbase Entities to effect such withholding or deduction and remit such Taxes to the relevant taxing authorities; and (b) shall pay such additional amounts or deliver such further collateral as necessary to ensure that the actual net amount received by the Coinbase Entities is equal to the amount that the Coinbase Entities would have received had no such withholding or deduction been required. Client agrees that the Coinbase Entities may disclose any information with respect to Client Assets, the Prime Broker Account, Custodial Accounts, Settlement Accounts, and transactions required by any applicable taxing authority or other governmental entity. The Client agrees that the Coinbase Entities may withhold or deduct Taxes as may be required by applicable law. From time to time, Coinbase Entities shall ask Client for tax documentation or certification of Client’s taxpayer status as required by applicable law, and any failure by Client to comply with this request in the time frame identified may result in withholding and/or remission of taxes to a tax authority as required by applicable law.
10.
Prime Broker Services Fees
10.1
Sponsor agrees to pay all fees in connection with the Client’s Orders and Client’s use of the Prime Broker Services on a timely basis as set forth in the Fee Schedule, attached hereto as Appendix 1. If such fees remain unpaid for sixty (60) days following the payment date, Client authorizes Coinbase to deduct any such unpaid amounts from the Sponsor’s Prime Broker Accounts.
10.2
Client acknowledges that Coinbase Custody will charge fees for any balance of Digital Assets that Client keeps in the Vault Balance.
11.
Confidentiality
11.1
Client and Coinbase Entities each agree that with respect to any non-public, confidential or proprietary information of the other Party, including the existence and terms of this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement and information relating to the other Party’s business operations or business relationships (including without limitation information concerning any purchaser of any securities issued by the Client (each a “Beneficiary”) (including, without limitation, the identity of such Beneficiary, the fact that such Beneficiary is the beneficial owner of any Digital Assets, any information concerning its securities or cash positions, any banking or other relationships between Coinbase Entities and such Beneficiary or any information from which any such information could be derived by a third party) the Coinbase Entities’ fees), the contents of any document any information relating to, or transactions involving, Digital Assets, trade secrets or other confidential commercial information), and information with respect to profit margins, and profit and loss

 

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information), and any arbitration pursuant to Section 22 (collectively, “Confidential Information”), it: (a) will not disclose such Confidential Information except to such Party’s officers, directors, agents, employees and professional advisors who need to know the Confidential Information for the purpose of assisting in the performance of this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement and who are informed of, and agree to be bound by obligations of confidentiality no less restrictive than those set forth herein; and (b) will protect such Confidential Information from unauthorized use and disclosure. Each Party shall use any Confidential Information that it receives solely for purposes of: (i) exercising its rights and performing its duties under the Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement; and (ii) complying with any applicable laws, rules, or regulations; provided that, the Coinbase Entities may use Confidential Information for (1) risk management; and (2) to develop or enhance their products and services provided the Confidential Information is properly anonymized and in an aggregated form that does not identify Client and is stripped of any persistent identifiers (such as device identifiers, IP addresses, and cookie IDs) in relation to subsection (2). Confidential Information shall not include any (w) information that is or becomes generally publicly available through no fault of the recipient; (x) information that the recipient obtains from a third party (other than in connection with this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement) that, to the recipient’s best knowledge, is not bound by a confidentiality agreement prohibiting such disclosure; (y) information that is independently developed or acquired by the recipient without the use of Confidential Information provided by the disclosing party; or (z) disclosure with the prior written consent of the disclosing Party. The Parties acknowledge that the terms of this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement are Confidential Information.
11.2
Notwithstanding the foregoing, each Party may disclose Confidential Information of the other Party to the extent required by a court of competent jurisdiction or governmental authority or otherwise required by law rule or regulation or regulatory agency including but not limited to self-regulatory agencies; provided, however, the Party making such required disclosure shall first notify the other Party (to the extent legally permissible) and shall afford the other Party a reasonable opportunity to seek confidential treatment if it wishes to do so and will consider in good faith reasonable and timely requests for redaction. For purposes of this Section 11, no affiliate of Coinbase with the exception of Coinbase Asset Management, shall be considered a third party of any Coinbase Entity, and the Coinbase Entities may freely share Client’s Confidential Information among each other and with such affiliates. All documents and other tangible objects containing or representing Confidential Information and all copies or extracts thereof or notes derived therefrom that are in the possession or control of the receiving Party shall be and remain the property of the disclosing Party and shall be promptly returned to the disclosing Party or destroyed, each upon the disclosing Party’s request; provided, however, notwithstanding the foregoing, the receiving Party may retain Confidential Information if: (a) required by law or regulation; or (b) retained pursuant to an established document retention policy
11.3
Notwithstanding anything contained in this Section 11 or otherwise in this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement to the contrary, the Parties agree that the Client may: (i) file the Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement as an exhibit in public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as may be required under applicable law, provided that such information shall be redacted to remove pricing and other proprietary information in the Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement as permitted under applicable law; and (ii) disclose the existence of this Coinbase Prime Brokerage Agreement to its investors and potential investors.
12.
Market Data

Client agrees that its use of data made available to it through the application programming interface(s) of the Prime Platform (as defined in the STA), which may include the prices and quantities of orders and transactions executed on the Prime Platform (collectively “Market Data”), is subject to the Market Data

 

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Terms of Use, as amended and updated from time to time at https://www.coinbase.com/legal/market_data or a successor website.

13.
Recording of Conversations

For compliance and monitoring purposes, Client authorizes each Coinbase Entity at its sole discretion to record conversations between such Coinbase Entity and Client or its Authorized Representatives relating to this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement, the Prime Broker Account and the Prime Broker Services.

14.
Security and Business Continuity

The Coinbase Entities have implemented and will maintain a reasonable information security program (as summarized in the Security Addendum attached hereto) that includes policies and procedures that are reasonably designed to safeguard Coinbase Entities’ electronic systems and Client’s Confidential Information from, among other things, unauthorized access or misuse. In the event of a Data Security Event (defined below), the applicable Coinbase Entity shall promptly (subject to any legal or regulatory requirements) notify Client in writing at the email addresses listed in Section 33 and such notice shall include the following information: (i) the timing and nature of the Data Security Event, (ii) the information related to Client that was compromised, including the names of any individuals’ acting on Client’s behalf in his or her corporate capacity whose personal information was compromised, (iii) when the Data Security Event was discovered, and (iv) remedial actions that have been taken and that the applicable Coinbase Entity plans to take. “Data Security Event” is defined as any event whereby: (a) an unauthorized person (whether within Coinbase or a third party) acquired or accessed Client’s information; (b) Client’s information is otherwise lost, stolen or compromised.

 

The Trust Company will respond to any periodic request from Client regarding the identity of the Trust Company’s then employed Chief Information Security Officer, or other senior security officer of a similar title; such requests may be made by Client monthly.

 

For the year 2023, and for each year thereafter, no more than once per calendar year, Client shall be entitled to request that Coinbase provide a copy of its most recent Services Organization Controls (“SOC”) 1 report and SOC 2 report, (together, the “SOC Reports”), and promptly deliver to Client a copy thereof by December 31 of each year. The SOC 1 and SOC 2 reports shall not be dated more than one year prior to such request. Coinbase reserves the right to combine the SOC 1 and SOC 2 reports into a comprehensive report. In the event that Coinbase does not deliver a SOC 1 Report or SOC 2 Report, as applicable, Client shall be entitled to terminate this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement. Client may also request letters of representation regarding any known changes or conclusions to the SOC Reports on a quarterly basis between SOC reports (“SOC Bridge Letters”).

 

The Coinbase Entities have established a business continuity plan that will support their ability to conduct business in the event of a significant business disruption. The business continuity plan is reviewed and updated annually, and may be updated more frequently as deemed necessary by the Coinbase Entities in their sole discretion. To receive more information about the Coinbase Entities’ business continuity plan, please send a written request to [***].

 

15.
Acknowledgement of Risks

Client hereby acknowledges, that: (i) Digital Assets are not legal tender, are not backed by any government, and are not subject to protections afforded by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or Securities Investor Protection Corporation; (ii) Legislative and regulatory changes or actions at the state, federal, or international level may adversely affect the use, transfer, exchange, and/or value of Digital Assets; (iii) transactions in Digital Assets are irreversible, and, accordingly, Digital Assets lost due to fraudulent or accidental transactions may not be recoverable; (iv) certain Digital Assets transactions will be deemed to

 

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be made when recorded on a public blockchain ledger, which is not necessarily the date or time that Client initiates the transaction or such transaction enters the pool; (v) the value of Digital Assets may be derived from the continued willingness of market participants to exchange any government issued currency (“Fiat Currency”) for Digital Assets, which may result in the permanent and total loss of value of a Digital Asset should the market for that Digital Asset disappear; (vi) the volatility of the value of Digital Assets relative to Fiat Currency may result in significant losses; (vii) Digital Assets may be susceptible to an increased risk of fraud or cyber-attack; (viii) the nature of Digital Assets means that any technological difficulties experienced by a Coinbase Entity may prevent the access or use of Client Digital Assets; and (ix) any bond or trust account maintained by Coinbase Entities for the benefit of its customers may not be sufficient to cover all losses (including Losses) incurred by customers.

16.
Operation of Digital Asset Protocols
16.1
The Coinbase Entities do not own or control the underlying software protocols which govern the operation of Digital Assets. Generally, the underlying software protocols and, if applicable, related smart contracts (referred to collectively as “Protocols” for purposes of this Section 16) are open source and anyone can use, copy, modify or distribute them. By using the Prime Broker Services, Client acknowledges and agrees that: (i) the Coinbase Entities make no guarantee of the functionality, security, or availability of underlying Protocols; (ii) some underlying Protocols are subject to consensus-based proof of stake validation methods which may allow, by virtue of their governance systems, changes to the associated blockchain or digital ledger (“Governance Modifiable Blockchains”), and that any Client transactions validated on such Governance Modifiable Blockchains may be affected accordingly; and (iii) the underlying Protocols are subject to sudden changes in operating rules (a/k/a “forks”), and that such forks may materially affect the value, function, and/or even the name of the Digital Assets. In the event of a fork, Client agrees that the Coinbase Entities may temporarily suspend Prime Broker Services (with or without notice to Client) and that the Coinbase Entities may, in their sole discretion, determine whether or not to support (or cease supporting) either branch of the forked protocol entirely. Client agrees that the Coinbase Entities shall have no liability, obligation or responsibility whatsoever arising out of or relating to the operation of Protocols, transactions affected by Governance Modifiable Blockchains, or an unsupported branch of a forked protocol and, accordingly, Client acknowledges and assumes the risk of the same.
16.2
Client will abandon irrevocably for no direct or indirect consideration (each such abandonment, a “Prospective Abandonment”), effective immediately prior to any time at which Client creates shares or units (each such time, a “Creation Time”) or redeems shares or units (each such time, a “Redemption Time”), all Incidental Assets of Client, provided that a Prospective Abandonment immediately prior to any Creation Time or Redemption Time will not apply to any Incidental Asset if (i) Client has taken an Affirmative Action to acquire or abandon such Incidental Asset at any time prior to such Creation Time or Redemption Time or (ii) such Incidental Asset has been subject to a previous Prospective Abandonment. Coinbase acknowledges that, as a consequence of a Prospective Abandonment, Client will have no right to receive any Incidental Asset that is subject to such Prospective Abandonment, and Coinbase will have no authority, pursuant to this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement or otherwise, to exercise, obtain or hold, as the case may be, any such Incidental Asset on behalf of Client, nor may Coinbase ultimately take control of such Incidental Asset for its own economic benefit. Client represents that it will take no action at any time that is inconsistent with a Prospective Abandonment and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, that it will not accept any future delivery of any abandoned Incidental Asset, that it will not accept any payment from any person in respect of any abandoned Incidental Asset and that it will not represent to any person or in any context that it has any remaining rights with respect to any abandoned Incidental Asset.

 

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“Affirmative Action” is defined as the Sponsor’s written notification to Coinbase of Client’s intention (i) to acquire and/or retain an Incidental Asset or (ii) to abandon, with effect prior to the relevant Creation Time or Redemption Time, an Incidental Asset.

 

“Incidental Asset” is defined as any digital asset or other asset, and any right of Client to acquire any digital asset or other asset, that has arisen out of Client’s ownership of Digital Assets, whether through a fork, airdrop or similar occurrence, without any action on the part of Client or its trustee or the Sponsor on its behalf.

16.3
Unless specifically communicated by the Coinbase Entities through a written public statement on the Coinbase website, the Coinbase Entities do not support airdrops, metacoins, colored coins, side chains, or other derivative, enhanced or forked protocols, tokens or coins, which supplement or interact with a Digital Asset (collectively, “Advanced Protocols”) in connection with the Prime Broker Services. Client shall not use its Prime Broker Account to attempt to receive, request, send, store, or engage in any other type of transaction involving an Advanced Protocol. The Prime Broker Services are not configured to detect, process and/or secure Advanced Protocol transactions and neither Client nor the Coinbase Entities will be able to retrieve any unsupported Advanced Protocol. Coinbase shall have no liability, obligation, or responsibility whatsoever in respect to Advanced Protocols.
17.
Setoff

Upon the occurrence of a default or an event of default under an agreement with a Coinbase Entity (including an “Event of Default” as such term is defined in the Post Trade Financing Agreement, if applicable (in each case, at maturity, upon acceleration or otherwise) or the occurrence of an event that constitutes “Cause” (as defined below) (each, a “Setoff Event”), each Coinbase Entity may setoff and net the amounts due from it or any other Coinbase Entity to Client and from Client to it or any other Coinbase Entity, so that a single payment (the “Net Payment”) shall be immediately due and payable by the Sponsor on behalf of the Client or the Coinbase Entity to the other (subject to the other provisions hereof and of any agreement with a Coinbase Entity). If any amounts cannot be included within the Net Payment, such amounts shall be excluded but may still be netted against any other similarly excluded amounts. Upon the occurrence of a Setoff Event, each Coinbase Entity may also: (a) liquidate, apply and setoff any or all Sponsor Assets (as such term is defined in the STA) against any Net Payment, unpaid trade credits, or any other obligation owed by Client to any Coinbase Entity; and (b) setoff and net any Net Payment or any other obligation owed to the Client by any Coinbase Entity against: (i) any or all collateral or margin posted by any Coinbase Entity to Client (or the U.S. dollar value thereof, determined by Coinbase in its sole discretion on the basis of a recent price at which the relevant Digital Asset was sold to customers on the Prime Platform); and (ii) any Net Payment, unpaid trade credits or any other obligation owed by Client to any Coinbase Entity (in each case, whether matured or unmatured, fixed or contingent, or liquidated or unliquidated). Client agrees that in the exercise of setoff rights or secured party remedies, the Coinbase Entities may value Client Digital Assets using the same valuation methods and processes that are otherwise used when a Coinbase customer sells an asset on the Prime Platform or the applicable index or reference rate provided by Coindesk Indices, Inc. as determined by Coinbase in its sole discretion.

18.
Disclaimer of Warranties

EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH HEREIN TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE PRIME BROKER SERVICES AND THE COINBASE WEBSITE ARE PROVIDED ON AN “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE” BASIS WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, AND THE COINBASE ENTITIES HEREBY SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES NOT SPECIFICALLY SET FORTH HEREIN WITH RESPECT TO THE PRIME BROKER SERVICES, WHETHER EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES AND/OR CONDITIONS OF TITLE, MERCHANTABILITY, SATISFACTORY QUALITY, FITNESS

 

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FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND/OR NON-INFRINGEMENT. EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH HEREIN THE COINBASE ENTITIES DO NOT WARRANT THAT THE PRIME BROKER SERVICES, INCLUDING ACCESS TO AND USE OF THE COINBASE WEBSITES, OR ANY OF THE CONTENT CONTAINED THEREIN, WILL BE CONTINUOUS, UNINTERRUPTED, TIMELY, COMPATIBLE WITH ANY SOFTWARE, SYSTEM OR OTHER SERVICES, SECURE, COMPLETE, FREE OF HARMFUL CODE OR ERROR-FREE.

19.
Indemnification
19.1
Client shall defend and indemnify and hold harmless each Coinbase Entity, its affiliates, and their respective officers, directors, agents, employees and representatives from and against any and all Claims and Losses arising out of or relating to: (i) Client’s material breach of this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement; (ii) Client’s violation of any applicable law, rule or regulation, or rights of any third party related to the performance of Client’s obligations under this Prime Broker Agreement; or (iii) Client’s negligence, fraud or willful misconduct, except to the extent that such Claims or Losses relate to Coinbase’s negligence, fraud or willful misconduct. This obligation will survive any termination of this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement.
19.2
The Coinbase Entities shall defend and indemnify and hold harmless Client, its Affiliates, and their respective officers, directors, agents, employees and representatives from and against any and all third party Claims and Losses to the extent arising out of or relating to any: (i) violation of applicable law, rule, or regulation; (ii) negligence, fraud or willful misconduct with respect to the provision of the Prime Broker Services; (iii) the full amount of any Client Assets lost due to the insolvency of or security event at any third party Connected Trading Venue, or (iv) violation misappropriation, or infringement upon any third party intellectual and/or industrial property rights, including patent rights, copyrights, moral rights, trademarks, trade names, service marks, trade secrets, rights in inventions (including applications for, and registrations, extensions, renewals, and re-issuances of the foregoing), in each case as it relates to the Claims and Losses arising during the term of the Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement or as it relates to activity during such term except to the extent Claims or Losses arise out of or relate to Client’s negligence, fraud, willful misconduct or material breach of this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement. This obligation will survive any termination of this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement.
19.3
Each party’s indemnification obligation under Section 19 of this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement shall apply only if the indemnified party does the following: (a) notifies the indemnifying party promptly in writing, not later than thirty (30) days after the indemnified party receives notice of the Claim (or sooner if required by applicable law); (b) gives the indemnifying party sole control of the defense and any settlement negotiations (subject to the below); and (c) gives the indemnifying party the information, authority, and assistance such party needs to defend against or settle the Claim, provided that the Indemnified Party may settle the Claim (after giving prior written notice of the terms of settlement (to the extent legally possible) to the indemnifying party, but without obtaining the indemnifying party’s consent) if (a) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after a request by the indemnified party to the indemnifying party for consent to a proposed settlement or (b) such settlement or compromise or consent does not include a statement as to, or an admission of, fault, culpability, negligence or a failure to act by or on behalf of the indemnifying party or an agent thereof; and (iv) gives the indemnifying party reasonable access at reasonable times (on reasonable prior notice) to the information, authority, and assistance that it needs to defend against or settle the Claim.
19.4
No Party providing indemnification pursuant to this Section 19 shall accept any settlement of any Claims or Losses if such settlement imposes any financial or non-financial liabilities, obligations or restrictions on, or requires an admission of guilt or wrong doing from, any indemnified party pursuant to this Section 19, without such indemnified party’s prior written consent.

 

Coinbase 2025 15

 


 

19.5
For the purposes of this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement:

(a) “Claim” means any action, suit, litigation, demand, charge, arbitration, proceeding (including any civil, criminal, administrative, investigative, or appellate proceeding), hearing, inquiry, audit, examination or investigation commenced, brought, conducted or heard by or before, or otherwise involving, any court or other governmental, regulatory or administrative body or any arbitrator or arbitration panel; and

(b) “Losses” means any liabilities, damages, diminution in value, payments, obligations, losses, interest, costs and expenses, security or other remediation costs (including any regulatory investigation or third party subpoena costs, reasonable attorneys’ fees, court costs, expert witness fees, and other expenses relating to investigating or defending any Claim); fines, taxes, fees, restitution, or penalties imposed by any governmental, regulatory or administrative body, interest on and additions to tax with respect to, or resulting from, Taxes imposed on Client’s assets, cash, other property, or any income or gains derived therefrom; and judgments (at law or in equity) or awards of any nature.

20.
Limitation of Liability
20.1
Waiver of Consequential Damages

IN NO EVENT SHALL EITHER PARTY, ITS AFFILIATES AND SERVICE PROVIDERS, OR ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, AGENTS, JOINT VENTURERS, EMPLOYEES OR REPRESENTATIVES, BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOST PROFITS OR ANY SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, INDIRECT, INTANGIBLE, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, WHETHER BASED IN CONTRACT, TORT, NEGLIGENCE, STRICT LIABILITY, OR OTHERWISE, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH AUTHORIZED OR UNAUTHORIZED USE OF THE TRUST COMPANY SITE OR THE TRUST COMPANY CUSTODIAL SERVICES, OR THIS AGREEMENT, EVEN IF AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF TRUST COMPANY HAS BEEN ADVISED OF OR KNEW OR SHOULD HAVE KNOWN OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

20.2
Standard of Care

IN NO EVENT SHALL ANY COINBASE ENTITY, ITS AFFILIATES, OR THEIR RESPECTIVE OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, AGENTS, EMPLOYEES AND REPRESENTATIVES HAVE ANY LIABILITY TO CLIENT OR ANY THIRD PARTY WITH RESPECT TO ANY BREACH OF ITS OBLIGATIONS HEREUNDER, EXPRESS, OR IMPLIED, WHICH DOES NOT RESULT FROM ITS NEGLIGENCE, FRAUD OR WILLFUL MISCONDUCT.

20.3
No Joint and Several Liability

NOTHING IN THIS COINBASE PRIME BROKER AGREEMENT SHALL BE DEEMED TO CREATE ANY JOINT OR SEVERAL LIABILITY AMONG ANY OF THE COINBASE ENTITIES.

20.4
Replacement of Lost Digital Assets

NOTWITHSTANDING ANYTHING HEREIN TO THE CONTRARY, THE COINBASE ENTITIES SHALL BE LIABLE TO CLIENT FOR THE LOSS OF ANY DIGITAL ASSETS ON DEPOSIT WITH THE COINBASE ENTITIES’ CUSTODIAL ACCOUNT(S) OR SETTLEMENT BALANCE(S) TO THE EXTENT THAT SUCH LOSS AROSE FROM THE COINBASE ENTITIES’ NEGLIGENCE, FRAUD, OR WILLFUL MISCONDUCT, AND THE COINBASE ENTITIES SHALL BE REQUIRED TO RETURN TO CLIENT A QUANTITY OF DIGITAL ASSETS EQUAL TO THE QUANTITY OF ANY SUCH LOST DIGITAL ASSETS.

 

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20.5
Liability Caps

EXCEPT FOR THE: (I) EXCLUDED LIABILITIES; (II) FRAUD; OR (III) WILLFUL MISCONDUCT SOLELY IN RESPECT OF CUSTODIAL SERVICES PROVIDED PURSUANT TO THE CUSTODY AGREEMENT, THE LIABILITY OF COINBASE CUSTODY SHALL NOT EXCEED THE GREATER OF: (I) THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT OF FEES PAID BY CLIENT TO COINBASE CUSTODY IN RESPECT OF THE CUSTODIAL SERVICES IN THE 12-MONTH PERIOD PRIOR TO THE EVENT GIVING RISE TO SUCH LIABILITY; OR (II) THE VALUE OF THE SUPPORTED DIGITAL ASSETS ON DEPOSIT IN CLIENT’S CUSTODIAL ACCOUNT(S) INVOLVED IN THE EVENT GIVING RISE TO SUCH LIABILITY AT THE TIME OF SUCH EVENT (THE VALUE OF WHICH SHALL BE CALCULATED AT THE AVERAGE UNITED STATES DOLLAR ASK PRICE, AT THE TIME OF SUCH EVENT, OF THE THREE (3) LARGEST U.S.-BASED EXCHANGES (BY TRAILING 30-DAY VOLUME) WHICH OFFER THE RELEVANT DIGITAL CURRENCY OR DIGITAL ASSET/USD TRADING PAIR, AS RELEVANT); PROVIDED, THAT IN NO EVENT SHALL COINBASE CUSTODY’S AGGREGATE LIABILITY IN RESPECT OF EACH COLD STORAGE ADDRESS EXCEED ONE HUNDRED MILLION US DOLLARS ($100,000,000.00 USD).

EXCEPT FOR THE: (I) EXCLUDED LIABILITIES; (II) FRAUD; OR (III) WILLFUL MISCONDUCT, IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AGGREGATE LIABILITY OF EITHER THE COINBASE ENTITIES OR CLIENT WITH RESPECT TO ANY BREACH OF ITS OBLIGATIONS HEREUNDER EXCEED THE GREATER OF: (A) THE VALUE OF THE CASH OR SUPPORTED DIGITAL ASSETS INVOLVED IN THE EVENT GIVING RISE TO SUCH LIABILITY AT THE TIME OF SUCH EVENT; (B) THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT OF FEES PAID BY CLIENT TO COINBASE IN RESPECT OF THE PRIME BROKER SERVICES IN THE 12-MONTH PERIOD PRIOR TO SUCH EVENT; OR (C) FIVE MILLION DOLLARS ($5,000,000.00).

 

THE “EXCLUDED LIABILITIES” MEANS (X) WITH RESPECT TO CLIENT, (1) CLIENT’S DEFENSE AND INDEMNITY OBLIGATIONS UNDER THIS AGREEMENT, INCLUDING PURSUANT TO SECTION 19.1; (2) ANY OUTSTANDING COMMISSIONS OR FEES OWED BY CLIENT UNDER THIS AGREEMENT; (3) CLIENT'S BREACH OF SECTION 8.1 (PRIME BROKER SITE & CONTENT); AND (4) CLIENT'S BREACH OF SECTION 5 (REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES); AND (Y) WITH RESPECT TO THE COINBASE ENTITIES, ANY COINBASE ENTITIES' DEFENSE AND INDEMNITY OBLIGATIONS UNDER THIS AGREEMENT, INCLUDING PURSUANT TO SECTION 19.2.

 

WITH RESPECT TO THE EXCLUDED LIABILITIES, COINBASE'S LIABILITY TO CLIENT FOR ANY LOSSES ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH COINBASE'S DEFENSE AND INDEMNITY OBLIGATIONS UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL BE LIMITED, IN THE AGGREGATE, TO AN AMOUNT EQUAL TO FIVE MILLION U.S. DOLLARS ($5,000,000.00 USD).

21.
Privacy

The Coinbase Entities shall use and disclose Client’s and its Authorized Representatives’ non-public personal information in accordance with the Coinbase Privacy Policy, as set forth at https://www.coinbase.com/legal/privacy or a successor website, and as amended and updated from time to time.

 

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22.
Dispute Resolution and Arbitration

22.1 The parties shall attempt in good faith to resolve any dispute arising out of or relating to this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement promptly by negotiation. Any party may give the other party written notice of any dispute not resolved in the normal course of business. Within 15 days after delivery of the notice, the receiving party shall submit to the other a written response. Within 30 days after delivery of the notice, the executives of both parties shall meet at a mutually acceptable time and place. Unless otherwise agreed in writing by the negotiating parties, the negotiation shall end at the close of the first meeting of executives described above (“First Meeting”). All offers, promises, conduct and statements, whether oral or written, made in the course of the negotiation by any of the parties, their agents, employees, experts and attorneys are confidential, privileged and inadmissible for any purpose, including impeachment, in any proceeding involving the parties, provided that evidence that is otherwise admissible or discoverable shall not be rendered inadmissible or non-discoverable as a result of its use in the negotiation.
 

22.2
At no time prior to the First Meeting shall either side initiate arbitration related to this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement except to pursue a provisional remedy that is authorized by law or by agreement of the parties. However, this limitation is inapplicable to a party if the other party refuses to comply with the requirements of Section 22.1 above.

 

22.3
All applicable statutes of limitation and defenses based upon the passage of time shall be tolled while the procedures specified in Sections 22.1 and 22.2 above are pending and for 15 calendar days thereafter. The parties will take such action, if any, required to effectuate such tolling. The Party raising the issue will promptly notify the other in writing. Coinbase and Client will then meet in good faith to resolve the issue and, if they are unable to resolve the issue, will escalate the issue to their respective senior managers for resolution. Unless prohibited by applicable law or regulation, Coinbase shall not be relieved of its obligation to continue to perform under the Agreement while a dispute is ongoing.
22.4
If the matter is not resolved by negotiation pursuant to sections 22.1 through 22.3 above, any Claim arising out of or relating to this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement, or the breach, termination, enforcement, interpretation or validity thereof, including any determination of the scope or applicability of the agreement to arbitrate as set forth in this Section 22, shall be determined by arbitration in the state of New York or another mutually agreeable location, before one neutral arbitrator. The arbitration shall be in accordance with the American Arbitration Association’s rules for arbitration of commercial related disputes (accessible at http://www.adr.org/sites/default/files/CommercialRules_Web-Final.pdf), and the award of the arbitrator (the “Award”) shall be accompanied by a reasoned opinion. Judgment on the Award may be entered in any court having jurisdiction. This Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement shall not preclude the Parties from seeking provisional relief, including injunctive relief, in any court of competent jurisdiction. Seeking any such provisional relief shall not be deemed to be a waiver of such party’s right to compel arbitration. The Parties expressly waive their right to a jury trial to the extent permitted by applicable law.
22.5
In any arbitration arising out of or related to this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement, the arbitrator shall award to the prevailing party, if any, as determined by the arbitrator, all of its costs and fees. “Costs and fees” mean all reasonable pre-award expenses of the arbitration, including the arbitrator’s fees, administrative fees, travel expenses, out-of-pocket expenses such as copying and telephone, court costs, witness fees, and attorneys’ fees.
22.6
The Parties acknowledge that this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement evidences a transaction involving interstate commerce. Notwithstanding the provision herein with respect to

 

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applicable substantive law, any arbitration conducted pursuant to the terms of this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement shall be governed by the Federal Arbitration Act (9 U.S.C. §§ 1-16).
23
Term, Termination and Suspension

This Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement is effective as of the date written below and shall remain in effect until terminated by Coinbase or Client as follows:

(a) Coinbase may terminate this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement in its entirety for any reason and without Cause by providing at least one-hundred eighty (180) days’ prior written notice to Client and Client may terminate this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement in whole or in part for any reason by providing thirty (30) days prior written notice to the applicable Coinbase Entity, provided however, in each case, the Coinbase Entities shall not restrict, suspend, or modify the Prime Broker Services following any termination without Cause or an termination by the Client until the end of any such notice period and neither party’s termination of this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement shall be effective until Client and the Coinbase Entities have fully satisfied their obligations hereunder.

(b) Regardless of any other provision of this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement, the Coinbase Entities may, in their sole discretion, suspend, restrict or terminate the Client’s Prime Broker Services, including by suspending, restricting or closing the Client’s Prime Broker Account and/or any associated Settlement Account, Custodial Account or any credit account (as applicable), for Cause, at any time and without prior notice to the Client. Regardless of any other provision of this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement, Client may, in its sole discretion, terminate this Agreement, for Coinbase Cause, at any time and with prior notice to Coinbase.

“Cause” shall mean: (i) Client breaches any material provision of this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement; (ii) Client takes any action to dissolve or liquidate, in whole or part; (iii) Client becomes insolvent, makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors, becomes subject to direct control of a trustee, receiver or similar authority; (iv) Client becomes subject to any bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding under any applicable laws, rules and regulations, such termination being effective immediately upon any declaration of bankruptcy; (v) Coinbase becomes aware of any facts or circumstances with respect to the Client’s financial, legal, regulatory or reputational position which may affect Client’s ability to comply with its obligations under this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement; (vi) termination is required pursuant to a facially valid subpoena, court order or binding order of a government authority; (vii) Client’s Prime Broker Account is subject to any pending litigation, investigation or government proceeding and/or Coinbase reasonably perceives a heightened risk of legal regulatory non-compliance associated with Client’s use of Prime Broker Services; or (viii) Coinbase reasonably suspects Client of attempting to circumvent Coinbase’s controls or uses the Prime Broker Services in a manner Coinbase otherwise deems inappropriate or potentially harmful to itself or third parties.

“Coinbase Cause” shall mean: (i) any of the Coinbase Entities breaches any material provision of this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement and such breach is not cured within three (3) business days; (ii) any of the Coinbase Entities takes any action to dissolve or liquidate, in whole or part; (iii) any of the Coinbase Entities becomes insolvent, makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors, becomes subject to direct control of a trustee, receiver or similar authority; (iv) any of the Coinbase Entities becomes subject to any bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding under any applicable laws, rules and regulations, such termination being effective immediately upon any declaration of bankruptcy and in the case of any involuntary proceeding, such proceeding is not dismissed or restrained within 30 days of its initiation; or (v) any applicable law, rule or regulation or any change therein or in the interpretation or administration thereof has or may have a material adverse effect on Client or the rights of Client or any Beneficiary with respect to any services covered by this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement.

 

Coinbase 2025 19

 


 

Additionally, in the event that Client forms the view, acting reasonably and based on material and objective facts and circumstances, that an event or cumulative effect of a series of events has occurred at Coinbase or a Coinbase Entity, that Client reasonably believes represents substantial risk to Client (whether reputationally or otherwise), Client’s senior executives shall escalate the matter to Coinbase’s senior executives and the Parties will promptly meet to discuss a resolution to the matter in good faith. Following such discussion, Coinbase shall have thirty (30) days to cure such event to the reasonable resolution of Client, provided such cure is possible. If Coinbase is unable to cure within this time period, or if Client reasonably holds the position that no practical solution exists to prevent material injury to its business (reputationally or otherwise) in light of such an adverse event, Client may provide written notice to Coinbase to remove the Majority Obligation requirements herein, upon written notice by Client to Coinbase, with the termination of the Majority Obligation becoming effective on the date provided in such notice. For the avoidance of doubt, changes that generally impact the digital assets markets at large shall not apply to the foregoing, except to the extent directly related to Coinbase.

 

(c) Client acknowledges that the Coinbase Entities’ decision to take certain actions, including suspending, restricting or terminating Client’s Prime Broker Account or Prime Broker Services, may be based on confidential criteria that are essential to Coinbase’s risk management and security practices and agrees that the Coinbase Entities are under no obligation to disclose the details of its risk management and security practices to Client.

(d) Upon receipt of written notice from Client of any event that constitutes Coinbase Cause, if Coinbase fails to exercise any of its rights and remedies above for a period of 20 days following the receipt of such notice requesting a waiver, then Coinbase shall have waived its right to terminate the Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement or exercise any other rights or remedies by reason of such event and such event shall be deemed to have been cured regardless of whether it continues after such waiver; provided however that this provision: (i) does not limit Coinbase's right to take any actions with respect to an event that constitutes Cause as the result of the separate occurrence of such event or the occurrence of any other such event; and (ii) shall not apply to subsections (ii)–(iv) of Coinbase Cause.

(e) Upon receipt of written notice from Coinbase any Coinbase Cause, if Client fails to exercise any of its rights and remedies above for a period of 20 days following the receipt of such notice requesting a waiver, then Client shall have waived its right to terminate the Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement or exercise any other rights or remedies by reason of such event and such event shall be deemed to have been cured regardless of whether it continues after such waiver; provided however that this provision: (i) does not limit Client's right to take any actions with respect to an event that constitutes a Coinbase Termination Event as the result of the separate occurrence of such event or the occurrence of any other such event; and (ii) shall not apply to subsections (ii) – (iv) of Coinbase Cause.

(f) In the event that either Party terminates this Prime Broker Services Agreement pursuant to Section 23(a) herein, Coinbase shall use reasonable efforts to assist Client to transfer any Digital Assets, Fiat Currency or funds associated with the Digital Assets Wallet(s) or Fiat Currency (as applicable) to another provider within ninety (90) days of receipt of the Client’s termination notice.

24
Severability

If any provision or condition of this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement shall be held invalid or unenforceable, under any rule, law, or regulation or any governmental agency (local, state, or federal), such provision will be changed and interpreted to accomplish the objectives of the provision to the greatest extent possible under any applicable law and the validity or enforceability of any other provision of this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement shall not be affected and shall continue in full force and effect.

 

Coinbase 2025 20

 


 

25
Waiver

Any waivers of rights by a Party under this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement must be in writing and signed by such Party. A waiver will apply only to the particular circumstance giving rise to the waiver and will not be considered a continuing waiver in other similar circumstances. A Party’s failure to insist on strict compliance with this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement or any other course of conduct by the other Party shall not be considered a waiver of their rights under this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement. Any waiver of rights that cannot be waived under applicable laws in the jurisdiction where the Client is located will not be recognized and be null and void.

26
Survival

All provisions of this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement which by their nature extend beyond the expiration or termination of this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement including, without limitation, sections pertaining to suspension or termination, Custodial Account cancellation, debts (including the Sponsor’s obligations under Sections 10 and 17) owed to the Coinbase Entities, general use of the Coinbase Prime Broker Site, disputes with Coinbase, and general provisions shall survive the termination or expiration of this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement.

27
Governing Law

This Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement, Client’s Prime Broker Account, and the Prime Broker Services will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, excluding its conflicts of laws principles, except to the extent such state law is preempted by federal law.

28
Force Majeure

The Coinbase Entities shall not be liable for delays, suspension of operations, whether temporary or permanent, failure in performance, or interruption of service which result directly or indirectly from any cause or condition beyond the reasonable control of the Coinbase Entities (a “Force Majeure Event”), including, but not limited to, any act of God; embargo; natural disaster; act of civil or military authorities; act of terrorists; government restrictions; any ruling by any Connected Trading Venue, exchange or market; market volatility or disruptions in order trading on any Connected Trading Venue, exchange or market; suspension of trading; civil disturbance; war; strike or other labor dispute; fire; severe weather; interruption in telecommunications, Internet services, or network provider services; network delays and congestion, a cybersecurity attack, hack or other intrusion by a third party of network provider or other third party, failure of equipment and/or software; failure of computer or other electronic or mechanical equipment or communication lines; outbreaks of infectious disease or any other public health crises, including quarantine or other employee restrictions; acts or omissions of any Connected Trading Venue; or any other catastrophe or other occurrence which is beyond the reasonable control of the Coinbase Entities and shall not affect the validity and enforceability of any remaining provisions. For the avoidance of doubt, a cybersecurity attack, hack or other intrusion by a third party or by someone associated with Coinbase against the Coinbase Entities is not a Force Majeure Event, to the extent due to Coinbase’s failure to comply with its obligations under this Agreement.

29
Entire Agreement; Headings

This Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement, together with all exhibits, addenda and supplements attached hereto or referenced herein, comprise the entire understanding between Client and the Coinbase Entities as to the Prime Broker Services and supersedes all prior discussions, agreements and understandings, including any previous version of this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement, and the Custodial Services Agreement between Client and any Coinbase Entity, including all exhibits, addenda, policies, and supplements attached thereto or referenced therein. Section headings in this Coinbase Prime Broker

 

Coinbase 2025 21

 


 

Agreement are for convenience only and shall not govern the meaning or interpretation of any provision of this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement.

30
Amendments

Any modification or addition to this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement must be in writing and either (a) signed by a duly authorized representative of each party, or (b) accepted and agreed to by Client. Client agrees that the Coinbase Entities shall not be liable to Client or any third party for any modification or termination of the Prime Broker Services, or suspension or termination of Client’s access to the Prime Broker Services, except to the extent otherwise expressly set forth herein.

31
Assignment

Any assignment of Client’s rights and/or licenses granted under this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement without obtaining the prior written consent, such consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, of Coinbase shall be null and void. Coinbase reserves the right to assign its rights under this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement without restriction, including to any of the Coinbase Entities or their affiliates or subsidiaries, or to any successor in interest of any business associated with the Prime Broker Services, provided that Coinbase shall notify Client within a reasonable amount of time after such assignment. Any attempted transfer or assignment in violation hereof shall be void ab initio. Subject to the foregoing, this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement will bind and inure to the benefit of the Parties, their successors and permitted assigns.

32
Electronic Delivery of Communications

Client agrees and consents to receive electronically all communications, agreements, documents, notices and disclosures (collectively, “Communications”) that the Coinbase Entities provide in connection with Client’s Prime Broker Account and Client’s use of Prime Broker Services. Communications include: (a) terms of use and policies Client agrees to, including updates to policies or the Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement, (b) Prime Broker Account details, including transaction receipts, confirmations, records of deposits, withdrawals or transaction information, (c) legal, regulatory and tax disclosures or statements the Coinbase Entities may be required to make available to Client and (d) responses to claims or customer support inquiries filed in connection with Client’s Prime Broker Account.

Coinbase will provide these Communications to Client by posting them on the Prime Broker Site, emailing them to Client at the primary email address on file with Coinbase, communicating to Client via instant chat, and/or through other means of electronic communication. The Client agrees that electronically delivered Communications may be accepted and agreed to by Client through the Prime Broker Services interface. Furthermore, the Parties consent to the use of electronic signatures in connection with Client’s use of the Prime Broker Services.

33
Notice and Contacts
33.2
All notices, requests and other communications to any party hereunder not covered by the Communications described Section 32 shall be in writing (including electronic mail (“email”) transmission, so long as a receipt of such e-mail is requested and received) and shall be given,

 

If to Coinbase, to:

Legal Department

Coinbase Inc

248 3rd St, #434

Oakland, CA 94607

[***]

 

Coinbase 2025 22

 


 

E-mail: [***]

 

If to Client, to

Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC

290 Harbor Drive, 4th Floor

Stamford, CT 06902

Attention: Diana Zhang

E-mail: [***]

WITH A MANDATORY COPY OF ALL LEGAL NOTICES TO:

E-mail: [***]

 

If to Sponsor, to:

Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC

290 Harbor Drive, 4th Floor

Stamford, CT 06902

Attention: CEO of Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC

E-mail: [***]

 

or such other address as such party may hereafter specify for the purpose by notice to the other parties hereto. Each of the foregoing addresses shall be effective unless and until notice of a new address is given by the applicable party to the other parties in writing. Notice will not be deemed to be given unless it has been received.

 

33.3
In the event of any market operations, connectivity, or erroneous trade issues that require immediate attention including any unauthorized access to Client’s Prime Broker Account, please contact:

To Coinbase: [***].

To Client: the email address specified in its signature block on the Execution Page.

It is solely Client’s responsibility to provide Coinbase with a true, accurate and complete contact information including any e-mail address, and to keep such information up to date. Client understands and agrees that if Coinbase sends Client an electronic Communication, but Client does not receive it because Client’s primary email address on file is incorrect, out of date, blocked by Client’s service provider, or Client is otherwise unable to receive electronic Communications, Coinbase will be deemed to have provided the Communication to Client. Client may update Client’s information via Client’s Prime Broker Account and visiting settings or by providing a notice to Coinbase as prescribed above.

33.4
To see more information about our regulators, licenses, and contact information for feedback, questions, or complaints, please visit https://www.coinbase.com/legal/licenses.
34
[RESERVED]
35
Counterparts

This Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, including by email of .pdf signatures or DocuSign (or similar electronic signature software), each of which shall be deemed to be an original document, but all such separate counterparts shall constitute only one and the same Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement.

 

Coinbase 2025 23

 


 

36. Inspection and Auditing.

(i) Inspection and Auditing of Coinbase. To the extent Coinbase may legally do so, it shall permit Client or Client’s third party representatives under obligations to secure Coinbase’s information no less restrictive than this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement upon thirty (30) days’ advance written notice, to inspect, take extracts from and audit the records maintained in relation to the Client, and take such steps as necessary to verify that satisfactory internal control systems and procedures are in place, as Client may reasonably request.

 

Client shall reimburse Coinbase (A) for all reasonable expenses incurred in connection with this Section 36, and (B) for reasonable time spent by Coinbase’s employees or consultant in connection with this Section 36 at reasonable hourly rates to be agreed upon by Client and Coinbase. Any such audit will be conducted during normal business hours and in a manner designed to cause minimal disruption to Coinbase’s ordinary business activities. The scope of any such audit will be jointly agreed to by Client and Coinbase in advance of any audit, provided that neither party shall be unreasonable with respect to the scope of such audit, and shall not include items other than those relevant to the Prime Services Coinbase provides to Client. Nothing in this section shall be interpreted to require Coinbase to disclose trade secrets, information related to other clients, provide access to secure facilities or services (such as “Vault” locations), or otherwise impair the security or availability of services Coinbase offers to other clients, provided that Coinbase will use reasonable efforts to provide Client with such information or substantially equivalent information in a manner that does not violate the foregoing.

(ii) Trust Company Audit Reports. Coinbase shall, as soon as reasonably practicable after receipt of any audit report prepared by its internal or independent auditors pursuant to Coinbase’s annual audit or otherwise, provide Client notification if such audit report reveals any material deficiencies or makes any material objections, furnish to Client a report stating the nature of such deficiencies or such objections, and describing the steps taken or to be taken to remedy the same. Such audit report will be deemed Confidential Information of Coinbase.

 

37. Non-Solicitation

 

During the term of this Agreement, Coinbase shall not, directly or indirectly, solicit for employment any employee of the Sponsor (or any of its affiliates) (“Grayscale”), without the prior written consent of Grayscale. For purposes of this Section, “solicit for employment” shall not include (a) general solicitations of employment not specifically directed at employees of Grayscale, such as advertisements in newspapers, trade publications, or on websites; or (b) situations where an employee of Grayscale independently applies for employment with Coinbase without any direct or indirect solicitation by Coinbase.

 

 

[Signatures on following page]

 

Coinbase 2025 24

 


 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have caused this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement, including the Coinbase Custodial Services Agreement, and Coinbase Settlement and Transfer Agreement, to be duly executed and delivered as of the date below.

 

COINBASE, INC. For itself and as agent for the Coinbase Entities

By: /s/ Lauren Abendschein

Name: Lauren Abendschein

Title: VP

Date: October 3, 2025

 

 

Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC, on behalf of each Client listed in Schedule A

By: /s/ Craig Salm

Name: Craig Salm

Title: Chief Legal Officer

Date: October 3, 2025

Address: 290 Harbor Drive,

Stamford CT, 06902

E-Mail: [***]

 

 

SPONSOR: Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC

By: /s/ Craig Salm

Name: Craig Salm

Title: Chief Legal Officer

Date: October 3, 2025

Address: 290 Harbor Drive,

Stamford CT, 06902

E-Mail: [***]

 

 

Coinbase 2025 25

 


 

Schedule A

List of Client Entities

 

[***]

 

Coinbase 2025 26

 


 

 

 

EXHIBIT A

to the Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement

 

COINBASE CUSTODY CUSTODIAL SERVICES AGREEMENT

 

This Custody Agreement is entered into between Client and Coinbase Custody and forms a part of the Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement between the Client and the Coinbase Entities. Capitalized terms used in this Custody Agreement that are not defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in the other parts of the Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement.

1. CUSTODIAL SERVICES.

 

Sponsor hereby appoints Trust Company as its majority (“majority” meaning here at least [***] of all Clients’ total Digital Asset holdings, in the aggregate, are held with Trust Company, subject to the provisions set forth herein)1 provider of Custodial Services (the “Majority Obligation”). Trust Company shall establish Client’s “Custodial Account” as a segregated custody account controlled and secured by Trust Company to store certain supported digital currencies and utility tokens (“Digital Assets”), on Client’s behalf (the “Custodial Services”). Trust Company is a fiduciary under § 100 of the New York Banking Law and a qualified custodian for purposes of Rule 206(4)-2(d)(6) under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, and is licensed to custody Client’s Digital Assets in trust on Client’s behalf. Digital Assets in Client’s Custodial Account are not treated as general assets of Trust Company. Rather, Trust Company serves as a fiduciary and custodian on Client’s behalf, and the Digital Assets in Client’s Custodial Account are considered fiduciary assets that remain Client’s property at all times. In addition, Coinbase Custody shall maintain: (i) any registrations, permits, licenses, approvals and consents issued by any governmental or quasi-governmental authority or regulatory organization necessary for it to carry out any of its obligations hereunder; and (ii) any adequate capital and reserves to the extent required by applicable law and shall not, directly or indirectly, lend, pledge, hypothecate or re-hypothecate or otherwise encumber any Digital Assets in the Custodial Account.

 

The Parties agree that if at any time the Client does not meet the Majority Obligation then the Parties will have a period of ninety (90) days to discuss this Section 1, and if applicable negotiate an amendment. If after ninety (90) days (i) the Parties have not reached an agreement, and (ii) the Majority Obligation is not met by Client then the other provisions of this Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement will apply (including Sections 22 and 23 the of General Terms).

2. CUSTODIAL ACCOUNT.

 

2.1. In General. The Custodial Services: (i) allow holding the Vault Balance in Client’s Custodial Account and transfer Digital Assets among the Vault Balance and the Settlement Balance (as defined in Exhibit B, STA); (ii) allow supported Digital Assets to be deposited from a public blockchain address to Client’s Custodial Account; and (iii) allow Client to withdraw supported Digital Assets from Client’s Custodial Account to a public blockchain address Client controls pursuant to instructions Client provides through the Trust Company Site (each such transaction is a “Custody Transaction”). Client shall only withdraw or deposit Digital Assets to public blockchain addresses or to Client’s Settlement Balance. The Digital Assets stored in Client’s Custodial Account are not commingled with Digital Assets that Trust Company custodies for its other clients or Digital Assets of Trust Company and are custodied pursuant to


1 To the extent Client transfers a portion of its Digital Assets to another custodian, Client hereby agrees to represent in all public-facing documentation in which Trust Company is referenced, that Trust Company is Client’s primary digital asset custodian.

 

Coinbase 2025 27

 


 

the terms of this Custody Agreement and any addenda thereto. Trust Company reserves the right to refuse to process or to cancel any pending Custody Transaction as required by law or in response to a subpoena, court order, or other binding government order or to enforce transaction, threshold, and condition limits, in each case as communicated to Client as soon as reasonably practicable where Trust Company is permitted to do so, or if Trust Company reasonably believes that the Custody Transaction may violate or facilitate the violation of an applicable law, regulation or applicable rule of a governmental authority or self-regulatory organization. Trust Company cannot reverse a Custody Transaction which has been broadcast to a Digital Asset network.

 

2.2 Digital Asset Deposits and Withdrawals. Trust Company processes supported Digital Asset deposits and withdrawals according to the Instructions received from Authorized Representatives, and Trust Company does not guarantee the identity of any Authorized Representative. Client should verify all transaction information prior to submitting Instructions to Trust Company. Client should manage and keep secure any and all information or devices associated with deposit and withdrawal verification procedures, including YubiKeys and passphrases or other security or confirmation information. Trust Company reserves the right to charge network fees (miner fees) to process a Digital Asset transaction on Client’s behalf. Trust Company will calculate the network fee, if any, in its discretion, although Trust Company will always notify Client of the network fee at or before the time Client authorizes the transaction. Trust Company reserves the right to delay any Custody Transaction if it perceives a risk of fraud or illegal activity.

2.3 Processing of Custody Transactions; Availability of Custodial Account and Custodial Services.

 

A.
Withdrawals.

(i) Absent a Force Majeure Event as defined in Section 28 (Force Majeure) of the Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement, from the time Trust Company has verified the authorization of a complete set of Instructions to withdraw Digital Assets from Client’s Custodial Account, Trust Company will have [***] hours, unless the Parties otherwise agree in writing to an alternate time frame, to process and complete such Instruction to withdraw Digital Assets from Client’s Custodial Account and send those Digital Assets to the applicable Digital Asset network or to Client’s Settlement Balance (“Transfer Time”), provided however; that in each case in the event that Trust Company is unable to process a withdrawal within the Transfer Time, the Trust Company shall have an additional [***] hours following the expiration of the Transfer Time to complete the withdrawal request (“Cure Period”); and

 

(ii) Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event of a Force Majeure Event as defined in Section 28 (Force Majeure) of the Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement and for so long as the Force Majeure Event is continuing, the timing requirements of Section 2.3(A)(i) shall not apply. Once the Force Majeure Event ceases to exist as determined by Trust Company in its good faith and reasonable discretion, then Trust Company shall process and complete such verified Instruction to withdraw in [***] hours, unless the Parties otherwise agree in writing to an alternate time frame, which in each case remains subject to the Cure Period provisions as described above.

 

B.
Deposits. Trust Company will ensure that Client-initiated Instructions to deposit are processed in a timely manner; however, Trust Company makes no representations or warranties regarding the amount of time needed to complete processing, which is dependent upon many factors outside of Trust Company’s control.

 

Trust Company makes no other representations or warranties with respect to the availability and/or accessibility of the Digital Assets or the availability and/or accessibility of the Custodial Account or Custodial Services.

 

 

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2.4. Safekeeping of Digital Assets. Trust Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to keep in safe custody on behalf of Client all Digital Assets received by Trust Company. All Digital Assets credited to the Custodial Account shall:

(i) be held in the Custodial Account at all times, and the Custodial Account shall be controlled by Trust Company;

(ii) be labeled or otherwise appropriately identified as being held for Client;

(iii) be held in the Custodial Account on a non-fungible basis;

(iv) not be commingled with other Digital Assets held by Trust Company, whether held for Trust Company’s own account or the account of other clients other than Client;

(v) not without the prior written consent of Client be deposited or held with any third-party depositary, custodian, clearance system or wallet;

(vi) for any Custodial Accounts maintained by Trust Company on behalf of Client, Trust Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to keep the private key or keys secure, and will not disclose such keys to Client or to any other individual or entity except to the extent that any keys are disclosed consistent with a standard of commercially reasonable effort and as part of a multiple signature solution that would not result in the Grayscale Investment Product or Sponsor “storing, holding, or maintaining custody or control of” the Digital Assets “on behalf of others” within the meaning of the New York BitLicense Rule (23 NYCRR Part 200) as in effect as of June 24, 2015 such that it would require the Grayscale Investment Product or Sponsor to become licensed under such law.

 

2.5 Supported Digital Asset. The Custodial Services are available only in connection with those Digital Assets that Trust Company, in its sole discretion, decides to support. The Digital Assets that Trust Company supports may change from time to time. Prior to initiating a deposit of Digital Asset to Trust Company, Client must confirm that Trust Company offers Custodial Services for that specific Digital Asset. By initiating a deposit of Digital Asset to a Custodial Account, Client attests that Client has confirmed that the Digital Asset being transferred is a supported Digital Asset offered by Trust Company. Under no circumstances should Client attempt to use the Custodial Services to deposit or store Digital Assets in any forms that are not supported by Trust Company. Depositing or attempting to deposit Digital Assets that are not supported by Trust Company will result in such Digital Asset being unretrievable by Client and Trust Company. Trust Company assumes no obligation or liability whatsoever regarding any unsupported Digital Asset sent or attempted to be sent to it, or regarding any attempt to use the Custodial Services for Digital Assets that Trust Company does not support. To confirm which Digital Assets are supported by Trust Company, Client should login at https://custody.coinbase.com and carefully review the list of supported Digital Assets. Trust Company recommends that Client deposit a small amount of supported Digital Asset as a test prior to initiating a deposit of a significant amount of supported Digital Asset. Trust Company may from time to time determine types of Digital Asset that will be supported or cease to be supported by the Custodial Services. Trust Company shall provide Client with thirty (30) days’ written notice before ceasing to support a Digital Asset, unless Trust Company is required to cease such support by court order, statute, law, rule (including a self-regulatory organization rule), regulation, code, or other similar requirement, in which case written notice shall be provided as soon as reasonably practicable.

 

2.6. Use of the Custodial Services. Client acknowledges and agrees that Trust Company may monitor use of the Custodial Account and the Custodial Services and the resulting information may only be utilized, reviewed, retained and or disclosed by Trust Company as is necessary for its internal purposes or in accordance with the rules of any applicable legal, regulatory or self-regulatory organization or as otherwise may be required to comply with relevant law, sanctions programs, legal process or government request.

 

 

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2.7. Independent Verification. If Client is subject to Rule 206(4)-2 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, Trust Company shall, upon written request, provide Client authorized independent public accountant confirmation of or access to information sufficient to confirm (i) Client’s Digital Assets as of the date of an examination conducted pursuant to Rule 206(4)-2(a)(4), and (ii) Client’s Digital Assets are held either in a separate account under Client’s name or in accounts under Client’s name as agent or trustee for Client’s clients.

 

2.8. Third-Party Payments. The Custodial Services are not intended to facilitate third-party payments of any kind. As such, Trust Company has no control over, or liability for, the delivery, quality, safety, legality or any other aspect of any goods or services that Client may purchase or sell to or from a third party (including other users of Custodial Services) involving Digital Assets that Client intends to store, or have stored, in Client’s Custodial Account.

 

2.9. Termination, and Cancellation. If Trust Company closes Client’s Custodial Account or terminates Client’s use of the Custodial Services, Client will be permitted to withdraw Digital Assets associated with Client’s Custodial Account for a period of up to ninety (90) days following the date of deactivation or cancellation to the extent not prohibited: (i) under applicable law, including applicable sanctions programs; or (ii) by a facially valid subpoena, court order, or binding order of a government authority.

 

2.10. Location of Digital Assets. The Location of the Digital Assets shall be the United States. Trust Company shall acquire written approval of Client prior to changing the Location of the Digital Assets outside of the United States, except in the event of a security or disaster recovery event necessitating immediate remediation, in which case Trust Company will provide notice to Client as soon as reasonably practicable. “Location” means, with respect to any Digital Assets, the jurisdiction in which Trust Company deems such Digital Assets to be present.

 

2.11. Third-Party or Non-Permissioned Use. Except for fund administrators, Client shall not grant permission to a third party or non-permissioned user to access or connect to Client’s Custodial Account, either through the third party’s product or service or through the Trust Company Site. Client acknowledges that granting permission to a third party or non-permissioned user to take specific actions on Client’s behalf does not relieve Client of any of Client’s responsibilities under this Custody Agreement and may violate the terms of this Custody Agreement. Client is fully responsible for all acts or omissions of any third party or non-permissioned user with access to Client’s Custodial Account, other than Trust Company. Further, Client acknowledges and agrees that Client will not hold Trust Company responsible for, and will indemnify Trust Company from, any liability arising out of or related to any act or omission of any third party or non-permissioned user with access to Client’s Custodial Account, except to the extent of Trust Company’s fraud, negligence, or willful misconduct. Client must notify Trust Company immediately after becoming aware of a third party or non-permissioned user accessing or connecting to Client’s Custodial Account by contacting Client’s Custodial Account representative or by emailing [***] from the email address associated with Client’s Custodial Account.

 

2.12 Relationship of the Parties. Nothing in this Custody Agreement shall be deemed or is intended to be deemed, nor shall it cause, Client and Trust Company to be treated as partners, joint ventures, or otherwise as joint associates for profit, or either Client or Trust Company to be treated as the agent of the other.

 

3. TRUST COMPANY OBLIGATIONS.

 

3.1. Bookkeeping. Trust Company will keep timely and accurate records as to the deposit, disbursement, investment, and reinvestment of the Digital Assets. Trust Company will maintain accurate

 

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records and bookkeeping of the Custodial Services as required by applicable law and in accordance with Trust Company’s internal document retention policies, but in no event for less than seven years.

 

3.2. Insurance. Trust Company will obtain and maintain, at its sole expense, insurance coverage in such types and amounts as are commercially reasonable for the Custodial Services provided hereunder.

 

4. COINBASE REPRESENTATIONS

(i)
Trust Company will safekeep the Digital Assets and segregate all Digital Assets from both the (a) property of Trust Company, and (b) assets of other customers of Trust Company;
(ii)
Trust Company is a custodian of the Digital Assets stored by Client in the Custodial Account, has no right, interest, or title in such Digital Assets, and will not reflect such Digital Assets as an asset on the balance sheet of the Trust Company;
(iii)
Trust Company will not, directly or indirectly, lend, pledge, hypothecate or re-hypothecate any Digital Assets;
(iv)
Except as directed by Client, Trust Company does not engage in any fractional reserve banking in connection with Client’s Custodial Account, and, as such, none of the Digital Assets in Client’s Custodial Account will be used by Trust Company in connection with any loan, hypothecation, lien (including, but not limited to, any mortgage, deed of trust, pledge, charge, security interest, attachment, encumbrance or other adverse claim of any kind in respect of such Digital Assets) or claim of (or by) Trust Company or otherwise transferred or pledged to any third party, without the written agreement of Client; and
(v)
Trust Company will maintain adequate capital and reserves to the extent required by applicable law.

 

5. ADDITIONAL MATTERS

 

In addition to any additional service providers that may be described in an addendum or attachment hereto, Client acknowledges and agrees that the Custodial Services may be provided from time to time by, through or with the assistance of affiliates of or vendors to Trust Company. Client shall receive notice of any material change in the entities that provide the Custodial Services.

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EXHIBIT B

to the Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement

 

COINBASE SETTLEMENT AND TRANSFER AGREEMENT

 

Client should carefully consider holding Digital Assets is suitable for its purpose, including in relation to Client’s knowledge of Digital Assets and Digital Asset markets and Client’s financial condition. All investments involve risk, and the past performance of a financial product does not guarantee future results or returns.

This Settlement and Transfer Agreement (“STA”) sets forth the terms and conditions for clients to transfer Digital Assets through the execution infrastructure of the Prime Broker Services platform (“Prime Platform” or “Settlement Platform”) and forms a part of the Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement between Client and the Coinbase Entities. Pursuant to this STA, Coinbase shall open a Settlement Account for the Client on the Prime Platform consisting of linked accounts at Coinbase and Coinbase Custody, each accessible via the Prime Platform (“Settlement Account”). This Settlement Account is on the Prime Platform however Client acknowledges and agrees that the Settlement Account will not be used for trading. Capitalized terms used in this STA that are not defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in the other parts of the Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement.

1.
Client Settlement Balance and Vault Balance
1.1.
For purposes of this STA, Client’s Digital Assets are referred to as “Client Digital Assets,” Client’s cash is referred to as “Client Cash,” and Client Digital Assets and Client Cash are together referred to as “Client Assets.”
1.2.
The Coinbase Settlement Account provides access to two types of accounts with balances relating to Client Assets: (1) the “Settlement Balance” (as described below in Section 1.3); and (2) the “Vault Balance” (as described below in Section 1.5). The Settlement Account provides a record of both the Settlement Balance and the Vault Balance. Client determines the allocation of its Client Digital Assets between the Settlement Balance and the Vault Balance. Maintenance of the Vault Balance shall be subject to the terms of the Custody Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt the Settlement Balance is separate from the Vault Balance and any other Digital Assets Client maintains directly with Coinbase Custody.
1.3.
Coinbase holds Digital Assets credited to the Settlement Balance in one of three ways: (i) in omnibus hot wallets (each, an “Omnibus Hot Wallet”); (ii) in omnibus cold wallets (each, an “Omnibus Cold Wallet”); or (iii) in Coinbase’s accounts with one of the trading venues to which the Prime Platform has established connections (“Coinbase Connected Trading Venue Digital Asset Balance”). Client agrees that Coinbase has sole discretion in determining the allocation of Digital Assets credited to the Settlement Balance. Digital Assets credited to the Settlement Balance are held on an omnibus basis and because of the nature of certain Digital Assets, Client does not have an identifiable claim to any particular Digital Asset. Instead, Client’s Settlement Balance represents an entitlement to a pro rata share of the Digital Assets Coinbase has allocated to the Omnibus Hot Wallets, Omnibus Cold Wallets and Coinbase Connected Trading Venue Digital Asset Balance. Coinbase relies on the trading venues to which the Coinbase has established connections (“Connected Trading Venues”) for the Coinbase Connected Trading Venue Digital Asset Balance, and Client has no contractual relationship with the Connected Trading Venues with respect to Digital Assets credited to the Settlement Balance.
1.4.
Client may maintain Client Cash in the Settlement Balance. Coinbase holds Client Cash credited to the Settlement Balance in one of three ways: (i) in one or more omnibus accounts in Coinbase’s name for the benefit of customers at one or more U.S. insured depository institutions (each, an “FBO account”); (ii) with respect to USD, liquid investments, which may include but are not

 


 

limited to U.S. treasuries and money market funds, in accordance with state money transmitter laws; and (iii) in Coinbase’s omnibus accounts at Connected Trading Venues. Coinbase will title the FBO accounts it maintains with U.S. depository institutions and maintain records of Client’s interest in a manner designed to enable receipt of Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) deposit insurance, where applicable and up to the deposit insurance limits applicable under FDIC regulations and guidance, on Client Cash for the Client’s benefit on a pass-through basis. Coinbase does not guarantee that pass-through FDIC deposit insurance will apply to Client Cash, since such insurance is dependent in part on compliance of the depository institutions. FDIC insurance applies to cash deposits at banks and other insured depository institutions in the event of a failure of that institution, and does not apply to any Coinbase Entity or to any Digital Asset held by a Coinbase Entity on Client’s behalf.

1.5.
At Client’s election, all or a portion of Client Digital Assets may also be allocated to the Vault Balance which is held in a Custodial Account in Client’s name at Coinbase Custody pursuant to the Custody Agreement. A transfer of Digital Assets in the Vault Balance to Client’s Settlement Balance will be subject to Coinbase Custody’s standard cold storage withdrawal procedures. Client hereby appoints Coinbase as Client’s agent for purposes of instructing Coinbase Custody to transfer Client Digital Assets between Client’s Vault Balance and Client’s Settlement Balance. Client agrees that an Instruction to Coinbase to settle Client Digital Assets to or from Client’s Vault Balance constitutes authorization to Coinbase to transfer Client Digital Assets to or from Client’s Vault Balance as necessary or appropriate to consummate such settlement.

 

1.6.
In all circumstances and consistent with laws and regulations applicable to Coinbase, Coinbase will keep an internal ledger that specifies the Client Assets credited to Client’s Settlement Balance and enables Coinbase and its auditors and regulators to identify Client and the Client Assets.

 

1.7.
Coinbase treats all Client Assets as custodial assets held for the benefit of Client. No Client Assets credited to the Settlement Balance shall be considered to be the property of, or loaned to, Coinbase, except as provided in any loan agreement between Client and any Coinbase Entity. Neither Coinbase nor any Coinbase Entity will sell, transfer, loan, rehypothecate or otherwise alienate Client’s Assets credited to Client’s Settlement Balance unless instructed by Client pursuant to an agreement between Client and a Coinbase Entity.
2.
Role of Coinbase Custody
2.1.
Coinbase may at its sole discretion maintain portions of the Omnibus Hot Wallet and the Omnibus Cold Wallet in one or more custodial FBO accounts with its affiliate, Coinbase Custody. In such circumstances, although the Omnibus Hot Wallet and the Omnibus Cold Wallet are held in Coinbase’s FBO accounts with Coinbase Custody, Client’s legal relationship for purposes of Digital Assets held in the Omnibus Hot Wallet and the Omnibus Cold Wallet will not be, directly or indirectly, with Coinbase Custody and the terms, conditions and agreements relating to those wallets are to be governed by this STA.

 

2.2.
Client Digital Assets held in the Vault Balance are maintained directly between Client and Coinbase Custody in Client’s name and are subject to the terms of the Client’s Custody Agreement.
3.
Cash and Digital Asset Deposits and Withdrawals
3.1.
To deposit Client Cash, Client must initiate a transfer from a linked bank account, a wire transfer, a SWIFT transfer, or other form of electronic payment approved by Coinbase from time to time to Coinbase’s bank account, the instructions for which are available on the Coinbase Prime Broker Site. Coinbase will credit the Settlement Balance with Client Cash once the associated cash is delivered to Coinbase.

 


 

 

3.2.
To withdraw Client Cash, Client may also initiate a withdrawal of Client Cash from the Settlement Balance at any time using the withdrawal function on the Prime Platform.

 

3.3.
To deposit Client Digital Assets, Clients may transfer Client Digital Assets directly to the Omnibus Hot Wallet or Omnibus Cold Wallet, the instructions for which are available on the Coinbase Prime Broker Site. When Client transfers Digital Assets to Coinbase or Coinbase Custody, it delivers custody and control of the Digital Assets to Coinbase or Coinbase Custody, as applicable. Client represents and warrants that any Digital Asset so transferred shall be free and clear of all liens, claims and encumbrances.

 

3.4.
To withdraw Client Digital Assets, Client must provide applicable Instructions via the Coinbase Prime Broker Site (“Withdrawal Transfer”). Once Client has initiated a Withdrawal Transfer, the associated Client Digital Assets will be in a pending state and will not be included in the Client’s Settlement Balance or Vault Balance. Client acknowledges that Coinbase may not be able to reverse a Withdrawal Transfer once initiated. Client may request a withdrawal of Client Digital Assets at any time, subject to any applicable account restrictions and the terms herein. Withdrawal Transfers will be processed in the order they are received subject to any system limitations or network issues including delays on the blockchain.

 

3.5.
Client must verify all transaction information prior to submitting withdrawal Instructions to Coinbase, as Coinbase cannot and does not guarantee the identity of the wallet owner or bank account to which Client is sending Client Digital Assets or Client Cash, as applicable. Coinbase shall have no liability, obligation, or responsibility whatsoever for Client Cash or Client Digital Asset transfers sent to or received from an incorrect party or sent or received via inaccurate Instructions.
4.
Unclaimed Property

If Coinbase is holding Client Assets in the Settlement Balance, has no record of Client’s use of the Prime Services for an extended period, and is otherwise unable to contact Client, Coinbase may be required under applicable laws, rules or regulations to report these assets as unclaimed property and to deliver such unclaimed property to the applicable authority. Coinbase may deduct a dormancy fee or other administrative charge from such unclaimed funds, as permitted by applicable laws, rules or regulations.

 

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COINBASE SECURITY ADDENDUM

 

This Security Addendum is incorporated into and made a part of that certain Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement (the “Agreement”) between Coinbase, Inc. (“CB Inc.”) and Coinbase Custody Trust Company, LLC (“CB Custody”) (for purposes of this Security Addendum, CB Inc. and CB Custody are collectively referred to herein as, “Coinbase”) and the Client set forth in the Agreement (herein the “Customer”).

 

1.
Introduction

 

Purpose. Coinbase is committed to maintaining customer trust. The purpose of this Security Addendum is to describe the security program for the Coinbase services as more fully described in the Agreement (the “Services”). This Security Addendum describes the minimum security standards that Coinbase maintains in order to protect its customers’ data from unauthorized use, access, disclosure, theft, or manipulation. As security threats shift and evolve, Coinbase continues to update its security program and strategy to help protect its customers’ data. Coinbase reserves the right to update this Security Addendum from time to time; provided, however, any update will not materially reduce the overall protections set forth in this Security Addendum.

 

Services Covered. This Security Addendum describes the organizational, administrative, technical, and physical controls, as well as third party security audit certifications that are applicable to the Custodial and/or Institutional Services more fully described in the Agreement.

 

2.
Security Governance

 

Security Program. Coinbase’s information security program is centrally managed by its Global Security & Privacy departments, which is responsible for managing security across all global locations, all Coinbase products and services, and engagement of Coinbase sub processors. The framework for Coinbase’s information security program includes operational, administrative, technical, and physical safeguards reasonably designed to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of sensitive data, including customer data, and is aligned to the NIST Cybersecurity Framework. Coinbase employs numerous defense-in-depth strategies to secure information assets, utilizing industry guidelines from NIST. Coinbase’s Chief Security Officer (CSO) meets on a regular basis with executive management and the Board of Directors to discuss security risks, issues, and company-wide security initiatives. Internal information security policies and standards are reviewed, assessed, and updated on at least an annual basis, and are made available to all Coinbase employees.

 

Security Policy Governance. Coinbase has controls in place to maintain the confidentiality of customer data in accordance with the Agreement. All Coinbase employees and contract personnel are bound by Coinbase’s internal policies regarding maintaining confidentiality of customer data.

 

Security Compliance. Coinbase has obtained System and Organization Controls (SOC) certifications where applicable and is periodically evaluating other areas for additional certifications. The certification reports are shared upon request with our customers and prospects (subject to appropriate and binding contractual confidentiality provisions).

 

3.
Third Party Security

 

Vendor Agreements. Coinbase secures agreements with its third-party service providers that impose obligations of confidentiality and/or security practices and commitments, as appropriate and applicable.

 

Vendor Assessments. Coinbase may use affiliates and third-party vendors to provide the Services. Coinbase carries out a risk-based assessment of prospective vendors before working with those vendors to

 


 

validate that prospective vendors meet Coinbase’s security requirements. Coinbase periodically reviews each vendor in light of Coinbase’s security and business continuity standards, including the type of access and classification of data being accessed (if any), controls necessary to protect data, and legal/regulatory requirements. Coinbase ensures that customer data is returned and/or deleted at the end of a vendor relationship.

 

4.
People Operations

 

Employee On-Boarding. Coinbase carries out background checks on individuals joining Coinbase in accordance with applicable local laws. Coinbase currently verifies the individual’s education and previous employment. Where local labor law or statutory regulations permit, Coinbase conducts criminal and, in certain instances, credit background checks on its employees, contractors, and consulting agencies.

 

5.
Data Security

 

Data Lifecycle Security. At any point during or after the term of a customer’s agreement(s) with Coinbase, and upon a customer’s reasonable, written request, Coinbase will delete customer data. Coinbase will ensure such data is deleted in accordance with Coinbase’s data records retention policy. Coinbase may retain backup records of customer data (i) as required by law (or its own data retention policy, as applicable), and (ii) in secured form. Paper assets are shredded to P-7/Level 6 security standards. Hardware and associated data assets are destroyed in accordance with the NIST SP 800-88, Guidelines for Media Sanitization. After wiping and degaussing, sanitized hardware awaiting shredding and certificate of disposal is locked in a depot dedicated to Coinbase cold-storage.

 

Data Encryption. Client data and transaction records are encrypted both at rest and in transit. Coinbase has implemented mature data encryption protocols and standards to ensure that its encryption is supported by a defined key management process that is reviewed against current best practices. All data is encrypted in transit, including all traffic to and from Coinbase servers.

 

Data Backups. Coinbase performs regular backups of Coinbase account information, call records, call recordings and other critical data using third-party cloud storage solutions. Backup data are retained redundantly across availability zones and are encrypted in transit and at rest.

 

6.
Identity and Access Management

 

Logical Access Provisioning and De-provisioning. To minimize the risk of data exposure, Coinbase follows the principles of least privilege through a team-based access-control model when provisioning system access. Coinbase personnel are authorized to access customer data based on their job function, role and responsibilities, and such access requires approval of the employee’s manager. Access rights to production environments are reviewed according to a risk-based approach. An employee’s access to customer data is promptly removed upon termination of their employment. In order to access the production environment, an authorized user must have a unique username and password, multi-factor authentication and be connected to Coinbase’s Virtual Private Network (VPN). Before an engineer is granted access to the production environment, access must be approved by management and the engineer is required to complete internal trainings for such access including trainings on the relevant team’s systems. Coinbase logs high risk actions and changes in the production environment. Coinbase leverages automation to identify any deviation from internal technical standards that could indicate anomalous/unauthorized activity to raise an alert within minutes of a configuration change. Coinbase personnel who leave the company, no longer work with Coinbase, or change business roles have their access privileges revoked or modified within a predetermined timeframe.

 

Authentication Mechanisms. Coinbase enforces authentication requirements across all Coinbase systems, including password requirements (e.g. password length, complexity, history, limitations on retries, and use

 


 

of a password manager) and multi-factor authentication (MFA) requirements. All credentials are encrypted in transit, and hashed at rest. Coinbase strives to ensure that authentication requirements and implementations meet or exceed current best practices for authentication, based on the current threat landscape.

 

Remote Access. Remote access to the Coinbase network by authorized personnel is encrypted and requires multifactor authentication (MFA) for remote access, including X509 certificate and username/password login credentials. For production infrastructure access, use of VPN is also enforced. Coinbase’s network follows zero trust principles; any non-Coinbase devices that may access the network have no privileged access and must rely on strong identity controls to access Coinbase resources. Coinbase office networks are treated as untrusted by default. While WPA-PSK encryption is required to access office Wi-Fi, devices on this network are not automatically granted access to corporate or production systems. Users that wish to have corporate email on their mobile devices must enroll in Coinbase’s mobile device management (MDM) solution. Rooted devices are not permitted. Company-owned computers are managed and kept up-to-date with the latest operating system, antivirus, and productivity software updates. All hard drives are encrypted. Upon return and prior to reissuance of an authorized laptop, the laptop must be completely wiped.

 

7.
Physical & Environmental Security

 

Physical Site Security. AWS data centers that host the Services are strictly controlled both at the perimeter and at building ingress points by professional security staff utilizing video surveillance, intrusion detection systems, and other electronic means. Authorized staff must pass two-factor authentication a minimum of two times to access data center floors. All visitors and contractors are required to present identification and are signed in and continually escorted by authorized staff. These facilities are designed to withstand adverse weather and other reasonably predictable natural conditions. Each data center has redundant electrical power systems that are available twenty-four (24) hours a day, seven (7) days a week. Uninterruptible power supplies and on-site generators are available to provide back-up power in the event of an electrical failure. More details about the physical security of AWS data centers used by Coinbase for the Services, are available at https://aws.amazon.com/whitepapers/overview-of-security-processes/. In addition, Coinbase office spaces have a physical security program that manages visitors, building entrances, CCTVs (closed circuit television), and overall office security. Physical security audits are performed annually.

 

8.
Corporate Security

 

Security Awareness Training. All personnel must complete the Coinbase security and privacy training, which covers Coinbase security policies, security best practices, and privacy principles. All personnel must refresh their training at least annually. Coinbase’s security and privacy teams regularly communicate emerging data privacy requirements and security threats and trends to personnel. Personnel have multiple avenues for reporting incidents or suspicious activity, including notifying the Global Security & Privacy Team, in person, over the telephone, text, email as well as through a Slack channel dedicated to reporting such incidents. Personnel can also reach the Coinbase Global Security Operations Center 24/7.

 

9.
DevOps Security

 


 

 

Change Management. Coinbase has built a production environment designed with strict controls, which includes a formal change management process to manage changes to software, applications and system software that will be deployed within the production environment. New (or changes made to existing) products, services and features (“Changes”) are deployed in a development environment that closely mirrors the production environment. Before Changes are deployed in the production environment, they are peer reviewed and automated security, functional, and unit testing is performed. Customer data is not used outside of the production environment unless required for troubleshooting issues where real data is relevant and, even then, the data is first obfuscated to prevent exposure of personal data. Prior to high-risk Changes being made, an assessment is carried out to consider the impact and risk of a requested change, evidence acknowledging applicable testing for the change, approval of deployment into production by appropriate approver(s), and roll back procedures. After all tests are passed, and peer reviews completed, Changes are deployed to the production environment. All Changes deployed in the production environment must be indexed and documented using a formal and auditable system of record. The production environment is closely monitored for anomalous conditions that may suggest unexpected activity or potential security threats. When a vulnerability is identified, the criticality will be evaluated and the service affected will be isolated, patched or upgraded as necessary according to vulnerability management requirements. Coinbase has implemented a Bug Bounty Program, available at https://hackerone.com/coinbase, through which researchers may report design and implementation issues or possible vulnerabilities.

 

10.
Cryptography, Encryption & Key Management

 

Key Storage. Coinbase maintains private keys on behalf of its customers either on secure servers or in offline (or “cold”) storage whereby Coinbase encrypts and shards the wallet key materials then stores and manages them in secure, geographically distributed locations.

 

11.
Cloud & Network Security

 

Secure Infrastructure. Coinbase uses and leverages AWS data centers in order to provide the Services. AWS has a reputation of being highly scalable, secure, and reliable. Information about AWS audit certifications are available at AWS Security website https://aws.amazon.com/security and AWS Compliance website https://aws.amazon.com/compliance. Coinbase reviews AWS SOC reports on a regular basis.

 

12.
Systems Monitoring & Logging

 

Logging. Coinbase’s production environment network activity is monitored and centrally logged. All logs are maintained in an instantly-queryable state for at least ninety (90) days before being moved to archival storage in accordance with Coinbase’s data retention policy. All logs are stored in such a manner as to assure that a stored record is immutable and non-tamperable, or where the log storage facility cannot provide such guarantees, a durable audit record of any attempts to modify or tamper with data. Security-relevant logs must be retained for a retention period of seven (7) years. Any given 24-hour period retained in archival storage must be queryable within a reasonable amount of time (e.g. within a business day) for the duration of the retention period.

 

 


 

Security Monitoring. Intrusion detection rules are configured to alert on suspicious activity in production services. The Coinbase Security Operations team is responsible for all security monitoring. All production systems are instrumented with appropriate detection and response tooling relative to the nature of the system and fed into a centralized SIEM. The on-call Security Operations analyst who receives any alerts is responsible for ensuring appropriate resolution of the event, or else properly escalating the alert according to Coinbase’s security incident response plan.

 

13.
Threat & Vulnerability Management

 

Vulnerability Scanning. Coinbase employs security best practices to ensure that the Services are secured, updates to its primary services do not introduce new vulnerabilities, and that new services have been sufficiently analyzed for and defended from potential vulnerabilities. Coinbase supplements its day-to-day security practices, including architecture reviews, with regular vulnerability assessments and audits, including (1) automated scans of all code and applications where possible to identify vulnerabilities before ever being introduced to Coinbase’s environment; (2) once services are deployed, implementing continuous monitoring to promptly assess and react to any potential vulnerabilities; and (3) regular evaluation by independent third parties. Critical software patches are evaluated, tested and applied proactively.

 

Penetration Testing. Coinbase performs penetration tests and engages independent third-party entities to conduct application-level penetration tests on an annual basis at minimum. Results of penetration tests are prioritized, triaged, and remediated promptly by Coinbase’s security team according to established SLAs.

 

14.
Security Incident Management

 

Incident Communication. Coinbase will promptly investigate all security incidents and to the extent that is permitted by applicable law, promptly notify its customers of a security incident that impacts its customer data.

 

15.
Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery

 

Business Continuity Planning. Business continuity is included as part of Coinbase’s security policy. The Coinbase’s production network has been designed to be recoverable and/or replaceable and runs on multiple servers in AWS with load balancing and failover provisions. Instances can be spun up as needed if one fails. Data is backed up to alternate data centers. Data centers are located in geographically diverse locations to ensure redundancy in the case of a catastrophic event.

 


Exhibit 10.2

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Certain confidential information contained in this document, marked by [***], has been omitted because the registrant has determined that the information (i) is not material and (ii) is the type that the registrant treats as private or confidential.

FUND ADMINISTRATION AND ACCOUNTING AGREEMENT

THIS AGREEMENT is made as of October 9, 2025, by and between each entity listed on Exhibit A attached hereto (each a “Trust”, and collectively the “Trusts” as applicable), separately and not jointly, and The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York corporation authorized to do a banking business (“BNY”).

W I T N E S S E T H :

WHEREAS, the Trust desires to retain BNY to provide the services described herein, and BNY is willing to provide such services, all as more fully set forth below;

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises and agreements contained herein, the parties hereby agree as follows:

1.
Definitions.

Whenever used in this Agreement, unless the context otherwise requires, the following words shall have the meanings set forth below:

“1933 Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

“1934 Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

“Anti-Money Laundering Laws” means all anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing laws, rules, regulations, executive orders and requirements administered by any governmental authority of the United States (including the U.S. Bank Secrecy Act, the U.S.A. PATRIOT Act, and regulations of the U.S. Treasury Department which implement such acts) or any other applicable domestic or foreign authority over the Trust.

“Authorized Person” shall mean each person, whether or not an officer or an employee of the Trust, duly authorized to execute this Agreement and to give Instructions on behalf of the Trust

 


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as set forth in Exhibit B hereto and each Authorized Person’s scope of authority may be limited by setting forth such limitation in a written document signed by both parties hereto. From time to time the Trust may deliver a new Exhibit B to add or delete any person and BNY shall be entitled to rely on the last Exhibit B actually received by BNY.

“BNY Affiliate” shall mean any office, branch, or subsidiary of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation.

“Confidential Information” shall have the meaning given in Section 18 of this Agreement.

“Documents” shall mean such other documents, including but not limited to, resolutions of the Sponsor authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Trust, and opinions of outside counsel, as BNY may reasonably request from time to time, in connection with its provision of services under this Agreement.

“Instructions” shall mean Oral Instructions or written communications actually received by BNY by S.W.I.F.T., tested telex, letter, facsimile transmission, or other method or system specified by BNY as available for use in connection with the services hereunder, from an Authorized Person or person believed in good faith to be an Authorized Person.

“Net Asset Value” shall mean the per share value of the Trust, calculated in the manner described in the Trust’s Offering Materials.

“Offering Materials” shall mean the Trust’s currently effective prospectus and most recently filed registration statement with the SEC, as applicable, relating to shares of the Trust.

“Organizational Documents” shall mean certified copies of the Trust’s articles of incorporation, certificate of incorporation, certificate of formation or organization, certificate of limited partnership, bylaws, limited partnership agreement, memorandum of association, limited liability company agreement, operating agreement, confidential offering memorandum, material contracts, Offering Materials, all SEC exemptive orders issued to the Trust, required filings or similar documents of formation or organization, as applicable, delivered to and received by BNY.

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“Oral Instructions” shall mean oral instructions received by BNY under permissible circumstances specified by BNY, in its sole discretion, as being from an Authorized Person or person believed in good faith by BNY to be an Authorized Person.

 

“Sanctions” means all economic sanctions laws, rules, regulations, executive orders and requirements administered by any governmental authority of the United States (including the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the U.S. Department of the Treasury) or any other applicable domestic or foreign authority with jurisdiction over the Trust.

“SEC” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Securities Laws” means the 1933 Act and the 1934 Act.

 

“Shares” means the shares of beneficial interest of any series or class of the Trust.

“Sponsor” shall mean the entity identified by the Trust to BNY as the entity having investment responsibility with respect to the Trust.

2.
Appointment.

The Trust hereby appoints BNY as its agent for the term of this Agreement to perform the services described herein. BNY hereby accepts such appointment and agrees to perform the duties hereinafter set forth.

3.
Representations and Warranties.

(i) The Trust hereby represents and warrants to BNY, which representations and warranties shall be deemed to be continuing, that:

(a)
It is duly organized and existing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, with full power to carry on its business as now conducted, to enter into this Agreement and to perform its obligations hereunder;
(b)
This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Trust in accordance with all requisite action and constitutes a valid and legally binding obligation of the Trust, enforceable in accordance with its terms;

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(c)
The Sponsor is in good standing and qualified to do business in each jurisdiction in which the nature or conduct of its business requires such qualification.
(d)
It is conducting its business in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, both state and federal, has made and will continue to make all necessary filings including tax filings and has obtained all regulatory licenses, approvals and consents necessary to carry on its business as now conducted; there is no statute, regulation, rule, order or judgment binding on it and no provision of its Organizational Documents, nor of any mortgage, indenture, credit agreement or other contract binding on it or affecting its property which would prohibit its execution or performance of this Agreement;
(e)
The Trust will maintain policies and procedures reasonably designed to ensure that all investments for the Trust are conducted in compliance with anti-corruption laws, Anti-Money Laundering Laws, and Sanctions applicable to the Trust. The Customer shall cooperate with BNY and provide assistance reasonably requested by BNY in connection with any anti-money laundering, terrorist financing or sanctions-related inquiries.
(f)
The method of valuation of the assets of the Trust and the method of computing the Net Asset Value shall be as set forth in the Offering Materials of the Trust. To the extent the performance of any services described in Schedule I attached hereto by BNY in accordance with the then effective Offering Materials for the Trust would violate any applicable laws or regulations, the Trust shall immediately so notify BNY in writing and thereafter shall either furnish BNY with the appropriate values of Trust assets, net asset value or other computation, as the case may be, or, instruct BNY in writing to value Trust assets and/or compute Net Asset Value or other computations in a manner the Trust specifies in writing, and either the furnishing of such values or the giving of such instructions shall constitute a representation by the Trust that the same is consistent with all applicable laws and regulations and with its Offering Materials, all subject to confirmation by BNY as to its capacity to act in accordance with the foregoing;
(g)
Each person named on Exhibit B hereto is duly authorized by the Trust to be an Authorized Person hereunder;
(h)
It has implemented, and is acting in accordance with, procedures reasonably designed to ensure that it will disseminate to all market participants, other than Authorized

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Participants (as defined in its Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information), each calculation of net asset value provided by BNY hereunder to Authorized Participants at the time BNY provides such calculation to Authorized Participants, according to procedures described in the Trust’s Prospectus;
(i)
Without limiting the provisions of Section 18 herein, the Trust and BNY shall treat as confidential the terms and conditions of this Agreement and shall not disclose nor authorize disclosure thereof to any other person, except (i) to their employees, regulators, examiners, internal and external accountants, auditors, and counsel, (ii) for a summary description of this Agreement in the Offering Materials with the prior written approval of the other party, (iii) to any other person when required by a court order or legal process, or (iv) whenever advised by its external counsel that it would be liable for a failure to make such disclosure. The Trust shall instruct its employees, regulators, examiners, internal and external accountants, auditors, and counsel who may be afforded access to such information of the Trust’s obligations of confidentiality hereunder; and
(j)
The Trust shall promptly notify BNY in writing of any and all legal proceedings or securities investigations filed or commenced against or related to the Trust, where legally permitted.
4.
Delivery of Documents.

The Trust shall promptly provide, deliver, or cause to be delivered from time to time, to BNY the Trust’s Organizational Documents, a copy of any and all SEC exemptive orders issued to the Trust, and Documents and other materials used in the distribution of Shares and all amendments thereto as may be necessary for BNY to perform its duties hereunder. BNY shall not be deemed to have notice of any information (other than information supplied by BNY) contained in such Organizational Documents, Documents or other materials until they are actually received by BNY.

5.
Duties and Obligations of BNY.
(a)
Subject to the direction of the Sponsor and the provisions of this Agreement, BNY shall provide to the Trust the administrative services and the valuation and computation services listed on Schedule I attached hereto.

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(b)
In performing hereunder, BNY shall provide, at its expense, office space, facilities, equipment and personnel.
(c)
BNY shall not provide any services relating to the management, investment advisory or sub-advisory functions of the Trust, distribution of shares of the Trust, maintenance of the Trust’s financial records, other than those listed in Schedule I attached hereto, or other services normally performed by the Trust’s counsel or independent auditors and the services provided by BNY do not constitute, nor shall they be construed as constituting, legal advice or the provision of legal services for or on behalf of the Trust or any other person, and the Trust acknowledges that BNY does not provide public accounting or auditing services or advice and will not be making any tax filings, or doing any tax reporting on its behalf, other than those specifically agreed to hereunder. The scope of services provided by BNY under this Agreement shall not be increased as a result of new or revised regulatory or other requirements that may become applicable with respect to the Trust, unless the parties hereto expressly agree in writing to any such increase in the scope of services.
(d)
The Trust shall cause its officers, advisors, Sponsor, distributor, legal counsel, independent accountants, current administrator (if any), transfer agent, and any other service provider to cooperate with BNY and to provide BNY, upon request, with such information, documents and advice relating to the Trust as is within the possession or knowledge of such persons, and which in the opinion of BNY, is necessary in order to enable BNY to perform its duties hereunder, unless prohibited by applicable law, rule or regulation. In connection with its duties hereunder, BNY shall not be responsible for, under any duty to inquire into, or be deemed to make any assurances with respect to the accuracy, validity or propriety of any information, documents or advice provided to BNY by any of the aforementioned persons. BNY shall not be liable for any loss, damage or expense resulting from or arising out of the failure of the Trust to cause any information, documents or advice to be provided to BNY as provided herein. All fees or costs charged by such persons shall be borne by the Trust or the Sponsor. In the event that any services performed by BNY hereunder rely, in whole or in part, upon information obtained from a third party service utilized or subscribed to by BNY which BNY in its reasonable judgment deems reliable, BNY shall not have any responsibility or liability for, under any duty to inquire into, or deemed to make any assurances with respect to, the accuracy or completeness of such information.

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(e)
Nothing in this Agreement shall limit or restrict BNY, any BNY Affiliate or any officer or employee thereof from acting for or with any third parties, and providing services similar or identical to some or all of the services provided hereunder.
(f)
The Trust shall furnish BNY with any and all instructions, explanations, information, specifications and documentation deemed necessary by BNY in the performance of its duties hereunder, including, without limitation, the amounts or written formula for calculating the amounts and times of accrual of Trust liabilities and expenses. BNY shall not be required to include as Trust liabilities and expenses, nor as a reduction of net asset value, any accrual for any federal, state, or foreign income taxes unless the Trust shall have specified to BNY in Instructions the precise amount of the same to be included in liabilities and expenses or used to reduce net asset value. The Trust shall also furnish BNY with valuations for assets of the Trust if BNY notifies the Trust that same are not available to BNY from a pricing service utilized, or subscribed to, by BNY which the Trust directs BNY to utilize, and which BNY in its judgment deems reliable at the time such information is required for calculations hereunder. At any time and from time to time, the Trust also may furnish BNY with valuations for assets of the Trust and instruct BNY in Instructions to use such information in its calculations hereunder. BNY may be required or obligated to commence or maintain any utilization of, or subscriptions to, any pricing service, at the sole expense of the Sponsor. In no event shall BNY be required to determine, or have any obligations with respect to, whether a market price represents any fair or true value, nor to adjust any price to reflect any events or announcements, including, without limitation, those with respect to the issuer thereof, it being agreed that all such determinations and considerations shall be solely for the Trust, except that if a third party pricing vendor notifies BNY of an error, BNY shall as promptly as practicable alert the Trust to such error.
(g)
BNY may apply to an Authorized Person of the Trust for Instructions with respect to any matter arising in connection with BNY’s performance hereunder, and BNY shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith without gross negligence or willful misconduct in accordance with such Instructions. Such application for Instructions may, at the option of BNY, set forth in writing any action proposed to be taken or omitted to be taken by BNY with respect to its duties or obligations under this Agreement and the date on and/or after which such action shall be taken. BNY shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken in accordance with a proposal included in any such application on or after the date specified

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therein unless, prior to taking or omitting to take any such action, BNY has received Instructions from an Authorized Person in response to such application specifying the action to be taken or omitted.
(h)
BNY may consult with counsel to the Trust.
(i)
Notwithstanding any other provision contained in this Agreement or Schedule I attached hereto, BNY shall have no duty or obligation with respect to, including, without limitation, any duty or obligation to determine, or advise or notify the Trust of: (i) the taxable nature of any distribution or amount received or deemed received by, or payable to, the Trust, (ii) the taxable nature or effect on the Trust or its shareholders of any corporate actions, class actions, tax reclaims, tax refunds or similar events, (iii) the taxable nature or taxable amount of any distribution or dividend paid, payable or deemed paid, by the Trust to its shareholders; or (iv) the effect under any federal, state, or foreign income tax laws of the Trust making or not making any distribution or dividend payment, or any election with respect thereto.
(j)
BNY shall have no duties or responsibilities whatsoever except such duties and responsibilities as are specifically set forth in this Agreement and Schedule I attached hereto, and no covenant or obligation shall be implied against BNY in connection with this Agreement.
(k)
BNY, in performing the services required of it under the terms of this Agreement, shall be entitled to rely fully on the accuracy and validity of any and all Instructions, explanations, information, specifications, Documents and documentation furnished to it by the Trust and shall have no duty or obligation to review the accuracy, validity or propriety of such Instructions, explanations, information, specifications, Documents or documentation, including, without limitation, evaluations of assets; the amounts or formula for calculating the amounts and times of accrual of the Trust’s liabilities and expenses; the amounts receivable and the amounts payable on the sale or purchase of Trust assets; and amounts receivable or amounts payable for the sale or redemption of Trust Shares effected by or on behalf of the Trust., For the avoidance of doubt, while BNY has no obligation to verify the accuracy of such Instructions, the foregoing should not be read to limit BNY’s obligations regarding the provision of services under this Agreement. BNY’s computations hereunder will rely upon information, including, without limitation, bid, offer or market values of securities or other assets of the Trust, or accruals of interest or earnings thereon, from a pricing or similar service utilized, or subscribed to, by BNY

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which the Trust directs BNY to utilize. BNY shall not be responsible for, under any duty to inquire into, or deemed to make any assurances with respect to, the accuracy or completeness of such information. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, BNY shall not be required to inquire into any valuation of any Trust assets by the Trust or any third party described in this sub-section (k) even though BNY in performing services similar to the services provided pursuant to this Agreement for others may receive different valuations of Trust assets.
(l)
BNY, in performing the services required of it under the terms of this Agreement, shall not be responsible for determining whether any interest accruable to the Trust is or will be actually paid, but will accrue such interest until otherwise instructed by the Trust.
(m)
BNY shall not be responsible for damages (including without limitation damages caused by delays, failure, errors, interruption or loss of data) which occurring directly or indirectly by reason of circumstances beyond its reasonable control in the performance of its duties under this Agreement, including, without limitation, labor difficulties within or without BNY, mechanical breakdowns, flood or catastrophe, acts of God, failures of transportation, interruptions, loss, or malfunctions of utilities, action or inaction of civil or military authority, national emergencies, public enemy, war, terrorism, riot, actual or threatened epidemics, sabotage, non-performance by a third party caused by any of the above, and widespread, systemic failure of: the mails, communications, computer (hardware or software) services, or functions or malfunctions of the internet, firewalls, encryption systems or security devices caused by any of the above. Nor shall BNY be responsible for delays or failures to supply the information or services specified in this Agreement where such delays or failures are caused by the failure of any person(s) other than BNY to supply any instructions, explanations, information, specifications or documentation deemed necessary by BNY in the performance of its duties under this Agreement.
(n)
It is understood and agreed by the parties hereto that under no circumstances will the services performed by BNY pursuant to this Agreement include any service, function or activity that would constitute a “virtual currency business activity” for purposes of the regulations issued by the Superintendent of the New York State Department of Financial Services (23 N.Y.C.R.R. Part 200).
(o)
BNY shall, to the extent practicable and permitted by law or regulatory authority, promptly notify the Trust in writing of any legal proceedings or securities investigations

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filed or commenced against or related to the Trust or the Sponsor of which is becomes aware.

 

 

6.
Allocation of Expenses.

Except as otherwise provided herein, all costs and expenses arising or incurred in connection with the performance of this Agreement shall be paid by the Trust or the Sponsor, including but not limited to, organizational costs and costs of maintaining corporate existence, taxes, interest, brokerage fees and commissions, insurance premiums, compensation and expenses of the Sponsor, officers or employees, legal, accounting and audit expenses, management, advisory, sub-advisory, administration and shareholder servicing fees, charges of custodians, transfer and dividend disbursing agents, expenses (including clerical expenses) incident to the issuance, redemption or repurchase of Trust shares or membership interests, as applicable, fees and expenses incident to the registration or qualification under the Securities Laws, state or other applicable securities laws of the Trust or its shares or membership interests, as applicable, costs (including printing and mailing costs) of preparing and distributing Offering Materials, reports, notices and proxy material to the Trust’s shareholders or members, as applicable, all expenses incidental to holding meetings of the Trust’s shareholders, and extraordinary expenses as may arise, including litigation affecting the Trust and legal obligations relating thereto for which the Trust may have to indemnify its officers, managers, and/or members, as may be applicable.

7.
Standard of Care; Indemnification.
(a)
Except as otherwise provided herein, BNY and any BNY Affiliate shall not be liable for any costs, expenses, damages, liabilities or claims (including attorneys’ and accountants’ fees) incurred by the Trust, except those costs, expenses, damages, liabilities or claims arising out of BNY’s own bad faith, negligence or willful misconduct. BNY’s aggregate liability hereunder shall not exceed the total fees paid to BNY for the services under this Agreement during the twenty-four (24) month period preceding the event on which such claim is based. In no event shall BNY or any BNY Affiliate be liable to the Trust or any third party for any special, indirect or consequential damages, or lost profits or loss of business, arising under or in connection with this Agreement, even if previously informed of the possibility of such damages and regardless of the form of action. BNY and any BNY Affiliate shall not be liable for any loss, damage or expense, including counsel fees and other costs and expenses of a defense against any

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claim or liability, directly resulting from, arising out of, or in connection with its performance hereunder, including its actions or omissions, the incompleteness or inaccuracy of any specifications or other information furnished by the Trust, or for delays caused by circumstances beyond BNY’s reasonable control, unless such loss, damage or expense arises out of the bad faith, negligence or willful misconduct of BNY subject to the limitation of liability contained above in this Section 7(a).
(b)
The Trust shall indemnify and hold harmless BNY and any BNY Affiliate from and against any and all costs, expenses, damages, liabilities and claims (including claims asserted by the Trust), and reasonable attorneys’ and accountants’ fees relating thereto, which are sustained or incurred or which may be asserted against BNY or any BNY Affiliate, by reason of or as a result of any action taken or omitted to be taken by BNY or any BNY Affiliate without bad faith, gross negligence, or willful misconduct, or in reliance upon (i) any law, act, regulation or interpretation of the same even though the same may thereafter have been altered, changed, amended or repealed, (ii) the Trust’s Offering Materials or Documents (excluding information provided by BNY), (iii) any Instructions, or (iv) any opinion of legal counsel for the Trust, or arising out of transactions or other activities of the Trust which occurred prior to the commencement of this Agreement; provided, that the Trust shall not indemnify BNY nor any BNY Affiliate for costs, expenses, damages, liabilities or claims for which BNY or any BNY Affiliate is liable under the preceding sub-section 7(a) or which arises out of BNY’s bad faith, gross negligence or willful misconduct. This indemnity shall be a continuing obligation of the Trust, its successors and assigns, notwithstanding the termination of this Agreement. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Trust shall indemnify BNY and any BNY Affiliate against and save BNY and any BNY Affiliate harmless from any loss, damage or expense, including counsel fees and other costs and expenses of a defense against any claim or liability, arising from any one or more of the following, except to the extent any such claim arises out BNY’s bad faith, negligence or willful misconduct:
I.
Errors in records or instructions, explanations, information, specifications or documentation of any kind, as the case may be, supplied to BNY by any third party on behalf of the Trust or by the Trust;
II.
Action or inaction taken or omitted to be taken by BNY or any BNY

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Affiliate pursuant to Instructions of the Trust or otherwise without gross negligence or willful misconduct;
III.
Any action taken or omitted to be taken by BNY in good faith in accordance with the advice or opinion of counsel for the Trust;
IV.
Any improper use by the Trust or its agents, distributor or Sponsor of any valuations or computations supplied by BNY pursuant to this Agreement;
V.
The method of valuation and the method of computing the Trust’s net asset value; or
VI.
Any valuations or net asset value provided by the Trust.
(c)
Actions taken or omitted in reliance on Instructions or upon any information, order, indenture, stock certificate, membership certificate, power of attorney, assignment, affidavit or other instrument believed by BNY in good faith to be from an Authorized Person, or upon the opinion of legal counsel for the Trust, shall be conclusively presumed to have been taken or omitted in good faith.
8.
Compensation.

For the services provided hereunder, the Trust agrees to pay BNY such compensation as is mutually agreed to in writing by the Trust and BNY from time to time and such reasonable, documented out-of-pocket expenses, including security pricing, index fees, vendor costs, data feeds to support portfolio compliance services, postage, courier expense, custom programming, travel and expenses for attendance at board or special meetings, external legal or consulting costs, telecommunication charges, postage and delivery charges, costs of independent compliance reviews, record retention costs and reproduction charges, as are incurred by BNY in performing its duties hereunder. To the extent BNY incurs an out-of-pocket expense other than those listed above, BNY will seek approval from the Sponsor on behalf of the Trust. Except as hereinafter set forth, compensation shall be calculated and accrued daily and paid monthly. Upon termination of this Agreement before the end of any month, the compensation for such part of a month shall be prorated according to the proportion which such period bears to the full monthly period and shall be payable upon the effective date of termination of this Agreement. For the purpose of

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determining compensation payable to BNY, the Trust’s net asset value shall be computed at the times and in the manner specified in the Trust’s Offering Materials.

9.
Records; Visits.

(a) The books and records pertaining to the Trust which are in the possession or under the control of BNY shall be the property of the Trust. The Trust and Authorized Persons shall have access to such books and records at all times during BNY’s normal business hours. Upon the reasonable request of the Trust, copies of any such books and records shall be provided by BNY to the Trust or to an Authorized Person, at the Trust’s expense.

(b) BNY shall keep all books and records with respect to the services to be performed by BNY hereunder in the form and manner required by Section 31 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the rules thereunder, as if the Trust was subject to such requirements.

(c) BNY shall reasonably cooperate with the Trust in the event of any regulatory inquiry, subpoena or litigation concerning the Trust, including, without limitation by producing any records created by BNY for the Trust.

 

(a)
If BNY is requested or required (by deposition, interrogatories, requests for information or documents, subpoena, civil investigative demand or similar process) to disclose any Confidential Information relating to the Trust or the Sponsor, BNY shall, to the extent legally permitted, provide the Trust with prompt written notice of such request(s), and provide commercially reasonable assistance to the Trust in obtaining a protective order preventing or limiting the disclosure or requiring that the Confidential Information of the Trust or the Sponsor so disclosed be used only for the purposes for which the law or regulation required, or for which the order was issued.

 

10.
Term of Agreement.

(a) This Agreement shall be effective on the date first written above and, unless terminated pursuant to its terms, shall continue until 11:59 PM on the date which is the third anniversary of such date (the “Initial Term”), at which time this Agreement shall terminate, unless renewed in accordance with the terms hereof.

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(b) This Agreement shall automatically renew for successive terms of one (1) year each (each, a “Renewal Term”), unless the Trust or BNY gives written notice to the other party of its intent not to renew and such notice is received by the other party not less than ninety (90) days prior to the expiration of the Initial Term or the then-current Renewal Term (a "Non-Renewal Notice"). In the event a party provides a Non-Renewal Notice, this Agreement shall terminate at 11:59 PM on the last day of the Initial Term or Renewal Term, as applicable.

(c) If a party materially breaches this Agreement (a “Defaulting Party”) the other party (the “Non‑Defaulting Party”) may give written notice thereof to the Defaulting Party (“Breach Notice”), and if such material breach shall not have been remedied within thirty (30) days after the Breach Notice is given, then the Non- Defaulting Party may terminate this Agreement by giving written notice of termination to the Defaulting Party (“Breach Termination Notice”), in which case this Agreement shall terminate as of 11:59 PM on the 30th day following the date the Breach Termination Notice is given, or such later date as may be specified in the Breach Termination Notice (but not later than the last day of the Initial Term or then-current Renewal Term, as appropriate). In all cases, termination by the Non‑Defaulting Party shall not constitute a waiver by the Non‑Defaulting Party of any other rights it might have under this Agreement or otherwise against the Defaulting Party.

(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, either party may in its sole discretion terminate this Agreement immediately by sending notice thereof to the other party upon the happening of any of the following: (i) a party commences as debtor any case or proceeding under any bankruptcy, insolvency or similar law, or there is commenced against the party any such case or proceeding; (ii) the party commences as debtor any case or proceeding seeking the appointment of a receiver, conservator, trustee, custodian or similar official for the party or any substantial part of its property or there is commenced against the party any such case or proceeding; (iii) a party makes a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; or (iv) the party admits in any recorded medium, written, electronic or otherwise, its inability to pay its debts as they come due. Either party may exercise its termination right under this Section 10(d) at any time after the occurrence of any of the foregoing events notwithstanding that such event may cease to be continuing prior to such exercise, and any delay in exercising this right shall not be construed as a waiver or other extinguishment of that right. Any exercise by either party of its termination right under this Section 10(d) shall be without any prejudice to any other remedies or

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EXECUTION

rights available to such party and shall not be subject to any fee or penalty, whether monetary or equitable. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 18, notice of termination under this Section 10(d) shall be considered given and effective when given, not when received.

(e) The Trust may terminate this Agreement at any time upon thirty (30) days’ prior written notice in the event that the Sponsor determines to liquidate the Trust. BNY may terminate this Agreement at any time upon one-hundred and twenty (120) days’ written notice for any reason; provided that the termination will be effected as soon as practicable following such notice but no later than the conclusion of the 120-day notice period, and, provided further, BNY may terminate this Agreement upon thirty (30) days’ written notice in the event of a breach of the Trust’s representations contained in Section 3(i)(e) hereof.

(f) Notwithstanding any provision in this agreement to the contrary, in the event this Agreement terminates or expires prior to the end of a calendar quarter, other than as a result of a termination described in Sections 12(c) and 12(d) above or a termination in the event of a breach of the Trust’s representations contained in Section 3(i)(e) hereof, each of the Trust and BNY agrees that BNY shall provide assistance to the Trust solely with respect to the preparation and filing of the applicable Form 10-K or 10-Q (the “Reporting Service”), and, notwithstanding the termination of expiration of this Agreement, such Reporting Services shall be performed subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement relating to the duties and obligations of BNY and the Trust as if this Agreement had not terminated or expired. In connection with the provision of the Reporting Service, BNY shall be entitled to reasonable compensation for such Reporting Services subject to and in accordance with Section 8 of this Agreement. Upon completion of the Reporting Service, the Agreement shall terminate in accordance with its terms.

11.
Amendment.

This Agreement may not be amended, changed or modified in any manner except by a written agreement executed by BNY and the Trust to be bound thereby.

12.
Assignment; Subcontracting.

(a) This Agreement shall extend to and shall be binding upon the parties hereto, and their respective successors and assigns; provided, however, that this Agreement shall not be

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EXECUTION

assignable or delegable by the Trust without the written consent of BNY, or by BNY without the written consent of the Trust.

(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing: (i) BNY may assign or transfer this Agreement to any BNY Affiliate or transfer this Agreement in connection with a sale of a majority or more of its assets, equity interests or voting control, provided that BNY gives the Trust thirty (30) days' prior written notice of such assignment or transfer and such assignment or transfer does not impair the provision of services under this Agreement in any material respect, and the assignee or transferee agrees to be bound by all terms of this Agreement in place of BNY; (ii) BNY may subcontract with, hire, engage or otherwise outsource to any BNY Affiliate solely with respect to the performance of any one or more of the functions, services, duties or obligations of BNY under this Agreement but any such subcontracting, hiring, engaging or outsourcing shall not relieve BNY of any of its liabilities hereunder; (iii) BNY may subcontract with, hire, engage or otherwise outsource to an unaffiliated third party with respect to the performance of any one or more of the functions, services, duties or obligations of BNY under this Agreement but any such subcontracting, hiring, engaging or outsourcing shall not relieve BNY of any of its liabilities hereunder; and (iv) BNY, in the course of providing certain additional services requested by the Trust, including but not limited to, Typesetting or eBoard Book services (“Vendor Eligible Services”) as further described in Schedule I, may in its sole discretion, enter into an agreement or agreements with a financial printer, or electronic services provider (“Vendor”) to provide BNY with the ability to generate certain reports or provide certain functionality. BNY shall not be obligated to perform any of the Vendor Eligible Services unless an agreement between BNY and the Vendor for the provision of such services is then-currently in effect, and shall only be liable for the failure to reasonably select the Vendor. Upon request, BNY will disclose the identity of the Vendor and the status of the contractual relationship, and the Trust is free to attempt to contract directly with the Vendor for the provision of the Vendor Eligible Services.

(c) As compensation for the Vendor Eligible Services rendered by BNY pursuant to this Agreement, the Trust will pay to BNY such fees as may be agreed to in writing by the Trust and BNY. In turn, BNY will be responsible for paying the Vendor’s fees. For the avoidance of doubt, BNY anticipates that the fees it charges hereunder will be more than the fees charged to it by the Vendor, and BNY will retain the difference between the amount paid to BNY hereunder

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EXECUTION

and the fees BNY pays to the Vendor as compensation for the additional services provided by BNY in the course of making the Vendor Eligible Services available to the Trust.

13.
Governing Law; Consent to Jurisdiction.

This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to conflict of laws principles thereof. The Trust hereby consents to the jurisdiction of a state or federal court situated in New York City, New York in connection with any dispute arising hereunder, and waives to the fullest extent permitted by law its right to a trial by jury. To the extent that in any jurisdiction the Trust may now or hereafter be entitled to claim, for itself or its assets, immunity from suit, execution, attachment (before or after judgment) or other legal process, the Trust irrevocably agrees not to claim, and it hereby waives, such immunity.

14.
Severability.

In case any provision in or obligation under this Agreement shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions or obligations shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby, and if any provision is inapplicable to any person or circumstances, it shall nevertheless remain applicable to all other persons and circumstances.

15.
No Waiver.

Each and every right granted to BNY hereunder or under any other document delivered hereunder or in connection herewith, or allowed it by law or equity, shall be cumulative and may be exercised from time to time. No failure on the part of BNY to exercise, and no delay in exercising, any right will operate as a waiver thereof, nor will any single or partial exercise by BNY of any right preclude any other or future exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right.

16.
Notices.

All notices, requests, consents and other communications pursuant to this Agreement in writing shall be sent as follows:

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EXECUTION

[***]

or at such other place as may from time to time be designated in writing. Notices hereunder shall be effective upon receipt.

17.
Counterparts.

This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original; but such counterparts together shall constitute only one instrument.

18. Confidentiality.

(a) Each party shall keep confidential any information relating to the other party’s business (“Confidential Information”). Confidential Information shall include (a) any data or information that is competitively sensitive material, and not generally known to the public, including, but not limited to, information about product plans, marketing strategies, finances, operations, customer relationships, customer profiles, customer lists, sales estimates, business plans, and internal performance results relating to the past, present or future business activities of the Trust or BNY and their respective subsidiaries and affiliated companies; (b) any scientific or technical information, design, process, procedure, formula, or improvement that is commercially valuable and secret in the sense that its confidentiality affords the Trust or BNY a competitive advantage over its competitors; (c) all confidential or proprietary concepts, documentation, reports, data, specifications, computer software, source code, object code, flow charts, databases, inventions, know‑how, and trade secrets, whether or not patentable or copyrightable; and (d) anything designated as confidential. Notwithstanding the foregoing, information shall not be Confidential Information and shall not be subject to such confidentiality obligations if it: (a) is already known to the receiving party at the time it is obtained; (b) is or becomes publicly known or available through no wrongful act of the receiving party; (c) is rightfully received from a third party who is not under a duty of confidentiality; (d) is released by the protected party to a third party without restriction; (e) is requested or required to be disclosed by the receiving party pursuant to a court order, subpoena, governmental or regulatory agency request, requirement or law (f) is Trust information provided by BNY in connection with an independent third party compliance or other review, as long as the that third-party is under an obligation of confidentiality; (g) is released for the purpose of the provision of services under this Agreement; or (h) has been or is independently developed or obtained by the receiving party. The provisions

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of this Section 20 shall survive termination of this Agreement for a period of three (3) years after such termination.

(b) The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation is a global financial organization that provides services to clients through its affiliates and subsidiaries in multiple jurisdictions (the “BNY Group”). The BNY Group may centralize functions including audit, accounting, risk, legal, compliance, sales, administration, product communication, relationship management, storage, compilation and analysis of customer-related data, and other functions (the “Centralized Functions”) in one or more affiliates, subsidiaries and third-party service providers. Solely in connection with the Centralized Functions and for the purposes of BNY fulfilling its obligations under this Agreement, (i) the Trust consents to the disclosure of and authorizes BNY to disclose information regarding the Trust (“Customer-Related Data”) to the BNY Group and to its third-party service providers who are subject to confidentiality obligations with respect to such information and (ii) BNY may store the names and business contact information of the Trust’s employees and representatives on the systems or in the records of the BNY Group or its service providers. The BNY Group may aggregate Customer-Related Data with other data collected and/or calculated by the BNY Group, and notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary the BNY Group will own all such aggregated data, provided that the BNY Group shall not distribute the aggregated data in a format that identifies Customer-Related Data with a particular customer. The Trust confirms that it is authorized to consent to the foregoing.

19. [Reserved].

[Signature page follows.]

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EXECUTION

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused the foregoing instrument to be executed by their duly authorized officers and their seals to be hereunto affixed, all as of the latest date set forth below.

 

By: Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC,

on behalf of each Fund

identified on Exhibit A

attached hereto

/s/ Craig Salm

 

Name: Craig Salm

Title: Chief Legal Officer

Date: 10/09/2025

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

By: /s/ Michael Spates

Name: Michael Spates

Title: Director

Date: 10/09/2025

 

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EXHIBIT A

Trusts

[***]

 

 


EXECUTION

EXHIBIT B

I, Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Sponsor”), do hereby certify, on behalf of each entity listed on Exhibit A attached hereto, that:

The following individuals serve in the following positions with the Sponsor, and each has been duly elected or appointed by the Sponsor to each such position and qualified therefor in conformity with the Trust’s Organizational Documents, and the signatures set forth opposite their respective names are their true and correct signatures. Each such person is designated as an Authorized Person under the Fund Administration and Accounting Agreement dated as of ___________________, 2025, between the Trust and The Bank of New York Mellon.

Name Position Signature

[***]

 

 

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SCHEDULE I

Schedule of Services

 

All services provided in this Schedule of Services are subject to the review and approval of the appropriate Trust officers, Trust counsel and accountants of the Trust, as may be applicable. The services included on this Schedule of Services may be provided by BNY or a BNY Affiliate, collectively referred to herein as “BNY”.

 

VALUATION AND COMPUTATION ACCOUNTING SERVICES

 

BNY shall provide the following valuation and computation accounting services for the Trust:

▪
Journalize investment, capital share and income and expense activities;
▪
Maintain individual ledgers for Trust assets;
▪
Maintain certain financial books and records for the Trust, including creation and redemption books and records, and Trust accounting records;
▪
Maintain historical tax lots for Trust assets;
▪
Reconcile cash (if applicable) and investment balances of the Trust with the Trust’s custodian;
▪
Calculate various contractual expenses;
▪
Calculate capital gains and losses;
▪
Obtain quotes from pricing services as directed and approved by the Sponsor, or if such quotes are unavailable, then obtain such prices from the Sponsor, and in either case, calculate the market value of the Trust’s assets in accordance with the Trust's valuation policies or guidelines; provided, however, that BNY shall not under any circumstances be under a duty to independently price or value any of the Trust's assets itself or to confirm or validate any information or valuation provided by the Sponsor or any other pricing source, nor shall BNY have any liability relating to inaccuracies or otherwise with respect to such information or valuations;
▪
Compute net asset value, calculated in the manner described in the Trust’s Offering Materials;
▪
Transmit or make available a copy of the daily portfolio valuation to the Sponsor;
▪
Publish basket to NSCC on each day on which trading occurs on the primary exchange on which the Trust’s shares trade.

 

FINANCIAL REPORTING

 

BNY shall provide the following financial reporting services for the Trust:

 

▪
Financial Statement Preparation & Review
•
Prepare financial statements for the Trust;
•
Prepare the Trust’s periodic shareholder reports, including certain information furnished by the Trust to BNY, as required pursuant to the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934; and
•
Prepare, circulate and maintain the Trust’s financial reporting production calendar;

 

 

 

 

 


TAX SERVICES

 

BNY shall provide the following tax services for the Trust:

 

•
Prepare annual grantor trust tax reporting statements for client review and approval and deliver such statements to DTC participants upon finalization.

 

 

 

FUND ADMINISTRATION SERVICES

 

BNY shall provide the following fund administration services for the Trust:

 

▪
Establish appropriate expense accruals and compute expense ratios, maintain expense files and coordinate the payment of Trust approved invoices;

 

▪
Calculate Trust approved income and per share amounts required for periodic distributions to be made by the Trust;

 

▪
Calculate total return information;

 

▪
Coordinate the Trust’s annual audit;

 

▪
Supply various normal and customary portfolio and Trust statistical data as requested on an ongoing basis; and

 

IRS CIRCULAR 230 DISCLOSURE:

 

To ensure compliance with requirements imposed by the Internal Revenue Service, BNY informs the Trust that any U.S. tax advice contained in any communication from BNY to the Trust (including any future communications) is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of (i) avoiding penalties under the Internal Revenue Code or (ii) promoting, marketing or recommending to another party any transaction or matter addressed herein or therein.

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Exhibit 10.6

Certain confidential information contained in this document, marked by [***], has been omitted because the registrant has determined that the information (i) is not material and (ii) is the type that the registrant treats as private or confidential.

MARKETING AGENT AGREEMENT

 

 

THIS AGREEMENT is made and entered into as of this 22nd day of October, 2025 (“Effective Date”), by and between each entity listed on Appendix I hereto, separately and not jointly (each, individually, a “Trust”), and Foreside Fund Services, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Foreside”).

 

WHEREAS, the Trust, which is sponsored by the Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC (the “Sponsor”), is a statutory trust organized under the laws of the State of Delaware;

 

WHEREAS, the Trust has filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) a Registration Statement for the Trust under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”);

 

WHEREAS, the Trust intends to create and redeem shares of beneficial interest in the Trust (the “Shares”) only in creation unit aggregations (“Creation Unit”) on a continuous basis, and list the Shares on one or more national securities exchanges;

 

WHEREAS, the Sponsor desires to retain Foreside to provide certain services in connection with the offering of the Shares (as amended from time to time);

 

WHEREAS, Foreside is registered as a broker-dealer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”), and is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”);

 

WHEREAS, the Sponsor desires to retain Foreside to provide certain services to the Trust;

and

 

WHEREAS, Foreside is willing to provide certain services to the Trust on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth.

 

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and mutual covenants herein contained, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, do hereby agree as follows:

 

1.
Services.

 

Foreside agrees to serve as the marketing agent of the Trust on the terms and for the period set forth in this Agreement.

2.
Definitions.

Wherever they are used herein, the following terms have the following respective

 

DOCPROPERTY DPWPathText \* MERGEFORMAT #101284359v2


 

 

meanings:

“Prospectus” means the Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information constituting parts of the Registration Statement of the Trust under the 1933 Act as such Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information may be amended or supplemented and filed with the SEC from time to time;

 

“Registration Statement” means the registration statement most recently filed from time to time by the Trust with the SEC and effective under the 1933 Act, as such registration statement is amended by any amendments thereto at the time in effect;

All other capitalized terms used but not defined in this Agreement shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

3.
Duties of Foreside
a)
Foreside shall use commercially reasonable efforts to provide the following services to the Trust:

 

(i)
at the request of the Sponsor, Foreside shall assist the Sponsor with facilitating Authorized Participant Agreements between and among Authorized Participants, the Trust, and the applicable Transfer Agent, for the creation and redemption of Creation Units of the Trust;

 

(ii)
maintain copies of confirmations of Creation Unit creation and redemption order acceptances and promptly produce such copies upon reasonable request from the Sponsor;

 

(iii)
make available copies of the Prospectus to Authorized Participants who have purchased Creation Units in accordance with the Authorized Participant Agreements;
(iv)
maintain telephonic, facsimile and/or access to direct computer communications links with the Transfer Agent;

 

(v)
review and approve, prior to use, all marketing materials submitted to Foreside for review by the Sponsor (“Marketing Materials”) for compliance with applicable SEC and FINRA advertising rules, and file all such Marketing Materials required to be filed with FINRA. Foreside agrees to furnish to the Sponsor any comments provided by FINRA with respect to such materials;

 

(vi)
fulfill all direct requests by Authorized Participants for Prospectuses;

 

(vii)
work with the Transfer Agent to review and approve orders placed by Authorized Participants and transmitted to the Transfer Agent. The Sponsor acknowledges that Foreside shall not be obligated to approve any certain

2

 

 


 

 

number of orders for Creation Units; and

 

b)
The services furnished by Foreside hereunder are not to be deemed exclusive and Foreside shall be free to furnish similar services to others so long as its services under this Agreement are not impaired thereby.
4.
Duties of the Sponsor

 

a)
The Sponsor agrees to create, issue, and redeem Creation Units of the Trust in accordance with the procedures described in the Prospectus and any relevant policies and procedures adopted by the Sponsor or the Trust or its service providers that are applicable to the services provided by Foreside. Upon reasonable notice to Foreside, and in accordance with the procedures described in the Prospectus, the Sponsor reserves the right to reject any order for Creation Units or to stop all receipts of such orders at any time.

 

b)
The Sponsor shall deliver to Foreside copies of the following documents:
(i)
the then current Prospectus for the Trust;
(ii)
any relevant policies and procedures adopted by the Sponsor or the Trust or its service providers that are applicable to the services provided by Foreside; and
(iii)
any other documents, materials, or information that Foreside shall reasonably request to enable it to perform its duties pursuant to this Agreement.
c)
The Sponsor shall thereafter deliver to Foreside as soon as is reasonably practical any and all amendments to the documents required to be delivered under this Section.

 

d)
The Sponsor shall arrange to provide the listing exchanges with copies of Prospectuses, Statements of Additional Information, and product descriptions that are required to be provided by the Trust to purchasers in the secondary market.

 

e)
The Sponsor will make it known that Prospectuses and Statements of Additional Information and product descriptions are available by making sure such disclosures are in all marketing and advertising materials prepared by the Sponsor.

 

5.
Representations, Warranties and Covenants of the Sponsor.

 

A.
The Sponsor hereby represents and warrants to Foreside, which representations and warranties shall be deemed to be continuing throughout the term of this Agreement, that:

 

(i)
it is duly organized and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization;

 

(ii)
this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Sponsor and, when executed and delivered, will constitute a valid and legally binding obligation of the Sponsor, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting the rights and remedies of creditors and secured parties;

3

 

 


 

 

 

(iii)
it is conducting its business in compliance in all material respects with all applicable laws and regulations, both state and federal, and has obtained all regulatory approvals necessary to carry on its business as now conducted;

 

(iv)
the Trust’s Registration Statement and the Trust’s Prospectus, and sales and promotional literature have been or will be prepared, in all material respects, in conformity with the requirements of the 1933 Act and SEC rules and regulations thereunder;

 

(vii)
the Trust’s Registration Statement (including its statement of additional information) and Prospectus do not and will not contain any untrue statement of material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and that all statements or information furnished to Foreside pursuant to this Agreement shall be true and correct in all material respects;
(viii)
all sales or promotional literature shall contain all statements required to be stated therein in accordance with the 1933 Act and SEC rules and regulations; and do not and will not contain any untrue statement of material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; and

 

(ix)
all necessary approvals, authorizations, consents, or orders of or filings with any federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory commission, board, body, authority or agency have been or will be obtained by the Trust in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares, including registration of the Shares under the 1933 Act, and any necessary qualification under the securities or blue-sky laws of the various jurisdictions in which the Shares are being offered.

 

B.
The Sponsor shall fully cooperate in the efforts of Foreside in the provision of the services. In addition, the Sponsor shall keep Foreside informed of its material affairs as they relate to the Trust and shall provide to Foreside from time-to-time copies of information that Foreside may reasonably request for use in connection with the provision of the Services.

 

6.
Representations, Warranties and Covenants of Foreside.

 

A.
Foreside hereby represents and warrants to the Sponsor, which representations and warranties shall be deemed to be continuing throughout the term of this Agreement, that:
(i)
it is duly organized and existing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, with full power to carry on its business as now conducted, to enter into this Agreement and to perform its obligations hereunder;

 

(ii)
this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by Foreside and, when executed and delivered, will constitute a valid and legally binding obligation of Foreside, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy,

4

 

 


 

 

insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting the rights and remedies of creditors and secured parties;

 

(iii)
it is conducting its business in compliance in all material respects with all applicable laws and regulations, both state and federal, and has obtained all regulatory approvals necessary to carry on its business as now conducted; and it is registered as a broker-dealer under the 1934 Act and is a member in good standing of FINRA.
7.
Compensation.

 

As compensation for the services performed by Foreside under this Agreement, Sponsor shall pay to Foreside the fees and expenses set forth in Exhibit A hereto (as amended from time to time).

 

8.
Indemnification.

 

a)
The Sponsor shall indemnify, defend and hold Foreside, its affiliates and each of their respective members, managers, directors, officers, employees, representatives and any person who controls or previously controlled Foreside within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (collectively, the “Foreside Indemnitees”), free and harmless from and against any and all losses, claims, demands, liabilities, damages and expenses (including the costs of investigating or defending any alleged losses, claims, demands, liabilities, damages or expenses and any reasonable counsel fees incurred in connection therewith) (collectively, “Losses”) that any Foreside Indemnitee may incur arising out of or relating to, (i) the Sponsor’s breach of any of its obligations, representations, warranties or covenants contained in this Agreement; (ii) the Sponsor’s failure to comply in all material respects with any applicable laws, rules or regulations; or (iii) any claim that the Prospectus, sales literature and advertising materials or other information filed or made public by the Trust (as from time to time amended) includes or included an untrue statement of a material fact or omits or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading provided, however, that the Sponsor’s obligation to indemnify any of the Foreside Indemnitees shall not be deemed to cover any Losses arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in the Prospectus or any such advertising materials or sales literature or other information filed or made public by the Trust in reliance upon and in conformity with information provided by Foreside to the Trust, in writing, for use in such Prospectus or any such advertising materials or sales literature.

 

b)
Foreside shall indemnify, defend and hold the Sponsor, its affiliates, and each of their respective directors, officers, employees, representatives, and any person who controls or previously controlled the Sponsor within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (collectively, the “Sponsor Indemnitees”), free and harmless from and against any and all Losses that any Sponsor Indemnitee may incur under the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act, any other statute (including Blue Sky laws) or any rule or regulation thereunder, or under common law or otherwise, arising out of or relating to (i) Foreside’s breach of any of its obligations, representations, warranties or covenants contained in this Agreement; (ii) Foreside’s failure to comply in all material respects with any applicable laws, rules, or regulations; or (iii)

5

 

 


 

 

any claim that the Prospectus, sales literature and advertising materials or other information filed or made public by the Sponsor (as from time to time amended) include or included an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading, insofar as such statement or omission was made in reliance upon, and in conformity with information furnished to the Sponsor by Foreside, in writing, for use in such Prospectus, sales literature and advertising materials or other information filed or made public by the Sponsor.
c)
In no case (i) is the indemnification provided by an indemnifying party to be deemed to protect against any liability the indemnified party would otherwise be subject to by reason of bad faith, gross negligence, or willful misconduct in the performance of its duties or by reason of its reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement, or (ii) is the indemnifying party to be liable under this Section with respect to any claim made against any indemnified party unless the indemnified party promptly notifies the indemnifying party in writing of the claim within a reasonable time after the summons or other first written notification giving information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon the indemnified party (or after the indemnified party shall have received notice of service on any designated agent).

 

d)
Failure to notify the indemnifying party of any claim shall not relieve the indemnifying party from any liability that it may have to the indemnified party against whom such action is brought, on account of this Section, unless failure or delay to so notify the indemnifying party prejudices the indemnifying party’s ability to defend against such claim. The indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate at its own expense in the defense or, if it so elects, to assume the defense of any suit brought to enforce the claim. In the event that indemnifying party elects to assume the defense of any suit and retain counsel, the indemnified party shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by them. If the indemnifying party does not elect to assume the defense of any suit, it will reimburse the indemnified party for the reasonable fees and expenses of any counsel retained by the indemnified party. The indemnifying party agrees to notify the indemnified party as promptly as reasonably practicable of the commencement of any litigation or proceedings against it or any of its officers or directors in connection with the purchase or redemption of any of the Creation Units or the Shares.

 

e)
No indemnified party shall settle any claim against it for which it intends to seek indemnification from the indemnifying party, under the terms of section 7(a) or 7(b) above, without prior written notice to and consent from the indemnifying party, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. No indemnified or indemnifying party shall settle any claim unless the settlement contains a full release of liability with respect to the other party in respect of such action. This section 6 shall survive the termination of this Agreement.

 

9.
Limitations on Damages.

 

Neither Party shall be liable for any consequential, special, or indirect losses or damages suffered by the other Party, whether or not the likelihood of such losses or damages was known by the Party.

 

6

 

 


 

 

10.
Force Majeure.

Neither Party shall be liable for losses, delays, failure, errors, interruption or loss of data occurring directly or indirectly by reason of circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including, without limitation, Acts of Nature (including fire, flood, earthquake, storm, hurricane or other natural disaster); action or inaction of civil or military authority; acts of foreign enemies; war; terrorism; riot; insurrection; sabotage; epidemics; labor disputes; civil commotion; or interruption, loss or malfunction of utilities, transportation, computer or communications capabilities, and the other Party shall have no right to terminate this Agreement in such circumstances.

11.
Duration and Termination.

 

a)
This Agreement shall become effective as of the date first set forth above. Unless sooner terminated as provided herein, this Agreement shall continue in effect for two years from the date hereof. Thereafter, if not terminated, upon written notice this Agreement will be automatically continued in effect for successive one-year periods.

 

b)
Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Agreement may be terminated with respect to one or more Trusts, without the payment of any penalty, upon no less than: (i) 30 days’ written notice by the Sponsor; or (ii) 90 days’ written notice by Foreside.

 

12.
Confidentiality.

 

During the term of this Agreement, Foreside and the Sponsor may have access to non-public confidential information relating to such matters as either party’s business, trade secrets, systems, procedures, manuals, products, contracts, personnel, and clients. As used in this Agreement, “Confidential Information” means all information, whether written, visual oral or electronic, that may be disclosed or made available by a party. Confidential Information includes non-public or proprietary information that may be financial information, proposals and presentations, reports, forecasts, inventions, improvements, and other intellectual property; trade secrets; know-how; designs, processes or formulae; software; market or sales information or plans; customer lists; and business plans, prospects and opportunities (such as possible acquisitions or dispositions of businesses or facilities). Confidential Information includes information developed by either party in the course of engaging in the activities provided for in this Agreement, unless: (i) the information is or becomes publicly known through lawful means; (ii) the information is disclosed to the other party without a confidential restriction by a third party who rightfully possesses the information and did not obtain it, either directly or indirectly, from one of the parties, as the case may be, or any of their respective principals, employees, affiliated persons, or affiliated entities. The parties understand and agree that all Confidential Information shall be kept confidential by the other both during and after the term of this Agreement. Each party shall maintain commercially reasonable information security policies and procedures for protecting Confidential Information. The parties further agree that they will not, without the prior written approval by the other party, disclose such Confidential Information, or use such Confidential Information in any way, either during the term of this Agreement or at any time thereafter, except (i) as required in the course of this Agreement,

(ii) as provided by the other party, or (iii) as required by applicable law, rule, or regulation or (iv) in response to (A) a routine self-regulatory examination or (B) a request for information directed at the receiving party.

 

7

 

 


 

 

13.
Notice

 

Any notice or other communication authorized or required by this Agreement to be given to either party shall be in writing and deemed to have been given when delivered in person or by confirmed facsimile, email, or posted by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the following address (or such other address as a party may specify by written notice to the other):

 

(i) To Foreside:

[***]

With a copy to Sponsor:

[***]

 

13.
Modifications. The terms of this Agreement shall not be waived, altered, modified, amended, or supplemented in any manner whatsoever except by a written instrument signed by Foreside and the Sponsor.

 

14.
Governing Law. This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to the conflicts of law principles thereof.

 

15.
Assignment. This Agreement may not be assigned by either Party without the prior written consent of the other Party. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Parties’ representatives, successors, heirs, and permitted assigns, as applicable. A change in control shall not be construed to be an assignment.

 

17.
Survival. The provisions of Sections 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 17, 18 and 20 of this Agreement shall survive any termination of this Agreement.

 

18.
Anti-Money Laundering. Foreside and Sponsor both represent and warrant to the other that it has, and shall maintain, an anti-money laundering program (“AML Program”) that, at a minimum, (i) designates a compliance officer to administer and oversee the AML Program, (ii) provides ongoing employee training, (iii) includes an independent audit function to test the effectiveness of the AML Program, (iv) establishes internal policies, procedures, and controls that

8

 

 


 

 

are tailored to its particular business, (v) provides for the filing of all necessary anti-money laundering reports including, but not limited to, currency transaction reports and suspicious activity reports, and (vi) allows for appropriate regulators to examine its anti-money laundering books and records.

 

19.
Miscellaneous. The captions in this Agreement are included for convenience of reference only and in no way define or delimit any of the provisions hereof or otherwise affect their construction or effect. Any provision of this Agreement which may be determined by competent authority to be prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors. This Agreement shall be construed as if drafted jointly by both Foreside and the Sponsor and no presumptions shall arise favoring any party by virtue of authorship of any provision of this Agreement. This Agreement may be executed by the Parties hereto in any number of counterparts, and all of the counterparts taken together shall be deemed to constitute one and the same document. Nothing herein contained shall prevent Foreside from entering into similar distribution arrangements or from providing the services contemplated hereunder to other investment companies or investment vehicles. This Agreement has been negotiated and executed by the parties in English. In the event any translation of this Agreement is prepared for convenience or any other purpose, the provisions of the English version shall prevail.

 

20.
Liability of Sponsor. It is expressly understood and agreed by Foreside that:

 

(a)
nothing herein contained shall be construed as creating any liability on the Sponsor, individually or personally, to perform any covenant of the Trust either expressed or implied contained herein, all such liability, if any, being expressly waived by the parties hereto and by any person claiming by, through or under the parties hereto; and

 

21.
Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the Parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereto, and supersedes all prior communications, understandings and agreements relating to the subject matter hereof, whether oral or written.

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]

9

 

 


gfx50538683_0.jpg

 

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed by a duly authorized officer on one or more counterparts as of the date first above written.

 

 

FORESIDE FUND SERVICES, LLC

 

 

By: Teresa Cowan, President

 

 

GRAYSCALE INVESTMENTS SPONSORS, LLC, FOR AND ON BEHALF OF EACH ENTITY LISTED ON APPENDIX I

 

By: GRAYSCALE INVESTMENTS SPONSORS, LLC

 

By:

Craig Salm, Chief Legal Officer

10

 

 


 

EXHIBIT A

[***]


 

 

 

APPENDIX I

 

 

[***]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A-1


Exhibit 10.7

EXECUTION

Certain confidential information contained in this document, marked by [***], has been omitted because the registrant has determined that the information (i) is not material and (ii) is the type that the registrant treats as private or confidential.

 

TRANSFER AGENCY AND SERVICE AGREEMENT

 

THIS AGREEMENT is made as of the 9th day of October, 2025, by and between each entity listed on Appendix I hereto, separately and not jointly (each, individually, a “Trust”) and THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, a New York corporation authorized to do a banking business having its principal office and place of business at 240 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10286 (the “Bank”).

WHEREAS, the Trust will ordinarily issue for purchase and redeem shares of the Trust (the “Shares) only in aggregations of Shares known as “Creation Units” (currently 10,000 shares) (each a “Creation Unit”) principally in kind;

WHEREAS, The Depository Trust Company, a limited purpose trust company organized under the laws of the State of New York (“DTC”), or its nominee (Cede & Co.), will be the registered owner (the “Shareholder”) of all Shares; and

WHEREAS, the Trust desires to appoint the Bank as its transfer agent, dividend disbursing agent, and agent in connection with certain other activities, and the Bank desires to accept such appointment;

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants herein contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:

1.
Terms of Appointment; Duties of the Bank
1.1
Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the Trust hereby employs and appoints the Bank to act as, and the Bank agrees to act as, its transfer agent for the authorized and issued Shares, and as the Trust’s dividend disbursing agent.
1.2
Pursuant to such appointment, the Bank agrees that it will perform the following services:
(a)
In accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the authorized participant agreements (each an "Authorized Participant Agreement") prepared by the Trust’s distributor (“Distributor”), a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit A, the Bank shall:
(i)
Perform and facilitate the performance of purchases and redemption of Creation Units;
(ii)
Prepare and transmit by means of DTC’s book‑entry system payments for dividends and distributions on or with respect to the Shares, if any, declared by the Trust;
(iii)
Maintain the record of the name and address of the Shareholder and the number of Shares issued by the Trust and held by the Shareholder;
(iv)
Record the issuance of Shares of the Trust and maintain a record of the total number of Shares of the Trust which are outstanding and authorized, based upon data provided to it

 


EXECUTION

by the Trust. The Bank shall have no obligation, when recording the issuance of Shares, to monitor the issuance of such Shares or to take cognizance of any laws relating to the issue or sale of such Shares, which functions shall be the sole responsibility of the Trust.
(v)
Prepare and transmit to the Trust and the Trust’s administrator and to any applicable securities exchange (as specified to the Bank by the Trust or its administrator) information with respect to purchases and redemptions of Shares;
(vi)
On days that the Trust may accept orders for purchases or redemptions, calculate and transmit to the Distributor and the Trust’s administrator the number of outstanding Shares;
(vii)
On days that the Trust may accept orders for purchases or redemptions (pursuant to the Authorized Participant Agreement), transmit to the Bank, the Trust and DTC the amount of Shares purchased on such day;
(viii)
Confirm to DTC the number of Shares issued to the Shareholder, as DTC may reasonably request;
(ix)
Prepare and deliver other reports, information and documents to DTC as DTC may reasonably request;
(x)
Extend the voting rights to the Shareholder for extension by DTC to DTC participants and the beneficial owners of Shares in accordance with policies and procedures of DTC for book-entry only securities;
(xi)
Distribute or maintain, as directed by the Trust, amounts related to purchases and redemptions of Creation Units, dividends and distributions, variation margin on derivative securities and collateral;
(xii)
Maintain those books and records of the Trust specified by the Trust in Schedule A attached hereto;
(xiii)
Prepare a monthly report of all purchases and redemptions of Shares during such month on a gross transaction basis, and identify on a daily basis the net number of Shares either redeemed or purchased on such Business Day and with respect to each Authorized Participant (as defined in each Authorized Participant Agreement) purchasing or redeeming Shares, the amount of Shares purchased or redeemed;
(xiv)
Receive from the Distributor (as defined in the Authorized Participant Agreement) or from its agent purchase orders from Authorized Participants for Creation Unit aggregations of Shares received in good form and accepted by or on behalf of the Trust, transmit appropriate trade instructions to the National Securities Clearance Corporation, if applicable, and pursuant to such orders issue the appropriate number of Shares of the Trust and hold such Shares in the account of the Shareholder of the Trust;
(xv)
Receive from the Authorized Participants redemption requests, deliver the appropriate documentation thereof to the Trust’s sponsor with respect to redemptions for cash and for redemptions in-kind, generate and transmit or cause to be generated and transmitted confirmation of receipt of such redemption requests to the Authorized Participants submitting the same; transmit appropriate trade instructions to the National Securities Clearance Corporation, if applicable, and redeem the appropriate number of Creation Unit Aggregations of Shares held in the account of the Shareholder; and

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EXECUTION

(xvi)
Confirm the name, U.S taxpayer identification number and principal place of business of each Authorized Participant.
(xvii)
The Bank may execute transactions directly with Authorized Participants to the extent necessary or appropriate to enable the Bank to carry out any of the duties set forth in items (i) through (xvi) above. The Trust will be responsible for confirming the receipt of assets in connection with creation activity and the withdrawal of assets in connection with redemption activity prior to the creation or redemption of Creation Units by the Bank. The Bank has no responsibility to independently verify the accuracy of such information provided to it by the Trust.
(xviii)
Except as otherwise instructed by the Trust, the Bank shall process all transactions for the Trust in accordance with the policies and procedures mutually agreed upon between the Trust and the Bank with respect to the proper net asset value to be applied to purchases received in good order by the Bank or from an Authorized Participant before any cut-offs established by the Trust, and such other matters set forth in items (i) through (xvi) above as these policies and procedures are intended to address.
(b)
The Bank may maintain and manage, as agent for the Trust, such accounts as the Bank shall deem necessary for the performance of its duties under this Agreement, including, but not limited to, the processing of Creation Unit purchases and redemptions; and the payment of dividends and distributions. The Bank may maintain such accounts at financial institutions deemed appropriate by the Bank in accordance with applicable law.
(c)
In addition to the services set forth in the above sub-section 1.2(a), the Bank shall: perform the customary services of a transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent including, but not limited to, maintaining the account of the Shareholder, maintaining the items set forth on Schedule A attached hereto, and performing such services identified in each Authorized Participant Agreement.
(d)
The following shall be delivered to DTC participants as identified by DTC as the Shareholder for book-entry only securities:
(i)
Annual and semi‑annual reports of the Trust;
(ii)
Trust proxies, proxy statements and other proxy soliciting materials;
(iii)
Trust prospectus and amendments and supplements thereto, including stickers;
(iv)
Tax information materials, including, but not limited to, certain grantor trust tax letters;
(v)
Other communications as the Trust may from time to time identify as required by law or as the Trust may reasonably request; and
(vi)
The Bank shall provide additional services, if any, as may be agreed upon in writing by the Trust and the Bank.
(e)
The Bank shall keep records relating to the services to be performed hereunder, in the form and manner to the extent required by Section 31 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the rules thereunder (the “Rules”) as if the Trust was subject to such Rules, all such books and records shall be

3


EXECUTION

the property of the Trust, will be preserved, maintained and made available in accordance with such Section and Rules, and will be surrendered promptly to the Trust on and in accordance with its request.

(f) It is understood and agreed by the parties hereto that under no circumstances will the services performed by the Bank pursuant to this Agreement include any service, function or activity that would constitute a "virtual currency business activity" for purposes of the regulations issued by the Superintendent of the New York State Department of Financial Services (23 N.Y.C.R.R. Part 200).

2.
Fees and Expenses
2.1
The Bank shall receive from the Trust such compensation for its services provided pursuant to this Agreement as may be agreed to from time to time in a written fee schedule approved by the parties. The fees are accrued daily and billed monthly and shall be due and payable upon receipt of the invoice. Upon the termination of this Agreement before the end of any month, the fee for the part of the month before such termination shall be prorated according to the proportion which such part bears to the full monthly period and shall be payable upon the date of termination of this Agreement.
2.2
In addition to the fee paid under Section 2.1 above, the Trust agrees to reimburse the Bank for reasonable documented, out-of-pocket expenses, including but not limited to confirmation production, postage, forms, telephone, microfilm, microfiche, tabulating proxies, records storage, or advances incurred by the Bank for the items set out in the fee schedule or relating to dividend distributions and reports (whereas all expenses related to creations and redemptions of Trust securities shall be borne by the relevant Authorized Participant in such creations and redemptions). In addition, any other expenses incurred by the Bank at the request or with the consent of the Trust, will be reimbursed by the Trust or the Sponsor.
2.3
The Trust agrees to pay all fees and reimbursable expenses within thirty business days following the receipt of the respective billing notice accompanied by supporting documentation, as appropriate. Postage for mailing of dividends, proxies, Trust reports and other mailings to all shareholder accounts shall be advanced to the Bank by the Trust at least seven (7) days prior to the mailing date of such materials.
2.4
The Trust hereby represents and warrants to the Bank that (i) the terms of this Agreement, (ii) the fees and expenses associated with this Agreement, and (iii) any benefits accruing to the Bank or to the adviser to, or sponsor of, the Trust in connection with this Agreement, including, but not limited to, any fee waivers, reimbursements, or payments made, or to be made, by the Bank to such adviser or sponsor or to any affiliate of the Trust relating to this Agreement have been fully disclosed to the Trust or the Trust’s sponsor and that, if required by applicable law, the Trust or the Trust’s sponsor has approved or will approve the terms of this Agreement, and any such fees, expenses, and benefits.
3.
Representations and Warranties of the Bank

The Bank represents and warrants to the Trust that:

It is a banking company duly organized and existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of New York.

It is duly qualified to carry on its business in the State of New York.

It is empowered under applicable laws and by its Charter and By-Laws to act as transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent and to enter into, and perform its obligations under, this Agreement.

4


EXECUTION

All requisite corporate proceedings have been taken to authorize it to enter into and perform this Agreement.

It has and will continue to have access to the necessary facilities, equipment and personnel to perform its duties and obligations under this Agreement.

4.
Representations and Warranties of the Trust

The Trust represents and warrants to the Bank that:

It is duly organized and existing and in good standing under the laws of Delaware.

It is empowered under applicable laws and by its Declaration of Trust and Trust Agreement to enter into and perform this Agreement.

A registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, on behalf of the Trust has become effective, will remain effective, and appropriate state securities law filings have been made and will continue to be made, with respect to all Shares of the Trust being offered for sale.

5.
Indemnification
5.1
The Bank shall not be responsible for, and the Trust shall indemnify and hold the Bank and its directors, officers, employees and agents harmless from and against, any and all losses, damages, costs, charges, counsel fees, including, without limitation, those incurred by the Bank in a successful defense of any claims by the Trust, payments, expenses and liability (“Losses”) which may be sustained or incurred by or which may be asserted against the Bank in connection with or relating to this Agreement or the Bank’s actions or omissions with respect to this Agreement, or as a result of acting upon any instructions reasonably believed by the Bank to have been duly authorized by the Trust or upon reasonable reliance of information or records given or made by the Trust; except for any Losses for which the Bank has accepted liability pursuant to Article 6 of this Agreement.
5.2
This indemnification provision shall apply to actions taken or omissions pursuant to this Agreement or an Authorized Participant Agreement.
6.
Standard of Care and Limitation of Liability

The Bank shall have no responsibility and shall not be liable for any Losses, except that the Bank shall be liable to the Trust for direct money damages caused by its own fraud, negligence, or willful misconduct or that of its employees, agents or attorneys-in-fact. The Bank's aggregate liability hereunder shall not exceed the total fees paid to BNY Mellon for Fund Administration and Accounting services by or on behalf of the Trust during the twelve (12) month period preceding the event on which such claim is based. The parties agree that any encoding or payment processing errors shall be governed by this standard of care, and not Section 4-209 of the Uniform Commercial Code which shall be superseded by this Article. In no event shall the Bank be liable for special, indirect or consequential damages, regardless of the form of action and even if the same were foreseeable. For purposes of this Agreement, none of the following shall be or be deemed a breach of the Bank’s standard or care:

(a)
The conclusive reliance on or use by the Bank or its agents or subcontractors of information, records, documents or services which (i) are received by the Bank or its agents or subcontractors, and (ii) have been prepared, maintained or performed by the Trust or any other person or firm on behalf of the Trust including but not limited to any previous transfer agent or registrar.

5


EXECUTION

(b)
The conclusive reliance on, or the carrying out by the Bank or its agents or subcontractors of, any instructions or requests of the Trust or instructions or requests on behalf of the Trust.
(c)
The offer or sale of Shares by or for the Trust in violation of any requirement under the federal securities laws or regulations, or the securities laws or regulations of any state that such Shares be registered in such state, or any violation of any stop order or other determination or ruling by any federal agency, or by any state with respect to the offer or sale of Shares in such state.
7.
Concerning the Bank
7.1
(a)
The Bank may employ agents or attorneys-in-fact which are not affiliates of the Bank with the prior written consent of the Trust (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), and shall not be liable for any loss or expense arising out of, or in connection with, the actions or omissions to act of such agents or attorneys-in-fact, provided that the Bank acts in good faith and with reasonable care in the selection and retention of such agents or attorneys-in-fact.
(b)
The Bank may, without the prior consent of the Trust, enter into subcontracts, agreements and understandings with any Bank affiliate, whenever and on such terms and conditions as it deems necessary or appropriate to perform its services hereunder. No such subcontract, agreement or understanding shall discharge the Bank from its obligations hereunder.
7.2
The Bank shall be entitled to conclusively rely upon any written or oral instruction actually received by the Bank and reasonably believed by the Bank to be duly authorized and delivered. The Trust agrees to forward to the Bank written instructions confirming oral instructions by the close of business of the same day that such oral instructions are given to the Bank. The Trust agrees that the fact that such confirming written instructions are not received or that contrary written instructions are received by the Bank shall in no way affect the validity or enforceability of transactions authorized by such oral instructions and effected by the Bank.
7.3
The Bank shall establish and maintain a disaster recovery plan and back-up system at all times satisfying the requirements of its regulators (the “Disaster Recovery Plan and Back-Up System”). The Bank shall not be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations under this Agreement arising out of or caused, directly or indirectly, by circumstances beyond its control which are not a result of its gross negligence, including without limitation, acts of God; earthquakes; fires; floods; wars; civil or military disturbances; sabotage; epidemics; riots; interruption, loss or malfunctions of transportation, computer (hardware or software) or communication services; labor disputes; acts of civil or military authority; governmental actions; or inability to obtain labor, material, equipment or transportation, provided that the Bank has established and is maintaining the Disaster Recovery Plan and Back-Up System, or if not, that such delay or failure would have occurred even if the Bank had established and was maintaining the Disaster Recovery Plan and Back-Up System. Upon the occurrence of any such delay or failure the Bank shall use commercially reasonable best efforts to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.
7.4
The Bank shall have no duties or responsibilities whatsoever except such duties and responsibilities as are specifically set forth in this Agreement and the Participation Agreement, and no covenant or obligation shall be implied against the Bank in connection with this Agreement, except as set forth in this Agreement and the Participation Agreement.

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EXECUTION

7.5
At any time the Bank may apply to an officer of the Trust, but is not obligated to do so, for written instructions with respect to any matter arising in connection with the Bank’s duties and obligations under this Agreement, and the Bank, its agents, and subcontractors shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken in good faith in accordance with such instructions. Such application by the Bank for instructions from an officer of the Trust may, at the option of the Bank, set forth in writing any action proposed to be taken or omitted to be taken by the Bank with respect to its duties or obligations under this Agreement and the date on and/or after which such action shall be taken, and the Bank shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken in accordance with a proposal included in any such application on or after the date specified therein unless, prior to taking or omitting to take any such action, the Bank has received written or oral instructions in response to such application specifying the action to be taken or omitted. In connection with the foregoing, the Bank may consult with legal counsel of its own choosing, but is not obligated to do so, and advise the Trust if any instructions provided by the Trust at the request of the Bank pursuant to this Article or otherwise would, to the Bank’s knowledge, cause the Bank to take any action or omit to take any action contrary to any law, rule, or regulation. In the event a situation or circumstance arises whereby the Bank adopts a course of conduct in reliance upon written legal advice it has received from its external counsel (which need not be a formal opinion of counsel) and the course of conduct is not identical to the course of conduct contained in the instructions received from the Trust, the Bank may reply upon and follow the written legal advice without liability hereunder provided it, and otherwise acts in compliance with this Agreement and promptly notifies the Trust of its determination and the rationale for such determination.
7.6
The Bank, its agents and subcontractors may act upon any paper or document, reasonably believed to be genuine and to have been signed by the proper person or persons, or upon any instruction, information, data, records or documents provided to the Bank or its agents or subcontractors by or on behalf of the Trust by machine readable input, telex, CRT data entry or other similar means authorized by the Trust, and shall not be held to have notice of any change of authority of any person, until receipt of written notice thereof from the Trust.
7.7
The Bank shall retain title to and ownership of any and all data bases, computer programs, screen formats, report formats, interactive design techniques, derivative works, inventions, discoveries, patentable or copyrightable matters, concepts, expertise, patents, copyrights, trade secrets, and other related legal rights utilized by the Bank in connection with the services provided by the Bank hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the parties hereto acknowledge that the Trust shall retain all ownership rights in Trust data residing on the Bank’s electronic system.
7.8
Notwithstanding any provisions of this Agreement to the contrary, the Bank shall be under no duty or obligation to inquire into, and shall not be liable for:
(a)
The legality of the issue, sale or transfer of any Shares, the sufficiency of the amount to be received in connection therewith, or the authority of the Trust to request such issuance, sale or transfer;
(b)
The legality of the purchase of any Shares, the sufficiency of the amount to be paid in connection therewith, or the authority of the Trust to request such purchase;
(c)
The legality of the declaration of any dividend by the Trust, or the legality of the issue of any Shares in payment of any stock dividend; or
(d)
The legality of any recapitalization or readjustment of the Shares.

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EXECUTION

8.
Providing of Documents by the Trust and Transfers of Shares
8.1
The Trust shall promptly furnish to the Bank with a copy of its Declaration of Trust and Trust Agreement and all amendments thereto.
8.2
In the event that DTC ceases to be the Shareholder, the Bank shall re-register the Shares in the name of the successor to DTC as Shareholder upon receipt by the Bank of such documentation and assurances as it may reasonably require.
8.3
The Bank shall have no responsibility whatsoever with respect to of any beneficial interest in any of the Shares owned by the Shareholder.
8.4
The Trust shall deliver to the Bank the following documents on or before the effective date of any increase, decrease or other change in the total number of Shares authorized to be issued:
(a)
A certified copy of the amendment to the Trust’s Declaration of Trust and Trust Agreement with respect to such increase, decrease or change; and
(b)
An opinion of counsel for the Trust, in a form satisfactory to the Bank, with respect to (i) the validity of the Shares, the obtaining of all necessary governmental consents, whether such Shares are fully paid and non-assessable and the status of such Shares under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any other applicable federal law or regulations (i.e., if subject to registration, that they have been registered and that the Registration Statement has become effective or, if exempt, the specific grounds therefore), and (ii) the due and proper listing of the Shares on all applicable securities exchanges.
8.5
Prior to the issuance of any additional Shares pursuant to stock dividends, stock splits or otherwise, and prior to any reduction in the number of Shares outstanding, the Trust shall deliver to the Bank:
(a)
A certified copy of the order or consent of each governmental or regulatory authority required by law as a prerequisite to the issuance or reduction of such Shares, as the case may be, and an opinion of counsel for the Trust that no other order or consent is required; and
(b)
An opinion of counsel for the Trust, in a form satisfactory to the Bank, with respect to (i) the validity of the Shares, the obtaining of all necessary governmental consents, whether such Shares are fully paid and non-assessable and the status of such Shares under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any other applicable federal law or regulations (i.e., if subject to registration, that they have been registered and that the Registration Statement has become effective or, if exempt, the specific grounds therefore), and (ii) the due and proper listing of the Shares on all applicable securities exchanges.
8.6
The Bank and the Trust agree that all books, records, confidential, non-public, or proprietary information and data pertaining to the business of the other party which are exchanged or received pursuant to the negotiation or the carrying out of this Agreement shall remain confidential, and shall not be voluntarily disclosed to any person other than its auditors, accountants, regulators, employees, agents, attorneys-in-fact or counsel, except as may be, or may become required by law, by required filing, by administrative or judicial order or by rule. The foregoing confidentiality obligation shall not apply to any information to the extent: (i) it is already known to the receiving party at the time it is obtained; (ii) it is or becomes publicly known or available through no wrongful act of the receiving party: (iii) it is rightfully received from a third party who, to the receiving party’s knowledge, is not under a duty of confidentiality; (iv) it is released by the protected party to a third party without restriction; or (v) it has been or is

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EXECUTION

independently developed or obtained by the receiving party without reference to the information provided by the protected party.
8.7
In case of any requests or demands for the inspection of the Shareholder records of the Trust, the Bank will promptly employ reasonable commercial efforts to notify the Trust and secure instructions from an authorized officer of the Trust as to such inspection. The Bank reserves the right, however, to exhibit the Shareholder records to any person whenever it is advised by its counsel that it may be held liable for the failure to exhibit the Shareholder records to such person.
9.
Termination of Agreement
9.1
Although executed as of the date hereof, this Agreement shall not become effective until the date on which shares of Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (BTC) begin trading on NYSE Arca as shares of an exchange-traded product, the term of this Agreement shall be three years (the "Initial Term") and shall automatically renew for additional one-year terms (each a “Subsequent Term”) unless either party provides written notice of termination at least ninety (90) days prior to the end of the Initial Term or any Subsequent Term or, unless earlier terminated as provided below:
(a)
Either party hereto may terminate this Agreement prior to the expiration of the Initial Term in the event the other party breaches any material provision of this Agreement, including, without limitation in the case of the Trust, its obligations under Section 2.1, provided that the non-breaching party gives written notice of such breach to the breaching party and the breaching party does not cure such violation within 10 business days of receipt of such notice.
(b)
Either party hereto may terminate this Agreement immediately by sending notice thereof to the other party upon the happening of any of the following: (i) a party commences as debtor any case or proceeding under any bankruptcy, insolvency or similar law, or there is commenced against such party any such case or proceeding; (ii) a party commences as debtor any case or proceeding seeking the appointment of a receiver, conservator, trustee, custodian or similar official for such party or any substantial part of its property or there is commenced against the party any such case or proceeding; (iii) a party makes a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; or (iv) a party states in any medium, written, electronic or otherwise, any public communication or in any other public manner its inability to pay debts as they come due. Either party hereto may exercise its termination right under this Section 9.1(b) at any time after the occurrence of any of the foregoing events notwithstanding that such event may cease to be continuing prior to such exercise, and any delay in exercising this right shall not be construed as a waiver or other extinguishment of that right.

(c) The Trust may terminate this Agreement at any time upon thirty (30) days’ prior written notice in the event that the Trust’s sponsor determines to liquidate the Trust. The Bank may terminate this Agreement at any time upon ninety (90) days’ written notice for any reason.

9.2
Should the Trust exercise its right to terminate, all out‑of‑pocket expenses associated with the movement of records and material will be borne by the Trust.
9.3
The terms of Article 2 (with respect to fees and expenses incurred prior to termination), Article 5 and Article 6 shall survive any termination of this Agreement.
10.
Additional Series

In the event that the Trust establishes one or more additional series of Shares with respect to which it desires to have the Bank render services as transfer agent under the terms hereof, it shall so notify the Bank

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EXECUTION

in writing, and if the Bank agrees in writing to provide such services, such additional issuance shall become Shares hereunder.

11.
Assignment
11.1
Neither this Agreement nor any rights or obligations hereunder may be assigned by either party without the written consent of the other party; provided, however, either party may assign this Agreement to a party controlling, controlled by or under common control with it.
11.2
This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties and their respective permitted successors and assigns.
12.
Severability and Beneficiaries
12.1
In case any provision in or obligation under this Agreement shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, the validity, the legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected thereby provided obligation of the Trust to pay is conditioned upon provision of services.

12.2 This Agreement is solely for the benefit of the Bank and the Trust, and none of any Authorized Participant (as defined in the Authorized Participant Agreement), the Distributor, any Shareholder or beneficial owner of any Shares shall be or be deemed a third party beneficiary of this Agreement.

13.
Amendment

This Agreement may be amended or modified by a written agreement executed by both parties.

14.
New York Law to Apply

This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the substantive laws of the State of New York, without regard to conflicts of laws principles thereof. The Trust and the Bank hereby consent to the jurisdiction of a state or federal court situated in New York City, New York in connection with any dispute arising hereunder. The Trust hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any such proceeding brought in such a court and any claim that such proceeding brought in such a court has been brought in an inconvenient forum. The Trust and the Bank each hereby irrevocably waives any and all rights to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement.

15.
Merger of Agreement

This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto and supersedes any prior agreement with respect to the subject matter hereof whether oral or written.

16.
Notices

All notices and other communications as required or permitted hereunder shall be in writing and sent by first class mail, postage prepaid, addressed as follows or to such other address or addresses of which the respective party shall have notified the other.

[***]

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17.
Information Sharing

The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation is a global financial organization that provides services to clients through its affiliates and subsidiaries in multiple jurisdictions (the “BNY Mellon Group”). The BNY Mellon Group may centralize functions including audit, accounting, risk, legal, compliance, sales, administration, product communication, relationship management, storage, compilation and analysis of customer-related data, and other functions (the “Centralized Functions”) in one or more affiliates, subsidiaries and third-party service providers. Solely in connection with the Centralized Functions and for the purposes of the Bank fulfilling its obligations under this Agreement, (i) the Trust consents to the disclosure of and authorizes the Bank to disclose information regarding the Trust (“Customer-Related Data”) to the BNY Mellon Group and to its third-party service providers who are subject to confidentiality obligations with respect to such information and (ii) the Bank may store the names and business contact information of the Trust’s employees and representatives on the systems or in the records of the BNY Mellon Group or its service providers. The BNY Mellon Group may aggregate Customer-Related Data with other data collected and/or calculated by the BNY Mellon Group, and notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary the BNY Mellon Group will own all such aggregated data, provided that the BNY Mellon Group shall not distribute the aggregated data in a format that identifies Customer-Related Data with a particular customer. The Trust confirms that it is authorized to consent to the foregoing.

18.
Counterparts

This Agreement may be executed by the parties hereto in any number of counterparts, and all of said counterparts taken together shall be deemed to constitute one and the same instrument.

 

[Signature page follows.]

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EXECUTION

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed in their names and on their behalf by and through their duly authorized officers, as of the latest date set forth below.

 

GRAYSCALE INVESTMENTS SPONSORS, LLC, FOR AND ON BEHALF OF EACH ENTITY LISTED ON APPENDIX I

 

 

 

By: /s/ Craig Salm
Name: Craig Salm
Title: Chief Legal Officer

Date: 10/09/2025

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

 

By: /s/ Michael Spates
Name: Michael Spates
Title: Director

Date: 10/09/2025

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APPENDIX I

 

 

 

[***]

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SCHEDULE A

Books And Records To Be Maintained By The Bank

 

Source Documents requesting Creations and Redemptions (including dates and times of orders)

Correspondence/AP Inquiries

Reconciliations, bank statements, copies of canceled checks, cash proofs

Daily/Monthly reconciliation of outstanding Shares between the Trust and DTC

Dividend Records

Year-end Statements and Tax Forms

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EXHIBIT A

Form of Authorized Participant Agreement

15


Requirements of

Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company

As Co-Transfer Agent

Exhibit 10.8

Exhibit 10.8E

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Certain confidential information contained in this document, marked by [***], has been omitted because the registrant has determined that the information (i) is not material and (ii) is the type that the registrant treats as private or confidential.

Requirements of

Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company

as Co-Transfer Agent

1.
Agreement and Copy of Resolution of Board of Directors for our Appointment as Co-Transfer Agent.
2.
Copy of Charter or Certificate of Incorporation and Amendments thereto certified by an official of the State of Incorporation.
3.
Copy of By-Laws and amendments thereto certified by the Corporate Secretary.
4.
Form W-9/W-8 BEN-E, signed by an authorized officer of the entity.
5.
Opinion of Counsel for the Corporation advising as to:
(a)
the proper organization of the Corporation;
(b)
the legality of the issuance of its presently issued Capital Stock and Capital Stock being issued in connection with a public offering;
(c)
full compliance as to the aforementioned Capital Stock with the Federal Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the reason and statutory reference under which exemption is claimed if registration under said Act is not necessary.

Initial Public Offering clients: please provide a letter of instruction, signed by two corporate officers, authorizing and directing the Co-Transfer Agent to issue securities in accordance with the underwriter’s instructions or the Company’s instructions, as the case may be.

CSTT 2020

Confidential and Proprietary Information


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Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company

Co-Transfer Agency Agreement

This agreement is made as of October 9, 2025,

 

Between:

Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC, (“Sponsor”) as Sponsor of each entity identified on Exhibit B attached hereto (each a “Trust”, and collectively the “Trusts” as applicable) (hereinafter referred to as the “Company”)

 

And:

Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company (“Continental”), incorporated under the Laws of New York and headquartered in New York, NY USA

 

 

The Bank Of New York Mellon, Primary Agent (hereinafter referred to as “Primary Agent”) is identified within but is not party to the agreement.

Whereas, the Company has previously appointed PRIMARY AGENT as Principal Transfer Agent and Registrar for the securities of the Company (the “Main Agreement”), which appointment PRIMARY AGENT has approved, and;

Whereas, the Company desires to appoint Continental as Co-Transfer Agent for the securities of the Company listed on the NYSE Arca Stock Exchange, which appointment Continental desires to approve.

1.
Appointment. The Company hereby appoints Continental as its Co-Transfer Agent for the securities of the Company, and Continental hereby accepts the said appointment upon the terms and conditions as set out in this Agreement including the services listed in Exhibit A.

 

2.
Description of Register of Transfers. Continental shall keep and maintain or cause to be kept and maintained a branch register of transfers wherein shall be recorded only the particulars of Direct Registration System (“DRS”) book-entry transfers of shares registered at its office. Continental shall advise PRIMARY AGENT at its principal office or other designated offices of all transfers of securities made, entered or recorded in the register of DRS transfers kept by Continental and, in addition, transfer journals reflecting transfers of other items promptly after such transfers are entered or recorded but in all cases within 24 hours, by granting PRIMARY AGENT access to the transfer journals posted to ContinentaLink each evening.

 

3.
Transferability of Securities. All the securities issued by Continental or PRIMARY AGENT shall be effectively and interchangeably transferable on the register of transfers of the Company’s securities kept and maintained at Continental’s offices or at the offices of PRIMARY AGENT or its successors, regardless of where or when the certificates for securities have been issued. All DRS positions in the U.S. depository are controlled by Continental and PRIMARY AGENT agrees that no transaction will be processed against a DRS position maintained on its register unless the transaction was reflected on Continental’s transfer journal or PRIMARY AGENT notifies Continental in advance of making any change to ensure that the DRS position is valid at that time.

CSTT 2020

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4.
Issuance of Certificates Upon Transfer. Continental is hereby authorized and directed, subject to paragraph 6 hereof and other instructions of PRIMARY AGENT or its successors, from time to time, to enter and record or to cause to be entered and recorded transfers of securities, to cancel certificates for securities surrendered upon transfer and to countersign, register and issue to security holders entitled thereto certificates representing securities duly transferred to or held by them respectively. The Company shall furnish Continental with certificates for the securities of the Company in such quantities and denominations as, from time to time, may be required. Continental is hereby authorized and directed to countersign and register such certificates upon surrender of outstanding certificates submitted for transfer or exchange.

 

5.
Stop Transfers. When Continental is advised by any security holder or any duly appointed representative thereof that certificates representing the securities registered in the name of such security holders are lost, mutilated, stolen or destroyed, Continental shall forthwith advise PRIMARY AGENT or its successors, at its designated office thereof so that a “stop transfer” notation may be made accordingly on its records and thereafter Continental shall not register the transfer of any of the securities represented by such certificates. If Continental receives a request to transfer securities represented by a certificate, which has been reported lost, mutilated, stolen or destroyed, Continental shall notify PRIMARY AGENT or its successors, and await instructions therefrom. PRIMARY AGENT or its successors shall provide Continental with a list of all “stop transfer” notations on record against the certificates for the securities upon the appointment of Continental as Co-Agent. Upon the subsequent placement or removal of “stop transfers” PRIMARY AGENT or its successors shall immediately advise Continental in writing of the change. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Continental shall not be required to make such transfers unless all legal requirements have been met and an indemnity satisfactory to Continental shall be given. Certificates to replace lost, mutilated, stolen or destroyed certificates shall be issued only by PRIMARY AGENT or its successors. Therefore, any request to issue new certificates in such circumstances shall be submitted by Continental to PRIMARY AGENT or its successors.

 

6.
Conditions of Transfers. No securities may be transferred on Continental’s register of transfers except in conformity with the following provisions:
a.
Securities may only be transferred by delivering to Continental the certificate representing the securities to be transferred with the form of transfer provided thereon duly completed and executed by the transferor or its duly authorized representative with the signature of the transferor guaranteed by a financial institution that is a member of a recognized STAMP Medallion Signature Guarantee Program or other acceptable organization as defined in the Stock Transfer Association’s Guidelines as updated from time to time.
b.
Continental will send to PRIMARY AGENT an electronic image of restricted securities (including supporting documentation) presented to Continental for transfer and will act upon the direction of PRIMARY AGENT to transfer and maintain or release the restriction or to request additional documentation from the presenter, in accordance with PRIMARY AGENT’s policies and documentation in its possession to support such transfers. Accordingly, Continental may rely upon and shall be fully protected, held harmless and indemnified in acting or refraining from acting in reliance upon such PRIMARY AGENT directions. However, Continental will be responsible for authenticating the validity of any certificate it receives for transfer that it does not forward to PRIMARY AGENT.

 

CSTT 2020

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7.
Maintenance of Records. Continental shall maintain customary records in connection with the appointment herein and may send to the Company or its successors, all books, documents and records no longer required by it for current purposes. Continental is authorized to destroy certificates for securities that have imaged and indexed within three business days after the date of cancellation, pursuant to SEC Rule 17Ad-19.

 

8.
Legal Matters. Continental may, from time to time, refer any legal matters that may arise in connection with the performance of its duties and obligations herein to legal counsel for the Company or to legal counsel of Continental, for an opinion, the cost being borne by the Company, and may rely upon and shall be fully protected and held harmless in acting or refraining from acting in reliance upon: such legal advice, opinions, or instructions.

 

9.
Fees. The monthly retainer fee payable by the Company to Continental shall be $ (insert amount) (US). No termination fee shall apply.

 

10.
Term. Although executed as of the date hereof, this Agreement shall not become effective until the date on which shares of Grayscale Digital Large Cap Fund (GDLC) begin trading on NYSE Arca as shares of an exchange-traded product. The appointment of Continental as the Co-Transfer Agent is valid until terminated upon ninety (90) days prior written notice delivered by the Company or Continental to the other parties.

 

11.
Degree of Care and Discharge. Continental agrees to faithfully carry out and perform its duties hereunder and, upon termination of its appointment and payment of outstanding fees, shall deliver to the Company, all registers of transfers and documents in connection therewith. A receipt therefor, signed by an officer of the Company shall be a valid discharge to Continental of its appointment hereunder.

 

12.
Funds. Continental shall not be bound to see to the execution of any fund, express, implied or constructive, or of any charge, pledge or equity to which any of the securities or any interests therein are subject to, to ascertain or inquire whether any sale or transfer of any such securities or interest therein by a holder or his personal representatives is authorized by such fund, charge, pledge or equity or to recognize any person having any interest therein except for the person recorded as such holder.

 

13.
Reliance and Indemnity.
a.
Continental may rely upon and shall be fully protected and held harmless in acting or refraining from acting in reliance upon: (i) any written or oral instructions, representations or certifications received from any person it believes in good faith to be an officer, authorized agent, employee or shareholder of Company; (ii) advice, opinions, or instructions received from Company’s or Continental’s legal counsel; (iii) any information, records and documents provided to Continental by a former transfer agent or registrar of the Company or PRIMARY AGENT; (iv) the authenticity of any signature (manual, facsimile or electronic transmission) appearing on any writing or communication; and (v) on the conformity to original of any copy.
b.
The Company agrees to defend, indemnify and hold harmless Continental, its successors and assigns, and each of its directors, officers, employees and agents (the “Indemnified Parties”) against and from any demands, claims, assessments, proceedings, suits, actions, costs, judgments, penalties, interest, liabilities, losses, damages, debts, expenses and disbursements (including expert consultant and legal fees and disbursements on a substantial indemnity, or solicitor and client, basis) (collectively, the “Claims”) that the Indemnified Parties, or any of them, may suffer or incur or that may be asserted against them, or any of them, in consequence of, arising from or in any way relating to this Agreement (as the same may be amended, modified or supplemented from time to time) or its duties hereunder in connection with or in any way relating to this Agreement. In addition, the

CSTT 2020

Confidential and Proprietary Information


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Company agrees to reimburse, indemnify and save harmless the Indemnified Parties for, against and from all legal fees and disbursements (on a substantial indemnity, or solicitor and client, basis) incurred by an Indemnified Party if the Company commences an action, or cross claims or counterclaims, against the Indemnified Party and the Indemnified Party is successful in defending such claim.
c.
The Company agrees that its liability hereunder shall be absolute and unconditional regardless of the correctness of any representations of any third parties and regardless of any liability of third parties to the Indemnified Parties, and shall accrue and become enforceable without prior demand or any other precedent action or proceeding, and shall survive the resignation or removal of Continental or the termination of this Agreement.
d.
Continental shall not be under any obligation to prosecute or defend any action or suit in respect of their agency relationships with the Company under this Agreement, but will do so at the request of the Company provided that the Company furnishes an indemnity satisfactory to Continental against any liability, cost or expense which might be incurred.

 

14.
Limitation on Liability. Continental shall not be liable for any error in judgment, for any act done or step taken or omitted by it in good faith, for any mistake of fact or law or for anything which it may do or refrain from doing in connection herewith except arising out of their bad faith or willful misconduct. In the event Continental is in breach of this Agreement or its duties hereunder or any agreement or duties relating to any other services that Continental may provide to the Company in connection with or in any way relating to this Agreement or Continental’s duties hereunder, Continental shall be liable for claims or damages only to an aggregate maximum amount equal to the amount of fees paid hereunder by the Company to Continental in the twelve months preceding the last of the events giving rise to such claims or damages, except to the extent that Continental has acted in bad faith or engaged in willful misconduct. In no event shall continental be liable for any special, indirect, incidental, punitive or consequential damages arising out of or related to this agreement (including lost profits, damage to reputation or lost savings), even if foreseeable or even if Continental has been advised of the possibility of such damages.

 

15.
Amendment, Assignment and Termination.
a.
Except as specifically provided herein, this Agreement may only be amended or assigned by a written agreement of the parties.
b.
Any entity resulting from the merger, amalgamation or continuation of Continental or succeeding to all or substantially all of its transfer agency business (by sale of such business or otherwise), shall thereupon automatically become the co-transfer agent hereunder without further act or formality.
c.
This Agreement may be terminated by any party on 90 days’ notice in writing being given to the other parties at the addresses set out in Section 16 or at such other addresses of which notice has been given.
d.
This Agreement may be terminated by Continental in writing to the Company in the event the Company refuses or fails to pay an invoice for fees and expenses, or other demand for payment issued or made pursuant to this Agreement by Continental.
e.
The provisions of Sections 14, 15 and 16 shall survive termination of this Agreement.

 

CSTT 2020

Confidential and Proprietary Information


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16.
Address for Service. For the purposes of notices, the addresses for each party are as follows unless changed by notice in writing:

 

[***]

 

17.
Certificate of Incumbency. Continental and PRIMARY AGENT will provide each other with a list of specimen signatures of officers of their respective companies who are authorized to countersign certificates for securities. The lists shall be updated on a regular basis to reflect changes in the authorized personnel.

 

18.
Governing Laws. This Agreement and the rights and obligations of the parties hereto shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the Laws of the State of New York and the Laws of the United States as applicable therein.

 

19.
Successors and Assigns. The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns.

CSTT 2020

Confidential and Proprietary Information


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In witness whereof, this Agreement has been duly executed by the parties hereto.

By: Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC, as Sponsor of each entity identified on Exhibit B attached hereto

 

By:

/s/ Craig Salm

 

 

 

 

Title:

Chief Legal Officer

 

 

Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company

 

By:

/s/ Steven Vacante

 

 

 

 

Title:

Vice President

 

CSTT 2020

Confidential and Proprietary Information


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Exhibit A

Included Services

o
Unless directed by PRIMARY AGENT, Continental will not process the following items:
o
Treasury Orders
o
Returns to Treasury
o
Restricted Securities (US Legend, etc.)
o
Certificates with Stop Transfer Notations
o
Certificate Replacements
o
Estate Transfers
o
Class conversions
o
Continental will refer all Non-Routine Transfers as noted above to PRIMARY AGENT for processing and will advise the presenter by return mail.
o
On a weekly basis PRIMARY AGENT will provide Continental with a stop list for all Co-Agent issues
o
DRS Processing
o
Continental will always recommend to potential Co-Agent clients to offer DRS Participation to provide an efficient process for withdrawing certificates from DTC.
o
Continental will issue a “Co-Agent” DRS Advice/Statement that will not have any reference to PRIMARY AGENT.
o
PRIMARY AGENT will record Continental issued DRS positions as “BOOK” on PRIMARY AGENT’s register even though on Continental’s transfer journals sent to PRIMARY AGENT will show as “DRS”.
o
Continental will do the same in the event an PRIMARY AGENT DRS position is sent to Continental by US brokers.
o
Annual DRS Statement to shareholders will be sent by Continental per DRS requirements for only Continental DRS positions.
o
Continental will reconcile the DTC Fast Balance with PRIMARY AGENT on a weekly basis.
o
On a weekly basis, Continental will provide DTC Fast Balances to PRIMARY AGENT for reconciliation purposes.

CSTT 2020

Confidential and Proprietary Information


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Exhibit B

[***]

CSTT 2020

Confidential and Proprietary Information


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Corporate Information

 

[***]

CSTT 2020

Confidential and Proprietary Information


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List of Officers and Directors of Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC, Authorized to Provide

Instructions Relating to Issuances of Shares and Corporate Actions

on Behalf of:

 

 

Each Entity Identified on Exhibit B Attached Hereto

 

OFFICERS and DIRECTOR SIGNATORIES:

[***]

BOARD of DIRECTORS:

[***]

CSTT 2020

Confidential and Proprietary Information


Exhibit 23.1

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

We consent to the use of our report dated October 6, 2025, with respect to the financial statements of Grayscale Dogecoin Trust (DOGE), included herein, and to the reference to our firm under the heading “Experts” in the prospectus.

 

/s/ KPMG LLP

New York, New York

November 3, 2025