FTSE Grayscale Crypto Sector Index Series

The FTSE Grayscale Crypto Sector Index Series offers you a new way of thinking about the digital asset market, providing a comprehensive framework that allows you to measure the performance of the expanding crypto universe.

The index series seeks to bring clarity to this rapidly evolving asset class by identifying five distinct sectors that can be used as a roadmap to navigate the digital asset universe:

Currencies
Smart Contract Platforms
Financials
Consumer and Culture
Utilities and Services

An overarching governance framework has been established to effectively oversee FTSE Russell digital asset indices, from pricing data to index maintenance. FTSE Russell and Grayscale will reassess the sectors and their constituents quarterly to reflect the dynamic nature of the crypto asset class.

The digital age is upon us,and the Internet of things surrounds us.Everything is faster, more connected,and life is becoming more automated.New technologies coexist with trusted systems,and the institutions of the past areevolving to pair with the technology of the future.Against this backdrop,the once nascent crypto asset marketcontinues to expand its reach and utility.It now stands poised to integrate itself in our lives,becoming part of the fabric of the investment world.At FTSE Russell, we've been quietly enhancingour capabilities to set upthe building blocks to measure and track this dynamic market.We've partnered with Grayscale Investments,the largest crypto asset manager,to redefine how investors can look atthe expanding investable crypto universe.Our expertise, combined with that of Grayscales,will provide a map to navigate this market. How does it work?Introducing the FTSE Grayscale crypto sector framework,a consolidated view ofthe extended universe broken down into five key sectors,currencies, smart contract platforms,financials, consumer and culture,and utilities and services.Fundamental to our work are multiple criteria and checkpoints to ensureconstituent pricing inclusion is backed byrigorous standards for use in investment products,designed to help investors to expand and diversify their portfolio view,while bringing clarity to those looking tobetter understand the components of the crypto market.FTSE Russell and Grayscale Investments,your trusted navigators of the crypto landscape,reflecting it in a way that is clear and understandable.Ready to explore this dynamic new frontier with us?

Structured and organised

Structured quarterly reviews are undertaken on this index series to reflect the dynamic nature of the crypto universe and to ensure the index series is organised in a timely and accurate manner that is reflective of industry standards.

Monitored

Given the nascent state of regulation available in this space, enhanced governance and oversight is provided to oversee the index and its development framework, including vetted pricing to check that assets and exchanges meet robust review criteria before they appear in the data.

Transparent

Fundamental to our principles of robust governance, transparency, and integrity, we make index methodologies, ground rules and other important index governance documentation publicly available.

Currencies

Crypto assets that serve three fundamental roles:

medium of exchange, store of value and unit of account.

Smart Contract Platforms

Crypto assets that are general purpose networks with programmable functionalities, enabling self-executing contracts.

Financials

Crypto asset networks, protocols and applications that seek to deliver financial transactions and services.

Consumer and Culture

Crypto asset networks, protocols and applications that seek to deliver and support consumption centric activities.

Utilities and Services

Crypto asset networks, protocols and applications that seek to deliver enterprise level applications and functionalities.

Currencies
Smart Contract Platforms
Financials
Consumer and Culture
Utilities and Services

The FTSE Grayscale Currencies Crypto Sector Index includes digital assets that serve three fundamental roles – medium of exchange, store of value, and unit of account.

Includes

Default privacy coins
Optional privacy coins
Standard monetary protocols

The FTSE Grayscale Smart Contract Platform Crypto Sector Index includes digital assets that are general purpose networks that provide programmable functionalities. These platforms primarily support the broad development and execution of self-executing contracts.

Includes

General purpose smart contract platforms
Security-focused smart contract platforms
Privacy focused smart contract platforms
Scalability-focused smart contract platforms

The FTSE Grayscale Financials Crypto Sector Index includes digital asset networks, protocols, and applications that seek to deliver financial transactions and services.

Includes

Retail payments and point of sale
Exchange tokens

The FTSE Grayscale Consumer and Culture Crypto Sector Index includes digital asset networks, protocols, and applications that seek to deliver and support consumption-centric activities across a variety of goods and services.

Includes

Digital art, collectibles and non-fungible tokens
Video games
Social networks

FTSE Grayscale Utilities and Services Crypto Sector Index includes digital asset networks, protocols, and applications that seek to deliver practical and enterprise-level applications and functionalities.

Includes

Cloud-computing intermediaries
Crowdsourced computation platforms
Crowdsourced data storage platforms
Advertising platforms
Tokenised wallet applications
Smart contract oracles

Factsheets
Methodology
Index resources

FTSE Grayscale Crypto Sector Index Series - Product Overview

503.4KB • PDF

Fiona Bassett, CEO of FTSE Russell, offers valuable insights for clients looking to understand the future of digital assets and indexing. She explains why FTSE Russell is at the forefront of innovation, helping clients navigate emerging markets with tailored solutions. With real-world examples, she highlights how European clients are leveraging staking rewards and how U.S. clients are moving beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum. Fiona also discusses FTSE Russell’s strategic partnership with Grayscale to launch crypto sector indices, demonstrating the company’s commitment to growth and risk management in a rapidly changing financial landscape.

Hi Fiona, it's so good to see you today.Could you talk to us a little bit aboutwhy you decided to join FTSE Russell?So before joining FTSE Russell,I was a client, actually.And one of the reasons I joined FTSE Russell wasit's a fabulous brand.The indexing space has grown enormously,but there is huge runway ahead.And I felt that FTSE Russelland the broader London Stock Exchange Groupwas really well positioned to be at the forefront of capturing that growth opportunity.It's exciting times here.We're so happy you joined.Well, I'm thrilled to be here.I was wondering if you could talk a little bit aboutFTSE Russell's vision for digital assets.You know, it's probably one of the biggesttransformations I think we haveto financial services and beyondwith the underlying digital asset technology.And so it's really important for us as a leading index providerthat we provide both a range ofsolutions for clients to access digital assetsbut the education and toolkitthat allows them to embark on this new asset class.I know you've been meeting with a lot of clients globally. I was wondering if you could share with uswhat you're hearing andwhat's exciting our clients these days.Again, about digital assets.Yes, absolutely.I think there's a huge range of dialogue with clientsbased on where they're at from an education point of view in this space.So some are completely immersed in the world of cryptoand others are just embarking on the journey.In Europe, we're seeing a significant interest for howto incorporate staking rewards into the portfolio.In the US, the big topic iswhat next after Bitcoin and Ethereum?And so in that context we're obviouslydelighted to partner with Grayscaleto bring crypto sector indicesto the market for the first time.And in general, also from a macro perspective,there's interest in evolvingtrading strategies around cryptoor the use of factors in the integration of thatwithin the portfolio.So a lot of interest,but also a lot of demand for education.Sounds like there's a lot going on.I often hear you talking about FTSE Russellbeing a growth story.Could you expand on that a little bit?Really the origins of the brand arereally around innovation.And, although the world of indexing has grownrapidly over the last, like, two decadesand there's significant runway aheadparticularly as emerging asset classescome to the foreand clearly digital is one of those.So, ensuring that we are at the forefront of thatin terms of providing clients solutions is critical.And so, so many people think of FTSE Russellas, you know, an institutional brandand they're surprised when they hearthat we've gotten into the digital asset space.Maybe you could kind of talk aboutwhat was the vision behind digital assetsand why we've been approachingthis new asset class for so long?You know we really see ourselvesas the essential index partner for changing times.And so part of that is about providingcategory defining benchmarks for across asset classes.But also in terms of developingthe new generation of benchmarks,so that our clients can manage their risk effectivelyand seize the opportunities for change.And, I can think of few better examplesof change at large than digital assets.Thank you so much for being here today.Thank you, it's been an absolute pleasure.

Tom Jenkins, Head of Index Partnerships & Listed Derivatives at FTSE Russell, and Kristen Mierzwa Barrie, Head of Digital Assets at FTSE Russell, discuss their partnership with Grayscale and the development of new crypto sectors. They explore how digital assets encompass more than just cryptocurrencies, emphasising the importance of transparency and governance. For investors and institutions curious about the future of crypto, this conversation offers valuable insights into how the industry is evolving and what to expect from this collaboration.

Hi Fiona, it's so good to see you today.Could you talk to us a little bit aboutwhy you decided to join FTSE Russell?So before joining FTSE Russell,I was a client, actually.And one of the reasons I joined FTSE Russell wasit's a fabulous brand.The indexing space has grown enormously,but there is huge runway ahead.And I felt that FTSE Russelland the broader London Stock Exchange Groupwas really well positioned to be at the forefront of capturing that growth opportunity.It's exciting times here.We're so happy you joined.Well, I'm thrilled to be here.I was wondering if you could talk a little bit aboutFTSE Russell's vision for digital assets.You know, it's probably one of the biggesttransformations I think we haveto financial services and beyondwith the underlying digital asset technology.And so it's really important for us as a leading index providerthat we provide both a range ofsolutions for clients to access digital assetsbut the education and toolkitthat allows them to embark on this new asset class.I know you've been meeting with a lot of clients globally. I was wondering if you could share with uswhat you're hearing andwhat's exciting our clients these days.Again, about digital assets.Yes, absolutely.I think there's a huge range of dialogue with clientsbased on where they're at from an education point of view in this space.So some are completely immersed in the world of cryptoand others are just embarking on the journey.In Europe, we're seeing a significant interest for howto incorporate staking rewards into the portfolio.In the US, the big topic iswhat next after Bitcoin and Ethereum?And so in that context we're obviouslydelighted to partner with Grayscaleto bring crypto sector indicesto the market for the first time.And in general, also from a macro perspective,there's interest in evolvingtrading strategies around cryptoor the use of factors in the integration of thatwithin the portfolio.So a lot of interest,but also a lot of demand for education.Sounds like there's a lot going on.I often hear you talking about FTSE Russellbeing a growth story.Could you expand on that a little bit?Really the origins of the brand arereally around innovation.And, although the world of indexing has grownrapidly over the last, like, two decadesand there's significant runway aheadparticularly as emerging asset classescome to the foreand clearly digital is one of those.So, ensuring that we are at the forefront of thatin terms of providing clients solutions is critical.And so, so many people think of FTSE Russellas, you know, an institutional brandand they're surprised when they hearthat we've gotten into the digital asset space.Maybe you could kind of talk aboutwhat was the vision behind digital assetsand why we've been approachingthis new asset class for so long?You know we really see ourselvesas the essential index partner for changing times.And so part of that is about providingcategory defining benchmarks for across asset classes.But also in terms of developingthe new generation of benchmarks,so that our clients can manage their risk effectivelyand seize the opportunities for change.And, I can think of few better examplesof change at large than digital assets.Thank you so much for being here today.Thank you, it's been an absolute pleasure.