What Is VanEck’s Onchain Economy ETF? Everything You Need To Know About $NODE

Key Takeaways

• $NODE gives investors targeted exposure to companies building and using blockchain technology, offering an alternative to direct cryptocurrency investments.
• VanEck actively manages $NODE and adjusts the portfolio’s risk based on Bitcoin’s historical cycles and broader blockchain trends.
• The ETF diversifies across key areas of the blockchain ecosystem, including exchanges, mining operations, infrastructure providers, and traditional finance firms.
• $NODE lets investors access the growth of the on-chain economy through a familiar and regulated U.S.-listed ETF available through standard brokerage accounts.

The cryptocurrency world is currently buoyant, driven by technological advancements and the emergence of new investment products. This makes it a rich and fascinating space for discovery and potential investment. This is precisely the case with VanEck, a global investment management firm, and its latest offering.

VanEck filed for $NODE with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in January 2025. On April 16, Matthew Sigel, VanEck’s Head of Digital Assets Research, announced that the SEC had approved the fund and confirmed its upcoming launch.

This article examines the details about VanEck’s Onchain Economy ETF ($NODE), the assets included in it, how the exchange-traded funds (ETFs) track blockchain innovation, how it compares to traditional ETFs, how users can invest in it, and why the onchain economy matters in 2025.

VanEck’s Onchain Economy ETF ($ NODE) Explained 

VanEck’s Onchain Economy ETF ($NODE) is an actively managed ETF that invests in companies leading the adoption of blockchain technology across industries. It provides investors with a portfolio of companies involved in blockchain technology, smart contracts, tokenization, and other aspects of the digital asset economy and decentralized finance (DeFi). 

$NODE, the fund’s ticker symbol on the stock exchange, represents shares of the ETF. This allows investors to gain exposure to the on-chain economy and the economic activity on blockchain networks through traditional equity markets rather than cryptocurrencies.

VanEck’s inception date for $NODE is May 13, 2025, with trading scheduled to begin on May 14, 2025.

Inside VanEck’s $NODE ETF: How It Builds a Portfolio Around Blockchain’s Growth

The VanEck Onchain Economy ETF ($NODE) aims to offer a diverse portfolio, focusing on the equity of companies driving the blockchain and digital asset economy. It plans to select between 30 and 60 holdings from more than 130 publicly listed companies that operate across key sectors, including:

• Cryptocurrency exchanges: Platforms that enable the buying and selling of digital assets, such as Coinbase.
• Miners: Entities that validate blockchain transactions and create new Bitcoin.
• Data centers: Facilities that provide the computing power needed for blockchain infrastructure.
• Energy infrastructure providers: Firms that supply energy solutions to support mining and blockchain operations.
• Semiconductor and hardware companies: Manufacturers that produce chips and mining hardware, such as NVIDIA.
• Traditional financial institutions: Banks and financial firms offering blockchain-related services.
• Consumer and gaming companies: Businesses that integrate blockchain technology into products and services.
• Asset managers: Individuals and entities that create and manage investment products linked to digital assets.
• Companies holding crypto assets: Publicly traded firms that hold Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies on their balance sheets.

Along with equity holdings, the $NODE ETF may allocate up to 25% of its assets to cryptocurrency exchange-traded products (ETPs), providing additional indirect exposure to digital asset performance. 

VanEck plans to manage the $NODE ETF for a fee of about 0.69%.

How the Onchain Economy ETF Tracks Blockchain Innovation

Instead of tracking the price of Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), or other cryptocurrencies, $NODE follows the growth of businesses applying blockchain technology to real-world use cases. 

It strategically invests in companies directly related to blockchain, actively building, enabling, and adopting these technologies. VanEck reviews and selects companies based on their commitment and results in the on-chain economy. 

The ETF aims to capture the economic value generated by ongoing advancements and real-world blockchain implementation by focusing on these key players. 

Firms must show that blockchain is essential to their operations or business plans. 

$NODE captures how blockchain adoption expands across industries beyond pure speculation through this approach. 

VanEck uses Bitcoin cycle indicators to adjust risk exposure based on historical data. The next section explains this in detail.

$NODE vs Traditional ETFs: What’s Different?

$NODE stands apart from traditional ETFs by focusing entirely on companies building and advancing blockchain technology. 

Traditional ETFs usually track broad sectors like technology, healthcare, or energy through passive strategies tied to market indices (e.g., the S&P 500 and the FTSE 100) or follow established asset classes (e.g., bonds and commodities). 

Their focus is typically on established and mature segments of the economy. In contrast, $NODE mainly invests in companies building and using blockchain.

VanEck does not invest directly in Bitcoin; it uses Bitcoin cycle indicators, such as halving events, historical Bitcoin price cycles, and macro trends, to adjust the ETF’s risk exposure. 

As a result, VanEck can manage the portfolio based on developments within the on-chain economy and Bitcoin’s historical patterns. Bitcoin’s cycles often drive the broader blockchain and crypto industry, influencing:

• Funding for blockchain companies
• Business adoption of blockchain technology
• Revenue growth for mining and trading companies
• Public sentiment toward digital assets

By targeting firms shaping blockchain’s real-world use cases, $NODE captures growth that extends beyond traditional market trends and gives investors a way to participate in the evolution of the digital economy.

VanEck’s fund managers select the companies in the portfolio based on their analysis of the sector’s potential and each company’s merits, charging a management fee for this active selection process.

How To Invest in VanEck’s $NODE ETF

Investors can buy $NODE like any other ETF through a brokerage account. It will trade on the Cboe BZX Exchange during regular market hours. Individuals who want to invest in $NODE must open a brokerage account with a platform that offers access to the Cboe exchange. 

After setting up the account, they must fund it, search for the “NODE” ticker symbol, confirm the management fee, and place the order. 

Ticker symbol: $NODE

Exchange: Cboe BZX Exchange

It is important to note that researching the ETF thoroughly and understanding its investment strategy before investing is a good practice.

Why the Onchain Economy Matters in 2025

The blockchain economy is developing in many different directions. The approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs in early 2024 provided investors with more regulated blockchain-based technology products, driving new capital into the sector. As a result, the landscape is changing. 

Financial firms are expanding to meet client demand by offering tokenization of real-world assets (RWA) like real estate and investment funds.

The on-chain economy is more relevant than ever as new products and instruments enter the scene, such as non-fungible tokens (NFTs), DeFi platforms, tokenized assets, stablecoins, and blockchain-based payment systems. 

Companies focus on building solutions that connect industries, improve digital ownership, and make financial services more accessible. As more businesses and users move on-chain, the economy grows beyond speculation and becomes a real part of everyday life.

Conclusion

VanEck’s Onchain Economy ETF ($NODE) offers an innovative way to invest in blockchain’s real-world growth. $NODE tracks the industry’s real economic impact by focusing on companies building and using blockchain technology, minimizing speculation. 

With the on-chain economy expanding into finance, gaming, asset management, and digital ownership, $NODE allows investors to participate in the next phase of digital innovation.

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