Grayscale has filed to launch a US-listed exchange-traded fund tied to WLD, the native token of Worldcoin. The company submitted a registration statement for the Grayscale Worldcoin ETF to the US Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday evening.
The fund would hold WLD, the native crypto asset of World Network. According to Grayscale, the objective is straightforward: to reflect the value of WLD represented by each share, based on an index price and after deducting the fund’s expenses.
ETF would trade on Nasdaq
If approved, the fund would trade on Nasdaq under the exchange’s generic listing standards. Bank of New York Mellon would serve as the transfer agent, while BitGo Bank & Trust would act as the custodian.
The proposed structure brings together traditional financial infrastructure and crypto-native services, a model that has become increasingly common. Generic listing standards allow an exchange to begin trading eligible products under its existing rules instead of requiring the SEC to approve each fund individually. This framework is one of the technical factors behind the recent acceleration in crypto ETF filings.
WLD currently has a market capitalization of around $1.3 billion and ranks 57th among cryptocurrencies. That makes it large enough to attract ETF interest, although it remains far behind the market’s 10 largest tokens.
The token has gained 3.92% over the past 24 hours. Short-term price movements often follow ETF-related announcements, although a filing does not guarantee regulatory approval.
Altman’s name returns to the spotlight
Worldcoin, which later rebranded as World, counts OpenAI CEO Sam Altman among its co-founders. Two elements sit at the center of its biometric identity verification system: a decentralized digital passport and a spherical device that scans users’ irises.
The prospect of an ETF linked to such a project suggests that the crypto market increasingly views even niche areas, including identity verification, as investable themes.
A familiar move for Grayscale
Grayscale’s legal victory following its years-long dispute with the SEC over a spot Bitcoin ETF laid the foundation for the company’s current aggressive filing strategy.
The approach has become familiar in recent years. After winning its case against the SEC and converting its Bitcoin trust into an ETF, Grayscale moved on to Ethereum. Applications tied to Dogecoin, Solana and Chainlink followed. Worldcoin now joins that growing list.
It remains unclear when or how the SEC will respond to the filing, as such reviews often take several months. Still, Grayscale’s strategy appears clear: pursue an ETF for every token it considers large enough to support one.
