Share this article
Another Blockchain ETF Has Launched
Innovation Shares announced that it will launch a NextGen Protocol ETF that uses AI to identify and invest in blockchain innovators.
Updated Sep 13, 2021, 7:30 a.m. Published Jan 30, 2018, 3:05 p.m.
An exchange-traded fund focused on companies that are working with blockchain or are eyeing applications of the tech has launched today.
Innovation Shares LLC's NextGen Protocol ETF (ticker symbol: KOIN) went live on the NYSE Arca exchange this morning. As of press time, price data via the NYSE shows that trading has begun. The information, as of 9:46 a.m. EST, shows a volume of 2,100 and a price of $24.88 per share.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Don't miss another story.Subscribe to the Crypto Daybook Americas Newsletter today. See all newsletters
The firm backing the ETF said it is deploying artificial intelligence in a bid to track and include notable companies, with an emphasis on stocks that have a "current or future economic interest in blockchain technology."
Matt Markiewicz, Innovation Shares' managing director, said in a statement:
"Our proprietary patent-pending AI based process allows us to better capture a full range of publicly traded companies that are developing, investing in and utilizing this new protocol."
Exchange Traded Concepts, an ETF provider, is acting as the advisor for the fund.
The Innovation Shares launch represents the latest instance of an investment product aimed at taking advantage of the interest – and hype – around the technology.
As CoinDesk previously reported, the first blockchain-based ETFs were launched on both Nasdaq and the NYSE Arca, respectively, earlier this month. Those developments came months after the fall of 2017 saw a flurry of filings from ETF firms, including from those that have since gone live on the market.
Demand among traditional investors has also led, in recent months, to the creation of futures contracts dedicated to bitcoin markets. Whether they lead to the launch of a long-sought-after bitcoin ETF – as some have suggested – remains to be seen.
Investment chart image via Shutterstock
More For You
What to know:
- As of October 2025, GoPlus has generated $4.7M in total revenue across its product lines. The GoPlus App is the primary revenue driver, contributing $2.5M (approx. 53%), followed by the SafeToken Protocol at $1.7M.
- GoPlus Intelligence's Token Security API averaged 717 million monthly calls year-to-date in 2025 , with a peak of nearly 1 billion calls in February 2025. Total blockchain-level requests, including transaction simulations, averaged an additional 350 million per month.
- Since its January 2025 launch , the $GPS token has registered over $5B in total spot volume and $10B in derivatives volume in 2025. Monthly spot volume peaked in March 2025 at over $1.1B , while derivatives volume peaked the same month at over $4B.
More For You
XRP Underperforms Market as Sudden Bitcoin Surge Forces $387M of Liquidations
XRP's technical outlook remains uncertain, with support at $2.05 and resistance at $2.17, as traders watch for volume expansion
What to know:
- XRP posts gains but underperforms compared to the broader digital asset surge, with below-average trading volume raising questions about the move's strength.
- Bitcoin's rise above $94,000 triggered a broad market rebound, leading to significant liquidations and reshuffling of positions.
- XRP's technical outlook remains uncertain, with support at $2.05 and resistance at $2.17, as traders watch for volume expansion to confirm momentum alignment.
Top Stories
