Key takeaways
Crypto index funds and ETFs present diversified publicity to digital belongings, serving to buyers earn passive earnings with out actively managing portfolios.
Centralized and decentralized choices exist, with ETFs out there on inventory exchanges and DeFi-native index tokens accessible by way of Web3 wallets.
Revenue sources embrace asset appreciation, staking, DeFi yields and coated name methods, relying on the fund’s construction — although not all funds assist all these sources.
Dangers embrace market volatility, sensible contract vulnerabilities and administration charges, so it’s essential to analysis earlier than investing.
When you’re trying to spend money on crypto however don’t wish to stress over fixed buying and selling, passive investing may be your finest wager. Identical to in conventional finance, crypto index funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) provide publicity to a broad vary of digital belongings, permitting you to trip the market with out choosing particular person winners.
These monetary devices can function highly effective instruments for producing passive crypto earnings, and with the rise of decentralized variations and tokenized ETFs, choices are increasing quick.
This text will clarify how one can earn passive earnings by investing in digital asset devices like index funds and crypto ETFs.
What are crypto index funds and ETFs?
Each crypto index funds and ETFs are designed to present buyers publicity to a diversified basket of cryptocurrencies with out the necessity to actively handle or rebalance their holdings. However they arrive in several codecs, tailor-made for several types of buyers.
A crypto index fund is a pooled funding car that tracks a curated group of cryptocurrencies, usually the highest 10 or 20 by market capitalization. These funds are rebalanced periodically to mirror market modifications, providing passive, long-term publicity to the crypto market.
Consider them because the crypto equal of mutual funds, normally offered by way of crypto-native platforms. Index funds could be:
A crypto ETF, however, is a sort of fund traded on conventional inventory exchanges (just like the NYSE) that mirrors the worth of a particular cryptocurrency or a basket of digital belongings. Buyers can purchase and promote ETF shares similar to common shares, making them excellent for individuals who need crypto publicity by their brokerage account.
Some ETFs focus solely on Bitcoin (BTC) (like ProShares’ BITO). In distinction, others bundle a number of belongings and even incorporate methods like coated calls to generate yield (similar to Harvest Portfolio’s high-income crypto ETFs).
Why use crypto index funds and ETFs for passive earnings?
In crypto, passive earnings means incomes cash in your holdings with out actively buying and selling or managing them day by day. With markets this risky, having a hands-off technique might help you develop wealth steadily whereas minimizing emotional decision-making. That’s the place index funds and ETFs are available.
These merchandise provide built-in diversification, spreading danger throughout a number of belongings, so that you’re not betting every part on one coin. They’re excellent for long-term buyers who wish to profit from crypto’s upside whereas avoiding fixed portfolio tinkering.
Frequent methods during which crypto index funds and ETFs can generate passive earnings:
Appreciation of underlying belongings, similar to BTC, Ether (ETH), Solana (SOL), and many others.
Staking rewards (for funds that embrace proof-of-stake belongings)
DeFi yields (within the case of decentralized index tokens)
Revenue distributions: month-to-month or time-based (supplied by some crypto ETFs).
These devices are perfect for long-term buyers who need publicity with much less danger and energy. Whether or not you’re in it for yield, progress or peace of thoughts, crypto index merchandise allow you to take part within the ecosystem with out going all-in on any single wager.
Do you know? After over a decade of anticipation, the US Securities and Trade Fee authorized 11 spot Bitcoin ETFs in January 2024, together with choices from BlackRock, Grayscale and ARK Make investments. This landmark resolution offered mainstream buyers with regulated entry to Bitcoin, considerably boosting institutional participation within the crypto market.
Examples of crypto index funds for passive investing in 2025
In 2025, a number of crypto index funds have emerged as distinguished decisions for passive buyers:
Bitwise 10 (BITW): The Bitwise 10 crypto index fund gives publicity to the highest 10 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Rebalanced month-to-month, it provides buyers a strategy to take part within the broader crypto market’s efficiency with out the necessity to handle particular person belongings. BITW is accessible by conventional brokerage accounts, making it appropriate for each institutional and retail buyers searching for diversified crypto publicity, as seen under.
TokenSets: TokenSets provides a set of decentralized index merchandise, together with the DeFi Pulse Index (DPI) and the Metaverse Index (MVI). These indexes are totally onchain, permitting for clear and automatic portfolio administration by way of sensible contracts. Buyers can maintain these index tokens of their wallets, stake them for extra yield, or use them inside varied DeFi protocols, combining diversification with the advantages of DeFi.
Nasdaq Crypto Index (NCI): The NCI tracks the efficiency of a various basket of USD-traded digital belongings, with a heavy weighting towards Bitcoin. It contains many main cryptocurrencies, similar to ETH, SOL, XRP (XRP) and others.
By choosing the suitable fund, buyers can align their crypto investments with their danger tolerance and funding objectives.
Examples of crypto ETFs for passive investing in 2025
The crypto ETF panorama has advanced quickly, particularly because the approval of Bitcoin ETFs within the US in early 2024. These merchandise give conventional buyers simpler, regulated entry to crypto markets with out the necessity for wallets, exchanges or non-public keys.
A number of the most talked-about and high-yielding crypto ETFs in 2025:
ProShares Bitcoin Technique ETF (BITO): BITO was the primary Bitcoin futures ETF authorized within the US, debuting in October 2021. As a substitute of monitoring the spot worth of Bitcoin, it follows CME Bitcoin futures contracts, making it an accessible possibility for US buyers who need crypto publicity by way of conventional brokerage platforms. Although it doesn’t maintain precise BTC, its ease of entry and liquidity have made it a mainstay in lots of portfolios.
Objective Bitcoin Yield ETF (BTCY): Listed in Canada, the Objective Bitcoin Yield ETF was among the many first ETFs to mix Bitcoin publicity with a yield technique. It makes use of coated name choices to generate month-to-month earnings, making it interesting to buyers who need a regular money movement alongside BTC’s long-term upside. BTCY paved the way in which for a brand new breed of yield-focused crypto ETFs.
Harvest Bitcoin and Ethereum Enhanced Revenue ETF (HBEE): Provided by Harvest Portfolios, HBEE focuses on producing excessive month-to-month earnings from each Bitcoin and Ether. The fund writes coated calls on BTC and ETH, incomes possibility premiums whereas holding the underlying belongings. It targets buyers preferring common earnings over pure worth hypothesis, hanging a steadiness between crypto publicity and money movement. Nevertheless, one might keep in mind that such ETFs might underperform in strongly bullish markets as a result of coated calls cap the upside potential in alternate for premium earnings.
These ETFs are gaining reputation not simply because they observe crypto belongings, however as a result of they’re designed to generate passive earnings, a function particularly engaging in at the moment’s unsure market. They signify the intersection of conventional finance infrastructure and revolutionary crypto-based earnings methods.
Easy methods to spend money on crypto ETFs and index funds?
Centralized platforms: You should utilize stockbrokers (for ETFs like BITO, Objective, and many others.) or crypto exchanges like Coinbase, Binance or Bitwise for index-style funds.
Decentralized platforms: Join a Web3 pockets (similar to MetaMask) on platforms like Index Coop or TokenSets and create your personal customized indexes or use pre-existing ones just like the DeFi Pulse Index (on Index Coop).
Hodling vs. buying and selling crypto ETFs and the dangers concerned
Passive investing is all about hodling reasonably than buying and selling. That mentioned, crypto ETFs can nonetheless be purchased and bought like shares, giving buyers:
Liquidity in risky markets
Tax harvesting alternatives
Flexibility to exit positions as wanted.
Nevertheless, frequent ETF buying and selling might defeat the aim of a passive technique, so it’s usually higher to purchase and hodl for the long run.
Dangers to remember
Whereas passive earnings sounds interesting, crypto index funds and ETFs include their very own dangers:
Market volatility: Your portfolio worth will fluctuate with the crypto market.
Sensible contract dangers: Particularly with decentralized index funds.
Administration charges: Some funds cost 1%-2% yearly, consuming into earnings.
Monitoring error: Index merchandise may not completely mirror the underlying asset efficiency.
Make certain to evaluate the fund composition, rebalance technique and yield mechanism earlier than investing.
Taxation of crypto ETFs and index funds’ passive earnings
Tax guidelines range wildly relying in your jurisdiction:
Within the US, ETFs are taxed primarily based on capital positive factors (short-term or long-term).
Index fund token gross sales are handled like several crypto asset.
Staking rewards inside index merchandise could also be taxable as earnings.
Within the US, the tax therapy of decentralized index funds (e.g., tokenized funds like DPI) could be extra advanced when in comparison with centralized ETFs because of their integration with DeFi protocols, doubtlessly involving extra taxable occasions (e.g., token swaps throughout rebalancing). At all times seek the advice of a tax adviser, particularly when coping with DeFi protocols or cross-border platforms.
Is passive crypto earnings price it?
When you consider within the long-term progress of crypto however don’t wish to trip the rollercoaster every single day, crypto ETFs and index funds provide a wise strategy to keep within the recreation.
They mix:
Diversification
Automation
Yield potential.
Whether or not you go centralized or decentralized, passive crypto investing is turning into extra accessible by the day. And in a world the place tokenized ETFs, onchain robo-advisers and AI brokers are trending, the road between TradFi and DeFi continues to blur.
So, sit again, earn yield, and let your portfolio do the work.
This text doesn’t include funding recommendation or suggestions. Each funding and buying and selling transfer entails danger, and readers ought to conduct their very own analysis when making a call.
