Crypto asset manager Grayscal files for US IPO

Grayscale submits S-1 filing for US IPO

Grayscale submitted an S-1 filing with the SEC on Thursday to pursue an IPO of its common stock. The company stated that the offering will result in two classes of common stock: Class A with, with one vote per share and economic rights, and Class B, with an aggregate percentage of voting power.

The number of shares to be registered and the proposed price range, if the offering is yet to be determined. Grayscale added that the offering will commence following SEC review and is subject to other market conditions.

Grayscale expects to list on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol GRAY. The lead underwriters for the offering are Morgan Stanley, BofA Securities, Jefferies and Cantor.

Grayscale is a leading digital asset manager, with approximately $35 billion in assets under management (AUM). The company has an estimated total addressable market of $365 billion and offers over 40 products, including Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs).

The filing comes after the longest US government shutdown, which had paralysed most of the SEC's operations. According to Reuters, the agency had been operating with skeletal staff during the record-breaking shutdown.

Many crypto-related firms have expressed interest in US public listings, building on the President Donald Trump administration's push for clear regulations. Regulatory agencies, including the SEC and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), are developing frameworks that support industry innovation while protecting customer and stakeholder interests.

Cryptocurrency prices FAQs

How do new token launches or listings affect cryptocurrency prices?

Token launches influence demand and adoption among market participants. Listings on crypto exchanges deepen the liquidity for an asset and add new participants to an asset’s network. This is typically bullish for a digital asset.

How do hacks affect cryptocurrency prices?

A hack is an event in which an attacker captures a large volume of the asset from a DeFi bridge or hot wallet of an exchange or any other crypto platform via exploits, bugs or other methods. The exploiter then transfers these tokens out of the exchange platforms to ultimately sell or swap the assets for other cryptocurrencies or stablecoins. Such events often involve an en masse panic triggering a sell-off in the affected assets.

How do macroeconomic releases and events affect cryptocurrency prices?

Macroeconomic events like the US Federal Reserve’s decision on interest rates influence crypto assets mainly through the direct impact they have on the US Dollar. An increase in interest rate typically negatively influences Bitcoin and altcoin prices, and vice versa. If the US Dollar index declines, risk assets and associated leverage for trading gets cheaper, in turn driving crypto prices higher.

How do major crypto upgrades like halvings, hard forks affect cryptocurrency prices?

Halvings are typically considered bullish events as they slash the block reward in half for miners, constricting the supply of the asset. At consistent demand if the supply reduces, the asset’s price climbs.