Annual Report for Fiscal Year Ending December 31, 2025 (Form 10-K)

Management's Discussion and Analysis ofFinancial Condition and Results of Operations

The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read together with, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to, our audited financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this Annual Report, which have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States ("U.S. GAAP"). The following discussion may contain forward-looking statements based on assumptions we believe to be reasonable. Our actual results could differ materially from those discussed in these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to these differences include, but are not limited to, those discussed below and elsewhere in this Annual Report, particularly in "Item 1A. Risk Factors" and "Forward-Looking Statements."

Trust Overview

The Trust is a passive entity that is managed and administered by the Sponsor and does not have any officers, directors or employees. The Trust holds ETC and, from time to time on a periodic basis, issues Creation Baskets in exchange for deposits of ETC. As a passive investment vehicle, the Trust's investment objective is for the value of the Shares (based on ETC per Share) to reflect the value of ETC held by the Trust, determined by reference to the Index Price, less the Trust's expenses and other liabilities. While an investment in the Shares is not a direct investment in ETC, the Shares are designed to provide investors with a cost-effective and convenient way to gain investment exposure to ETC. To date, the Trust has not met its investment objective and the Shares quoted on OTCQX have not reflected the value of the ETC held by the Trust, less the Trust's expenses and other liabilities, but instead have traded at both premiums and discounts to such value, which at times have been substantial. The Trust is not managed like a business corporation or an active investment vehicle. The Trust will not utilize leverage, derivatives or any similar arrangements in seeking to meet its investment objective.

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

Investment Transactions and Revenue Recognition

The Trust considers investment transactions to be the receipt of ETC by the Trust in connection with Share creations and the delivery of ETC by the Trust in connection with Share redemptions or for payment of expenses in ETC. At this time, the Trust is not accepting redemption requests from shareholders. The Trust records its investment transactions on a trade date basis and changes in fair value are reflected as net change in unrealized appreciation or depreciation on investments. Realized gains and losses are calculated using the specific identification method. Realized gains and losses are recognized in connection with transactions including settling obligations for the Sponsor's Fee in ETC.

Principal Market and Fair Value Determination

To determine which market is the Trust's principal market (or in the absence of a principal market, the most advantageous market) for purposes of calculating the Trust's net asset value in accordance with U.S. GAAP ("Principal Market NAV"), the Trust follows Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") Topic 820-10, Fair Value Measurement, which outlines the application of fair value accounting. ASC 820-10 determines fair value to be the price that would be received for ETC in a current sale, which assumes an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. ASC 820-10 requires the Trust to assume that ETC is sold in its principal market to market participants or, in the absence of a principal market, the most advantageous market. Market participants are defined as buyers and sellers in the principal or most advantageous market that are independent, knowledgeable, and willing and able to transact.

The Trust only receives ETC in connection with a creation order from the Authorized Participant (or a Liquidity Provider) and does not itself transact on any Digital Asset Markets. Therefore, the Trust looks to market-based volume and level of activity for Digital Asset Markets. The Authorized Participant(s), or a Liquidity Provider, may transact in a Brokered Market, a Dealer Market, Principal-to-Principal Markets and Exchange Markets (referred to as "Trading Platform Markets" in this Annual Report), each as defined in the FASB ASC Master Glossary (collectively, "Digital Asset Markets").

In determining which of the eligible Digital Asset Markets is the Trust's principal market, the Trust reviews these criteria in the following order:

The Trust determines its principal market (or in the absence of a principal market the most advantageous market) annually and conducts a quarterly analysis to determine (i) if there have been recent changes to each Digital Asset Market's trading volume and level of activity in the trailing twelve months, (ii) if any Digital Asset Markets have developed that the Trust has access to, or (iii) if recent changes to each Digital Asset Market's price stability have occurred that would materially impact the selection of the principal market and necessitate a change in the Trust's determination of its principal market.

The cost basis of the ETC received by the Trust in connection with a creation order is recorded by the Trust at the fair value of ETC at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the creation date for financial reporting purposes. The cost basis recorded by the Trust may differ from proceeds collected by the Authorized Participant from the sale of the corresponding Shares to investors.

Investment Company Considerations

The Trust is an investment company for U.S. GAAP purposes and follows accounting and reporting guidance in accordance with the FASB ASC Topic 946, Financial Services-Investment Companies. The Trust uses fair value as its method of accounting for ETC in accordance with its classification as an investment company for accounting purposes. The Trust is not a registered investment company under the Investment Company Act. U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates and these differences could be material.

Review of Financial Results

Financial Highlights for the Years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023

(All amounts in the following table and the subsequent paragraphs, except Share, ETC and price of ETC amounts, are in thousands)

Net realized and unrealized loss on investment in ETC for the year ended December 31, 2025 was ($151,890), which includes a realized gain of $3,061 on the transfer of ETC to pay the Sponsor's Fee, and net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investment in ETC of ($154,951). Net realized and unrealized loss on investment in ETC for the year was driven by ETC price depreciation from $25.13 per ETC as of December 31, 2024, to $11.47 per ETC as of December 31, 2025. Net decrease in net assets resulting from operations was ($157,051) for the year ended December 31, 2025, which consisted of the net realized and unrealized loss on investment in ETC, plus the Sponsor's Fee of $5,161. Net assets decreased to $126,004 at December 31, 2025, a 55% decrease for the year. The decrease in net assets resulted from the aforementioned ETC price depreciation and the withdrawal of approximately 278,109 ETC to pay the foregoing Sponsor's Fee.

Net realized and unrealized gain on investment in ETC for the year ended December 31, 2024 was $36,254, which includes a realized gain of $5,003 on the transfer of ETC to pay the Sponsor's Fee, and net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investment in ETC of $31,251. Net realized and unrealized gain on investment in ETC for the year was driven by ETC price appreciation from $21.99 per ETC as of December 31, 2023, to $25.13 per ETC as of December 31, 2024. Net increase in net assets resulting from operations was $29,097 for the year ended December 31, 2024, which consisted of the net realized and unrealized gain on investment in ETC, less the Sponsor's Fee of $7,157. Net assets increased to $283,055 at December 31, 2024, an 11% increase for the year. The increase in net assets resulted from the aforementioned ETC price appreciation, partially offset by the withdrawal of approximately 285,150 ETC to pay the foregoing Sponsor's Fee.

Net realized and unrealized gain on investment in ETC for the year ended December 31, 2023 was $72,107, which includes a realized gain of $3,269 on the transfer of ETC to pay the Sponsor's Fee, and net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investment in ETC of $68,838. Net realized and unrealized gain on investment in ETC for the year was driven by ETC price appreciation from $15.82 per ETC as of December 31, 2022, to $21.99 per ETC as of December 31, 2023. Net increase in net assets resulting from operations was $66,631 for the year ended December 31, 2023, which consisted of the net realized and unrealized gain on investment in ETC, less the Sponsor's Fee of $5,476. Net assets increased to $253,958 at December 31, 2023, a 36% increase for the year. The increase in net assets resulted from the aforementioned ETC price appreciation, partially offset by the withdrawal of approximately 292,369 ETC to pay the foregoing Sponsor's Fee.

Cash Resources and Liquidity

The Trust has not had a cash balance at any time since inception. When selling ETC, Incidental Rights and/or IR Virtual Currency in the Digital Asset Market to pay Additional Trust Expenses on behalf of the Trust, the Sponsor endeavors to sell the exact amount of ETC, Incidental Rights and/or IR Virtual Currency needed to pay expenses in order to minimize the Trust's holdings of assets other than ETC. As a consequence, the Sponsor expects that the Trust will not record any cash flow from its operations and that its cash balance will be zero at the end of each reporting period. Furthermore, the Trust is not a party to any off-balance sheet arrangements.

In exchange for the Sponsor's Fee, the Sponsor has agreed to assume most of the expenses incurred by the Trust. As a result, the only ordinary expense of the Trust during the periods covered by this Annual Report was the Sponsor's Fee. The Trust is not aware of any trends, demands, conditions or events that are reasonably likely to result in material changes to its liquidity needs.

Selected Operating Data

For accounting purposes, the Trust reflects creations and the ETC receivable with respect to such creations on the date of receipt of a notification of a creation but does not issue Shares until the requisite amount of ETC is received. At this time, the Trust is not accepting redemption requests from shareholders. Subject to receipt of regulatory approval from the SEC and approval by the Sponsor in its sole discretion, the Trust may in the future operate a redemption program. The Trust currently has no intention of seeking regulatory approval to operate an ongoing redemption program.

Historical NAV and ETC Prices

As movements in the price of ETC will directly affect the price of the Shares, investors should understand recent movements in the price of ETC. Investors, however, should also be aware that past movements in the ETC price are not indicators of future movements. Movements may be influenced by various factors, including, but not limited to, government regulation, security breaches experienced by service providers, as well as political and economic uncertainties around the world.

The following chart illustrates the movement in the Trust's NAV per Share versus the Index Price and the Trust's Principal Market NAV per Share from April 24, 2017 (the inception of the Trust's operations) to December 31, 2025. For more information on the determination of the Trust's NAV, see "Item 1. Business-Overview of the ETC Industry and Market-ETC Value-The Index and the Index Price."

The following table illustrates the movements in the Index Price from January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2025. The Sponsor has not observed a material difference between the Index Price and average prices from the Constituent Trading Platforms individually or as a group.

The following table illustrates the movements in the Digital Asset Market price of ETC, as reported on the Trust's principal market, from January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2025.

The following chart sets out the historical closing prices for the Shares as reported by OTCQX and the Trust's NAV per Share from May 10, 2018 to December 31, 2025.

ETCG Premium/(Discount): ETCG Share Price vs. NAV per Share (Non-GAAP) ($)

The following chart sets out the historical premium and discount for the Shares calculated as a percentage of the historical closing prices for the Shares as reported by OTCQX and the Trust's NAV per Share from May 10, 2018 to December 31, 2025.

ETCG Premium/(Discount): ETCG Share Price vs. NAV per Share (Non-GAAP) (%)