Grayscale to Launch First-Ever Chainlink ETF This Week

Crypto asset management firm Grayscale is preparing to launch the United States’ first spot Chainlink exchange-traded fund this week. The move marks another milestone in the expanding crypto ETF market.

🚀 LATEST: THE FIRST SPOT $LINK ETF WILL LAUNCH THIS WEEK AS GRAYSCALE CONVERTS ITS FUND. pic.twitter.com/BeckssFxND

— Coinwaft (@coinwaft) December 1, 2025

ETF Institute co-founder Nate Geraci announced the upcoming launch via X on Sunday. He noted that Grayscale will uplist and convert its Chainlink private trust to an ETF structure.

Bloomberg Intelligence estimates align with Geraci’s prediction. Bloomberg senior ETF analyst Eric Balchunas indicated that Grayscale’s product is scheduled to launch on December 2.

Chainlink as Critical Infrastructure for Tokenization

The launch comes amid a broader wave of crypto ETF filings. Balchunas predicted a “steady supply” of potentially over 100 crypto ETFs launching within the next six months.

On November 24, Balchunas shared data via X showing five spot crypto ETFs are set to launch over the following six days.

There are 5 spot crypto ETFs launching over next 6 days. Beyond that we don't have exact but we expect a steady supply of them (likely over 100 in next six months). Nice chart showing what's launched and what's on deck from @JSeyff pic.twitter.com/eArnDUN5JH

— Eric Balchunas (@EricBalchunas) November 24, 2025

Grayscale has positioned Chainlink as the “critical connective tissue” between crypto and traditional finance. The asset manager described the project as essential infrastructure for blockchain-based finance.

Grayscale Positions Chainlink as Critical Infrastructure for Tokenization

In a recent research report, Grayscale outlined Chainlink’s role in enabling tokenization and cross-chain settlement. The company characterized the technology as modular middleware connecting on-chain applications to off-chain data.

According to Grayscale, Chainlink allows blockchain applications to safely access external information. The platform also facilitates interactions across different blockchains while meeting enterprise-grade compliance requirements.

The expanding functionality has made LINK the largest non-layer 1 crypto asset by market capitalization. Stablecoins are excluded from this ranking.

This positioning gives investors exposure to multiple blockchain ecosystems rather than a single chain. Grayscale filed for a US IPO earlier this year.

Grayscale expects Chainlink to orchestrate the tokenization process as traditional assets migrate onto blockchain infrastructure. Nearly all financial assets currently remain recorded on off-chain ledgers.

For these assets to gain blockchain efficiency and programmability, they require tokenization, verification and external data connections. Chainlink has announced partnerships with S&P Global and FTSE Russell to facilitate this transition.

The tokenized asset market has expanded significantly since early 2023. According to RWA.xyz, the market has grown from $5 billion to more than $35.6 billion.

Grayscale’s research emphasizes that tokenization represents the clearest pathway for Chainlink’s value proposition. The technology addresses the fundamental need to bridge off-chain assets to blockchain systems.

Following the LINK ETF launch, Grayscale will have expanded its spot crypto ETF offerings. The firm previously converted several crypto trusts to ETF structures.

The asset manager argues that Chainlink will be central to the next major phase of blockchain adoption. The technology enables real-world assets to operate on blockchain rails.

Chainlink’s software suite continues expanding beyond basic oracle functionality. The platform now supports cross-chain messaging, proof of reserve, and automation services for decentralized applications.