--- title: "Digital Assets and Investing: An introduction to crypto and crypto ETFs" description: Following our recent recognition as Digital Assets Solution/Fund Manager of the Year at the WealthBriefing Awards, Tommaso Mancuso, President and Global Head of Investments, and Andrew Ballinger, Director of Investment Operations, were featured in the latest edition of Acclaim. We have reposted the article here, where they discuss the development and evolution of QMAP.  image: https://blog.3iq.io/hubfs/Podcast%20Graphic.png --- [![3iQ Header Logo](https://blog.3iq.io/hs-fs/hubfs/3iQ%20Header%20Logo.png?width=114&height=36&name=3iQ%20Header%20Logo.png)](https://www.3iq.io/) [![3iQ Logo](https://blog.3iq.io/hubfs/3iQ%20Logo.svg)](https://www.3iq.io/) - [Our Funds](https://www.3iq.io/our-funds) - Investment Solutions - [Digital asset solutions](https://www.3iq.io/digital-asset-investment-solutions) - [Active investment solutions](https://www.3iq.io/actively-managed-solutions) - [Yield solutions](https://www.3iq.io/yield-solutions) - [Partnership Solutions](https://www.3iq.io/partnership-solutions) - [About 3iQ](https://www.3iq.io/about) - News & Insights - [Press & Media](https://www.3iq.io/press-and-media) - [Insights](https://blog.3iq.io/news-insights) [Get in Touch](https://www.3iq.io/contact) [Back to insights](https://blog.3iq.io/news-insights) ![](https://blog.3iq.io/hs-fs/hubfs/Podcast%20Graphic.png?width=720&name=Podcast%20Graphic.png) Podcast | ETFs # Digital Assets and Investing: An introduction to crypto and crypto ETFs July 10, 2026 Author: [3iQ Team](https://blog.3iq.io/news-insights/author/3iq-team) Social For many investors, digital assets remain a category defined more by headlines than by fundamentals. In a recent session hosted by Scotia iTRADE, Pascal St-Jean, CEO of Coincheck Group and 3iQ, joined David De Pastena of Dynamic to walk through the essentials — what digital assets are, how crypto ETFs work, and how they might sit within a diversified portfolio. ## Not all digital assets are the same One of the most common misconceptions Pascal addressed is treating the digital asset universe as monolithic. He outlined three distinct categories: blockchain infrastructure assets like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana; stablecoins, which function primarily as digital payment mechanisms; and tokenised assets, which bring real-world instruments onto a shared digital layer. The distinction matters for portfolio construction.  "It's the first time in history where the asset is also the technology," Pascal noted. The distinction matters for portfolio construction. Investing in Bitcoin means taking a view on a decentralised store of value. Investing in Ethereum or Solana means taking a view on programmable blockchain infrastructure — the layer on which decentralised applications, smart contracts, and tokenised assets are built. ## Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana: different assets, different investment theses Pascal drew a clear line between Bitcoin and the programmable blockchains. Bitcoin was designed with a fixed monetary policy — 21 million coins, encoded into the protocol — making it function as a form of digital gold: scarce, decentralised, and designed for value storage rather than daily transactions. Ethereum and Solana were built with a different purpose: to support any type of decentralised financial application or protocol. Where Bitcoin is robust and fixed, these networks are designed to be flexible and programmable, enabling the smart contracts and decentralised exchanges that underpin much of what is happening in digital finance today. ## ETFs made access possible for retail and institutions alike  "Think of an ETF as a regulated and convenient way to access digital asset investments,” Pascal said. For retail investors, the impact was immediate: crypto exposure became available through existing brokerage accounts, eligible for RRSPs and TFSAs, with no need to manage private keys or navigate unregulated exchanges. For institutions, the ETF wrapper solved a different problem. Sovereign wealth funds and pension funds face layers of compliance and governance before making any investment. ## Innovation is moving beyond single-asset products The first wave of crypto ETFs focused on providing clean, low-cost access to individual assets. That is changing. The market is now seeing staking-based ETFs that can generate yield potential on Ethereum or Solana holdings, covered call strategies applied to Bitcoin, and actively managed portfolios spanning the broader digital asset universe. The Dynamic Active Multi-Crypto ETF (DXMC) – developed by 3iQ in partnership with Dynamic –  is one example of that evolution: an actively managed ETF designed to provide diversified exposure to selected crypto assets, as well as companies that may benefit from the development or adoption of blockchain and related digital asset technologies. "The same evolution you are seeing in traditional finance – from passive to active, from single asset to portfolio – is now happening in digital assets," Pascal observed. Watch the full webinar:    [![Find Out More →](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/45546395/interactive-202265001486.png)](https://blog.3iq.io/hs/cta/wi/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLLQgtJBAMgyk%2BvNiJ64P6C5Wh9b3QnyrVxEaAfKpP5cBbkwwrAdAOALpwXrk3ex50VM0QkyXBYZ8gbq0glfQIHzLKfdqKK%2FoeynDQUMJ3Xn58Adxqp9QMC%2BwdY6lK70OEoYwLi0wCKiq10xxDaByTCwo76C4Gr%2Biaua6D%2B%2BX3oKtRj6eMI%3D&webInteractiveContentId=202265001486&portalId=45546395) Related Content ## Disclaimer This publication is provided for educational and informational purposes only. Not intended for distribution to any person in any jurisdiction where such distribution would be contrary to law. It does not constitute financial, investment, legal, accounting, tax, or other professional advice, and must not be relied upon as such. Nothing in this publication is intended to recommend or promote any particular product, strategy, portfolio approach, issuer, digital asset, or service offering. Readers should not interpret any discussion of specific cryptocurrencies and other digital assets, markets, or strategies as a solicitation, offer, or endorsement. The views expressed were prepared for the purpose of providing readers with general educational background information about cryptoassets and are not appropriate for other purposes. 3iQ assumes no obligation to update or revise this document to reflect new events or circumstances. For information about any 3iQ products, refer to the applicable offering documents and/or prospectus disclosure. The views and examples presented are general in nature and may not be appropriate for any specific investor, client situation, or regulatory context. Readers remain solely responsible for performing their own due diligence and verifying the accuracy of any information used in their decision-making. Cryptocurrencies and other digital assets are highly volatile, may experience significant price fluctuations, and may not be suitable for all investors. 3iQ makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of any information contained herein. All content is provided on an “as-is” basis without warranty of any kind. 3iQ shall not be liable for any loss, damage, or adverse outcome arising from the use of, or reliance on, this material. Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with mutual fund investments. Please read the prospectus before investing. Mutual funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently, and past performance may not be repeated. 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Please read all offering documents carefully before investing. - [Preferences](https://www.3iq.io/?_gl=1*1e71f0r*_gcl_au*MTYyODEzMTMzNy4xNzQxNjkwMzc1) - [Disclaimer](https://www.3iq.io/disclaimer?regions=Canada) - [Privacy Policy](https://www.3iq.io/3iq-privacy-policy) - [Cookies Policy](https://www.3iq.io/3iq-cookies-policy) - [Legal, Financial & Regulatory](https://www.3iq.io/legal-financial-regulatory) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "3iQ Team", "url" : "https://blog.3iq.io/news-insights/author/3iq-team" }, "dateModified" : "2026-07-10T15:25:31.244Z", "datePublished" : "2026-07-10T15:05:01.000Z", "headline" : "Digital Assets and Investing: An introduction to crypto and crypto ETFs", "image" : [ "https://blog.3iq.io/hubfs/Podcast%20Graphic.png" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blog.3iq.io/news-insights/digital-assets-and-investing-an-introduction-to-crypto-and-crypto-etfs", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://blog.3iq.io/hubfs/3iQ%20Logo.svg" } } } ```