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 Ether 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 (unaudited)
Financial Highlights for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2025 and 2024
(All amounts in the following table and the subsequent paragraphs, except Share, per Share, Ether and price of Ether amounts, are in thousands)
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Three Months Ended March 31, |
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2025 |
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2024 |
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Net realized and unrealized (loss) gain on investment in Ether |
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$ |
(1,965,068 |
) |
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$ |
4,006,549 |
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Net (decrease) increase in net assets resulting from operations |
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$ |
(1,986,868 |
) |
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$ |
3,953,056 |
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Net assets(1) |
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$ |
2,223,557 |
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$ |
10,711,110 |
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(1)Net assets in the above table and subsequent paragraphs are calculated in accordance with U.S. GAAP based on the Digital Asset Market price of Ether on the Digital Asset Trading Platform that the Trust considered its principal market, as of 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the valuation date.
Net realized and unrealized loss on investment in Ether for the three months ended March 31, 2025 was ($1,965,068), which includes a realized gain of $18,140 on the transfer of Ether to pay the Sponsor’s Fee, a realized gain of $504,379 on the sale of Ether to meet redemptions, and net change in unrealized appreciation on investment in Ether of ($2,487,587). Net realized and unrealized loss on investment in Ether for the period was driven by Ether price depreciation from $3,340.40 per Ether as of December 31, 2024, to $1,827.33 per Ether as of March 31, 2025. Net decrease in net assets resulting from operations was ($1,986,868) for the three months ended March 31, 2025, which consisted of the net realized and unrealized loss on investment in Ether, plus the Sponsor’s Fee of $21,800. Net assets decreased to $2,223,557 at March 31, 2025, a 53% decrease for the three-month period. The decrease in net assets resulted from the aforementioned Ether price depreciation, the withdrawal of approximately 8,071 Ether to pay the foregoing Sponsor’s Fee, and the redemption of approximately 226,051 Ether, with a value of $605,818 from the Trust, partially offset by the contribution of approximately 33,168 Ether, with a value of $80,263 to the Trust in connection with Share creations during the period.
Net realized and unrealized gain on investment in Ether for the three months ended March 31, 2024 was $4,006,549, which includes a realized gain of $45,780 on the transfer of Ether to pay the Sponsor’s Fee and net change in unrealized appreciation on investment in Ether of $3,960,769. Net realized and unrealized gain on investment in Ether for the period was driven by Ether price appreciation from $2,281.10 per Ether as of December 31, 2023, to $3,637.95 per Ether as of March 31, 2024. Net increase in net assets resulting from operations was $3,953,056 for the three months ended March 31, 2024, which consisted of the net realized and unrealized gain on investment in Ether, less the Sponsor’s Fee of $53,493. Net assets increased to $10,711,110 at March 31, 2024, a 58% increase for the three-month period. The increase in net assets resulted from the aforementioned Ether price appreciation, partially offset by the withdrawal of approximately 18,359 Ether to pay the foregoing Sponsor’s Fee.
Cash Resources and Liquidity
The Trust only receives and holds cash in order to facilitate creations and redemptions pursuant to Cash Orders, and has not otherwise had or maintained a cash balance at any time since inception. When selling Ether in the Digital Asset Market to pay Additional Trust Expenses on behalf of the Trust, the Sponsor endeavors to sell the exact amount of Ether needed to pay expenses in order to minimize the Trust’s holdings of assets other than Ether. In addition, upon the consummation or deemed failure of a Cash Order to create or redeem Baskets, the Trust will promptly return any excess cash it continues to hold with respect to such Cash Order to the applicable counterparty. 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.
Generally, the Trust does not intend to hold cash, except in connection with Cash Orders for creations or redemptions of Baskets. Cash includes non-interest bearing non-restricted cash with one institution. Cash in a bank deposit account, at times, may exceed U.S. federally insured limits. The Trust has not experienced any losses in such accounts and does not believe it is exposed to any significant credit risk on such bank deposits.