Grayscale Investments has filed an S-1 registration with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to launch an exchange-traded fund tracking BNB.

According to a Form S-1 filed on Friday, the proposed product is titled the Grayscale BNB ETF. The filing seeks approval to offer a publicly traded ETF designed to track the price of BNB, the native token of the BNB Smart Chain ecosystem.

The fund is sponsored by Grayscale Investments and incorporated in Delaware. The registration statement notes that the offering would commence only after the SEC declares the filing effective, which is a standard requirement before shares can be sold to the public.

The preliminary prospectus outlines that the trust will issue shares representing fractional beneficial interests, with the value of those shares intended to reflect the performance of BNB.

As with other crypto ETFs proposed in the U.S., the product would not actively trade or use derivatives but would seek to provide passive exposure to the underlying digital asset.

Expanding the Scope of Crypto ETFs

The BNB ETF filing comes as asset managers continue to test the boundaries of U.S. crypto ETF approvals following the authorization of spot Bitcoin ETFs and, later, spot Ethereum products.

Market participants have increasingly viewed these approvals as a potential gateway for additional single-asset crypto ETFs tied to major blockchain networks.

BNB is among the largest digital assets by market capitalization and plays a central role in transaction fees, staking, and decentralized applications within the BNB Chain ecosystem.

Regulatory Context and Timeline

The SEC will review the registration statement for compliance with disclosure, custody, and market-integrity standards. The process can involve multiple rounds of comments and amendments, potentially extending over several months.

The prospectus shows that the ETF is “subject to completion” and may be revised before becoming effective. It also reflects standard risk disclosures, including price volatility, regulatory uncertainty surrounding digital assets, as well as operational risks tied to blockchain networks.

ETF Flows Pick Up

Digital asset investment products saw a sharp rebound in demand last week, recording $2.17 billion in net inflows, the strongest weekly total since October 2025, according to CoinShares data.

Digital asset investment products saw $2.17bn in weekly inflows, the strongest since Oct 2025, according to CoinShares.#ETFs #Crypto https://t.co/Q41wIu0zLs

— Cryptonews.com (@cryptonews) January 19, 2026

The bulk of those inflows arrived early in the week before sentiment deteriorated, driven by rising geopolitical tensions, renewed tariff threats, and fresh uncertainty around U.S. monetary policy leadership.

By Friday, flows had reversed, with crypto investment products posting $378 million in outflows following diplomatic escalation linked to Greenland and renewed concerns over global trade policy.

The post Grayscale Files S-1 to Launch BNB-Tracking ETF in the U.S. appeared first on Cryptonews.

Bitcoin price is consolidating below former range highs, and a developing bear flag pattern suggests downside risk remains elevated with $80,000 emerging as the key support level.

Memecoin launchpad Pump.fun has launched an investment arm, Pump Fund, which will distribute $3 million in funding across 12 projects.

An animated video ad posted on X said that the fund is dedicated to early-stage startups. Further, it announced a Build in Public Hackathon, which will fund 12 projects with $250k at $10m valuation.

Introducing the $3,000,000 Build in Public Hackathon

Brought to you by Pump Fund – pump fun’s New Investment Arm

It’s time to completely reimagine how early-stage projects are built and funded.

Learn more pic.twitter.com/l1TJcxv1J0

— Pump.fun (@Pumpfun) January 19, 2026

“It will advance the startup ecosystem on pump fun by aligning itself with projects long-term,” Pump.fun wrote in a thread on X.

Pump.fun Hackathon – Not for VCs But Startups

The Solana-based platform wrote that the upcoming hackathon is a time-limited event that differs from traditional programs. The hackathon offers funding, mentorship with Pump.fun’s founders and more.

“Instead of having to please judges/VCs for money, tokenizing allows the market to become the judge,” the platform added. “Your users are the ones that fund you by betting on you early.”

In order to be eligible for the hackathon, early-stage project participants must launch a token and own at least 10% of the token supply.

However, the projects need not be crypto-related, Pump.fun clarified. Projects of all maturities, verticals, and traction are welcome, it said.

Besides, the platform will prioritize product and social traction, open communication and long-term viability while choosing winners.

One user wrote that the hackathon is “the biggest unlock of builder talent.” Though AI has supported millions to build projects and boost the talent pool, the funding system didn’t, the user wrote.

“Portfolio companies with legit product being ignored… hackathon survivors. incubator rejects. solo entrepreneurs with a vibe + idea & AI. 3 am Claude devs outshipping funded startups,” the X post read. “The talent pool just 100x’d, yet the funding system didn’t. Time to change the game.”

The first cohort of startups is expected by February 2026.

PUMP Surges 3.04% – Eyes Short‑Term Breakout

PUMP, the native token of Pump.fun, rose 3.04% in the last 24 hours following the announcement of the Pump Fund launch. The token is trading at $0.00256 during press time, per CoinMarketCap.

Recent gains reflect short-term momentum but face resistance near $0.00274.

The token reached an all-time high in September, and has dropped 70% since then. The increase in memecoin activity, with Pump.fun-launched coins like WhiteWhale gaining traction, has pumped the token back on the radar.

Further, according to DefiLlama, the activity has contributed to a steady increase in revenue in the recent past, creating a strong tokenomic backbone for the rally.

The post Pump.fun Launches New Investment Division for Early-Stage Projects, Kicks Off Hackathon appeared first on Cryptonews.

Nvidia finalized a $5B Intel stake after FTC approval, buying 214.7M shares. The move bolsters Intel’s foundry push as 18A ramps.

The post Nvidia Just Made a $5B Bet on Intel. Here’s Why It Matters appeared first on TechRepublic.

Nvidia finalized a $5B Intel stake after FTC approval, buying 214.7M shares. The move bolsters Intel’s foundry push as 18A ramps.

The post Nvidia Just Made a $5B Bet on Intel. Here’s Why It Matters appeared first on TechRepublic.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

People and technology are more interconnected than ever before, and with that, we’ve seen an acute need for cyber security. Data breaches have reached unprecedented levels and seem to have no end in sight. Private business data, employee data, and consumer data are now scattered about the dark web; for sale or liable to be used for unscrupulous and unintended purposes.

In 2022, the global cost of cyber crime reached $8.4 trillion. In 2023, that number is expected to surpass the 11 trillion dollar mark. Adequate cyber security is indispensable for the continued advancement of the global economy and for continuous individual well-being. Focusing on breach prevention is essential.

Because of cyber security’s far-reaching implications, cyber security will be an important growth area across the next decade. If you are a retail investor, that’s why investing in a cyber security fund might make sense for you. While individual stocks can be volatile, investing in a basket of cyber security ETFs could provide stability. Cyber security ETFs represent an efficient and effective way to get investment portfolio exposure to this booming sector.

What is a cyber security ETF?  

Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are investment products that track a sector, commodity or index. An ETF consists of an assortment of investments, such as stocks, bonds and commodities. A cyber security ETF will include stocks belonging to companies within the cyber security industry.

Cyber security ETF selection: Insights

In choosing a cyber security ETF, consider the following:

• Consider exploring a fund’s Morningstar Category and actual holdings for a clear understanding of exactly what you’re potentially buying. ETFs that appear similar on the surface may actually be quite different from one another.
• Costs matter. The best index funds and ETFs often retain the lowest expenses. A low expense ratio commonly translates to higher performance levels over time.
• Ask yourself the following three questions ahead of selecting a cyber security ETF: ‘What exposure does this ETF have?’ ‘How effectively does this cyber security ETF deliver this exposure?’ and ‘What does accessing this ETF look like?’
• Investigate whether or not there are extended lengths of time during which the ETF outperforms or underperforms an index. This could provide either positive or negative signals, depending on the root causes of results.
• See if there is a reasonable trading volume.
• Also be sure to review a fund’s track record. Has the ETF succeeded in gathering assets? In the event that an ETF has fewer than $20 million under management, it may eventually be closed by its sponsor.

Cyber security ETF examples

1. First Trust NASDAQ Cybersecurity ETF. This ETF consists of 35 different cyber security company stocks. The fund retains nearly $5.6 billion in assets under management, and represents the largest pure-play ETF in this segment of the tech sector.

The First Trust cyber security offering is one of the longest-tenured ETFs globally, with an inception date in 2015. Since the fund’s creation, shares of the fund have more than doubled.

2. Global X Cybersecurity ETF. A comparatively new fund, the Global X cyber security ETF was launched in 2019. The fund quickly attracted over $1.1 billion in investor funds, and has shown better performance than the First Trust NASDAQ fund.

3. ETFMG Prime Cyber Security ETF. This ETF has amassed $1.9 billion in assets and consists of 62 different stocks. This translates to less portfolio concentration of top brands in the industry, and a greater focus on smaller companies and international investments.

4. iShares Cybersecurity and Tech ETF. This ETF is composed of 52 different cyber security stocks and includes stocks belonging to other tech companies that participate in the cyber security space. Beyond that, this ETF includes cloud computing firms that are in security-adjacent areas.

In summary

As part of a long-term investment strategy, selecting top cyber security ETFs can be a smart choice. They can serve as the basis of a well-diversified portfolio.

A quick reminder: All investors should perform their own diligence, assess their own risk tolerance, invest responsibly, and ensure that investments align with financial goals. This article is not an endorsement of any specific investment strategies or cyber security ETFs.

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The post How to choose a cyber security ETF (2023) appeared first on CyberTalk.