Crypto.com and Canary Capital are joining forces to unveil a new investment fund in the United States, designed to offer accredited investors exposure to the Cronos blockchain’s native token, CRO. Announced on May 20, 2025, the Canary CRO Trust emerges as a strategic move by Crypto.com to further embed cryptocurrency in mainstream finance, though it stops short of being an exchange-traded fund (ETF).
A New Venture in Crypto Investment
Crypto.com’s collaboration with Canary Capital marks a significant step in its ongoing effort to broaden the horizons of cryptocurrency investment. The Canary CRO Trust is set to hold the Cronos token within a regulated fund framework, appealing specifically to accredited investors. Eric Anziani, President and COO of Crypto.com, emphasized the fund’s role in “further mainstreaming crypto,” signaling the exchange’s commitment to fostering wider acceptance and integration of digital assets in traditional finance. This initiative is reminiscent of other efforts to integrate DeFi into traditional finance, such as the Tokenized Apollo Credit Fund’s DeFi debut with a levered-yield strategy.
This initiative follows the company’s previous partnership with Trump Media & Technology Group in March 2025, where they announced plans to launch a series of Trump-branded ETFs, including one focusing on CRO. However, these ETFs are still pending approval from the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which has yet to greenlight any CRO ETFs for trading in the US.
The Cronos Blockchain: A Closer Look
Cronos, a layer-1 blockchain network linked to Crypto.com, is engineered to seamlessly interact with both Ethereum and Cosmos ecosystems. It supports decentralized finance (DeFi) applications, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and other burgeoning Web3 applications. With a total value locked (TVL) of nearly $440 million, according to data from DefiLlama, Cronos presents a substantial playground for DeFi enthusiasts. VVS Finance, a platform for token swaps and yield farming, stands as its most prominent application.
The CRO token itself boasts a market capitalization of about $880 million as of May 19, 2025, per Cointelegraph’s market data. This positions it as a significant player in the altcoin space, further bolstered by Crypto.com’s ongoing initiatives to elevate its profile through regulated financial products like the Canary CRO Trust.
Regulatory Landscape and Market Trends
The regulatory landscape for cryptocurrency in the US has seen subtle shifts, particularly with the current administration’s crypto-friendly stance. Since President Trump took office, there has been a marked increase in the filing of crypto ETFs. In May 2025 alone, VanEck sought to list an ETF linked to BNB Chain’s native token, BNB, while 21Shares launched an exchange-traded product (ETP) in Europe focusing on CRO. As explored in our recent coverage of how restaking can enhance DeFi security, these developments are crucial for institutional traders looking for more secure investment avenues.
These moves underscore a broader trend of traditional financial institutions and asset managers seeking to capitalize on the growing interest in digital assets. However, the SEC’s cautious approach highlights the ongoing regulatory challenges and uncertainties that continue to shape the market.
Forward-Looking Implications
As the Canary CRO Trust sets its sights on attracting accredited investors, questions linger about the broader impact of such regulated funds on the cryptocurrency landscape. Will these initiatives pave the way for more mainstream adoption, or will regulatory hurdles continue to stymie progress? The answer remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Crypto.com and Canary Capital are betting on a future where digital assets play a central role in the financial ecosystem.
In the rapidly evolving world of cryptocurrency, the launch of the Canary CRO Trust could serve as a bellwether for similar ventures. As investors and regulators alike navigate this complex terrain, the unfolding narrative around Cronos and its native token will be one to watch closely in the coming months.
Source
This article is based on: Crypto.com and Canary Capital to launch US CRO fund
Further Reading
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Steve Gregory is a lawyer in the United States who specializes in licensing for cryptocurrency companies and products. Steve began his career as an attorney in 2015 but made the switch to working in cryptocurrency full time shortly after joining the original team at Gemini Trust Company, an early cryptocurrency exchange based in New York City. Steve then joined CEX.io and was able to launch their regulated US-based cryptocurrency. Steve then went on to become the CEO at currency.com when he ran for four years and was able to lead currency.com to being fully acquired in 2025.
