3iQ, a leading Canadian investment fund manager, has taken a significant step in the digital asset investment space. The company announced today that it has filed a prospectus with the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) to launch North America's first publicly traded Solana exchange-traded product (ETP). This new fund, called the Solana Fund, will trade under the ticker QSOL, pending approval by the OSC.

• 3iQ, a leading Canadian investment fund manager, has filed a prospectus with the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) to launch the first publicly traded Solana ETP in North America.

• The Solana Fund, trading under the ticker QSOL, will be listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX).

• The fund will offer investors exposure to both the price movements of Solana and the staking yield generated by the Solana network

The Solana Fund aims to provide investors with easy exposure to Solana (SOL) without the technical complexities of direct investment. In addition to tracking the price movements of SOL, the fund will also offer exposure to the staking yield generated by the Solana network. This feature allows investors to benefit from both price appreciation and staking rewards.

Greg Benhaim, Executive Vice President of Product and Head of Trading at 3iQ, expressed the company's vision in a release: “3iQ seeks to set a global standard of excellence, and we’re proud to work closely with the OSC to responsibly enhance the digital asset investment landscape in Canada.”

“As pioneers in digital asset investment management, we look forward to continuing our mission to deliver regulated investment vehicles. We embody the highest standards and work with best-in-class partners for individual and institutional investors to efficiently access the growing crypto asset class,” Benhaim continued.

3iQ has a track record of pioneering digital asset investment products. It was among the first fund managers to list a Bitcoin fund, the Bitcoin Fund, on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX). It also launched the first publicly listed Ether fund in Toronto. The company's move to support Solana adds to its reputation for innovation in the crypto investment space.

Solana Fund will Support Staking-Enabled Investment

The Solana Fund will follow the model of 3iQ's existing Ether ETPs by enabling staking. This means that the fund will stake SOL to earn rewards, which will be passed on to investors. Christopher Matta, a Strategic Advisor to 3iQ, highlighted this innovative approach in a phone interview with CoinDesk: “Our goal is to continue pushing the envelope and maintaining Canada as an innovation hub. The Solana ETP will have staking enabled, allowing us to pass through the yield to investors.”

Read more: BlackRock Eyes Solana ETF: A Game-Changer for Crypto Adoption

Solana, with a market cap of $61 billion, is the fifth-largest cryptocurrency, trailing only Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), the dollar-pegged Tether (USDT), and Binance Coin (BNB). The launch of the Solana Fund marks a significant milestone for the cryptocurrency, highlighting its growing importance in the digital asset ecosystem.

The fund's listing on the TSX will provide investors with a regulated and convenient way to gain exposure to Solana. “The Solana Fund offers easy exposure to SOL without technical complexity,” 3iQ stated. This move aligns with the company's strategy to make digital asset investment accessible and straightforward.

Canada has been at the forefront of crypto ETP innovation. The country had spot Bitcoin ETFs and spot Ethereum ETFs before the U.S. even introduced futures ETFs for these assets. Bloomberg analyst James Seyffart noted this trend, highlighting that Solana funds are already established in other parts of the world. “You guys would be stunned to realize we already have over $1 billion in Solana ETPs elsewhere in the world,” he tweeted.

Standard Chartered, a British multinational bank, has also predicted that Solana and XRP would be the next cryptocurrencies to receive ETF approval from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Geoffrey Kendrick, Standard Chartered’s head of crypto research, pointed out the similarities in core technology between Solana, XRP, and Ethereum, suggesting that SEC approval could be imminent.

Solana has been experiencing a resurgence in network activity. Since the beginning of the year, the network has seen a massive increase in transactions. The 7-day average of non-voting transactions recently reached a two-year high of 38.37 million. Daily transactions have consistently hovered near 40 million since June began, indicating significant network usage.

Solana DeFi TVL | Source: DefiLlama 

On June 12th, Solana witnessed its third-highest day ever in terms of active accounts, with over 1.23 million unique wallets interacting with the network. The DeFi sector on Solana is also thriving, with the total value locked (TVL) in Solana DeFi projects remaining comfortably above $4 billion, according to DefiLlama.

Despite the positive developments, Solana faces challenges on the social front. Social volume around Solana has fallen, and the weighted sentiment has also declined, indicating an increase in negative comments compared to positive ones. This waning interest on social platforms could hinder Solana's potential growth in the long run.

SOL/USDT price chart | Source: KuCoin

At the time of writing, Solana trades around $132, down over 10% for the week. However, as the fifth largest crypto, Solana enjoys a market cap of over $61 billion with a market dominance of 2.7%. 

The launch of the Solana Fund by 3iQ marks a significant milestone in the digital asset investment landscape. It provides investors with a regulated and straightforward way to gain exposure to Solana, combining price movements and staking rewards. As Canada continues to lead in crypto ETP innovation, the Solana Fund represents the latest step in making digital asset investment accessible to a broader audience.