Grayscale Eyes 36 New Tokens, Signaling Aggressive Expansion Beyond Legacy Crypto

Grayscale, a leading digital asset manager, has announced the inclusion of 36 new altcoins in its Q1 2026 'Assets Under Consideration' list. The tokens span multiple blockchain sectors, including smart contracts, financials, consumer applications, artificial intelligence, and utilities according to Grayscale's announcement.

The firm categorizes the digital assets under a proprietary six-sector framework: Currencies, Smart Contract Platforms, Financials, Consumer & Culture, Artificial Intelligence, and Utilities & Services. The list includes names like Tron (TRX), ARIA Protocol (ARIAIP), and DoubleZero (2Z) as part of its Q1 2026 watchlist.

Grayscale also filed for ETFs for tokens such as Binance Coin (BNB) and Hyperliquid (HYPE). These ETFs are set up as official trusts in Delaware, showing the company's strategy to make new crypto assets available in regulated investment options as reported by Cryptotimes.

Why Did This Happen?

Grayscale's move reflects a broader trend toward institutional interest in diversified crypto assets beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum. The firm is positioning itself for the next phase of digital asset investment by evaluating a wide range of tokens that represent emerging innovations in blockchain technology according to industry analysis.

The firm's Head of Research, Zach Pandl, has noted that 2026 is expected to be 'the dawn of the institutional era' for digital assets. He highlighted the need for alternative stores of value and clearer regulations as key drivers for the market as cited by Cryptotimes.

The release of the updated list is seen as a signal of institutional interest in a more diversified set of crypto assets. Grayscale's inclusion of tokens like Nous Research and Poseidon in the AI category shows the firm's focus on the growing intersection between artificial intelligence and blockchain according to Coinfomania.

In the financials category, Ethena (ENA), Jupiter (JUP), and Pendle (PENDLE) are among the assets being considered. These projects aim to provide traditional banking-like services through decentralized finance as reported by Bitcoin News.

Grayscale also added DoubleZero (2Z) to the Utilities & Services category. This token is focused on providing low-latency network infrastructure for blockchains as stated in their announcement.

What Are Analysts Watching Next?

Analysts are watching to see if these assets will lead to new investment products. Being on Grayscale's list does not guarantee product development, but it is often seen as a sign of institutional interest according to Coinfomania.

The firm emphasized that the list is dynamic and subject to change. Final decisions on product launches will depend on custody solutions, regulatory approval, and internal reviews as reported by Bitcoin News.

Grayscale's expansion into AI and DePIN (Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Network) tokens like Worldcoin (WLD) and DoubleZero (2Z) suggests that the firm is prioritizing innovation and infrastructure development in the crypto space according to Coinfomania.

The firm's ongoing filings, such as the Grayscale Sui Trust (GSUI) and the Avalanche (AVAX) ETF, indicate that it is actively working to bring more regulated investment options to the market as reported by Cryptotimes.

The next major update to Grayscale's consideration list is expected in April 2026 according to The Block. Until then, the firm will continue its evaluation process and may launch new products based on its findings.

The current expansion reflects Grayscale's strategy to blend digital asset innovation with regulatory compliance, which is seen as a critical factor in attracting institutional investors as noted by Cryptotimes.