Crypto treasury firm ETHZilla has shifted its strategy away from simply accumulating Ether, launching a new tokenized asset offering backed by commercial jet engines leased to a major U.S. airline. The company announced Thursday the debut of its Eurus Aero Token I, marking its entry into the rapidly expanding real-world assets (RWA) sector on blockchain.
ETHZilla sold portions of its Ether holdings to fund the acquisition of two jet engines for $12.2 million in January. The engines are leased to what the company describes as “a leading US air carrier” under agreements extending into 2028. Each token is priced at $100 with a minimum purchase requirement of 10 tokens, offering investors an 11% projected return based on the full lease term.
The token launch operates through ETHZilla Aerospace, a newly created subsidiary focused on bringing aviation assets onto the blockchain. The move represents a significant departure from the company’s previous strategy of buying and holding Ether as a corporate treasury asset, a trend that surged in popularity last year before market enthusiasm began cooling.
ETHZilla chairman and CEO McAndrew Rudisill characterized the offering as democratizing access to asset classes historically reserved for institutional investors. “Offering a token backed by engines leased to one of the largest and most profitable US airlines serves as a strong use case in applying blockchain infrastructure to aviation assets with contracted cash flows and global investment demand,” Rudisill said in a statement.
The company’s pivot reflects broader market sentiment that tokenized RWAs represent the next frontier for blockchain adoption. Industry observers have predicted significant growth in this sector during 2026, particularly in emerging economies struggling with capital formation and foreign investment attraction.
Current on-chain RWA data support this optimistic outlook. Over $24 billion in tokenized real-world assets are estimated to exist on-chain as of Friday, distributed across more than 846,808 holders according to RWA.xyz, indicating growing institutional and retail interest in bringing traditional assets onto blockchain networks.
ETHZilla’s expansion beyond cryptocurrency treasury strategies aligns with broader industry trends toward practical blockchain applications. The company has signaled plans to launch additional tokenized offerings covering home loans, car loans, and other asset classes as part of its ongoing diversification effort.
The timing of this pivot comes as crypto treasury companies face shifting market dynamics. The sector experienced explosive growth and hype throughout 2024, but momentum has slowed as market conditions have evolved and investor focus has broadened beyond simple Ether accumulation strategies.
Financial disclosures reveal the scope of ETHZilla’s strategic repositioning. In a September SEC filing, the company reported holding 102,246 Ether at an average acquisition cost of approximately $3,948, valued at roughly $443 million at that time. However, independent tracking services suggest the company’s current Ether holdings have declined.
Strategic Ether reserves currently list ETHZilla as holding over 93,000 Ether worth more than $188 million. CoinGecko’s estimates are more conservative, suggesting holdings closer to 69,802 Ether valued at approximately $136 million. These divergent figures reflect ongoing market volatility and the challenge of tracking large institutional crypto positions across various wallets and platforms.
Recent Ether price movements have pressured the value of large holders’ positions. The cryptocurrency has drifted between $1,872 and $2,130 over the past week, according to CoinGecko data, as the broader digital asset market experiences typical seasonal fluctuations.
ETHZilla’s transformation from a clinical-stage biotech company called 180 Life Sciences Corp to a crypto treasury and now a tokenized assets platform, underscores the dramatic shifts occurring within companies adapting to blockchain opportunities. The company pivoted to Ether accumulation in July amid the wave of new corporate crypto treasury initiatives at the time.
The Eurus Aero Token I represents a validation that institutional-grade real-world assets can be effectively tokenized and offered to broader investor bases through blockchain infrastructure. If successful, the offering could serve as a template for additional asset classes entering the tokenization market throughout 2026.
If you’re reading this, you’re already ahead. Stay there, by joining the…
Dipprofit’s private Telegram community
Discover more from Dipprofit
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
