<?xml version='1.0' encoding='ASCII'?>
<!-- DFIN New ActiveDisclosure (SM) Inline XBRL Document - http://www.dfinsolutions.com/ -->
<!-- Creation Date :2024-05-29T15:11:22.0460+00:00 -->
<!-- Copyright (c) 2024 Donnelly Financial Solutions, Inc. All Rights Reserved. -->
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xmlns:xbrldi="http://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldi" xmlns:xbrldt="http://xbrl.org/2005/xbrldt" xmlns:xbrli="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance" xmlns:link="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/linkbase" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns:ix="http://www.xbrl.org/2013/inlineXBRL" xmlns:nonNumeric="http://www.xbrl.org/dtr/type/non-numeric" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:ethe="http://grayscale.com/20240522" xmlns:dei="http://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2024" xmlns:iso4217="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217" xmlns:calc="https://xbrl.org/2023/calculation-1.1" xmlns:ixt-sec="http://www.sec.gov/inlineXBRL/transformation/2015-08-31" xmlns:ixt="http://www.xbrl.org/inlineXBRL/transformation/2022-02-16" xmlns:utr="http://www.xbrl.org/2009/utr">
 <head>
  <title>8-K</title>
  <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html"/>
 </head>
 <body style="margin: auto!important;padding: 8px;">
  <div style="display:none;"><ix:header><ix:hidden><ix:nonNumeric id="F_1dad93f3-c2dc-4a46-bfa5-393b4e49f391" name="dei:EntityCentralIndexKey" contextRef="C_5a58d47c-623d-4097-a0aa-bcbe92449cc2">0001725210</ix:nonNumeric><ix:nonNumeric id="F_820bda59-2299-4c84-b573-6a9ac2a77f19" name="dei:AmendmentFlag" contextRef="C_5a58d47c-623d-4097-a0aa-bcbe92449cc2" format="ixt:fixed-false">false</ix:nonNumeric></ix:hidden><ix:references><link:schemaRef xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="ethe-20240522.xsd"/></ix:references><ix:resources><xbrli:context id="C_5a58d47c-623d-4097-a0aa-bcbe92449cc2"><xbrli:entity><xbrli:identifier scheme="http://www.sec.gov/CIK">0001725210</xbrli:identifier></xbrli:entity><xbrli:period><xbrli:startDate>2024-05-22</xbrli:startDate><xbrli:endDate>2024-05-22</xbrli:endDate></xbrli:period></xbrli:context></ix:resources></ix:header></div>
  <div style="min-height:0.5in;"></div>
  <p style="border-top:2.25pt double #000000;font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">&#160;</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:5.75pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:center;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;font-size:18pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">UNITED STATES<br/>SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION<br/></span><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;font-size:12pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549</span></p>
  <p style="margin-left:40%;font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;border-bottom:0.75pt solid #000000;margin-right:40%;text-align:left;"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">&#160;</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:center;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;font-size:18pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">FORM </span><span style="font-size:18pt;font-family:Times New Roman;"><ix:nonNumeric id="F_d8c7a67f-03eb-4784-ac6e-08517f346a64" contextRef="C_5a58d47c-623d-4097-a0aa-bcbe92449cc2" name="dei:DocumentType"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;font-size:18pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">8-K</span></ix:nonNumeric></span></p>
  <p style="margin-left:40%;font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;border-bottom:0.75pt solid #000000;margin-right:40%;text-align:left;"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">&#160;</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:9pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:center;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;font-size:12pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">CURRENT REPORT</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:9pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:6pt;text-align:center;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;font-size:12pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934</span></p>
  <table style="border-spacing:0;table-layout:fixed;width:100.0%;border-collapse:separate;">
   <tr style="visibility:collapse;">
    <td style="width:100%;"/>
   </tr>
   <tr style="height:10pt;word-break:break-word;white-space:pre-wrap;text-align:left;">
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;margin-right:0.02986111111111111in;text-align:center;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;min-width:fit-content;">Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): </span><span><ix:nonNumeric id="F_0b521e34-4f99-4970-8a1a-ff2f28c1adb4" contextRef="C_5a58d47c-623d-4097-a0aa-bcbe92449cc2" name="dei:DocumentPeriodEndDate" format="ixt:date-monthname-day-year-en"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;min-width:fit-content;">May 22, 2024</span></ix:nonNumeric></span></p></td>
   </tr>
  </table>
  <p style="margin-left:40%;font-size:10pt;margin-top:5pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;border-bottom:0.75pt solid #000000;margin-right:40%;text-align:left;"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">&#160;</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">&#160;</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:5pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:24pt;font-family:Times New Roman;"><ix:nonNumeric id="F_dd9628fa-4842-4e96-b0b1-04387fea1873" contextRef="C_5a58d47c-623d-4097-a0aa-bcbe92449cc2" name="dei:EntityRegistrantName"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;font-size:24pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">Grayscale Ethereum Trust (ETH)</span></ix:nonNumeric></span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:3pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:center;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;font-size:7.5pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">(Exact name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)</span></p>
  <p style="margin-left:40%;font-size:10pt;margin-top:9pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;border-bottom:0.75pt solid #000000;margin-right:40%;text-align:left;"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">&#160;</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">&#160;</span></p>
  <table style="border-spacing:0;table-layout:fixed;width:100.0%;border-collapse:separate;">
   <tr style="visibility:collapse;">
    <td style="width:19.488%;"/>
    <td style="width:3.341%;"/>
    <td style="width:19.488%;"/>
    <td style="width:17.687%;"/>
    <td style="width:39.996%;"/>
   </tr>
   <tr style="height:10pt;word-break:break-word;white-space:pre-wrap;text-align:left;">
    <td colspan="3" style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:center;"><span><ix:nonNumeric id="F_da96649f-8944-4047-a7d1-84f3a9313669" contextRef="C_5a58d47c-623d-4097-a0aa-bcbe92449cc2" name="dei:EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode" format="ixt-sec:stateprovnameen"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;min-width:fit-content;">Delaware</span></ix:nonNumeric></span></p></td>
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:center;"><span><ix:nonNumeric id="F_45cd7fac-9634-4471-98d3-4157db01571a" contextRef="C_5a58d47c-623d-4097-a0aa-bcbe92449cc2" name="dei:EntityFileNumber"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;min-width:fit-content;">000-56193</span></ix:nonNumeric></span></p></td>
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:center;"><span><ix:nonNumeric id="F_8f439672-110c-439c-98bf-f27418a92468" contextRef="C_5a58d47c-623d-4097-a0aa-bcbe92449cc2" name="dei:EntityTaxIdentificationNumber"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;min-width:fit-content;">82-6677805</span></ix:nonNumeric></span></p></td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="height:7pt;word-break:break-word;white-space:pre-wrap;text-align:left;">
    <td colspan="3" style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;"><p style="font-size:7.5pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:center;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;min-width:fit-content;">(State or Other Jurisdiction<br/>of Incorporation)</span></p></td>
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;"><p style="font-size:7.5pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:center;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;min-width:fit-content;">(Commission File Number)</span></p></td>
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;"><p style="font-size:7.5pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:center;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;min-width:fit-content;">(IRS Employer<br/>Identification No.)</span></p></td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="word-break:break-word;white-space:pre-wrap;text-align:left;">
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:center;"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">&#160;</span></p></td>
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:center;"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">&#160;</span></p></td>
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:center;"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">&#160;</span></p></td>
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:center;"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">&#160;</span></p></td>
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:center;"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">&#160;</span></p></td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="height:10pt;word-break:break-word;white-space:pre-wrap;text-align:left;">
    <td colspan="3" style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:center;"><span><ix:nonNumeric id="F_3750fe9b-592d-48b5-afa6-382e8f2501bd" contextRef="C_5a58d47c-623d-4097-a0aa-bcbe92449cc2" name="dei:EntityAddressAddressLine1"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;min-width:fit-content;">c/o Grayscale Investments, LLC</span></ix:nonNumeric></span></p><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:center;"><span><ix:nonNumeric id="F_4f3f696a-c9fb-4857-9574-a5fbcde6d001" contextRef="C_5a58d47c-623d-4097-a0aa-bcbe92449cc2" name="dei:EntityAddressAddressLine2"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;min-width:fit-content;">290 Harbor Drive, 4th Floor</span></ix:nonNumeric></span></p></td>
    <td colspan="2" style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:center;"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">&#160;</span></p></td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="height:10pt;word-break:break-word;white-space:pre-wrap;">
    <td colspan="3" style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;text-align:left;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:center;"><span><ix:nonNumeric id="F_ba1c5b36-8d2c-45cd-abbf-0f0529bbeeff" contextRef="C_5a58d47c-623d-4097-a0aa-bcbe92449cc2" name="dei:EntityAddressCityOrTown"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;min-width:fit-content;">Stamford</span></ix:nonNumeric></span><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;min-width:fit-content;">, </span><span><ix:nonNumeric id="F_59edf50b-3cc4-4db2-9e0d-6c543efc0282" contextRef="C_5a58d47c-623d-4097-a0aa-bcbe92449cc2" name="dei:EntityAddressStateOrProvince" format="ixt-sec:stateprovnameen"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;min-width:fit-content;">Connecticut</span></ix:nonNumeric></span></p></td>
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">&#160;</span></p></td>
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:bottom;text-align:left;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:center;"><span><ix:nonNumeric id="F_9f97bea0-5aeb-4cfa-9207-340153c32197" contextRef="C_5a58d47c-623d-4097-a0aa-bcbe92449cc2" name="dei:EntityAddressPostalZipCode"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;min-width:fit-content;">06902</span></ix:nonNumeric></span></p></td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="height:7pt;word-break:break-word;white-space:pre-wrap;text-align:left;">
    <td colspan="3" style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;"><p style="font-size:7.5pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:center;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;min-width:fit-content;">(Address of Principal Executive Offices)</span></p></td>
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:center;"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">&#160;</span></p></td>
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;"><p style="font-size:7.5pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:center;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;min-width:fit-content;">(Zip Code)</span></p></td>
   </tr>
  </table>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">&#160;</span></p>
  <table style="border-spacing:0;table-layout:fixed;width:100.0%;border-collapse:separate;">
   <tr style="visibility:collapse;">
    <td style="width:100%;"/>
   </tr>
   <tr style="height:10pt;word-break:break-word;white-space:pre-wrap;text-align:left;">
    <td style="padding-top:0.125in;vertical-align:top;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;margin-right:0.02986111111111111in;text-align:center;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;min-width:fit-content;">Registrant&#8217;s Telephone Number, Including Area Code:</span><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;"> </span><span><ix:nonNumeric id="F_097d9737-614a-4c48-845b-26d830482713" contextRef="C_5a58d47c-623d-4097-a0aa-bcbe92449cc2" name="dei:CityAreaCode"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;min-width:fit-content;">212</span></ix:nonNumeric></span><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;"> </span><span><ix:nonNumeric id="F_48ebe62f-c390-4bcb-a3fd-186fde51420f" contextRef="C_5a58d47c-623d-4097-a0aa-bcbe92449cc2" name="dei:LocalPhoneNumber"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;min-width:fit-content;">668-1427</span></ix:nonNumeric></span></p></td>
   </tr>
  </table>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">&#160;</span></p>
  <table style="border-spacing:0;table-layout:fixed;width:100.0%;border-collapse:separate;">
   <tr style="visibility:collapse;">
    <td style="width:100%;"/>
   </tr>
   <tr style="height:10pt;word-break:break-word;white-space:pre-wrap;text-align:left;">
    <td style="padding-top:0.125in;vertical-align:top;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:center;"><span><ix:nonNumeric id="F_d2d78219-9875-46d2-8868-84535d9e0c5a" contextRef="C_5a58d47c-623d-4097-a0aa-bcbe92449cc2" name="dei:EntityInformationFormerLegalOrRegisteredName"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;min-width:fit-content;">N/A</span></ix:nonNumeric></span></p></td>
   </tr>
  </table>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:center;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;font-size:7.5pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)</span></p>
  <p style="margin-left:40%;font-size:10pt;margin-top:9.35pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;border-bottom:0.75pt solid #000000;margin-right:40%;text-align:left;"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">&#160;</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:9.35pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:6pt;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:</span></p>
  <table style="margin-left:auto;border-spacing:0;table-layout:fixed;width:100.0%;border-collapse:separate;margin-right:auto;">
   <tr style="visibility:collapse;">
    <td style="width:4%;"/>
    <td style="width:4%;"/>
    <td style="width:92%;"/>
   </tr>
   <tr style="height:10pt;word-break:break-word;white-space:pre-wrap;">
    <td style="vertical-align:top;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">&#160;</span></p></td>
    <td style="vertical-align:top;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span><ix:nonNumeric id="F_57254268-8663-4405-9339-64db638152bc" contextRef="C_5a58d47c-623d-4097-a0aa-bcbe92449cc2" name="dei:WrittenCommunications" format="ixt-sec:boolballotbox"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">&#9744;</span></ix:nonNumeric></span></p></td>
    <td style="vertical-align:top;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)</span></p></td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="height:10pt;word-break:break-word;white-space:pre-wrap;">
    <td style="vertical-align:top;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:6pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">&#160;</span></p></td>
    <td style="vertical-align:top;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:6pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span><ix:nonNumeric id="F_86615a01-09e1-4d18-851d-bbb3cdfdf505" contextRef="C_5a58d47c-623d-4097-a0aa-bcbe92449cc2" name="dei:SolicitingMaterial" format="ixt-sec:boolballotbox"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">&#9744;</span></ix:nonNumeric></span></p></td>
    <td style="vertical-align:top;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:6pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)</span></p></td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="height:10pt;word-break:break-word;white-space:pre-wrap;">
    <td style="vertical-align:top;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:6pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">&#160;</span></p></td>
    <td style="vertical-align:top;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:6pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span><ix:nonNumeric id="F_958aa839-fb51-485a-81ef-cd1f7a84ac0e" contextRef="C_5a58d47c-623d-4097-a0aa-bcbe92449cc2" name="dei:PreCommencementTenderOffer" format="ixt-sec:boolballotbox"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">&#9744;</span></ix:nonNumeric></span></p></td>
    <td style="vertical-align:top;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:6pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))</span></p></td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="height:10pt;word-break:break-word;white-space:pre-wrap;">
    <td style="vertical-align:top;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:6pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">&#160;</span></p></td>
    <td style="vertical-align:top;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:6pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span><ix:nonNumeric id="F_98422bdb-627e-49b2-b0de-5b0ad9e4e9a5" contextRef="C_5a58d47c-623d-4097-a0aa-bcbe92449cc2" name="dei:PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer" format="ixt-sec:boolballotbox"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">&#9744;</span></ix:nonNumeric></span></p></td>
    <td style="vertical-align:top;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:6pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))</span></p></td>
   </tr>
  </table>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:9pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:9pt;text-align:center;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:</span></p>
  <table style="border-spacing:0;table-layout:fixed;width:100.0%;border-collapse:separate;">
   <tr style="visibility:collapse;">
    <td style="width:38%;"/>
    <td style="width:1%;"/>
    <td style="width:15%;"/>
    <td style="width:1%;"/>
    <td style="width:45%;"/>
   </tr>
   <tr style="height:10pt;word-break:break-word;white-space:pre-wrap;">
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;border-bottom:0.25pt solid;text-align:left;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:center;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;min-width:fit-content;"><br/>Title of each class</span></p></td>
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;border-bottom:0.25pt solid #ffffff03;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">&#160;</span></p></td>
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;border-bottom:0.25pt solid;text-align:left;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:center;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;min-width:fit-content;">Trading<br/>Symbol(s)</span></p></td>
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;border-bottom:0.25pt solid #ffffff03;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">&#160;</span></p></td>
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;border-bottom:0.25pt solid;text-align:left;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:center;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;min-width:fit-content;"><br/>Name of each exchange on which registered</span></p></td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="height:10pt;word-break:break-word;white-space:pre-wrap;">
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;text-align:left;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:center;"><span><ix:nonNumeric id="F_c6337ce7-a8bc-4353-bdf5-690853576951" contextRef="C_5a58d47c-623d-4097-a0aa-bcbe92449cc2" name="dei:Security12gTitle"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">Grayscale Ethereum Trust (ETH) Shares</span></ix:nonNumeric></span></p></td>
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">&#160;</span></p></td>
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;text-align:left;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:center;"><span><ix:nonNumeric id="F_61bf19e8-e88f-4280-9745-dc0300f2a5be" contextRef="C_5a58d47c-623d-4097-a0aa-bcbe92449cc2" name="dei:TradingSymbol"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">ETHE</span></ix:nonNumeric></span></p></td>
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">&#160;</span></p></td>
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;text-align:left;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:center;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">N/A</span></p></td>
   </tr>
  </table>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:12pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (&#167;&#8239;230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (&#167;&#8239;240.12b-2 of this chapter).</span><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;"> </span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:9pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">Emerging growth company </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;"><ix:nonNumeric id="F_72f1240d-9998-4ef5-ba05-04e3f0726c6c" contextRef="C_5a58d47c-623d-4097-a0aa-bcbe92449cc2" name="dei:EntityEmergingGrowthCompany" format="ixt:fixed-false"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">&#9744;</span></ix:nonNumeric></span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:9pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. &#9744;</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;border-bottom:2.25pt double #000000;text-align:left;"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">&#160;</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">&#160;</span></p>
  <div style="flex-direction:column;display:flex;min-height:0.5in;justify-content:flex-end;"></div>
  <hr style="page-break-after:always;"/>
  <div style="min-height:0.5in;"></div>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">&#160;</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">Item 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;font-style:italic;min-width:fit-content;">Custodian Agreement</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">On May 22, 2024, Grayscale Ethereum Trust (ETH) (the &#8220;Trust&#8221;), Grayscale Investments, LLC, the sponsor of the Trust (the &#8220;Sponsor&#8221;) and Coinbase, Inc., the prime broker of the Trust (&#8220;Coinbase&#8221; or the &#8220;Prime Broker&#8221;), on behalf of itself and as agent for Coinbase Custody Trust Company, LLC (&#8220;Coinbase Custody&#8221; or the &#8220;Custodian&#8221;) and Coinbase Credit, Inc. (&#8220;Coinbase Credit&#8221; and, collectively with Coinbase and Coinbase Custody, the &#8220;Coinbase Entities&#8221;), entered into the Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement, which includes the Coinbase Custodial Services Agreement attached thereto as Exhibit A (the &#8220;CSA&#8221;), the Coinbase Settlement and Transfer Agreement attached thereto as Exhibit B (the &#8220;STA&#8221;) and all other exhibits, addenda and supplements attached thereto (collectively with the CSA and STA, the &#8220;Custodian Agreement&#8221;) governing the Trust&#8217;s and the Sponsor&#8217;s use of the custodial and prime broker services provided by the Custodian and the Prime Broker. The Custodian Agreement establishes the rights and responsibilities of the Custodian, the Prime Broker, the Sponsor and the Trust with respect to the Trust&#8217;s Ether which is held in accounts maintained and operated by the Custodian, as a fiduciary with respect to the Trust&#8217;s assets, and the Prime Broker (together with the Custodian, the &#8220;Custodial Entities&#8221;) on behalf of the Trust.</span><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;"> </span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">The Custodian Agreement shall not become effective until the date on which the shares of Grayscale Ethereum Trust (ETH) begin trading on NYSE Arca as shares of an exchange-traded product (the &#8220;Uplisting Date&#8221;).</span><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;"> </span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">The foregoing description, together with the below description of certain terms of the Custodian Agreement, is a summary, does not purport to be a complete description of the Custodian Agreement, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Custodian Agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 10.1 hereto and is incorporated by reference herein. In addition, the risk factors related to the Custodian Agreement set forth in Exhibit 99.1 hereto update the Trust&#8217;s previously filed risk factors to the extent applicable and are incorporated by reference herein.</span><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;"> </span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">Coinbase Custody is currently the custodian of the Trust and is party to the Previous Custodian Agreement (as defined in Item 1.02 below).</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;font-style:italic;min-width:fit-content;">Accounts; Location of Ether</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">All of the Trust&#8217;s Ether, other than that which is credited to a settlement balance maintained with the Prime Broker (the &#8220;Settlement Balance&#8221;), is held in custody accounts maintained on the books of the Custodian, as to which the Custodian controls the private keys which allow for the transfer of ownership or control of the Trust&#8217;s Ether on the Trust&#8217;s behalf (the &#8220;Vault Balance&#8221;). The Custodian Agreement provides that the Trust&#8217;s Vault Balance will be held by the Custodian in segregated wallets or accounts. The Custodian will keep all of the private keys associated with the Trust&#8217;s Ether held in the Vault Balance in an offline manner. The term &#8220;cold storage&#8221; refers to a safeguarding method where the storage of private keys may involve keeping such keys&#8217; materials on a non-networked computer or electronic device or storing the private keys on a storage device. Cold storage is a safeguarding method with multiple layers of protections and protocols, by which the private keys corresponding to the Trust&#8217;s Ether are generated and stored in an offline manner. The term &#8220;hot storage&#8221; refers to the safeguarding method by which the private keys are held online, where they are more accessible, leading to more efficient transfers, though they are potentially more vulnerable to theft, loss or damage.</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">Additionally, at the Sponsor&#8217;s discretion, a portion of the Trust&#8217;s Ether holdings may be credited to the Settlement Balance, which will be reflected in a ledger maintained on the books of the Prime Broker. The Custodian Agreement provides that any Ether credited to the Trust&#8217;s Settlement Balance will be held (i) in omnibus cold storage wallets; (ii) in omnibus hot storage wallets; or (iii) in omnibus accounts with one of the third-party venues to which Coinbase has established connections (each, a &#8220;Coinbase Connected Venue&#8221;). The Settlement Balance shall be separate from the Vault Balance and any other account(s) the Trust or the Sponsor maintain with the Custodian. From time to time, the Prime Broker may temporarily keep a portion of the private keys associated with the Ether credited to the Trust&#8217;s Settlement Account in hot storage for purposes of facilitating the receipt and distribution of Ether in connection with the creation and redemption of Baskets.</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">Private key shards associated with the Trust&#8217;s Ether are distributed geographically by the Custodial Entities in secure vaults around the world, including in the United States. The locations of the secure vaults may change and are kept confidential by the Custodian for security purposes.</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">The Custodian Agreement states that the Custodian serves as a fiduciary and custodian on the Trust&#8217;s behalf with respect to the Trust&#8217;s Ether held in the Vault Balance and the Ether in the Vault Balance are considered fiduciary assets that remain the Trust&#8217;s property at all times and are not treated as general assets of the Custodian. Under the Custodian Agreement, the Custodian represents and warrants that it has no right, interest, or title in the Ether in the Trust&#8217;s Vault Balance, and agrees that it will not, directly or indirectly, lend, pledge, hypothecate or rehypothecate such digital assets. The Custodian does not reflect such digital assets as assets on the balance sheet of the Custodian, but does reflect the obligation to safeguard such digital assets with a corresponding asset measured at fair value for such obligation. With respect to the Trust&#8217;s Ether credited to the Settlement Balance, the Prime Broker maintains an internal ledger that specifies the Ether credited to the Trust&#8217;s Settlement Balance. The Custodian Agreement states that the Prime Broker treats such Ether</span><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;"> </span></p>
  <div style="flex-direction:column;display:flex;min-height:0.5in;justify-content:flex-end;"></div>
  <hr style="page-break-after:always;"/>
  <div style="min-height:0.5in;"></div>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">as custodial assets held for the benefit of the Trust, and shall not be considered the property of the Prime Broker. Additionally, under the Custodian Agreement, the Prime Broker represents and warrants that it will not, directly or indirectly, sell, transfer, loan, rehypothecate or otherwise alienate the Trust&#8217;s Ether credited to the Settlement Balance.</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">The Custody Agreement also contains an agreement by the parties to treat the digital assets credited to the Trust&#8217;s Vault Balance and Settlement Balance as &#8220;financial assets&#8221; under Article 8 of the New York Uniform Commercial Code (&#8220;Article 8&#8221;) and to treat the Vault Balance and Settlement Balance as &#8220;securities accounts&#8221; with respect to which the Trust is the &#8220;entitlement holder&#8221; within the meaning of Article 8. The Custodial Entities&#8217; ultimate parent, Coinbase Global, Inc. (&#8220;Coinbase Global&#8221;), has stated in its most recent public securities filings that in light of the inclusion in its custody agreements of provisions relating to Article 8 it believes that a court would not treat custodied digital assets as part of its general estate, although due to the novelty of digital assets courts have not yet considered this type of treatment for custodied digital assets. See &#8220;Risk Factors&#8212;The Trust relies on third-party service providers to perform certain functions essential to the affairs of the Trust and the replacement of such service providers could pose a challenge to the safekeeping of the Trust&#8217;s Ethers and to the operations of the Trust&#8221; in Exhibit 99.1 hereto for more information.</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;font-style:italic;min-width:fit-content;">Safekeeping of Ether</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">The Custodian will use commercially reasonable efforts to keep in safe custody on behalf of the Trust all Ether received by the Custodian. All Ether credited to the Vault Balance will (i) be held in the Vault Balance at all times, and the Vault Balance will be controlled by the Custodian; (ii) be labeled or otherwise appropriately identified as being held for the Trust; (iii) be held on a non-fungible basis; (iv) not be commingled with other digital assets held by the Custodian, whether held for the Custodian&#8217;s own account or the account of other clients other than the Trust; and (v) not without the prior written consent of the Trust be deposited or held with any third-party depositary, custodian, clearance system or wallet. Additionally, the Custodian will use commercially reasonable efforts to keep the private key or keys for the Vault Balance secure, and will not disclose such keys to the Trust, the Sponsor or to any other individual or entity except to the extent that any keys are disclosed consistent with a standard of commercially reasonable efforts and as part of a multiple signature solution that would not result in the Trust or the Sponsor &#8220;storing, holding, or maintaining custody or control of&#8221; the Ether &#8220;on behalf of others&#8221; within the meaning of the New York BitLicense Rule (23 NYCRR Part 200) as in effect as of June 24, 2015 such that it would require the Trust or the Sponsor to become licensed under such law.</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">Ether credited to the Trust&#8217;s Settlement Balance may be held in omnibus wallets maintained by the Prime Broker and/or at Coinbase Connected Venues. While the Ether credited to the Trust&#8217;s Settlement Balance could be commingled with other assets, the Ether in the Trust&#8217;s Settlement Balance will represent entitlement to a pro-rata share of the Ether held in such omnibus wallets and/or at Coinbase Connected Venues. In all circumstances the Prime Broker will keep an internal ledger that specifics the assets credited to the Settlement Balance such that the Trust, its auditors and regulators can identify the Trust&#8217;s pro-rata share of the Ether held in omnibus wallets and/or at Coinbase Connected Venues. Neither the Trust nor the Sponsor have a contractual relationship with the Coinbase Connected Venues utilized by the Custodial Entities.</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;font-style:italic;min-width:fit-content;">Insurance</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">Pursuant to the terms of the Custodian Agreement, the Custodian is required to maintain insurance in such types and amounts as are commercially reasonable for the custodial services it provides. The Custodian has advised the Sponsor that it has insurance coverage pursuant to policies held by Coinbase Global, which procures fidelity (or crime) insurance coverage at commercially reasonable amounts for the custodial services provided. This insurance coverage is limited to losses of the digital assets the Custodian custodies on behalf of its clients, including the Trust&#8217;s Ether, resulting from theft, including internal theft by employees of Coinbase and its subsidiaries and theft or fraud by a director of Coinbase if the director is acting in the capacity of an employee of Coinbase or its subsidiaries. Although the Prime Broker is not required to maintain insurance under the terms of the Custodian Agreement, the Custodial Entities have also advised the Sponsor that they maintain insurance coverage pursuant to such policies held by Coinbase Global.</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;font-style:italic;min-width:fit-content;">Deposits, Withdrawals and Storage</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">The Custodian and the Prime Broker provide for: (i) holding of the Trust&#8217;s Ether in the Vault Balance and the Settlement Balance; (ii) transfer of the Trust&#8217;s Ether between the relevant Vault Balance and the Settlement Balance; (iii) the deposit of Ether from a public blockchain address into the respective account or accounts in which the Vault Balance or the Settlement Balance are maintained; and (iv) the withdrawal of Ether from the Vault Balance to a public blockchain address the Trust controls (each such transaction is a &#8220;Custody Transaction&#8221;) (collectively, the &#8220;Custodial and Prime Broker Services&#8221;).</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">The Custodian reserves the right to refuse to process or to cancel any pending Custody Transaction as required by law or in response to a subpoena, court order, or other binding government order or to enforce transaction, threshold, and condition limits, in each case as communicated to the Trust as soon as reasonably practicable where the Custodian is permitted to do so, or if the Custodian reasonably believes that the Custody Transaction may violate or facilitate the violation of an applicable law, regulation or applicable rule of a governmental authority or self-regulatory organization. The Custodial Entities may suspend, restrict or terminate the Trust&#8217;s and the Sponsor&#8217;s access to the Custodial and Prime Broker Services, and/or suspend, restrict or close the accounts associated with the Trust&#8217;s Vault Balance and Settlement Balance (the &#8220;Accounts&#8221;) if the Trust or Sponsor has taken certain actions, including any prohibited use</span><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;"> </span></p>
  <div style="flex-direction:column;display:flex;min-height:0.5in;justify-content:flex-end;"></div>
  <hr style="page-break-after:always;"/>
  <div style="min-height:0.5in;"></div>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">or prohibited business as set forth in the Custodian Agreement or if either or both of the Custodial Entities are required to do so by a subpoena, court order, or other binding government order.</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">From the time the Custodian has verified the authorization of a complete set of instructions to withdraw Ether from the Vault Balance, the Custodian will have a limited amount of time to process and complete such withdrawal. The Custodian will ensure that initiated deposits are processed in a timely manner but the Custodian makes no representations or warranties regarding the amount of time needed to complete processing which is dependent upon many factors outside of the Custodian&#8217;s control. Transactions relating to Ether held in the Settlement Balance occur on the Ether blockchain.</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">The Custodial Entities make no other representations or warranties with respect to the availability and/or accessibility of Ether or the availability and/or accessibility of the Vault Balance, the Settlement Balance or the Custodial and Prime Broker Services.</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;font-style:italic;min-width:fit-content;">Security of the Accounts</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">The Custodial Entities securely store all digital asset private keys held by the Custodian on secure servers or offline, in cold storage. Under the Custodian Agreement, the Custodian must use commercially reasonable efforts to keep the private key or keys to the Vault Balance secure, and may not disclose such private keys to the Sponsor, Trust or any other individual or entity.</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">The Custodial Entities have implemented and will maintain reasonable information security programs that include policies and procedures that are reasonably designed to safeguard the Custodial Entities&#8217; electronic systems and the Trust&#8217;s and the Sponsor&#8217;s confidential information from, among other things, unauthorized access or misuse. In the event of a Data Security Event (as defined in the Custodian Agreement), the Custodial Entities will promptly (subject to any legal or regulatory requirements) notify the Trust and the Sponsor.</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;font-style:italic;min-width:fit-content;">Key Generation</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">Public addresses and their corresponding private keys are generated by the Custodian, as applicable in secret key generation ceremonies at secure locations inside faraday cages, which are enclosures used to block electromagnetic fields and thus mitigate against attacks. The Custodian uses quantum random number generators to generate the public and private key pairs.</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">Once generated, private keys are encrypted, separated into &#8220;shards&#8221;, and then further encrypted. After the key generation ceremony, all materials used to generate private keys, including computers, are destroyed. All key generation ceremonies are performed offline. No party other than the Custodian has access to the private key shards of the Trust.</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;font-style:italic;min-width:fit-content;">Key Storage</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">Private key shards are distributed geographically by the Custodial Entities in secure vaults around the world, including in the United States. The locations of the secure vaults may change and are kept confidential by the Custodian and the Prime Broker for security purposes.</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">The Vault Balance primarily uses &#8220;cold&#8221; storage mechanisms to secure a substantial portion of the Trust&#8217;s private keys. A substantial portion of the Trust&#8217;s Ether holdings will be held in cold storage at all times, with a portion of the Settlement Balance held temporarily in hot storage from time to time, for purposes of facilitating the receipt and distribution of Ether in connection with the creation and redemption of Baskets. Any Ether credited to the Trust&#8217;s Settlement Balance is stored in omnibus accounts, either on the Prime Broker&#8217;s systems or at Coinbase Connected Venues, using a combination of cold and hot storage mechanisms to secure the private keys representing the assets credited to the Trust&#8217;s Settlement Balance.</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">The term cold storage refers to a safeguarding method where the storage of private keys may involve keeping such keys&#8217; materials on a non-networked computer or electronic device or storing the private keys on a storage device. Cold storage is a safeguarding method with multiple layers of protections and protocols, by which the private keys corresponding to the Trust&#8217;s Ether are generated and stored in an offline manner.  A digital wallet may receive deposits of digital assets but may not send digital assets without use of the digital assets&#8217; corresponding private keys. In order to send digital assets from a digital wallet in which the private keys are kept in cold storage, either the private keys must be retrieved from cold storage and entered into an online, or hot, digital asset software program to sign the transaction, or the unsigned transaction must be transferred to the cold server in which the private keys are held for signature by the private keys and then transferred back to the online digital asset software program. At that point, the user of the digital wallet can transfer its digital assets. While private keys held in hot storage are more accessible and therefore enable more efficient transfers, such assets are more vulnerable to theft, loss or damage.</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;font-style:italic;min-width:fit-content;">Security Procedures</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">The Custodian and the Prime Broker hold the Trust&#8217;s private keys in custody in accordance with the terms and provisions of the Custodian Agreement. Transfers to and from the Vault Balance and, where held in cold storage, the Trust&#8217;s Settlement Balance, require certain security procedures, including but not limited to, multiple encrypted private key shards, usernames, passwords and 2-step verification. Multiple private key shards held by the applicable Custodial Entity or Entities must be combined to reconstitute the private</span><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;"> </span></p>
  <div style="flex-direction:column;display:flex;min-height:0.5in;justify-content:flex-end;"></div>
  <hr style="page-break-after:always;"/>
  <div style="min-height:0.5in;"></div>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">key to sign any transaction in order to transfer the Trust&#8217;s assets. Private key shards are distributed geographically by the Custodial Entities in secure vaults around the world, including in the United States.</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">As a result, if any one secure vault is ever compromised, this event will have no impact on the ability of the Trust to access its assets, other than a possible delay in operations, while one or more of the other secure vaults is used instead. These security procedures are intended to remove single points of failure in the protection of the Trust&#8217;s assets.</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">Transfers of Ether to the Vault Balance from the Settlement Balance will be available to the Trust once processed on the Ethereum blockchain, subject to the availability of the Prime Broker&#8217;s online platform. When u is credited to the Settlement Balance, certain movements to allocate the balance among (i) omnibus cold storage wallets and omnibus hot storage wallets on the Prime Broker&#8217;s platform; or (ii) omnibus accounts at Coinbase Connected Venues may not be viewable by the Trust via the Prime Broker&#8217;s online portal. In addition, on a monthly basis the Custodial Entities will provide the Sponsor with an account statement identifying the amount of cash and Ether in the Trust&#8217;s Accounts at the end of the period and listing all account activity during that period.</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;font-style:italic;min-width:fit-content;">Record Keeping; Inspection and Auditing</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">The Custodian will keep timely and accurate records as to the deposit, disbursement, investment and reinvestment of the Ether in the Vault Balance, and such records must be retained by the Custodian for no less than seven years. The Custodian Agreement also provides that each Custodial Entity will permit, to the extent it may legally do so, the Trust&#8217;s third-party representatives, upon thirty days&#8217; notice, to inspect, take extracts from and audit the records that it maintains, take such steps as necessary to verify that satisfactory internal control systems and procedures are in place, as the Trust may reasonably request. The Prime Broker is obligated to notify the Trust of any audit report prepared by its internal or independent auditors if such report reveals any material deficiencies or makes any material objections.</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">In addition, the Trust and the Sponsor are entitled to request that the Custodial Entities provide a copy of the Services Organization Controls (&#8220;SOC&#8221;) 1 report and SOC 2 report once per calendar year. Such reports are required to be dated within one year prior to such request. The Custodial Entities reserve the right to combine the SOC 1 and SOC 2 reports into a comprehensive report. In the event that the Custodial Entities do not deliver a SOC 1 Report or SOC 2 Report, as applicable, the Sponsor and the Trust will be entitled to terminate the Custodian Agreement. In addition to the review of SOC 1 and SOC 2 reports, the Trust may also request letters of representation on a quarterly basis between SOC reports regarding any known changes or conclusions to the SOC 1 and SOC 2 reports.</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;font-style:italic;min-width:fit-content;">Standard of Care; Limitations of Liability</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">The Custodian will use commercially reasonable efforts to keep in safe custody on behalf of the Trust all Ether received by the Custodian. The Custodial Entities are liable to the Sponsor and the Trust for the loss of any Ether to the extent such loss resulted from the negligence, fraud or willful misconduct of the Custodial Entities. To the extent any loss is caused by a Custodial Entity&#8217;s negligence, fraud or willful misconduct, the Custodial Entities are required to return to the Trust a quantity of Ether equal to the quantity of any such lost Ether.</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">The Custodial Entities&#8217; or Trust&#8217;s total liability under the Custodian Agreement will not exceed the greater of: (i) the value of the Ether or cash involved in the event, including but not limited to transaction(s) or deliveries(s), giving rise to such liability at the time of the event giving rise to such liability; (ii) the aggregate amount of fees paid by the Trust to the Custodial Entities in respect of the Custody and Prime Broker Services in the 12-month period prior to the event giving rise to such liability; or (iii) five million U.S. dollars. The Custodian&#8217;s total liability under the Custodian Agreement will not exceed the greater of: (i) the aggregate amount of fees paid by the Trust to the Custodian in respect of the custodial services in the 12-month period prior to the event giving rise to such liability; or (ii) the value of the Ether on deposit in the Vault Balance at the time of the events giving rise to the liability occurred, the value of which will be determined in accordance with the Custodian Agreement. In addition, the Custodian&#8217;s maximum liability in respect of each cold storage address that holds Ether shall be limited to $100 million (the &#8220;Cold Storage Threshold&#8221;). The Sponsor monitors the value of Ether deposited in cold storage addresses for whether the Cold Storage Threshold has been met by determining the U.S. dollar value of Ethers deposited in each cold storage address on business days. Although the Cold Storage Threshold has to date not been met for a given cold storage address, to the extent it is met the Trust would not have a claim against the Custodian with respect to the digital assets held in such address to the extent the value exceeds the Cold Storage Threshold.</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">The Custodial Entities and the Trust are not liable to each other for any special, incidental, indirect, punitive, or consequential damages, whether or not the other party had been advised of such losses or knew or should have known of the possibility of such damages. In addition, the Custodial Entities are not liable to the Trust for circumstances resulting from certain force majeure events.</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;font-style:italic;min-width:fit-content;">Indemnity</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">The Trust and the Custodial Entities have agreed to indemnify one another from and against certain claims or losses, subject to customary exceptions and limitations.</span></p>
  <div style="flex-direction:column;display:flex;min-height:0.5in;justify-content:flex-end;"></div>
  <hr style="page-break-after:always;"/>
  <div style="min-height:0.5in;"></div>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;font-style:italic;min-width:fit-content;">Fees and Expenses</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">The Sponsor will pay an annualized fee to the Coinbase Entities, covering the Trust&#8217;s use of the Custodial and Prime Broker Services, that is accrued on a monthly basis as a percentage of the Trust&#8217;s monthly assets under custody. The Sponsor will also pay a monthly fee to the Prime Broker, covering withdrawals and deposits to or from the Settlement Balance in connection with the creation and redemption of Shares.</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;font-style:italic;min-width:fit-content;">Term; Termination and Suspension</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">The Custodian Agreement will remain in effect until either party terminates the Custodian Agreement; provided, however, that the Coinbase Entities shall not restrict, suspend, or modify any Prime Broker Services following termination of the Custodian Agreement by a Custodial Entity without Cause (as defined in the Custodian Agreement) or by the Trust until the end of the applicable notice period and neither party&#8217;s termination of the Custodian Agreement will be effective until the Trust and/or the Custodial Entities, as the case may be, have fully satisfied their obligations thereunder.</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">The Trust may terminate the Custodian Agreement in whole or in part upon thirty days&#8217; prior written notice to the applicable Custodial Entity; and (ii) for Custodian Cause (as defined in the Custodian Agreement) at any time by written notice to the Prime Broker, effective immediately, or on such later date as may be specified in such notice. The Trust will also be entitled to terminate the Custodian Agreement in the event that the Custodial Entities do not deliver a SOC 1 Report or SOC 2 Report, as applicable. See &#8220;&#8212;Record Keeping; Inspection and Auditing.&#8221;</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">The Custodial Entities may terminate the Custodian Agreement (i) upon one hundred eighty days&#8217; prior written notice to the Trust; and (ii) for Cause at any time by written notice to the Trust, effective immediately, or on such later date as may be specified in the notice.</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">In the event that either the Trust or the Custodial Entities terminate the Custodian Agreement without Cause, the Custodial Entities shall use reasonable efforts to assist the Trust with transferring any digital assets, fiat currency or funds associated with the Trust&#8217;s Accounts to another custodial services provider within ninety days of receipt of the applicable termination notice.</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;font-style:italic;min-width:fit-content;">Governing Law</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">The Custodian Agreement is governed by New York law.</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;font-style:italic;min-width:fit-content;">Co-Transfer Agency Agreement</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">On May 22, 2024, the Sponsor and Continental Stock Transfer &amp; Trust Company, a Delaware corporation (&#8220;Continental&#8221;), entered into a Co-Transfer Agency Agreement (the &#8220;Co-Transfer Agency Agreement&#8221;) engaging Continental to serve as a co-transfer agent for the Trust (the &#8220;Co-Transfer Agent&#8221;). The Co-Transfer Agency Agreement sets forth the obligations and responsibilities of the Co-Transfer Agent with respect to transfer agency services for certain Trust shares held in book-entry form prior to the Uplisting Date.</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">Although executed as of May 22, 2024, the Co-Transfer Agency Agreement shall not become effective and the services to be provided under the Co-Transfer Agency Agreement shall not be provided until the Uplisting Date.</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">Fees paid to the Co-Transfer Agent are a Sponsor-paid Expense.</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">The foregoing description is a summary, does not purport to be a complete description of the Co-Transfer Agency Agreement, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Co-Transfer Agency Agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 10.2 hereto and is incorporated by reference herein.</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">&#160;</span></p>
  <div style="flex-direction:column;display:flex;min-height:0.5in;justify-content:flex-end;"></div>
  <hr style="page-break-after:always;"/>
  <div style="min-height:0.5in;"></div>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">Item 1.02. Termination of a Material Definitive Agreement.</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;font-style:italic;min-width:fit-content;">Previous Custodian Agreement</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">In connection with the entry into the Custodian Agreement, the Sponsor and the Custodian agreed to terminate, as of the Uplisting Date, the Amended and Restated Custodian Agreement, dated June 29, 2022, between the Sponsor and the Custodian (the &#8220;Previous Custodian Agreement&#8221;).</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">Under the Previous Custodian Agreement, the Custodian controlled and secured the Trust&#8217;s &#8220;Digital Asset Account,&#8221; a segregated custody account to store private keys, which allow for the transfer of ownership or control of the Trust&#8217;s Ether, on the Trust&#8217;s behalf. The Custodian&#8217;s services (i) allowed Ether to be deposited from a public blockchain address to the Trust&#8217;s Digital Asset Account and (ii) allowed the Trust or Sponsor to withdraw Ether from the Trust&#8217;s Digital Asset Account to a public blockchain address the Trust or Sponsor controls.</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">The Custodian and certain of its affiliates are party to the Custodian Agreement.</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;font-style:italic;min-width:fit-content;">Transfer Agency and Service Agreement</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">In connection with the entry into the Transfer Agency and Services Agreement with BNY Mellon and the Co-Transfer Agency Agreement with Continental, the Sponsor and Continental agreed to terminate, as of the Uplisting Date, the transfer agency and services agreement, dated December 12, 2017, among the Sponsor, the Trust and Continental, pursuant to which Continental served as transfer agent for the Trust. As a result, effective as of the Uplisting Date, Continental will no longer act as the transfer agent for the Trust but will continue to serve as the Co-Transfer Agent as described above.</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">(d)    Exhibits</span></p>
  <table style="border-spacing:0;table-layout:fixed;width:100.0%;border-collapse:separate;">
   <tr style="visibility:collapse;">
    <td style="width:8.08%;"/>
    <td style="width:2.02%;"/>
    <td style="width:89.9%;"/>
   </tr>
   <tr style="height:10pt;word-break:break-word;white-space:pre-wrap;">
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;padding-right:0.01in;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;"> </span></p></td>
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;padding-right:0.01in;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;"> </span></p></td>
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;padding-right:0.01in;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;"> </span></p></td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="height:12pt;word-break:break-word;white-space:pre-wrap;">
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;border-bottom:1pt solid #000000;padding-right:0.01in;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#212529;white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">Exhibit No.</span></p></td>
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;border-bottom:1pt solid #ffffff;padding-right:0.01in;text-align:left;"><p style="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:center;"><span style="color:#212529;white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;"> </span><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;min-width:fit-content;"> </span></p></td>
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;border-bottom:1pt solid #000000;padding-right:0.01in;text-align:left;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:center;"><span style="color:#212529;white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">Description</span></p></td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="height:12pt;word-break:break-word;white-space:pre-wrap;">
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;padding-right:0.01in;"><p style="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#212529;white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;"> </span><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;min-width:fit-content;"> </span></p></td>
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;padding-right:0.01in;"><p style="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#212529;white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;"> </span><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;min-width:fit-content;"> </span></p></td>
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;padding-right:0.01in;"><p style="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#212529;white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;"> </span><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;min-width:fit-content;"> </span></p></td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="height:12pt;word-break:break-word;white-space:pre-wrap;">
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;padding-right:0.01in;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#212529;white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">10.1</span></p></td>
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;padding-right:0.01in;"><p style="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;"> </span><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;min-width:fit-content;"> </span></p></td>
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;padding-right:0.01in;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><a href="ethe-ex10_1.htm"><span style="color:#0000ff;white-space:pre-wrap;text-decoration:underline;min-width:fit-content;">Custodian Agreement, dated May 22, 2024, between the Sponsor and the Custodian</span></a></p></td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="height:10pt;word-break:break-word;white-space:pre-wrap;">
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;padding-right:0.01in;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#212529;white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">10.2</span></p></td>
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;padding-right:0.01in;"><p style="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">&#160;</span></p></td>
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;padding-right:0.01in;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><a href="ethe-ex10_2.htm"><span style="color:#0000ff;white-space:pre-wrap;text-decoration:underline;min-width:fit-content;">Co-Transfer Agency Agreement, dated May 22, 2024, between the Sponsor and the Co-Transfer Agent</span></a></p></td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="height:10pt;word-break:break-word;white-space:pre-wrap;">
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;padding-right:0.01in;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#212529;white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">99.1</span></p></td>
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;padding-right:0.01in;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">&#160;</span></p></td>
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;padding-right:0.01in;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><a href="ethe-ex99_1.htm"><span style="color:#0000ff;white-space:pre-wrap;text-decoration:underline;min-width:fit-content;">Risk Factors Related to the Custodian Agreement</span></a></p></td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="height:10pt;word-break:break-word;white-space:pre-wrap;">
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;padding-right:0.01in;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#212529;white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">104</span></p></td>
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;padding-right:0.01in;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">&#160;</span></p></td>
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;padding-right:0.01in;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">Cover Page Interactive Data File (the cover page XBRL tags are embedded within the inline XBRL document)</span></p></td>
   </tr>
  </table>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">&#160;</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">&#160;</span></p>
  <div style="flex-direction:column;display:flex;min-height:0.5in;justify-content:flex-end;"></div>
  <hr style="page-break-after:always;"/>
  <div style="min-height:0.5in;"></div>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:9.35pt;text-align:center;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">SIGNATURES</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:9.35pt;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.</span></p>
  <table style="border-spacing:0;table-layout:fixed;width:100.0%;border-collapse:separate;">
   <tr style="visibility:collapse;">
    <td style="width:6%;"/>
    <td style="width:44%;"/>
    <td style="width:4%;"/>
    <td style="width:46%;"/>
   </tr>
   <tr style="height:10pt;word-break:break-word;white-space:pre-wrap;">
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">&#160;</span></p></td>
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">&#160;</span></p></td>
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">&#160;</span></p></td>
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:4.3pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:4.3pt;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">Grayscale Investments, LLC as Sponsor of Grayscale<br/>&#160;Ethereum Trust (ETH)</span></p></td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="word-break:break-word;white-space:pre-wrap;">
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">&#160;</span></p></td>
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">&#160;</span></p></td>
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">&#160;</span></p></td>
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">&#160;</span></p></td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="height:10pt;word-break:break-word;white-space:pre-wrap;">
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:4.3pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">Date:</span></p></td>
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:4.3pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">May 29, 2024</span></p></td>
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:4.3pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">By:</span><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;"> </span></p></td>
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;border-bottom:0.25pt solid;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:4.3pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">/s/ Edward McGee</span></p></td>
   </tr>
   <tr style="height:10pt;word-break:break-word;white-space:pre-wrap;">
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">&#160;</span></p></td>
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">&#160;</span></p></td>
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">&#160;</span></p></td>
    <td style="padding-top:0.01in;vertical-align:top;"><p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0.7pt;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:9.35pt;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;min-width:fit-content;">Edward McGee<br/>Chief Financial Officer</span><span style="color:#000000;top:-4.6899999999999995pt;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:6.7pt;position:relative;min-width:fit-content;">*</span></p></td>
   </tr>
  </table>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">&#160;</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">&#160;</span></p>
  <p style="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0;font-family:Times New Roman;margin-bottom:0;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#000000;white-space:pre-wrap;font-size:10pt;font-family:Times New Roman;min-width:fit-content;">* The Registrant is a trust and the identified person signing this report is signing in their capacity as an authorized officer of Grayscale Investments, LLC, the Sponsor of the Registrant.</span></p>
  <div style="flex-direction:column;display:flex;min-height:0.5in;justify-content:flex-end;"></div>
  <hr style="page-break-after:always;"/>
 </body>
</html>
[{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "filename": "ethe-20240522.htm", "description": "8-K", "secsgml_size_bytes": 93851}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "Grayscale Ethereum Trust (ETH)", "cik": "0001725210", "assigned-sic": "6221", "organization-name": "09 Crypto Assets", "irs-number": "826677805", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "000-56193", "film-number": "24998232"}, "business-address": {"street1": "290 HARBOR DRIVE", "street2": "4TH FLOOR", "city": "STAMFORD", "state": "CT", "zip": "06902", "phone": "212 668 1427"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "290 HARBOR DRIVE", "street2": "4TH FLOOR", "city": "STAMFORD", "state": "CT", "zip": "06902"}, "former-company": {"former-conformed-name": "Ethereum Investment Trust", "date-changed": "20171212"}}
8-K
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM
8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):
May 22, 2024
Grayscale Ethereum Trust (ETH)
(Exact name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
Delaware
000-56193
82-6677805
(State or Other Jurisdiction
of Incorporation)
(Commission File Number)
(IRS Employer
Identification No.)
c/o Grayscale Investments, LLC
290 Harbor Drive, 4th Floor
Stamford
,
Connecticut
06902
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
(Zip Code)
Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code:
212
668-1427
N/A
(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
☐
Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
☐
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
☐
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
☐
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
Title of each class
Trading
Symbol(s)
Name of each exchange on which registered
Grayscale Ethereum Trust (ETH) Shares
ETHE
N/A
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§ 230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§ 240.12b-2 of this chapter).
Emerging growth company
☐
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Item 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.
Custodian Agreement
On May 22, 2024, Grayscale Ethereum Trust (ETH) (the "Trust"), Grayscale Investments, LLC, the sponsor of the Trust (the "Sponsor") and Coinbase, Inc., the prime broker of the Trust ("Coinbase" or the "Prime Broker"), on behalf of itself and as agent for Coinbase Custody Trust Company, LLC ("Coinbase Custody" or the "Custodian") and Coinbase Credit, Inc. ("Coinbase Credit" and, collectively with Coinbase and Coinbase Custody, the "Coinbase Entities"), entered into the Coinbase Prime Broker Agreement, which includes the Coinbase Custodial Services Agreement attached thereto as Exhibit A (the "CSA"), the Coinbase Settlement and Transfer Agreement attached thereto as Exhibit B (the "STA") and all other exhibits, addenda and supplements attached thereto (collectively with the CSA and STA, the "Custodian Agreement") governing the Trust's and the Sponsor's use of the custodial and prime broker services provided by the Custodian and the Prime Broker. The Custodian Agreement establishes the rights and responsibilities of the Custodian, the Prime Broker, the Sponsor and the Trust with respect to the Trust's Ether which is held in accounts maintained and operated by the Custodian, as a fiduciary with respect to the Trust's assets, and the Prime Broker (together with the Custodian, the "Custodial Entities") on behalf of the Trust.
The Custodian Agreement shall not become effective until the date on which the shares of Grayscale Ethereum Trust (ETH) begin trading on NYSE Arca as shares of an exchange-traded product (the "Uplisting Date").
The foregoing description, together with the below description of certain terms of the Custodian Agreement, is a summary, does not purport to be a complete description of the Custodian Agreement, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Custodian Agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 10.1 hereto and is incorporated by reference herein. In addition, the risk factors related to the Custodian Agreement set forth in Exhibit 99.1 hereto update the Trust's previously filed risk factors to the extent applicable and are incorporated by reference herein.
Coinbase Custody is currently the custodian of the Trust and is party to the Previous Custodian Agreement (as defined in Item 1.02 below).
Accounts; Location of Ether
All of the Trust's Ether, other than that which is credited to a settlement balance maintained with the Prime Broker (the "Settlement Balance"), is held in custody accounts maintained on the books of the Custodian, as to which the Custodian controls the private keys which allow for the transfer of ownership or control of the Trust's Ether on the Trust's behalf (the "Vault Balance"). The Custodian Agreement provides that the Trust's Vault Balance will be held by the Custodian in segregated wallets or accounts. The Custodian will keep all of the private keys associated with the Trust's Ether held in the Vault Balance in an offline manner. The term "cold storage" refers to a safeguarding method where the storage of private keys may involve keeping such keys' materials on a non-networked computer or electronic device or storing the private keys on a storage device. Cold storage is a safeguarding method with multiple layers of protections and protocols, by which the private keys corresponding to the Trust's Ether are generated and stored in an offline manner. The term "hot storage" refers to the safeguarding method by which the private keys are held online, where they are more accessible, leading to more efficient transfers, though they are potentially more vulnerable to theft, loss or damage.
Additionally, at the Sponsor's discretion, a portion of the Trust's Ether holdings may be credited to the Settlement Balance, which will be reflected in a ledger maintained on the books of the Prime Broker. The Custodian Agreement provides that any Ether credited to the Trust's Settlement Balance will be held (i) in omnibus cold storage wallets; (ii) in omnibus hot storage wallets; or (iii) in omnibus accounts with one of the third-party venues to which Coinbase has established connections (each, a "Coinbase Connected Venue"). The Settlement Balance shall be separate from the Vault Balance and any other account(s) the Trust or the Sponsor maintain with the Custodian. From time to time, the Prime Broker may temporarily keep a portion of the private keys associated with the Ether credited to the Trust's Settlement Account in hot storage for purposes of facilitating the receipt and distribution of Ether in connection with the creation and redemption of Baskets.
Private key shards associated with the Trust's Ether are distributed geographically by the Custodial Entities in secure vaults around the world, including in the United States. The locations of the secure vaults may change and are kept confidential by the Custodian for security purposes.
The Custodian Agreement states that the Custodian serves as a fiduciary and custodian on the Trust's behalf with respect to the Trust's Ether held in the Vault Balance and the Ether in the Vault Balance are considered fiduciary assets that remain the Trust's property at all times and are not treated as general assets of the Custodian. Under the Custodian Agreement, the Custodian represents and warrants that it has no right, interest, or title in the Ether in the Trust's Vault Balance, and agrees that it will not, directly or indirectly, lend, pledge, hypothecate or rehypothecate such digital assets. The Custodian does not reflect such digital assets as assets on the balance sheet of the Custodian, but does reflect the obligation to safeguard such digital assets with a corresponding asset measured at fair value for such obligation. With respect to the Trust's Ether credited to the Settlement Balance, the Prime Broker maintains an internal ledger that specifies the Ether credited to the Trust's Settlement Balance. The Custodian Agreement states that the Prime Broker treats such Ether
as custodial assets held for the benefit of the Trust, and shall not be considered the property of the Prime Broker. Additionally, under the Custodian Agreement, the Prime Broker represents and warrants that it will not, directly or indirectly, sell, transfer, loan, rehypothecate or otherwise alienate the Trust's Ether credited to the Settlement Balance.
The Custody Agreement also contains an agreement by the parties to treat the digital assets credited to the Trust's Vault Balance and Settlement Balance as "financial assets" under Article 8 of the New York Uniform Commercial Code ("Article 8") and to treat the Vault Balance and Settlement Balance as "securities accounts" with respect to which the Trust is the "entitlement holder" within the meaning of Article 8. The Custodial Entities' ultimate parent, Coinbase Global, Inc. ("Coinbase Global"), has stated in its most recent public securities filings that in light of the inclusion in its custody agreements of provisions relating to Article 8 it believes that a court would not treat custodied digital assets as part of its general estate, although due to the novelty of digital assets courts have not yet considered this type of treatment for custodied digital assets. See "Risk Factors—The Trust relies on third-party service providers to perform certain functions essential to the affairs of the Trust and the replacement of such service providers could pose a challenge to the safekeeping of the Trust's Ethers and to the operations of the Trust" in Exhibit 99.1 hereto for more information.
Safekeeping of Ether
The Custodian will use commercially reasonable efforts to keep in safe custody on behalf of the Trust all Ether received by the Custodian. All Ether credited to the Vault Balance will (i) be held in the Vault Balance at all times, and the Vault Balance will be controlled by the Custodian; (ii) be labeled or otherwise appropriately identified as being held for the Trust; (iii) be held on a non-fungible basis; (iv) not be commingled with other digital assets held by the Custodian, whether held for the Custodian's own account or the account of other clients other than the Trust; and (v) not without the prior written consent of the Trust be deposited or held with any third-party depositary, custodian, clearance system or wallet. Additionally, the Custodian will use commercially reasonable efforts to keep the private key or keys for the Vault Balance secure, and will not disclose such keys to the Trust, the Sponsor or to any other individual or entity except to the extent that any keys are disclosed consistent with a standard of commercially reasonable efforts and as part of a multiple signature solution that would not result in the Trust or the Sponsor "storing, holding, or maintaining custody or control of" the Ether "on behalf of others" within the meaning of the New York BitLicense Rule (23 NYCRR Part 200) as in effect as of June 24, 2015 such that it would require the Trust or the Sponsor to become licensed under such law.
Ether credited to the Trust's Settlement Balance may be held in omnibus wallets maintained by the Prime Broker and/or at Coinbase Connected Venues. While the Ether credited to the Trust's Settlement Balance could be commingled with other assets, the Ether in the Trust's Settlement Balance will represent entitlement to a pro-rata share of the Ether held in such omnibus wallets and/or at Coinbase Connected Venues. In all circumstances the Prime Broker will keep an internal ledger that specifics the assets credited to the Settlement Balance such that the Trust, its auditors and regulators can identify the Trust's pro-rata share of the Ether held in omnibus wallets and/or at Coinbase Connected Venues. Neither the Trust nor the Sponsor have a contractual relationship with the Coinbase Connected Venues utilized by the Custodial Entities.
Insurance
Pursuant to the terms of the Custodian Agreement, the Custodian is required to maintain insurance in such types and amounts as are commercially reasonable for the custodial services it provides. The Custodian has advised the Sponsor that it has insurance coverage pursuant to policies held by Coinbase Global, which procures fidelity (or crime) insurance coverage at commercially reasonable amounts for the custodial services provided. This insurance coverage is limited to losses of the digital assets the Custodian custodies on behalf of its clients, including the Trust's Ether, resulting from theft, including internal theft by employees of Coinbase and its subsidiaries and theft or fraud by a director of Coinbase if the director is acting in the capacity of an employee of Coinbase or its subsidiaries. Although the Prime Broker is not required to maintain insurance under the terms of the Custodian Agreement, the Custodial Entities have also advised the Sponsor that they maintain insurance coverage pursuant to such policies held by Coinbase Global.
Deposits, Withdrawals and Storage
The Custodian and the Prime Broker provide for: (i) holding of the Trust's Ether in the Vault Balance and the Settlement Balance; (ii) transfer of the Trust's Ether between the relevant Vault Balance and the Settlement Balance; (iii) the deposit of Ether from a public blockchain address into the respective account or accounts in which the Vault Balance or the Settlement Balance are maintained; and (iv) the withdrawal of Ether from the Vault Balance to a public blockchain address the Trust controls (each such transaction is a "Custody Transaction") (collectively, the "Custodial and Prime Broker Services").
The Custodian reserves the right to refuse to process or to cancel any pending Custody Transaction as required by law or in response to a subpoena, court order, or other binding government order or to enforce transaction, threshold, and condition limits, in each case as communicated to the Trust as soon as reasonably practicable where the Custodian is permitted to do so, or if the Custodian reasonably believes that the Custody Transaction may violate or facilitate the violation of an applicable law, regulation or applicable rule of a governmental authority or self-regulatory organization. The Custodial Entities may suspend, restrict or terminate the Trust's and the Sponsor's access to the Custodial and Prime Broker Services, and/or suspend, restrict or close the accounts associated with the Trust's Vault Balance and Settlement Balance (the "Accounts") if the Trust or Sponsor has taken certain actions, including any prohibited use
or prohibited business as set forth in the Custodian Agreement or if either or both of the Custodial Entities are required to do so by a subpoena, court order, or other binding government order.
From the time the Custodian has verified the authorization of a complete set of instructions to withdraw Ether from the Vault Balance, the Custodian will have a limited amount of time to process and complete such withdrawal. The Custodian will ensure that initiated deposits are processed in a timely manner but the Custodian makes no representations or warranties regarding the amount of time needed to complete processing which is dependent upon many factors outside of the Custodian's control. Transactions relating to Ether held in the Settlement Balance occur on the Ether blockchain.
The Custodial Entities make no other representations or warranties with respect to the availability and/or accessibility of Ether or the availability and/or accessibility of the Vault Balance, the Settlement Balance or the Custodial and Prime Broker Services.
Security of the Accounts
The Custodial Entities securely store all digital asset private keys held by the Custodian on secure servers or offline, in cold storage. Under the Custodian Agreement, the Custodian must use commercially reasonable efforts to keep the private key or keys to the Vault Balance secure, and may not disclose such private keys to the Sponsor, Trust or any other individual or entity.
The Custodial Entities have implemented and will maintain reasonable information security programs that include policies and procedures that are reasonably designed to safeguard the Custodial Entities' electronic systems and the Trust's and the Sponsor's confidential information from, among other things, unauthorized access or misuse. In the event of a Data Security Event (as defined in the Custodian Agreement), the Custodial Entities will promptly (subject to any legal or regulatory requirements) notify the Trust and the Sponsor.
Key Generation
Public addresses and their corresponding private keys are generated by the Custodian, as applicable in secret key generation ceremonies at secure locations inside faraday cages, which are enclosures used to block electromagnetic fields and thus mitigate against attacks. The Custodian uses quantum random number generators to generate the public and private key pairs.
Once generated, private keys are encrypted, separated into "shards", and then further encrypted. After the key generation ceremony, all materials used to generate private keys, including computers, are destroyed. All key generation ceremonies are performed offline. No party other than the Custodian has access to the private key shards of the Trust.
Key Storage
Private key shards are distributed geographically by the Custodial Entities in secure vaults around the world, including in the United States. The locations of the secure vaults may change and are kept confidential by the Custodian and the Prime Broker for security purposes.
The Vault Balance primarily uses "cold" storage mechanisms to secure a substantial portion of the Trust's private keys. A substantial portion of the Trust's Ether holdings will be held in cold storage at all times, with a portion of the Settlement Balance held temporarily in hot storage from time to time, for purposes of facilitating the receipt and distribution of Ether in connection with the creation and redemption of Baskets. Any Ether credited to the Trust's Settlement Balance is stored in omnibus accounts, either on the Prime Broker's systems or at Coinbase Connected Venues, using a combination of cold and hot storage mechanisms to secure the private keys representing the assets credited to the Trust's Settlement Balance.
The term cold storage refers to a safeguarding method where the storage of private keys may involve keeping such keys' materials on a non-networked computer or electronic device or storing the private keys on a storage device. Cold storage is a safeguarding method with multiple layers of protections and protocols, by which the private keys corresponding to the Trust's Ether are generated and stored in an offline manner.  A digital wallet may receive deposits of digital assets but may not send digital assets without use of the digital assets' corresponding private keys. In order to send digital assets from a digital wallet in which the private keys are kept in cold storage, either the private keys must be retrieved from cold storage and entered into an online, or hot, digital asset software program to sign the transaction, or the unsigned transaction must be transferred to the cold server in which the private keys are held for signature by the private keys and then transferred back to the online digital asset software program. At that point, the user of the digital wallet can transfer its digital assets. While private keys held in hot storage are more accessible and therefore enable more efficient transfers, such assets are more vulnerable to theft, loss or damage.
Security Procedures
The Custodian and the Prime Broker hold the Trust's private keys in custody in accordance with the terms and provisions of the Custodian Agreement. Transfers to and from the Vault Balance and, where held in cold storage, the Trust's Settlement Balance, require certain security procedures, including but not limited to, multiple encrypted private key shards, usernames, passwords and 2-step verification. Multiple private key shards held by the applicable Custodial Entity or Entities must be combined to reconstitute the private
key to sign any transaction in order to transfer the Trust's assets. Private key shards are distributed geographically by the Custodial Entities in secure vaults around the world, including in the United States.
As a result, if any one secure vault is ever compromised, this event will have no impact on the ability of the Trust to access its assets, other than a possible delay in operations, while one or more of the other secure vaults is used instead. These security procedures are intended to remove single points of failure in the protection of the Trust's assets.
Transfers of Ether to the Vault Balance from the Settlement Balance will be available to the Trust once processed on the Ethereum blockchain, subject to the availability of the Prime Broker's online platform. When u is credited to the Settlement Balance, certain movements to allocate the balance among (i) omnibus cold storage wallets and omnibus hot storage wallets on the Prime Broker's platform; or (ii) omnibus accounts at Coinbase Connected Venues may not be viewable by the Trust via the Prime Broker's online portal. In addition, on a monthly basis the Custodial Entities will provide the Sponsor with an account statement identifying the amount of cash and Ether in the Trust's Accounts at the end of the period and listing all account activity during that period.
Record Keeping; Inspection and Auditing
The Custodian will keep timely and accurate records as to the deposit, disbursement, investment and reinvestment of the Ether in the Vault Balance, and such records must be retained by the Custodian for no less than seven years. The Custodian Agreement also provides that each Custodial Entity will permit, to the extent it may legally do so, the Trust's third-party representatives, upon thirty days' notice, to inspect, take extracts from and audit the records that it maintains, take such steps as necessary to verify that satisfactory internal control systems and procedures are in place, as the Trust may reasonably request. The Prime Broker is obligated to notify the Trust of any audit report prepared by its internal or independent auditors if such report reveals any material deficiencies or makes any material objections.
In addition, the Trust and the Sponsor are entitled to request that the Custodial Entities provide a copy of the Services Organization Controls ("SOC") 1 report and SOC 2 report once per calendar year. Such reports are required to be dated within one year prior to such request. The Custodial Entities reserve the right to combine the SOC 1 and SOC 2 reports into a comprehensive report. In the event that the Custodial Entities do not deliver a SOC 1 Report or SOC 2 Report, as applicable, the Sponsor and the Trust will be entitled to terminate the Custodian Agreement. In addition to the review of SOC 1 and SOC 2 reports, the Trust may also request letters of representation on a quarterly basis between SOC reports regarding any known changes or conclusions to the SOC 1 and SOC 2 reports.
Standard of Care; Limitations of Liability
The Custodian will use commercially reasonable efforts to keep in safe custody on behalf of the Trust all Ether received by the Custodian. The Custodial Entities are liable to the Sponsor and the Trust for the loss of any Ether to the extent such loss resulted from the negligence, fraud or willful misconduct of the Custodial Entities. To the extent any loss is caused by a Custodial Entity's negligence, fraud or willful misconduct, the Custodial Entities are required to return to the Trust a quantity of Ether equal to the quantity of any such lost Ether.
The Custodial Entities' or Trust's total liability under the Custodian Agreement will not exceed the greater of: (i) the value of the Ether or cash involved in the event, including but not limited to transaction(s) or deliveries(s), giving rise to such liability at the time of the event giving rise to such liability; (ii) the aggregate amount of fees paid by the Trust to the Custodial Entities in respect of the Custody and Prime Broker Services in the 12-month period prior to the event giving rise to such liability; or (iii) five million U.S. dollars. The Custodian's total liability under the Custodian Agreement will not exceed the greater of: (i) the aggregate amount of fees paid by the Trust to the Custodian in respect of the custodial services in the 12-month period prior to the event giving rise to such liability; or (ii) the value of the Ether on deposit in the Vault Balance at the time of the events giving rise to the liability occurred, the value of which will be determined in accordance with the Custodian Agreement. In addition, the Custodian's maximum liability in respect of each cold storage address that holds Ether shall be limited to $100 million (the "Cold Storage Threshold"). The Sponsor monitors the value of Ether deposited in cold storage addresses for whether the Cold Storage Threshold has been met by determining the U.S. dollar value of Ethers deposited in each cold storage address on business days. Although the Cold Storage Threshold has to date not been met for a given cold storage address, to the extent it is met the Trust would not have a claim against the Custodian with respect to the digital assets held in such address to the extent the value exceeds the Cold Storage Threshold.
The Custodial Entities and the Trust are not liable to each other for any special, incidental, indirect, punitive, or consequential damages, whether or not the other party had been advised of such losses or knew or should have known of the possibility of such damages. In addition, the Custodial Entities are not liable to the Trust for circumstances resulting from certain force majeure events.
Indemnity
The Trust and the Custodial Entities have agreed to indemnify one another from and against certain claims or losses, subject to customary exceptions and limitations.
Fees and Expenses
The Sponsor will pay an annualized fee to the Coinbase Entities, covering the Trust's use of the Custodial and Prime Broker Services, that is accrued on a monthly basis as a percentage of the Trust's monthly assets under custody. The Sponsor will also pay a monthly fee to the Prime Broker, covering withdrawals and deposits to or from the Settlement Balance in connection with the creation and redemption of Shares.
Term; Termination and Suspension
The Custodian Agreement will remain in effect until either party terminates the Custodian Agreement; provided, however, that the Coinbase Entities shall not restrict, suspend, or modify any Prime Broker Services following termination of the Custodian Agreement by a Custodial Entity without Cause (as defined in the Custodian Agreement) or by the Trust until the end of the applicable notice period and neither party's termination of the Custodian Agreement will be effective until the Trust and/or the Custodial Entities, as the case may be, have fully satisfied their obligations thereunder.
The Trust may terminate the Custodian Agreement in whole or in part upon thirty days' prior written notice to the applicable Custodial Entity; and (ii) for Custodian Cause (as defined in the Custodian Agreement) at any time by written notice to the Prime Broker, effective immediately, or on such later date as may be specified in such notice. The Trust will also be entitled to terminate the Custodian Agreement in the event that the Custodial Entities do not deliver a SOC 1 Report or SOC 2 Report, as applicable. See "—Record Keeping; Inspection and Auditing."
The Custodial Entities may terminate the Custodian Agreement (i) upon one hundred eighty days' prior written notice to the Trust; and (ii) for Cause at any time by written notice to the Trust, effective immediately, or on such later date as may be specified in the notice.
In the event that either the Trust or the Custodial Entities terminate the Custodian Agreement without Cause, the Custodial Entities shall use reasonable efforts to assist the Trust with transferring any digital assets, fiat currency or funds associated with the Trust's Accounts to another custodial services provider within ninety days of receipt of the applicable termination notice.
Governing Law
The Custodian Agreement is governed by New York law.
Co-Transfer Agency Agreement
On May 22, 2024, the Sponsor and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, a Delaware corporation ("Continental"), entered into a Co-Transfer Agency Agreement (the "Co-Transfer Agency Agreement") engaging Continental to serve as a co-transfer agent for the Trust (the "Co-Transfer Agent"). The Co-Transfer Agency Agreement sets forth the obligations and responsibilities of the Co-Transfer Agent with respect to transfer agency services for certain Trust shares held in book-entry form prior to the Uplisting Date.
Although executed as of May 22, 2024, the Co-Transfer Agency Agreement shall not become effective and the services to be provided under the Co-Transfer Agency Agreement shall not be provided until the Uplisting Date.
Fees paid to the Co-Transfer Agent are a Sponsor-paid Expense.
The foregoing description is a summary, does not purport to be a complete description of the Co-Transfer Agency Agreement, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Co-Transfer Agency Agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 10.2 hereto and is incorporated by reference herein.
Item 1.02. Termination of a Material Definitive Agreement.
Previous Custodian Agreement
In connection with the entry into the Custodian Agreement, the Sponsor and the Custodian agreed to terminate, as of the Uplisting Date, the Amended and Restated Custodian Agreement, dated June 29, 2022, between the Sponsor and the Custodian (the "Previous Custodian Agreement").
Under the Previous Custodian Agreement, the Custodian controlled and secured the Trust's "Digital Asset Account," a segregated custody account to store private keys, which allow for the transfer of ownership or control of the Trust's Ether, on the Trust's behalf. The Custodian's services (i) allowed Ether to be deposited from a public blockchain address to the Trust's Digital Asset Account and (ii) allowed the Trust or Sponsor to withdraw Ether from the Trust's Digital Asset Account to a public blockchain address the Trust or Sponsor controls.
The Custodian and certain of its affiliates are party to the Custodian Agreement.
Transfer Agency and Service Agreement
In connection with the entry into the Transfer Agency and Services Agreement with BNY Mellon and the Co-Transfer Agency Agreement with Continental, the Sponsor and Continental agreed to terminate, as of the Uplisting Date, the transfer agency and services agreement, dated December 12, 2017, among the Sponsor, the Trust and Continental, pursuant to which Continental served as transfer agent for the Trust. As a result, effective as of the Uplisting Date, Continental will no longer act as the transfer agent for the Trust but will continue to serve as the Co-Transfer Agent as described above.
Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d)    Exhibits
Exhibit No.
Description
10.1
Custodian Agreement, dated May 22, 2024, between the Sponsor and the Custodian
10.2
Co-Transfer Agency Agreement, dated May 22, 2024, between the Sponsor and the Co-Transfer Agent
99.1
Risk Factors Related to the Custodian Agreement
104
Cover Page Interactive Data File (the cover page XBRL tags are embedded within the inline XBRL document)
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
Grayscale Investments, LLC as Sponsor of Grayscale
Ethereum Trust (ETH)
Date:
May 29, 2024
By:
/s/ Edward McGee
Edward McGee
Chief Financial Officer
*
* The Registrant is a trust and the identified person signing this report is signing in their capacity as an authorized officer of Grayscale Investments, LLC, the Sponsor of the Registrant.