Key Takeaways
- • The Winklevoss twins filed a Form S-1 registration statement with the SEC on October 6, 2026, to launch a spot Zcash ETF that would provide direct exposure to the privacy-focused cryptocurrency ZEC.
- • The proposed Winklevoss Zcash ETF is set to list on Nasdaq under the ticker "WINK" and will charge a 0.25% sponsor fee, positioning it as a lower-cost alternative to existing Zcash investment products.
- • Gemini Trust Company, the cryptocurrency custodian co-founded by the Winklevoss brothers, will serve as the custodian for all ZEC held by the fund.
- • The filing marks a symbolic 13-year anniversary of the twins' initial Bitcoin ETF application on July 1, 2013—the first-ever spot cryptocurrency ETF filing in the United States.
- • The fund will be a passive investment vehicle with no leverage or derivatives, simply holding ZEC to track the cryptocurrency's price movements.
Summary
Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss have submitted a registration statement for a spot Zcash ETF, continuing their pioneering role in cryptocurrency investment products. The Form S-1 filing, submitted to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on October 6, 2026, follows the twins' groundbreaking 2013 Bitcoin ETF application—marking exactly 13 years since their initial foray into the space when spot cryptocurrency ETFs were an entirely novel concept.
The Winklevoss Zcash ETF is structured as a passive investment instrument designed to own ZEC directly and provide investors exposure to Zcash's price movements without attempting to generate returns beyond those derived from the underlying cryptocurrency. The product will list on Nasdaq under the ticker "WINK" and carry a 0.25% sponsor fee. All ZEC holdings will be custodied by Gemini Trust Company, the New York State-chartered limited liability trust company regulated by the New York State Department of Financial Services that the brothers co-founded. The fund will employ no leverage or derivatives, holding only Zcash to track its price performance.
The filing underscores the twins' sustained influence in cryptocurrency infrastructure and highlights the maturation of the digital asset space, where privacy-focused projects like Zcash now represent a distinct category worthy of dedicated investment vehicles. The proposed fee structure positions the product competitively within the emerging Zcash investment landscape. Regulatory approval remains pending, but the filing demonstrates continued institutional demand for direct cryptocurrency exposure across multiple digital assets beyond Bitcoin.
The Winklevoss Zcash ETF is structured as a passive investment instrument designed to own ZEC directly and provide investors exposure to Zcash's price movements without attempting to generate returns beyond those derived from the underlying cryptocurrency. The product will list on Nasdaq under the ticker "WINK" and carry a 0.25% sponsor fee. All ZEC holdings will be custodied by Gemini Trust Company, the New York State-chartered limited liability trust company regulated by the New York State Department of Financial Services that the brothers co-founded. The fund will employ no leverage or derivatives, holding only Zcash to track its price performance.
The filing underscores the twins' sustained influence in cryptocurrency infrastructure and highlights the maturation of the digital asset space, where privacy-focused projects like Zcash now represent a distinct category worthy of dedicated investment vehicles. The proposed fee structure positions the product competitively within the emerging Zcash investment landscape. Regulatory approval remains pending, but the filing demonstrates continued institutional demand for direct cryptocurrency exposure across multiple digital assets beyond Bitcoin.
Go deeper than the headline
Research every firm in this story, track the ones that matter and get the daily briefing — free for 7 days.