S&P Dow Jones Indices has launched the S&P Digital Markets 50 Index, a new benchmark designed to track the performance of both leading cryptocurrencies and crypto-related stocks. This marks a significant step in the integration of digital assets into mainstream finance.
The index combines 15 major cryptocurrencies with 35 publicly traded companies involved in the digital asset ecosystem. These companies operate in areas such as digital asset operations, infrastructure, financial services, blockchain applications, and supporting technologies. The index is designed to meet the growing investor demand for diversified exposure to digital assets.
Cameron Drinkwater, Chief Product & Operations Officer at S&P Dow Jones Indices, stated that cryptocurrencies and the broader digital asset industry have moved from the margins into a more established role in global markets. He added that the expanded index suite offers market participants consistent, rules-based tools to evaluate and gain exposure to this segment.
The S&P Digital Markets 50 Index is a collaboration with Dinari, a provider of tokenized U.S. equities. Dinari will create a token that tracks the benchmark through its dShares platform. This will allow investors to access the index through blockchain-based tokens. The tokenized version is expected to launch by the end of 2025.
The index will follow S&P's standard quarterly rebalancing and governance rules. To qualify for inclusion, cryptocurrencies must have a market capitalization of at least $300 million, while public companies must have a minimum market cap of $100 million. No single asset will constitute more than 5% of the index. This is intended to control volatility and prevent overexposure to any single asset.
The launch of the S&P Digital Markets 50 Index has been met with positive sentiment across the crypto market. Social media sentiment spiked after the announcement, with many traders viewing it as a bullish signal.
Gabe Otte, CEO of Dinari, said that for the first time, investors can access U.S. equities and digital assets together in a single, investable benchmark. He added that Dinari's mission is to help set a standard for how tokenized equities can safely and compliantly enhance traditional finance.
Anna Wroblewska, Chief Business Officer at Dinari, stated that by making the S&P Digital Markets 50 investable via dShares, they are demonstrating how blockchain infrastructure can modernize trusted benchmarks. She added that this launch shows how onchain technology can expand the reach of established financial standards, making them more efficient, accessible, and globally relevant.
The S&P Digital Markets 50 Index joins S&P Dow Jones Indices' existing series of digital asset benchmarks, the S&P Cryptocurrency Indices and S&P Digital Market Indices. This move reinforces S&P's role as a provider of benchmarks across traditional and alternative asset classes.
