Item 1. Business
Item
1. Business
DESCRIPTION
OF THE TRUST
The Trust is an exchange-traded fund that issues common shares of beneficial
interest (the “Shares”) representing fractional undivided beneficial interests in its net assets that trade on the Nasdaq
Stock Market LLC (the “Exchange”) under the ticker symbol “TDOG”. The Trust’s investment objective is to
seek to track the performance of Dogecoin, as measured by the performance of the CF Dogecoin-Dollar US Settlement Price Index (the “Pricing
Benchmark”), adjusted for the Trust’s expenses and other liabilities. The Pricing Benchmark is calculated by CF Benchmarks
Ltd. (the “Benchmark Provider”). The Pricing Benchmark is designed to reflect the performance of Dogecoin in U.S. dollars.
The Shares of the Trust are valued daily based on the Pricing Benchmark. In seeking to achieve its investment objective, the Trust holds
Dogecoin. The Sponsor is the sponsor of the Trust and Wilmington Trust, N.A., a Maryland trust company, (the “Trustee”) is
the trustee of the Trust. The Bank of New York Mellon (“BNYM”) serves as the Trust’s Administrator, Transfer Agent,
and the Cash Custodian. Coinbase Custody Trust Company, LLC (“Coinbase Custodian”), BitGo Bank & Trust, N.A., (“BitGo”),
and Anchorage Digital Bank N.A (“Anchorage”, and, together with Coinbase Custodian and BitGo, as the context may require,
the “Dogecoin Custodians” and each a “Dogecoin Custodian”), are the Dogecoin Custodians for the Trust and hold
all the Trust’s Dogecoin on the Trust’s behalf.
The Trust does not purchase or sell Dogecoin other than in connection
with the creation and redemption of Shares or to pay certain expenses, which are facilitated by Coinbase, Inc. (the “Prime Broker”),
or any other prime brokers with whom the Trust contracts.
The
Trust is not managed like a corporation or an active investment vehicle. It does not have any officers, directors, or employees. The
Trust is not registered as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), and
is not required to register under such act. The Trust does not and will not hold or trade in commodity futures contracts regulated under
the Commodity Exchange Act, as amended (“CEA”). The Trust is not a commodity pool for purposes of the CEA and none of the
Sponsor, Trustee or the Marketing Agent is subject to regulation by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) as
a commodity pool operator or a commodity trading advisor under the CEA in connection with the shares. The Sponsor is not registered with
the SEC as an investment adviser and is not subject to regulation by the SEC as such in connection with its activities with respect to
the Trust.
The Sponsor maintains a website at www.21shares.com/en-us, through
which the Trust’s annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those
reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“Exchange Act”),
are made available free of charge after they have been filed or furnished to the SEC. The information on the Sponsor’s website is
not, and shall not be deemed to be, part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K or incorporated into any other filings we make with the SEC.
Additional information regarding the Trust may also be found on the SEC’s EDGAR database at www.sec.gov.
1
organization
The 21Shares Dogecoin ETF (the “Trust”) is a Maryland statutory
trust, formed on April 1, 2025, pursuant to the Maryland Statutory Trust Act (“MSTA”). The Trust was initially registered
with the name of Jura Pentium Trust 10. The Trust changed its name from Jura Pentium Trust 10 to 21Shares Dogecoin ETF on April 7, 2025.
The Trust operates pursuant to an Amended and Restated Trust Agreement (the “Trust Agreement”). Wilmington Trust, N.A., a
Maryland trust company, is the trustee of the Trust (the “Trustee”). The Trust is managed and controlled by 21Shares US LLC
(the “Sponsor”). The Sponsor is a limited liability company formed in the state of Delaware on June 16, 2021, and is a wholly
owned subsidiary of Jura Pentium Inc. In November 2025, 21co Holdings Limited, Jura Pentium Inc.’s former ultimate parent company,
was acquired by FalconX Holdings Limited, which became the ultimate parent of Jura Pentium Inc. and the Sponsor. Coinbase Custody Trust
Company, LLC (“Coinbase”), Anchorage Digital Bank N.A. (“Anchorage”), and BitGo Bank & Trust N.A. (“BitGo”
and together with Coinbase and Anchorage, as the context may require, the “Custodian”, “Custodians” and each a
“Custodian”) are the custodians for the Trust and hold all of the Trust’s Dogecoin on the Trust’s behalf. The
transfer agent (the “Transfer Agent”), the administrator for the Trust (the “Administrator”), and the cash custodian
(the “Cash Custodian”), is Bank of New York Mellon. The Trust is a passive investment vehicle that does not seek to generate
returns beyond tracking the price of Dogecoin tokens, the native digital asset of the Dogecoin blockchain (“Dogecoin”). The
Service Provider provides assistance to the Trust and the Sponsor with certain functions and duties related to marketing, including marketing,
licensing, strategy and related services.
The Trust’s investment objective is to seek to track the performance
of Dogecoin as measured by the performance of the CF Dogecoin-Dollar US Settlement Price Index (the “Pricing Benchmark”),
adjusted for the Trust’s expenses and other liabilities. CF Benchmarks Ltd. is the administrator for the Pricing Benchmark (the
“Pricing Benchmark Provider”). The Pricing Benchmark is designed to reflect the performance of Dogecoin in U.S. dollars. In
seeking to achieve its investment objective, the Trust will hold Dogecoin at its Custodians and will value its Shares daily based on the
Pricing Benchmark.
The
Trust is an “emerging growth company” as that term is used in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities
Act”), and, as such, the Trust may elect to comply with certain reduced public company reporting requirements.
On September 17, 2025, the Sponsor, in its capacity as the Seed Capital
Investor, subject to conditions, purchased 2 Shares at a per-Share price of $50.00 (the “Initial Seed Shares”), as described
in “Seed Capital Investor.” Total proceeds to the Trust from the sale of the Initial Seed Shares were $100. Delivery of the
Initial Seed Shares was made on September 17, 2025.
For the period September 17, 2025 (date of initial seed) through
September 30, 2025, the trust had no operations other than the initial seed capital transaction.
The
fiscal year-end of the Trust is September 30.
2
DESCRIPTION
OF THE SHARES
Each Share represents a fractional undivided beneficial interest in
the net assets of the Trust. Upon redemption of the Shares, the applicable Authorized Participant is paid solely out of the funds and
property of the Trust. All Shares are transferable, fully paid and non-assessable. The assets of the Trust consist primarily of Dogecoin
held by the Dogecoin Custodians on behalf of the Trust and cash. Creation Baskets are redeemed by the Trust in exchange for an amount
of Dogecoin or cash equal to the amount of Dogecoin represented by the aggregate number of Shares redeemed.
The
Trust is a passive investment vehicle and is not a leveraged product. The Sponsor does not actively manage the Dogecoin held by the Trust.
The Dogecoin held by the Trust will only be sold (1) on an as-needed basis to pay the Trust’s expenses and to meet redemption requests,
(2) in the event the Trust terminates and liquidates its assets, or (3) as otherwise required by law or regulation. The sale of Dogecoin
by the Trust is a taxable event to its shareholders (the “Shareholders”).
Except
in limited circumstances, Shareholders have no voting rights under the Trust Agreement.
The
Sponsor may terminate the Trust in its sole discretion. The Sponsor will give written notice of the termination of the Trust, specifying
the date of termination, to Shareholders of the Trust, at least 30 days prior to the termination of the Trust. The Sponsor will, within
a reasonable time after such termination, sell all the Trust’s Dogecoin not already distributed to Authorized Participants redeeming
Creation Baskets, if any, in such a manner to effectuate orderly sales. The Sponsor shall not be liable for or responsible in any way
for depreciation or loss incurred by reason of any sale or sales made in accordance with the provisions of the Trust Agreement. The Sponsor
may suspend its sales of the Trust’s Dogecoin upon the occurrence of unusual or unforeseen circumstances.
Investment
Objective
The
Trust’s investment objective is to seek to track the performance of Dogecoin, as measured by the Pricing Benchmark, adjusted for
the Trust’s expenses and other liabilities. In seeking to achieve its investment objective, the Trust will hold Dogecoin and will
value its Shares daily as of 4:00 p.m. ET based on the Pricing Benchmark.
Principal
Market and Fair Value Determination of Dogecoin
The NAV of the Trust is used by the Trust in its day-to-day operations
to measure the net value of the Trust’s assets. The NAV is calculated on each day other than a day when the Exchange is closed for
regular trading (a “Business Day”) and is equal to the aggregate value of the Trust’s assets less its liabilities based
on the Pricing Benchmark price. In determining the NAV of the Trust on any Business Day, the Administrator will calculate the price of
the Dogecoin held by the Trust as of 4:00 p.m. ET on such day. The Administrator will also calculate the “NAV per Share” of
the Trust, which equals the NAV of the Trust divided by the number of outstanding Shares.
In addition to calculating NAV and NAV per Share, for purposes of the
Trust’s financial statements, the Trust determines the Principal Market NAV and Principal Market NAV per Share on each valuation
date for such financial statements. The determination of the Principal Market NAV and Principal Market NAV per Share is identical to the
calculation of NAV and NAV per Share, respectively, except that the value of Dogecoin is determined using the fair value of Dogecoin based
on the price in the Dogecoin market that the Trust considers its “principal market” as of 4:00 p.m. ET on the valuation date,
rather than using the Pricing Benchmark.
NAV
and NAV per Share are not measures calculated in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America
(“GAAP”) and are not intended as substitute for Principal Market and Principal Market NAV per Share, respectively.
The
Trust follows the provisions of ASC 820, Fair Value Measurements (“ASC 820”). ASC 820 provides guidance for determining fair
value and requires increased disclosure regarding the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value. ASC 820 determines fair
value to be the price that would be received for Dogecoin in a current sale, which assumes an exit price resulting from an orderly transaction
between market participants on the measurement date. ASC 820-10 requires the assumption that Dogecoin is sold in its principal market
to market participants (or in the absence of a principal market, the most advantageous market).
The
cost basis of the investment in Dogecoin recorded by the Trust for financial reporting purposes is the fair value of Dogecoin at the
time of transfer. The cost basis recorded by the Trust may differ from proceeds collected by the Authorized Participant from the sale
of the corresponding Shares to investors.
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Fees,
Expenses and Realized Gain (Loss)
The Trust pays the unitary sponsor fee of 0.50% of the Trust’s
NAV (the “Sponsor Fee”). The Sponsor Fee is paid by the Trust to the Sponsor as compensation for services performed under
the Trust Agreement.
The Sponsor Fee accrues daily and is payable in Dogecoin weekly in
arrears. The Administrator calculates the Sponsor Fee on a daily basis by applying a 0.50% annualized rate to the Trust’s NAV, and
the amount of Dogecoin payable in respect of each daily accrual is determined by reference to the Pricing Benchmark. The Sponsor has agreed
to pay all operating expenses (except for litigation expenses and other extraordinary expenses) out of the Sponsor Fee.
Operating expenses assumed by the Sponsor include (i) fees and other
payments to the Service Provider, (ii) the fee payable to the marketing agent for services it provides to the Trust (the “Marketing
Fee”), (iii) fees to the Administrator, if any, (iv) fees to the Custodians, (v) fees to the Transfer Agent, (vi) fees to the Trustee,
(vii) the fees and expenses related to any future listing, trading or quotation of the Shares on any listing exchange or quotation system
(including legal, marketing and audit fees and expenses), (viii) ordinary course legal fees and expenses but not litigation-related expenses,
(ix) audit fees, (x) regulatory fees, including, if applicable, any fees relating to the registration of the Shares under the Securities
Act or the Exchange Act, (xi) printing and mailing costs, (xii) costs of maintaining the Sponsor’s website and (xiii) applicable
license fees (each, a “Sponsor-paid Expense,” and together, the “Sponsor-paid Expenses”), provided that any expense
that qualifies as an Additional Trust Expense will be deemed to be an Additional Trust Expense and not a Sponsor-paid Expense. There is
currently no predetermined cap on the aggregate amount of Sponsor-paid expenses. Should the Trust implement a predetermined cap on aggregate
Sponsor-paid expenses, the Trust will notify the owners of the beneficial interests of Shares in a prospectus supplement or in its periodic
Exchange Act reports, as applicable, and on the Sponsor’s website.
The
Sponsor does not, however, assume certain extraordinary, non-recurring expenses that are not Sponsor-paid Expenses (as defined below),
including, but not limited to, taxes and governmental charges, expenses and costs of any extraordinary services performed by the Sponsor
(or any other service provider) on behalf of the Trust to protect the Trust or the interests of Shareholders, any indemnification of
the Dogecoin Custodians, Administrator or other agents, service providers or counterparties of the Trust, the fees and expenses related
to the listing, and extraordinary legal fees and expenses, including any legal fees and expenses incurred in connection with litigation,
regulatory enforcement or investigation matters (collectively, “Additional Trust Expenses”). Of the Sponsor-paid Expenses,
ordinary course legal fees and expenses are subject to a cap of not more than $100,000 per annum. In the Sponsor’s sole discretion,
all or any portion of a Sponsor-paid Expense may be redesignated as an Additional Trust Expense.
After
the payment of the Sponsor Fee to the Sponsor, the Sponsor may elect to convert some or all of the Sponsor Fee into cash by selling this
Dogecoin at market prices, in the Sponsor’s sole discretion. Due to the variance in market prices for Dogecoin, the rate at which
the Sponsor converts Dogecoin to cash may differ from the rate at which the Sponsor Fee was initially paid in Dogecoin.
The
Dogecoin Custodians assume the transfer fees associated with the transfer of Dogecoin to the Sponsor with respect to the Sponsor Fee,
and any further expenses associated with such transfer are assumed by the Sponsor. The Trust is not responsible for any fees and expenses
incurred by the Sponsor to convert Dogecoin received in payment of the Sponsor Fee into cash.
Pursuant to the Trust Agreement, the Sponsor or its delegates direct
the Dogecoin Custodians to transfer Dogecoin from the Trust’s “cold storage” or similarly secure technology (the “Cold
Vault Balance”) as needed to pay the Sponsor’s Fee and Additional Trust Expenses, if any. The Sponsor or its delegates endeavors
to transfer the smallest amount of Dogecoin needed to pay applicable expenses. The Sponsor, in arranging for payment of Additional Trust
Expenses, may in its discretion direct that the Trust’s Dogecoin be exchanged for U.S. Dollars. Under such circumstances, the Trust
will not utilize the Dogecoin Custodians to arrange for the sale of the Trust’s Dogecoin to pay the Trust’s expenses and liabilities.
Rather, the Sponsor will arrange for the Prime Broker, an affiliate of the Dogecoin Custodians, or another third-party digital asset trading
platform to exchange the Trust’s Dogecoin for U.S. dollars in such a situation.
4
Creation
and Redemption of Shares
The Trust creates and redeems
Shares on a continuous basis but only (other than in the case of the Initial Seed Shares) in blocks consisting of 10,000 Shares (a “Basket”)
or multiples thereof on the NAV of the date of the creation or redemption. Only Authorized Participants, which are registered broker-dealers
who have entered into written agreements with the Sponsor and the Administrator, can place orders.
Authorized Participants may purchase Shares in cash by depositing cash
in the Trust’s account with the Cash Custodian. This will cause the Sponsor, on behalf of the Trust, to automatically instruct a
designated third party, who may be an Authorized Participant or an affiliate of an Authorized Participant, and with whom the Sponsor has
entered into an agreement on behalf of the Trust (each such third party, a “Dogecoin Counterparty”), to (i) purchase the amount
of Dogecoin equivalent in value to the cash deposit amount associated with the order and (ii) deposit the resulting Dogecoin amount in
the Trust’s accounts with the Dogecoin Custodians, resulting in the Transfer Agent crediting the applicable amount of Shares to
the Authorized Participant. Authorized Participants may also purchase Shares in-kind. To purchase Shares in-kind, an Authorized Participant
delivers or arranges for the delivery by the Authorized Participant’s designee of, Dogecoin to the Trust’s accounts with a
Dogecoin Custodian in exchange for Shares.
When such an Authorized Participant
redeems its Shares in cash, the Sponsor, on behalf of the Trust will direct a Dogecoin Custodian to transfer Dogecoin to an Dogecoin Counterparty,
who will sell the Dogecoin to be executed, in the Sponsor’s reasonable efforts, at the Pricing Benchmark price used to calculate
the Trust’s NAV, taking into account any spread, commissions, or other trading costs and deposit the cash proceeds of such sale
in the Trust’s account with the Cash Custodian for settlement with the Authorized Participant. Any slippage incurred (including,
but not limited to, any trading fees, spreads, or commissions), on a cash equivalent basis, will be the responsibility of the Authorized
Participant and not of the Trust or Sponsor. Authorized Participants may also redeem Shares in-kind. When such an Authorized Participant
redeems Shares in-kind, the Trust, through a Dogecoin Custodian, will deliver Dogecoin to the Authorized Participant or its designee in
exchange for Shares.
Service
Providers of the Trust
The
sponsor
The Sponsor arranged for the creation of the Trust and is responsible
for the ongoing registration of the Shares for their public offering in the United States and the listing of Shares on the Exchange. The
Sponsor does not exercise day-to-day oversight over the Trustee, the Dogecoin Custodians, or the Pricing Benchmark Provider. The Sponsor
develops a marketing plan for the Trust, prepares marketing materials regarding the Shares of the Trust, and exercises the marketing plan
of the Trust on an ongoing basis. The Sponsor agreed to pay all operating expenses (except for litigation expenses and other extraordinary
expenses) out of the Sponsor’s unified fee.
The Sponsor is a wholly owned subsidiary of 21co Holdings Limited (formerly
known as Amun Holdings Limited). The ultimate parent company of 21co Holdings Limited is FalconX Holdings Limited (“FalconX”).
At present, the primary business activities of 21co Holdings Limited and FalconX are, with respect to 21co Holdings Limited, providing
exchange traded products and technology services in the digital asset space through its subsidiaries and, with respect to FalconX, providing
comprehensive access to global digital asset liquidity and a full range of trading services (including through its affiliates).
21Shares AG (collectively with its affiliates, the “21Shares Group”), an
affiliate of the Sponsor, has considerable experience issuing and operating exchange-traded products that provide exposure to
digital assets, operating such exchange-traded products since 2018. The Sponsor utilizes a similar
management team that the 21Shares Group has used in issuing and operating these exchange-traded products. As of December 31, 2025,
the 21Shares Group oversees approximately $7.56 billion in assets under management and 67 digital asset-related
exchange-traded products across various jurisdictions. Additionally, since November 2025, the Sponsor serves as sub-adviser to four investment
companies registered under the 1940 Act.
5
The
Sponsor is not under any liability to the Trust, the Trustee or any Shareholder for any action taken or for refraining from the taking
of any action in good faith pursuant to the Trust Agreement, or for errors in judgment or for depreciation or loss incurred by reason
of the sale of any Dogecoin or other assets held in trust hereunder; provided, however, that this provision will not protect the Sponsor
against any liability to which it would otherwise be subject by reason of its own gross negligence, bad faith, or willful misconduct.
The Sponsor may rely in good faith on any paper, order, notice, list, affidavit, receipt, evaluation, opinion, endorsement, assignment,
draft, or any other document of any kind prima facie properly executed and submitted to it by the Trustee, the Trustee’s counsel
or by any other Person for any matters arising hereunder. The Sponsor will in no event be deemed to have assumed or incurred any liability,
duty, or obligation to any Shareholder or to the Trustee other than as expressly provided for herein. The Trust will not incur the cost
of that portion of any insurance which insures any party against any liability, the indemnification of which is herein prohibited.
The
Sponsor and its shareholders, members, directors, officers, employees, affiliates and subsidiaries (each a “Sponsor Indemnified
Party”) are indemnified by the Trust against any losses, judgments, liabilities, expenses and amounts paid in settlement of any
claims arising out of or in connection with the performance of its obligations under the Trust Agreement or any actions taken in accordance
with the provisions of the Trust Agreement, provided that (i) the Sponsor was acting on behalf of, or performing services for, the Trust
and has determined, in good faith, that such course of conduct was in the best interests of the Trust and such liability or loss was
not the result of fraud, gross negligence, bad faith, willful misconduct, or a material breach of this Trust Agreement on the part of
the Sponsor and (ii) any such indemnification will be recoverable only from the Trust Estate. Any amounts payable to a Sponsor Indemnified
Party under the Trust Agreement may be payable in advance or will be secured by a lien on the Trust. The Sponsor will not be under any
obligation to appear in, prosecute or defend any legal action that in its opinion may involve it in any expense or liability; provided,
however, that the Sponsor may, in its discretion, undertake any action that it may deem necessary or desirable in respect of the Trust
Agreement and the rights and duties of the parties hereto and the interests of the Shareholders and, in such event, the legal expenses
and costs of any such action will be expenses and costs of the Trust and the Sponsor will be entitled to be reimbursed therefor by the
Trust. The obligations of the Trust to indemnify the Sponsor Indemnified Parties will survive the termination of the Trust Agreement.
the
trustee
The Trustee, Wilmington Trust,
N.A., acts as the trustee of the Trust as required to create a Maryland statutory trust in accordance with the Trust’s Certificate
of Trust and the MSTA
As further discussed in the Trust Agreement, the Trustee is not liable
for the acts or omissions of the Sponsor, nor is the Trustee liable for supervising or monitoring the performance and the duties and obligations
of the Sponsor or the Trust under the Trust Agreement. Maryland law permits a Maryland statutory trust to include a provision in its governing
instrument a provision eliminating the liability of its trustees to the trust and its beneficial owners for money damages, except for
liability resulting from (i) actual receipt of an improper benefit or profit in money, property or services or (ii) active and deliberate
dishonesty that is established by a final judgment and is material to the cause of action. The Trust Agreement contains such a provision
which eliminates the liability of the Trustee to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law. The Trustee is not personally liable under
any circumstances, except for its own willful misconduct, bad faith or gross negligence.
The Trustee or any officer, affiliate, director, employee, or agent
of the Trustee (each, an “Indemnified Person”) is entitled to indemnification from the Sponsor or the Trust, to the fullest
extent permitted by law, from and against any and all losses, claims, taxes, damages, reasonable expenses, and liabilities (including
liabilities under State or federal securities laws) of any kind and nature whatsoever (collectively, “Expenses”), to the extent
that such Expenses arise out of or are imposed upon or asserted against such Indemnified Persons with respect to the creation, operation
or termination of the Trust, the execution, delivery or performance of the Trust Agreement or the transactions contemplated in the Trust
Agreement; provided, however, that the Sponsor and the Trust is not required to indemnify any Indemnified Person for any Expenses that
are a result of the willful misconduct, bad faith or gross negligence of such Indemnified Person.
The obligations of the Sponsor and the Trust to indemnify the Indemnified
Persons will survive the termination of the Trust Agreement.
6
the
administrator
The
Sponsor entered into a Fund Administration and Accounting Agreement with BNY Mellon Asset Servicing, a division of The Bank of New York
Mellon, to provide administration and accounting services to the Trust. Pursuant to the terms of the Agreement and under the supervision
and direction of the Sponsor and the Trust, BNY Mellon Asset Servicing keeps the operational records of the Trust and prepares and files
certain regulatory filings on behalf of the Trust. BNY Mellon Asset Servicing may also perform other services for the Trust pursuant
to the Agreement as mutually agreed upon by the Sponsor, the Trust and BNY Mellon Asset Servicing from time to time. The Administrator’s
fees are paid on behalf of the Trust by the Sponsor.
THE
Transfer AGENT
The
Bank of New York Mellon serves as the Transfer Agent of the Trust pursuant to the terms and provisions of the Transfer Agency and Service
Agreement (the “Transfer Agency and Service Agreement”). The Transfer Agent: (1) facilitates the issuance and redemption
of Shares of the Trust; (2) responds to correspondence by Trust shareholders and others relating to its duties; (3) maintains shareholder
accounts; and (4) makes periodic reports to the Trust.
the
DOGECOIN Custodians
Coinbase,
BitGo and Anchorage are the Dogecoin Custodians for the Trust and hold all of the Trust’s Dogecoin on the Trust’s behalf.
The Dogecoin Custodians keep custody of all the Trust’s Dogecoin,
other than which is maintained in the Trading Balance with the Prime Broker, in the Cold Vault Balance. The Dogecoin Custodians keep a
substantial portion of the private keys associated with the Trust’s Dogecoin in “cold storage” or similarly secure technology.
Cold storage is a safeguarding method with multiple layers of protections and protocols, by which the private key(s) corresponding to
the Trust’s Dogecoin is (are) generated and stored in an offline manner. Private keys are generated in offline computers that are
not connected to the internet so that they are resistant to being hacked. By contrast, in hot storage, the private keys are held online,
where they are more accessible, leading to more efficient transfers, though they are potentially more vulnerable to being hacked. While
the Dogecoin Custodians will generally keep a substantial portion of the Trust’s Dogecoin in cold storage on an ongoing basis, it
is possible that, from time to time, portions of the Trust’s Dogecoin will be held outside of cold storage temporarily in the Trading
Balance maintained by the Prime Broker as part of trade facilitation in connection with creations and redemptions of Baskets, to sell
Dogecoin including to pay Trust expenses, or to pay the Sponsor Fee, as necessary. The Trust’s Dogecoin held in the Cold Vault Balance
by the Dogecoin Custodians are held in segregated wallets and therefore are not commingled with the Dogecoin Custodians’ assets
or the assets of each such Dogecoin Custodian’s other customers.
Cold
storage of private keys may involve keeping such keys on a non-networked computer or electronic device or storing the public key and
private keys on a storage device or printed medium and deleting the keys from all computers. The Dogecoin Custodians may receive deposits
of Dogecoin but may not send Dogecoin without use of the corresponding private keys. To send Dogecoin when the private keys are kept
in cold storage, unsigned transactions must be physically transferred to the offline cold storage facility and signed using a software/hardware
utility with the corresponding offline keys. At that point, the Dogecoin Custodians can upload the fully signed transaction to an online
network and transfer the Dogecoin. Such private keys are stored in cold storage facilities within the United States and Europe, exact
locations of which are not disclosed for security reasons. A limited number of employees at the Dogecoin Custodians are involved in private
key management operations, and the Dogecoin Custodians have each represented that no single individual has access to full private keys.
7
The
Dogecoin Custodians’ internal audit team performs periodic internal audits over custody operations, and the Dogecoin Custodians
have represented that Systems and Organizational Control (“SOC”) attestations covering private key management controls are
also performed on the Dogecoin Custodians by an external provider.
The
Dogecoin Custodians maintain a commercial crime insurance policy, which is intended to cover the loss of client assets held in cold storage,
including from employee collusion or fraud, physical loss including theft, damage of key material, security breach or hack, and fraudulent
transfer. The insurance maintained by the Dogecoin Custodians is shared among all the Dogecoin Custodians’ customers, is not specific
to the Trust or to customers holding Dogecoin with the Dogecoin Custodians and may not be available or sufficient to protect the Trust
from all possible losses or sources of losses.
Dogecoin
held in the Trust’s account with the Dogecoin Custodians is the property of the Trust. The Trust, the Sponsor and the service providers
will not loan or pledge the Trust’s assets nor will the Trust’s assets serve as collateral for any loan or similar arrangement.
The Trust will not utilize leverage, derivatives, or any similar arrangements in seeking to meet its investment objective.
In the event of a fork, the Custodial Services Agreements provide that
the Dogecoin Custodians may temporarily suspend services, and may, in their sole discretion, determine whether or not to support (or cease
supporting) either branch of the forked protocol entirely, provided that the Dogecoin Custodians shall use commercially reasonable efforts
to avoid ceasing to support both branches of such forked protocol and will support, at a minimum, the original digital asset. The Custodial
Services Agreement provides that, other than as set forth therein, and provided that the Dogecoin Custodians shall make commercially reasonable
efforts to assist the Trust to retrieve and/or obtain any assets related to a fork, airdrop or similar event, the Dogecoin Custodians
shall have no liability, obligation or responsibility whatsoever arising out of or relating to the operation of the underlying software
protocols relating to the Dogecoin Network or an unsupported branch of a forked protocol and, accordingly, the Trust acknowledges and
assumes the risk of the same. The Custodial Services Agreement further provide that, unless specifically communicated by the relevant
Dogecoin Custodian and its affiliates through a written public statement on their website, such Dogecoin Custodian does not support airdrops,
metacoins, colored coins, side chains, or other derivative, enhanced or forked protocols, tokens or coins, which supplement or interact
with Dogecoin.
Under
the Trust Agreement, the Sponsor has the right, in its sole discretion, to determine what action to take in connection with the Trust’s
entitlement to or ownership of Incidental Rights or any IR Virtual Currency, and Trust may take any lawful action necessary or desirable
in connection with the Trust’s ownership of Incidental Rights, including the acquisition of IR Virtual Currency, as determined
by the Sponsor in the Sponsor’s sole discretion, unless such action would adversely affect the status of the Trust as a grantor
trust for U.S. federal income tax purposes or otherwise be prohibited by this Trust Agreement.
With
respect to any fork, airdrop or similar event, the Sponsor will cause the Trust to irrevocably abandon the Incidental Rights or IR Virtual
Currency. In the event the Trust seeks to change this position, an application would need to be filed with the SEC by the Exchange seeking
approval to amend its listing rules.
Under the Custodial Services Agreements, the Dogecoin Custodians’
liability is limited. With respect to the Coinbase Custody Agreement, the Coinbase Custodian’s liability is as follows, among others:
(i) the Coinbase Custodian’s aggregate liability with respect to any breach of its obligations under the Coinbase Custody Agreement
shall not exceed the aggregate amount of fees paid by the Trust to the Coinbase Custodian in respect of the services relating to custody,
trade execution, lending or post-trade credit (if applicable), and other services (collectively, the “Prime Broker Services”)
in the 12 months prior to the event giving rise to such liability; (ii) the Coinbase Custodian’s aggregate liability under the Coinbase
Custody Agreement shall not exceed the greater of (A) the aggregate fees paid by the Trust to the Coinbase Custodian in respect of the
custodial services in the 12 months prior to the event giving rise to the Coinbase Custodian’s liability, and (B) the value of the
supported Dogecoin on deposit in the Trust’s custodial account(s) giving rise to the Coinbase Custodian’s liability at the
time of the event giving rise to the Coinbase Custodian’s liability; (iii) the Coinbase Custodian’s aggregate liability in
respect of each cold storage address shall not exceed $100 million; (iv) in respect of any incidental, indirect, special, punitive, consequential
or similar losses, the Coinbase Custodian is not liable, even if the Coinbase Custodian has been advised of or knew of or should have
known of the possibility thereof; and (v) in no event shall the Coinbase Custodian or its affiliates have any liability to the Trust or
any third party with respect to any breach of its obligations under the Coinbase Custody Agreement, express or implied, which does not
result solely from its gross negligence, fraud or willful misconduct. The Coinbase Custodian is not liable for delays, suspension of operations,
failure in performance, or interruption of service which result directly or indirectly from any cause or condition beyond the reasonable
control of the Coinbase Custodian. In the event of potential losses incurred by the Trust as a result of the Coinbase Custodian losing
control of the Trust’s Dogecoin or failing to properly execute instructions on behalf of the Trust, the Coinbase Custodian’s
liability with respect to the Trust will be subject to certain limitations which may allow it to avoid liability for potential losses
or may be insufficient to cover the value of such potential losses, even if the Coinbase Custodian directly caused such losses. Furthermore,
the insurance maintained by the Coinbase Custodian may be insufficient to cover its liabilities to the Trust.
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With respect to the BitGo
Custody Agreement, BitGo, in its capacity as a Dogecoin Custodian (the “BitGo Custodian”) and its affiliates, including their
officers, directors, agents, and employees, are not liable for any lost profits, special, incidental, indirect, intangible, or consequential
damages resulting from authorized or unauthorized use of the Trust or Sponsor’s site or services. This includes damages arising
from any contract, tort, negligence, strict liability, or other legal grounds, even if the BitGo Custodian was previously advised of,
knew, or should have known about the possibility of such damages. However, this exclusion of liability does not extend to cases of the
BitGo Custodian’s fraud, willful misconduct, or gross negligence. In situations of gross negligence, the BitGo Custodian’s
liability is specifically limited to the value of the digital assets or fiat currency that were affected by the negligence. Additionally,
the total liability of the BitGo Custodian for direct damages is capped at the fees paid or payable to them under the BitGo Custody Agreement
during the twelve-month period immediately preceding the first incident that caused the liability.
With respect to the Anchorage Custody Agreement, except for Anchorage’s,
in its capacity as a Dogecoin Custodian (the “Anchorage Custodian”) bad acts, confidentiality obligations under the Anchorage
Custody Agreement, indemnification obligations under Anchorage Custody Agreement, or obligations with respect to rights to or limits on
use under the Anchorage Custody Agreement, the Anchorage Custodian is not liable for any losses, whether in contract, tort or otherwise,
for any amount in excess of fees paid by the Trust in the twelve (12) months prior to when the liability arises. Moreover, the Anchorage
Custodian is not liable for (i) losses which arise from its compliance with applicable laws, including sanctions laws administered by
the Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (the “U.S. Treasury Department”);
or (ii) special, indirect or consequential damages, or lost profits or loss of business arising in connection with the Anchorage Custody
Agreement. In addition, the Anchorage Custodian is not liable for any losses which arise as a result of the non-return of digital assets
that the Trust has delegated to the Anchorage Custodian or a third party for on-chain services, such as staking, voting, vesting, and
signaling, unless such losses occur as a result of the Anchorage Custodian’s fraud or intentional misconduct.
The Dogecoin Custodians are
not liable for delays, suspension of operations, failure in performance, or interruption of service which result directly or indirectly
from any cause or condition beyond the reasonable control of the Dogecoin Custodians. Under the Custodial Services Agreements, except
in the case of their gross negligence, fraud, willful misconduct, breach of the BitGo Custody Agreement in the case of the BitGo Custodian,
the Dogecoin Custodians shall not have any liability for any damage or interruptions caused by any computer viruses, spyware, scareware,
Trojan horses, worms or other malware that may affect the Trust’s computer or other equipment, or any phishing, spoofing or other
attack.
The Dogecoin Custodians may
terminate the Custodial Services Agreements for any reason upon providing the applicable notice to the Trust, or immediately for Cause
(as defined in the applicable Custodial Services Agreement), including, among others, if the Trust: materially breaches the Prime Broker
Agreement and such breach remains uncured, or undergoes a bankruptcy event.
The Trust’s Transfer
Agent will facilitate the settlement of Shares in response to the placement of creation orders and redemption orders from Authorized Participants.
The Trust generally does not intend to hold cash or cash equivalents. However, there may be situations where the Trust will unexpectedly
hold cash on a temporary basis, including in connection with the settlement of creation and redemption transactions. The Trust’s
cash and cash equivalents will be held at its account at the Cash Custodian, pursuant to the Cash Custody Agreement.
The Sponsor may, in its sole discretion, add or terminate Dogecoin
custodians at any time. The Sponsor may, in its sole discretion, change the Dogecoin Custodians for the Trust’s Dogecoin holdings,
but it will have no obligation whatsoever to do so or to seek any particular terms for the Trust from other such Dogecoin Custodians.
Should the Sponsor choose to add or terminate a Dogecoin Custodian, the Trust will notify Shareholders in a prospectus supplement and/or
a current report on Form 8-K or in its annual or quarterly reports, and, in any case, within four business days of such termination or
addition.
the
prime broker
Pursuant
to the Prime Broker Agreement, a portion of the Trust’s Dogecoin holdings and cash holdings from time to time may be held with
the Prime Broker, an affiliate of one of the Dogecoin Custodians, in the Trading Balance, in connection with the creation and redemption
of Shares via cash transactions or to pay for Trust Expenses not assumed by the Sponsor in consideration for the Sponsor Fee. The amount
of Dogecoin that may be held in the Trading Balance will be limited to the amount necessary to process a given creation or redemption
transaction, as applicable, or to pay for Trust Expenses not assumed by the Sponsor in consideration for the Sponsor Fee.
The
Sponsor may, in its sole discretion, add or terminate prime brokers at any time. The Sponsor may, in its sole discretion, change the
prime broker for the Trust, but it will have no obligation whatsoever to do so or to seek any terms for the Trust from other such prime
brokers.
These
periodic holdings held in the Trading Balance with the Prime Broker represent an omnibus claim on the Prime Broker’s Dogecoin held
on behalf of clients; these holdings exist across a combination of omnibus hot wallets, omnibus cold wallets or in accounts in the Prime
Broker’s name on a trading venue (including third-party venues and the Prime Broker’s own execution venue) where the Prime
Broker executes orders to buy and sell Dogecoin on behalf of clients (each such venue, a “Connected Trading Venue”). The
Prime Broker is not required to hold any of the Dogecoin in the Trust’s Trading Balance in cold storage or to hold any such Dogecoin
in segregation, and neither the Trust nor the Sponsor can control the method by which the Prime Broker holds the Dogecoin credited to
the Trust’s Trading Balance. Within the Trust’s Trading Balance, the Prime Broker Agreement provides that the Trust does
not have an identifiable claim to any particular Dogecoin (and cash). Instead, the Trust’s Trading Balance represents an entitlement
to a pro rata share of the Dogecoin (and cash) the Prime Broker holds on to behalf of customers who hold similar entitlements against
the Prime Broker. In this way, the Trust’s Trading Balance represents an omnibus claim on the Prime Broker’s Dogecoin (and
cash) held on behalf of the Prime Broker’s customers.
9
Within
such omnibus hot and cold wallets and accounts, the Prime Broker has represented to the Sponsor that it keeps the majority of assets
in cold wallets, to promote security, while the balance of assets is kept in hot wallets to facilitate rapid withdrawals. However, the
Sponsor has no control over, and for security reasons the Prime Broker does not disclose to the Sponsor, the percentage of Dogecoin that
the Prime Broker holds for customers holding similar entitlements as the Trust which are kept in omnibus cold wallets, as compared to
omnibus hot wallets or omnibus accounts in the Prime Broker’s name on a trading venue. The Prime Broker has represented to the
Sponsor that the percentage of assets maintained in cold versus hot storage is determined by ongoing risk analysis and market dynamics,
in which the Prime Broker attempts to balance anticipated liquidity needs for its customers as a class against the anticipated greater
security of cold storage.
The
Prime Broker is not required by the Prime Broker Agreement to hold any of the Dogecoin in the Trust’s Trading Balance in cold storage
or to hold any such Dogecoin in segregation, and neither the Trust nor the Sponsor can control the method by which the Prime Broker holds
the Dogecoin credited to the Trust’s Trading Balance.
To
the extent the Trust sells Dogecoin through the Prime Broker, the Trust’s orders will be executed at Connected Trading Venues that
have been approved in accordance with the Prime Broker’s due diligence and risk assessment process. The Prime Broker has represented
that its due diligence on Connected Trading Venues include reviews conducted by the legal, compliance, security, privacy and finance
and credit-risk teams. The Connected Trading Venues, which are subject to change from time to time, currently include Bitstamp, LMAX,
Kraken, the exchange operated by the Prime Broker, as well as four additional non-bank market makers (“NBMMs”). The Prime
Broker has represented to the Trust that it is unable to name the NBMMs due to confidentiality restriction.
Pursuant
to the Prime Broker Agreement, the Trust may engage in purchases or sales of Dogecoin by placing orders with the Prime Broker. The Prime
Broker will route orders placed by the Sponsor through the Prime Broker’s execution platform (the “Trading Platform”)
to a Connected Trading Venue where the order will be executed. Each order placed by the Sponsor will be sent, processed, and settled
at each Connected Trading Venue to which it is routed. The Prime Broker Agreement provides that the Prime Broker is subject to certain
conflicts of interest, including: (i) the Trust’s orders may be routed to the Prime Broker’s own execution venue where the
Trust’s orders may be executed against other customers of the Prime Broker or with the Coinbase acting as principal, (ii) the beneficial
identity of the counterparty purchaser or seller with respect to the Trust’s orders may be unknown and therefore may inadvertently
be another client of the Prime Broker, (iii) the Prime Broker does not engage in front-running, but is aware of the Trust’s orders
or imminent orders and may execute a trade for its own inventory (or the account of an affiliate) while in possession of that knowledge
and (iv) the Prime Broker may act in a principal capacity with respect to certain orders. As a result of these and other conflicts, when
acting as principal, the Prime Broker may have an incentive to favor its own interests and the interests of its affiliates over the Trust’s
interests.
Subject
to the foregoing, and to certain policies and procedures that the Prime Broker Agreement requires the Prime Broker to have in place to
mitigate conflicts of interest when executing the Trust’s orders, the Prime Broker Agreement provides that the Prime Broker shall
have no liability, obligation, or responsibility whatsoever for the selection or performance of any Connected Trading Venue, and that
other Connected Trading Venues and/or trading venues not used by Coinbase may offer better prices and/or lower costs than the Connected
Trading Venue used to execute the Trust’s orders.
Once
the Sponsor, on behalf of the Trust, places an order to purchase or sell Dogecoin on the Trading Platform in connection with the creation
or redemption of Shares via a cash transaction, the associated Dogecoin or cash used to fund or fill the order, if any, will be placed
on hold and will generally not be eligible for other use or withdrawal from the Trust’s Trading Balance. The Cold Vault Balance
may be used directly to fund orders. With each Connected Trading Venue, the Prime Broker shall establish an account in the Prime Broker’s
name, or in its name for the benefit of clients, to trade on behalf of its clients, including the Trust, and the Trust will not, by virtue
of the Trading Balance the Trust maintains with the Prime Broker, have a direct legal relationship, or account with, any Connected Trading
Venue.
The
Prime Broker may terminate the Prime Broker Agreement in its entirety for any reason and without Cause (as defined below) by providing
at least ninety (90) days’ prior written notice to the Trust. The Trust may terminate the Prime Broker Agreement in its entirety
for any reason and without Cause by providing at least 30 (thirty) days’ prior written notice to the Prime Broker; provided, however,
the Trust’s termination of the Prime Broker Agreement shall not be effective until the Trust has fully satisfied its obligations
the Prime Broker Agreement.
The
Prime Broker and the Dogecoin Custodians may, in their sole discretion, suspend, restrict or terminate the Trust’s prime broker
services, including by suspending, restricting or closing any account of the Trust covered under the Prime Broker Agreement for Cause,
at any time and with prior notice to the Trust.
the
cash Custodian
The
Cash Custodian is The Bank of New York Mellon. The Cash Custodian’s services are governed under the Custody Agreement between The
Bank of New York Mellon and the Trust. In performing its duties under the Custody Agreement, BNY Mellon is required to exercise the standard
of care and diligence that a professional custodian for exchange-traded funds would observe in these affairs considering the prevailing
rules, practices, procedures, and circumstances in the relevant market and to perform its duties without negligence, fraud, bad faith,
willful misconduct, or reckless disregard of its duties under the Custody Agreement. Under the Custody Agreement, BNY Mellon is not liable
for any losses, damages, costs, charges, expenses, or liabilities (including reasonable counsel fees and expenses) (collectively, “Losses”)
except to the extent caused by BNY Mellon’s own bad faith, negligence, willful misconduct, or reckless disregard of its duties
under the Custody Agreement. The Trust will indemnify and hold harmless BNY Mellon from and against all Losses, incurred by BNY
Mellon arising out of or relating to BNY Mellon’s performance under the Custody Agreement, except to the extent resulting from
BNY Mellon’s failure to perform its obligations under the Custody Agreement in accordance with the agreement’s standard of
care. The Sponsor may, in its sole discretion, add or terminate cash custodians at any time.
10
the
marketing agent
Foreside
Global Services, LLC (the “Marketing Agent”) is responsible for reviewing and approving the marketing materials prepared
by the Sponsor for compliance with applicable SEC and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) advertising laws,
rules, and regulations.
authorized
participants
Creation Baskets are created or redeemed only by Authorized Participants.
Each Authorized Participant must be a registered broker-dealer, a participant in DTC, and have entered into an agreement with the Sponsor
and Administrator (the “Authorized Participant Agreement”). The Authorized Participant Agreement provides the procedures for
the creation and redemption of Creation Baskets and for the delivery of the Dogecoin required for such creations and redemptions. By executing
an Authorized Participant Agreement, an Authorized Participant becomes part of the group of parties eligible to purchase Creation Baskets
from, and put Creation Baskets for redemption to, the Trust. The Authorized Participant Agreement may provide for in-kind Basket creations
and redemptions. An Authorized Participant is under no obligation to create or redeem Creation Baskets or to offer to the public Shares
of any Creation Baskets it does create. The Authorized Participant Agreement and the related procedures attached thereto may be amended
by the Trust, without the consent of any Shareholder or Authorized Participant. Additional Authorized Participants may be added at any
time, subject to the discretion of the Sponsor.
Taxation
of the trust
The Sponsor intends to take the position that the Trust is properly
treated as a grantor trust for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Assuming that the Trust is a grantor trust, the Trust will not be subject
to U.S. federal income tax. Rather, if the Trust is a grantor trust, each beneficial owner of Shares is treated as directly owning its
pro rata share of the Trust’s assets and a pro rata portion of the Trust’s income, gain, losses and deductions
will “pass through” to each beneficial owner of Shares. If the Trust sells Dogecoin (for example, to pay fees or expenses),
such a sale is a taxable event to Shareholders. Upon a Shareholder’s sale of its Shares, the Shareholder will be treated as having
sold the pro rata share of the Dogecoin held in the Trust at the time of the sale and may recognize gain or loss on such sale.