VanEck’s new fund targets real-world utility in Avalanche ecosystem

Asset manager VanEck is launching a long-term digital assets fund focused on Avalanche to back real businesses over hype-driven tokens.

VanEck said Tuesday it will launch the PurposeBuilt Fund in June to invest in tokenized businesses building on Avalanche (AVAX) and focused on long-term value and utility.

In a press release shared with crypto.news, the New York-headquartered asset manager said the fund will back liquid tokens and venture-backed crypto projects in sectors such as gaming, payments, AI, and financial services — primarily around or after a token generation event. The fund will also deploy idle capital on-chain through Avalanche-native real-world asset products, such as tokenized money market funds.

Pranav Kanade, portfolio manager of the VanEck Digital Assets Alpha Fund, said the fund won’t chase hype or short-term trends, as the next wave of value in “crypto will come from real businesses, not more infrastructure.”

“Avalanche has become a magnet for thoughtful builders, and with the VanEck PurposeBuilt Fund, we’re bringing capital and conviction to the founders creating lasting value, not chasing momentum.”

Pranav Kanade

The new vehicle will be managed by the team behind the VanEck Digital Assets Alpha Fund, which has over $100 million in assets under management and launched in 2022.

The announcement comes amid growing institutional interest in Avalanche, with Grayscale recently filing to convert its Avalanche Trust, launched in August 2024, into a spot exchange-traded fund. In late March, the firm submitted a 19b-4 filing to Nasdaq to list the fund and offer regulated exposure to AVAX, though it still requires SEC approval.