How crypto's 2026 slide is dragging ETFs, according to GraniteShares CEO Will Rhind
Watch on YouTube ↗  |  February 09, 2026 at 18:44 UTC  |  2:03  |  CNBC
Speakers
Mackenzie Sigalos — Host, ETF Edge
Will Rhind — Founder and CEO, GraniteShares

Summary

  • The recent crash in cryptocurrency prices is being driven by a broader "deleveraging" event triggered by weakness in AI stocks, rather than fundamental issues within the crypto ecosystem itself.
  • This liquidity crunch has spilled over into other asset classes, causing significant liquidations in precious metals and gold (noted as a historic drop).
  • Despite the volatility, ETF issuers are not delaying product rollouts; the industry views this as a "healthy correction."
  • The next wave of ETF innovation is shifting away from "vanilla" spot products toward complex instruments involving options, leverage, and multi-asset indexes.
Trade Ideas
Ticker Direction Speaker Thesis Time
WATCH Will Rhind
Founder and CEO, GraniteShares
Rhind characterizes the current market slide as a "healthy correction" caused by external factors rather than a loss of faith in the asset class. The sell-off is a mechanical "deleveraging" event. As investors lost money on the previously high-flying AI trade, they were forced to sell liquid assets like Crypto and Gold to cover margins. This suggests the price drop is technical (liquidity-driven) rather than fundamental. Rhind points to simultaneous "big liquidations" in unrelated assets like Gold and Precious Metals as proof of systemic deleveraging. Continued volatility if the "risk-off" mentality persists or if underlying investors lose faith during the downturn. 1:00
LONG Will Rhind
Founder and CEO, GraniteShares
The era of "vanilla" spot crypto ETFs is effectively over ("They're gone"). The market focus is shifting entirely to "crypto adjacencies." Innovation and capital flow are moving toward more sophisticated products. Investors are looking for yield or hedged exposure, meaning the growth will come from funds that utilize options, leverage, or pegged indexes rather than simple coin holding. Rhind notes that issuers are proceeding with these complex rollouts despite the current market slide. Regulatory hurdles or lack of investor appetite for complex products during a bear market.