Bitwise CEO: The failure of the Dogecoin ETF highlights the differences between ETF buyers and cryptocurrency application users

Bitwise CEO Hunter Horsley stated in an interview with The Block at the Digital Asset Summit 2026 Asia that the failure of the Bitwise spot Dogecoin ETF is "tragic," highlighting the "difference" between the users served by spot ETFs and those served by crypto brokerage applications. The Bitwise Dogecoin ETF (BWOW) was listed on the New York Stock Exchange in November 2025 and is set to close less than a year after its launch, with trading halting after October 14. According to SoSoValue data, as of October 7, the fund managed approximately $725,900 in assets, with a trading volume of $51,500 in September.

Horsley expressed that he likes and holds Dogecoin, believing that it is historically a useless token but represents something and is a reasonable asset; however, it has shown no progress as an ETF. He thinks ETF users do not want to invest money in Dogecoin, but this may change over time; he denied that Bitwise targeted the wrong audience and described crypto ETFs as a channel. In contrast, he is more confident about the success of the Bitwise Solana Staking ETF (BSOL), stating that its pioneering staking feature contributed to its success, but the $1.3 billion in net assets ultimately reflects a bet on Solana.

AI is currently one of Bitwise's focuses. Horsley stated that crypto and AI originate from the same source, with the former reconstructing financial services as software and the latter enabling machines to perform tasks previously done by humans;