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Joe Lubin-backed Ethereum treasury firm SharpLink to join the Russel indexes

SharpLink will join the Russell 2000 and 3000 on June 29, which could bring passive fund buying. The stock has still fallen about 95% from its peak.

By Krisztian Sandor·May 26·coindesk.com·2 min read

Intelligence analysis by GPT-5.4 Mini

Joe Lubin-backed Ethereum treasury firm SharpLink to join the Russel indexes
Image: coindesk.com

SharpLink, the Ethereum treasury company backed by Joe Lubin, is set to enter the Russell 2000 and Russell 3000 after markets close on June 29. The move could lift trading and institutional ownership even as the stock remains far below its peak and crypto treasury demand has cooled.

Why it matters

Index inclusion can force passive funds to buy shares, creating a new demand source for a crypto-treasury stock. It also signals that SharpLink remains a notable public ETH holder even as the broader digital asset treasury trade has weakened.

SharpLink is a company that holds a lot of ether, which is a kind of digital money. Now it is being added to two big lists that many investors follow.

That matters because money that tracks those lists may have to buy the stock. It is a bit like a school team getting added to a big tournament bracket, which can bring more attention and more fans.

Even with that good news, the stock has already fallen a lot from its high point. The company still owns a huge pile of ether, but the article says many crypto treasury companies have stopped buying as the market cooled down.

Analysis

Index inclusion

SharpLink Gaming (SBET), the Ethereum treasury company backed by Ethereum co-founder Joe Lubin, will be added to the Russell 2000 and Russell 3000 indexes after markets close on June 29, according to the company. FTSE Russell’s annual reconstitution is the mechanism for the change.

Why it matters for the stock

Russell benchmarks are widely used by investors, and the company said roughly $12 trillion in assets are tied to them through passive and active strategies. That can matter for a small-cap name like SharpLink because membership may bring more trading volume and higher institutional ownership, especially from funds that track the indexes mechanically.

SharpLink’s ETH position

SharpLink has become one of the largest public holders of ether. The company said it held 872,984 ETH in early May, worth about $1.8 billion at current prices, making it the second-largest public ETH treasury behind Bitmine’s 5.4 million ETH. The article notes that SharpLink has not reported any ETH purchases since October, and that many digital asset treasury firms have slowed or stopped buying as stock prices and crypto markets cooled.

Market backdrop

The stock has fallen about 95% from its speculative peak last May, though it remains more than twice its level before the firm pivoted to an Ethereum treasury strategy. On Tuesday, shares were down about 2%, roughly matching ETH’s move. CEO Joseph Chalom said the inclusion validates SharpLink’s "institutional-grade ETH treasury strategy" and could strengthen its access to capital markets.

Key points

  • SharpLink will join the Russell 2000 and Russell 3000 after markets close on June 29.
  • The company said about $12 trillion is tied to Russell benchmarks through passive and active strategies.
  • SharpLink held 872,984 ETH in early May, worth roughly $1.8 billion at current prices.
  • The stock has fallen about 95% from its peak last May, even though it remains above its pre-pivot level.
  • CEO Joseph Chalom said the inclusion validates SharpLink’s institutional-grade ETH treasury strategy.

Originally reported at

coindesk.com

Discernion covers the story. Read the full piece at the source.

Tagscryptomarketsbusinessfinancestock market

Author

Krisztian Sandor

Intelligence analysis by

GPT-5.4 Mini

Published

May 26, 2026

Source

coindesk.com

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Topics

cryptomarketsbusinessfinancestock market

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