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Published on 05/05/2026
at 06:44 pm EDT
Publicnow
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read together with, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to, our unaudited financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this Quarterly Report, which have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”). The following discussion may contain forward-looking statements based on assumptions we believe to be reasonable. Our actual results could differ materially from those discussed in these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to these differences include, but are not limited to, those set forth under “Part II, Item 1A. Risk Factors” in this Quarterly Report, or in “Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors” and “Forward-Looking Statements” or other sections of our Annual Report.
Trust Overview
The Trust is a passive entity that is managed and administered by the Sponsor and does not have any officers, directors or employees. The Trust holds LTC and, from time to time on a periodic basis, issues Creation Baskets in exchange for deposits of LTC. As a passive investment vehicle, the Trust’s investment objective is for the value of the Shares (based on LTC per Share) to reflect the value of the LTC held by the Trust, determined by reference to the Index Price, less the Trust’s expenses and other liabilities. While an investment in the Shares is not a direct investment in LTC, the Shares are designed to provide investors with a cost-effective and convenient way to gain investment exposure to LTC. To date, the Trust has not met its investment objective and the Shares quoted on OTCQX have not reflected the value of the LTC held by the Trust, less the Trust’s expenses and other liabilities, but instead have traded at both premiums and discounts to such value, which at times have been substantial. The Trust is not managed like a business corporation or an active investment vehicle. The Trust will not utilize leverage, derivatives or any similar arrangements in seeking to meet its investment objective.
Prior to October 1, 2025, the Trust valued the LTC held by the Trust for operational purposes by reference to the CoinDesk Litecoin Price Index (LTX). As of October 1, 2025, the Index is the CoinDesk Litecoin Benchmark Rate (formerly known as the CoinDesk LTC CCIXber Reference Rate) which is used to calculate the NAV and NAV per Share. Prior to October 1, 2025, references to the “Index” in the Trust’s filings with the SEC, including this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, refer to the CoinDesk Litecoin Price Index (LTX). From and after October 1, 2025, references to the “Index” in the Trust’s filings with the SEC are to the CoinDesk Litecoin Benchmark Rate.
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
Investment Transactions and Revenue Recognition
The Trust considers investment transactions to be the receipt of LTC by the Trust in connection with Share creations and the delivery of LTC by the Trust in connection with Share redemptions or for payment of expenses in LTC. At this time, the Trust is not accepting redemption requests from shareholders. The Trust records its investment transactions on a trade date basis and changes in fair value are reflected as net change in unrealized appreciation or depreciation on investments. Realized gains and losses are calculated using the specific identification method. Realized gains and losses are recognized in connection with transactions including settling obligations for the Sponsor’s Fee in LTC.
Principal Market and Fair Value Determination
To determine which market is the Trust’s principal market (or in the absence of a principal market, the most advantageous market) for purposes of calculating the Trust’s net asset value in accordance with U.S. GAAP (“Principal Market NAV”), the Trust follows Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 820-10, Fair Value Measurement, which outlines the application of fair value accounting. ASC 820-10 determines fair value to be the price that would be received for LTC in a current sale, which assumes an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. ASC 820-10 requires the Trust to assume that LTC is sold in its principal market to market participants or, in the absence of a principal market, the most advantageous market. Market participants are defined as buyers and sellers in the principal or most advantageous market that are independent, knowledgeable, and willing and able to transact.
The Trust only receives LTC in connection with a creation order from the Authorized Participant (or a Liquidity Provider) and does not itself transact on any Digital Asset Markets. Therefore, the Trust looks to market-based volume and level of activity for Digital Asset Markets. The Authorized Participant(s), or a Liquidity Provider, may transact in a Brokered Market, a Dealer Market, Principal-to-Principal Markets and Exchange Markets (referred to as “Trading Platform Markets” in this Quarterly Report), each as defined in the FASB ASC Master Glossary (collectively, “Digital Asset Markets”).
In determining which of the eligible Digital Asset Markets is the Trust’s principal market, the Trust reviews these criteria in the following order:
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First, the Trust reviews a list of Digital Asset Markets that maintain practices and policies designed to comply with anti-money laundering (“AML”) and know-your-customer (“KYC”) regulations, and non-Digital Asset Trading Platform
Markets that the Trust reasonably believes are operating in compliance with applicable law, including federal and state licensing requirements, based upon information and assurances provided to it by each market.
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Second, the Trust sorts these Digital Asset Markets from high to low by market-based volume and level of activity of LTC traded on each Digital Asset Market in the trailing twelve months.
Third, the Trust then reviews pricing fluctuations and the degree of variances in price on Digital Asset Markets to identify any material notable variances that may impact the volume or price information of a particular Digital Asset Market.
Fourth, the Trust then selects a Digital Asset Market as its principal market based on the highest market-based volume, level of activity and price stability in comparison to the other Digital Asset Markets on the list. Based on information reasonably available to the Trust, Trading Platform Markets have the greatest volume and level of activity for the asset. The Trust therefore looks to accessible Trading Platform Markets as opposed to the Brokered Market, Dealer Market and Principal-to-Principal Markets to determine its principal market. As a result of the aforementioned analysis, a Trading Platform Market has been selected as the Trust’s principal market.
The Trust determines its principal market (or in the absence of a principal market the most advantageous market) annually and conducts a quarterly analysis to determine (i) if there have been recent changes to each Digital Asset Market’s trading volume and level of activity in the trailing twelve months, (ii) if any Digital Asset Markets have developed that the Trust has access to, or (iii) if recent changes to each Digital Asset Market’s price stability have occurred that would materially impact the selection of the principal market and necessitate a change in the Trust’s determination of its principal market.
Investment Company Considerations
The Trust is an investment company for U.S. GAAP purposes and follows accounting and reporting guidance in accordance with the FASB ASC Topic 946, Financial Services-Investment Companies. The Trust uses fair value as its method of accounting for LTC in accordance with its classification as an investment company for accounting purposes. The Trust is not a registered investment company under the Investment Company Act. U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates and these differences could be material.
Review of Financial Results (unaudited)
Financial Highlights for the Three and Nine Months Ended March 31, 2026 and 2025
(All amounts in the following table and the subsequent paragraphs, except Share, LTC and price of LTC amounts, are in thousands)
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Net assets in the above table and subsequent paragraphs are calculated in accordance with U.S. GAAP based on the Digital Asset Market price of LTC on the Digital Asset Trading Platform that the Trust considered its principal market, as of 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the valuation date.
Net realized and unrealized loss on investment in LTC for the three months ended March 31, 2026 was ($44,944), which includes a realized loss of ($355) on the transfer of LTC to pay the Sponsor’s Fee and net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investment in LTC of ($44,589). Net realized and unrealized loss on investment in LTC for the period was driven by LTC price depreciation from $76.60 per LTC as of December 31, 2025, to $54.01 per LTC as of March 31, 2026. Net decrease in net assets resulting from operations was ($45,697) for the three months ended March 31, 2026, which consisted of the net realized and unrealized loss on investment in LTC, plus the Sponsor’s Fee of $753. Net assets decreased to $107,014 at March 31, 2026, a 30% decrease for the three-month period. The decrease in net assets resulted from the aforementioned LTC price depreciation and the withdrawal of approximately 12,252 LTC to pay the foregoing Sponsor’s Fee.
Net realized and unrealized loss on investment in LTC for the three months ended March 31, 2025 was ($39,888), which includes a realized gain of $236 on the transfer of LTC to pay the Sponsor’s Fee and net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investment in LTC of ($40,124). Net realized and unrealized loss on investment in LTC for the period was driven by LTC price depreciation from $102.93 per LTC as of December 31, 2024, to $83.32 per LTC as of March 31, 2025. Net decrease in net assets resulting from operations was ($41,259) for the three months ended March 31, 2025, which consisted of the net realized and unrealized loss on investment in LTC, plus the Sponsor’s Fee of $1,371. Net assets decreased to $169,267 at March 31, 2025, a 19% decrease for the three-month period. The decrease in net assets resulted from the aforementioned LTC price depreciation and the withdrawal of approximately 12,550 LTC to pay the foregoing Sponsor’s Fee, partially offset by the contribution of approximately 15,833 LTC with a value of $1,759 to the Trust in connection with Share creations during the period.
Net realized and unrealized loss on investment in LTC for the nine months ended March 31, 2026 was ($65,552), which includes a realized loss of ($96) on the transfer of LTC to pay the Sponsor’s Fee and net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investment in LTC of ($65,456). Net realized and unrealized loss on investment in LTC for the period was driven by LTC price depreciation from $87.11 per LTC as of June 30, 2025, to $54.01 per LTC as of March 31, 2026. Net decrease in net assets resulting from operations was ($68,853) for the nine months ended March 31, 2026, which consisted of the net realized and unrealized loss on investment in LTC, plus the Sponsor’s Fee of $3,301. Net assets decreased to $107,014 at March 31, 2026, a 39% decrease for the nine-month period. The decrease in net assets resulted from the aforementioned LTC price depreciation and the withdrawal of approximately 37,537 LTC to pay the foregoing Sponsor’s Fee.
Net realized and unrealized gain on investment in LTC for the nine months ended March 31, 2025 was $16,056, which includes a realized loss of ($60) on the transfer of LTC to pay the Sponsor’s Fee and net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investment in LTC of $16,116. Net realized and unrealized gain on investment in LTC for the period was driven by LTC price appreciation from $74.60 per LTC as of June 30, 2024, to $83.32 per LTC as of March 31, 2025. Net increase in net assets resulting from operations was $12,810 for the nine months ended March 31, 2025, which consisted of the net realized and unrealized gain on investment in LTC, less the Sponsor’s Fee of $3,246. Net assets increased to $169,267 at March 31, 2025, a 26% increase for the nine-month period. The increase in net assets resulted from the aforementioned LTC price appreciation and the contribution of approximately 274,058 LTC with a value of $22,624 to the Trust in connection with Share creations during the period, partially offset by the withdrawal of approximately 36,542 LTC to pay the foregoing Sponsor’s Fee.
Cash Resources and Liquidity
The Trust has not had a cash balance at any time since inception. When selling LTC, Incidental Rights and/or IR Virtual Currency in the Digital Asset Market to pay Additional Trust Expenses on behalf of the Trust, the Sponsor endeavors to sell the exact amount of LTC, Incidental Rights and/or IR Virtual Currency needed to pay expenses in order to minimize the Trust’s holdings of assets other than LTC. As a consequence, the Sponsor expects that the Trust will not record any cash flow from its operations and that its cash balance will be zero at the end of each reporting period. Furthermore, the Trust is not a party to any off-balance sheet arrangements.
In exchange for the Sponsor’s Fee, the Sponsor has agreed to assume most of the expenses incurred by the Trust. As a result, the only ordinary expense of the Trust during the periods covered by this Quarterly Report was the Sponsor’s Fee. The Trust is not aware of any trends, demands, conditions or events that are reasonably likely to result in material changes to its liquidity needs.
Selected Operating Data
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The Principal Market NAV and Principal Market NAV per Share are calculated using the fair value of LTC based on the price provided by the Digital Asset Trading Platform that the Trust considered its principal market, as of 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the valuation date, in accordance with U.S. GAAP.
The Trust’s NAV and NAV per Share are derived from the Index Price, as represented by the Index as of 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the valuation date. The Trust’s NAV per Share is calculated using a non-GAAP methodology where the price is derived from multiple Digital Asset Trading Platforms. The Digital Asset Trading Platforms included in the Index (the “Constituent Trading Platforms”) as of March 31, 2026 were Binance, Bitstamp by Robinhood, Bullish, Bybit, Crypto.com, GATE, Gemini, Hashkey, Kraken, LMAX Digital, and OKX. The Digital Asset Trading Platforms included in the Index as of March 31, 2025 were Coinbase, Crypto.com, Kraken, LMAX Digital, Bitstamp by Robinhood, and Bitfinex. See “Item 1. Business-Overview of the LTC Industry and Market-LTC Value-The Index and the Index Price” in our Annual Report for a description of the Index and the Index Price.
For accounting purposes, the Trust reflects creations and the LTC receivable with respect to such creations on the date of receipt of a notification of a creation but does not issue Shares until the requisite amount of LTC is received. At this time, the Trust is not accepting redemption requests from shareholders. Subject to receipt of regulatory approval from the SEC and approval by the Sponsor in its sole discretion, the Trust may in the future operate a redemption program.
Historical NAV and LTC Prices
As movements in the price of LTC will directly affect the price of the Shares, investors should understand recent movements in the price of LTC. Investors, however, should also be aware that past movements in the LTC price are not indicators of future movements. Movements may be influenced by various factors, including, but not limited to, government regulation, security breaches experienced by service providers, as well as political and economic uncertainties around the world.
The following chart illustrates the movement in the Trust’s NAV per Share versus the Index Price and the Trust’s Principal Market NAV per Share from March 1, 2018 (the inception of the Trust’s operations) to March 31, 2026. For more information on the determination of the Trust’s NAV, see “Item 1. Business-Overview of the LTC Industry and Market-LTC Value-The Index and the Index Price” in our Annual Report.
The following table illustrates the movements in the Index Price from April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2026. The Sponsor has not observed a material difference between the Index Price and average prices from the Constituent Trading Platforms individually or as a group.
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The following table illustrates the movements in the Digital Asset Market price of LTC, as reported on the Trust’s principal market, from April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2026.
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The following chart sets out the historical closing prices for the Shares as reported by OTCQX and the Trust’s NAV per Share from August 18, 2020 to March 31, 2026.
LTCN Premium/(Discount): LTCN Share Price vs. NAV per Share (Non-GAAP) ($)
The following chart sets out the historical premium and discount for the Shares calculated as a percentage of the historical closing prices for the Shares as reported by OTCQX divided by the Trust’s NAV per Share from August 18, 2020 to March 31, 2026.
LTCN Premium/(Discount): LTCN Share Price vs. NAV per Share (Non-GAAP) (%)
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Disclaimer
Grayscale Litecoin Trust (LTC) published this content on May 05, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on May 05, 2026 at 22:26 UTC.
Grayscale Litecoin Trust (LTC) (the Trust) is a Statutory Trust. The Trust’s purpose is to hold Litecoin (LTC), which are digital assets that are created and transmitted through the operations of the peer-to-peer Litecoin Network, a decentralized network of computers that operates on cryptographic protocols. The Trust’s investment objective is for the value of the Shares (based on LTC per Share) to reflect the value of LTC held by the Trust, determined by reference to the Index Price, less the Trust’s expenses and other liabilities. The activities of the Trust are limited to issuing Baskets in exchange for LTC transferred to the Trust as consideration in connection with the creations, transferring or selling LTC, Incidental Rights and IR Virtual Currency as necessary to cover the Sponsor’s Fee and/or any Additional Trust Expenses, transferring LTC in exchange for Baskets surrendered for redemption (subject to obtaining regulatory approval from the SEC and approval from the Sponsor).
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