Under normal market conditions, the Fund generally invests substantially all, but at least 80%, of its net assets plus borrowings in the securities comprising the Index. The Fund, using a full replication approach, attempts to reproduce, before fees and expenses, the performance of the Index. The index provider, administrator and owner of the Index is Bitwise Index Services, LLC (the “Index Provider”). Bitwise Investment Manager, LLC serves as the Fund’s investment adviser (“BIM” or the “Adviser”) and Vident Advisory, LLC (d/b/a Vident Asset Management) serves as the Fund’s investment sub-adviser (“Vident” or the “Sub-Adviser”). The Fund will not invest either directly or indirectly in cryptocurrencies, such as through direct holdings of cryptocurrencies (e.g. bitcoin) or indirectly through derivatives that reference cryptocurrencies (e.g. bitcoin derivatives).

The Index provides focused exposure to the equity securities of companies that are well-positioned to benefit from the emergence of Web3 and Web3 technologies (“Web3 Companies”). By seeking to track the Index pursuant to a replication methodology, the Fund intends to provide such exposure to its shareholders. The Fund will invest substantially all, but at least 80%, of its net assets plus borrowings in securities issued by Web3 Companies. “Web 1.0” describes the era of decentralized, open protocols, where most online activity involved navigating to individual static webpages. “Web 2.0” describes the era of internet centralization, where most communication and commercial activity occurs on closed platforms owned by a small number of corporations that are subject to government regulations. “Web 3.0” or “Web3” imagines a future era of internet decentralization that replaces the system where a small number of companies can exert such a strong influence over internet users. Web3 refers to an evolution in the core architecture of the internet that leverages blockchain technology to make the internet more decentralized, secure and open. By providing all users the opportunity to own data and property in the digital world without relying on centralized intermediaries, Web3 provides an internet experience in which data privacy, decentralized ownership and community consensus act as key pillars of the ecosystem. However, there is no guarantee that the promise of Web3 will ever be fully realized. For more information, please see “Principal Risks” below.

The Index utilizes a rules-based security selection methodology administered with input from the Bitwise Web3 Classification Group (the “Index Classification Group”). The Index’s initial starting universe is composed of all securities listed for trading on eligible securities exchanges. In general, a stock exchange will qualify as an eligible stock exchange if there is not an undue burden for U.S. investors to access and settle trades on that exchange in a timely fashion. These securities are then subjected to a number of eligibility screens based upon size, liquidity and free float. Securities with the following characteristics are removed from Index eligibility: (i) shares of companies with a minimum full market capitalization of less than $100,000,000; (ii) shares with a 3-month average daily traded value lower than $1 million; (iii) shares with a price above $50,000; and (iv) shares with a free float of less than 10%.

From the remaining pool of eligible securities, the Index Classification Group, a committee of industry experts employed by an affiliate of the Adviser, first seeks to identify those companies that will enable Web3, benefit from it, and/or see a material impact on their businesses from the growth of Web3. After such companies are identified, the Index Classification Group uses its expert knowledge, supported by information from corporate announcements and filings, public presentations, patent filings, third-party industry assessments, media coverage and scientific literature, and subject matter expert interviews, to determine the degree to which each company’s primary business model, business operations and/or growth prospects rely on the growth of one or more of the Web3 themes identified in the Index methodology: Web3 Finance, Web3 Infrastructure Providers, Web3-Enabled Creator Economy, Web3-Enabled Metaverse and Digital Worlds and Web3 Development and Governance. Additional information about each theme is set forth below.

The Index Classification Group classifies relevant companies as Tier 1, Tier 2 or Tier 3 Web3 companies pursuant to the criteria set forth below. At each quarterly rebalance, the Fund will invest at least 85% of its net assets plus borrowings in Tier 1 Web3 Companies and Tier 2 Web3 Companies. Once determined, the Index selects up to the thirty Tier 1 and Tier 2 securities with the largest modified market capitalizations, defined as follows: Tier 1 securities are assigned a modified market capitalization equal to 4x their natural market capitalization, while Tier 2 securities are assigned their natural market capitalization. The Index also selects up to ten Tier 3 securities with the largest market capitalizations and includes each as a component of the Index.

Tier 1 Companies: Companies for which all or substantially all of their primary business models and/or growth prospects are directly linked to business activities associated with one or more of the Web3 themes.

Tier 2 Companies: Companies for which a majority of their business operations and/or growth prospects are directly linked to business activities associated with one or more of the Web3 themes.

Tier 3 Companies: Companies for which a material part of their business operations and/or growth prospects are directly linked to business activities associated with one or more of the Web3 themes. This group, however, will still have the majority of their business operations and/or growth prospects linked to activities outside of Web3.

The Index weights component securities pursuant to a modified market capitalization weighing methodology. At each quarterly rebalance, the Index allocates 85% of its weight to Tier 1 and Tier 2 constituents and 15% of its weight to Tier 3 constituents. Within the 85% index weight allocated to Tier 1 and Tier 2 constituents, Tier 1 and Tier 2 constituents are initially assigned a weight pursuant to their market capitalization. Tier 1 constituent weights are then modified so that they receive a weight equal to 4X their natural market capitalization weight, while Tier 2 constituents receive a weight equal to their natural market capitalization weight. The 15% index weight allocated to Tier 3 constituents is equally distributed among each Tier 3 constituent. As of April 1, 2024, the Index was composed of 40 securities.

The Index may be comprised of securities issued by companies with small, mid or large capitalizations operating in developed or emerging market countries. For determining which countries are “emerging market countries,” the Index relies upon the classifications of an unaffiliated third-party index provider.

The Index is rebalanced and reconstituted quarterly, and the Fund will make corresponding changes to its portfolio shortly after the Index changes are made public. In addition, if at any time the cumulative Index weight of Tier 1 and Tier 2 companies falls below 80% as of the close of any U.S. business day, the Index will enact an intra-quarter reweighting, and the weights of Tier 1 and Tier 2 constituents will be reset in aggregate to 85% of the portfolio.

The Fund will be concentrated in an industry or a group of industries to the extent that the Index is so concentrated. As of April 1, 2024, the Fund was concentrated in companies comprising the communications services sector and information technology sector, although this may change from time to time. To the extent the Fund invests a significant portion of its assets in a given jurisdiction or investment sector, the Fund may be exposed to the risks associated with that jurisdiction or investment sector.

The Index Provider is an affiliate of the Adviser. The Index Provider may prescribe changes to the selection criteria and other rules governing the Index and the method applied to calculate the Index, which it deems to be necessary and desirable in order to prevent material errors or to remedy, correct or supplement the Index methodology.

The Fund is classified as “non-diversified” under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”).