If you like the idea of blockchain technology but aren't thrilled about watching your portfolio swing 20% before lunch, Amplify ETFs has a pitch for you. The firm just rolled out two new ETFs that skip the crypto coins entirely and focus on the companies building the infrastructure underneath it all.
The Amplify Stablecoin Technology ETF (STBQ) and Amplify Tokenization Technology ETF (TKNQ) started trading Wednesday. Instead of buying Bitcoin or Ethereum, these funds invest in companies that are generating actual revenue from stablecoins, tokenized assets, and the payment rails that support them. Think less speculation, more picks and shovels.
Amplify says the timing reflects a broader shift happening right now. Institutional players are getting serious about digital finance infrastructure as stablecoins and tokenization move from experimental corners of finance into something that looks more like real business.
Building the Stablecoin Economy
The stablecoin-focused ETF targets companies earning meaningful revenue from payment technology, digital asset infrastructure, and trading platforms. Its holdings include the usual suspects like Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, and Circle, along with a mix of crypto-linked ETFs from Grayscale, iShares, and Bitwise.
What's changed recently is regulation. The U.S. passed the GENIUS Act, and Europe implemented its Markets in Crypto-Assets framework, which finally gave financial institutions some clarity on how stablecoins can work within existing rules. Amplify notes that this regulatory progress is crucial because it lets banks and payment companies build compliant stablecoin products without constantly worrying about regulators pulling the rug out.
Stablecoins used to be mainly a tool for crypto traders to move between exchanges. Now they're starting to look like legitimate payment and settlement systems that traditional finance can actually use.
Making Real Assets Digital
The Tokenization Technology ETF (TKNQ) takes a different angle. It invests in companies building systems to digitize real-world assets and financial processes. The holdings list reads like a who's who of traditional finance: BlackRock, JPMorgan, Citigroup, Nasdaq, and Figure Technology Solutions. All of these firms have made strategic bets on tokenization over the past few years.
Tokenization is gaining steam because it promises faster settlement, lower costs, and new market structures. Regulators are increasingly engaging with the concept too, including discussions about tokenized stocks and other traditional assets getting the blockchain treatment. For big financial institutions, this isn't about chasing crypto hype. It's about operational efficiency and creating new revenue streams.
Regulatory Green Light
These launches are part of a bigger wave. Crypto and blockchain ETFs flooded the market in 2025 after the Securities and Exchange Commission, under Chair Paul Atkins, loosened approval standards. That regulatory shift opened the door to more targeted products that focus on specific pieces of the crypto ecosystem instead of just broad exposure to coin prices.
Amplify's latest offerings highlight where investor appetite is heading. People want exposure to blockchain's growth potential, but they're increasingly interested in companies building compliant, revenue-generating infrastructure rather than betting on which token might moon next.
For investors who find crypto's volatility exhausting, these ETFs offer a way to participate in the industry's expansion without needing to stomach the wild price swings. You're betting on the infrastructure layer, not the speculation layer. Whether that makes for better returns remains to be seen, but it definitely makes for calmer mornings.