Significant Accounting Policies (Policies) |
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| Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Basis of Accounting | Basis of Accounting
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“US GAAP” or “GAAP”).
The Trust qualifies as an investment company solely for accounting purposes and not for any other purpose and follows the accounting and reporting guidance under the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 946, Financial Services - Investment Companies, but is not registered, and is not required to be registered, as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“1940 Act”). The Trust uses fair value as its method of accounting for DOT in accordance with its classification as an investment company for accounting purposes. |
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| Accounting Estimates | Accounting Estimates
The preparation of the financial statements in conformity with US GAAP requires the Trust to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results may differ materially from such estimates as additional information becomes available or actual amounts may become determinable. Should actual results differ from those previously recognized, the recorded estimates will be revised accordingly with the impact reflected in the operating results of the Trust in the reporting period in which they become known. |
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| Cash | Cash
Cash includes non-interest bearing, non-restricted cash maintained with one financial institution that does not exceed U.S. federally insured limits. |
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| Investment Valuation | Investment Valuation
US GAAP defines fair value as the price the Trust would receive to sell an asset or pay to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The Trust’s policy is to value investments held at fair value.
The Trust identifies and determines the DOT principal market (or in the absence of a principal market, the most advantageous market) for GAAP purposes consistent with the application of the fair value measurement framework in FASB ASC 820 – Fair Value Measurement. A principal market is the market with the greatest volume and activity level for the asset or liability. The determination of the principal market will be based on the market with the greatest volume and level of activity that can be accessed. The Trust obtains relevant volume and level of activity information and based on initial analysis will select an exchange market as the Trust’s principal market. The net asset value (“NAV”) and NAV per Share will be calculated using the fair value of DOT based on the price provided by this exchange market, as of 4:00 p.m. ET on the measurement date for GAAP purposes. The Trust will update its principal market analysis periodically and as needed to the extent that events have occurred, or activities have changed in a manner that could change the Sponsor’s determination of the principal market.
Various inputs are used in determining the fair value of assets and liabilities. Inputs may be based on independent market data (“observable inputs”) or they may be internally developed (“unobservable inputs”). These inputs are categorized into a disclosure hierarchy consisting of three broad levels for financial reporting purposes. The level of a value determined for an asset or liability within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of any input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety. The three levels of the fair value hierarchy are as follows:
Level 1: Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities;
Level 2: Inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability either directly or indirectly, including quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not considered to be active, inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability, and inputs that are derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data by correlation or other means; and
Level 3: Unobservable inputs, including the Trust’s assumptions used in determining the fair value of investments, where there is little or no market activity for the asset or liability at the measurement date.
The following table presents information about the Trust’s assets measured at fair value as of March 31, 2026 and March 31, 2025:
The cost basis of the investment in DOT recorded by the Trust for financial reporting purposes is the fair value of DOT at the time of purchase. The cost basis recorded by the Trust may differ from proceeds collected by the Authorized Participant (as defined below) from the sale of the corresponding Shares to investors. |
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| Investment Transactions | Investment Transactions
The Trust considers investment transactions to be the receipt of DOT for Share creations and the delivery of DOT for Share redemptions or for payment of expenses in DOT. The Trust records its investments transactions on a trade date basis and changes in fair value are reflected as net change in unrealized appreciation or depreciation on investments and the net change in unrealized appreciation or depreciation on Sponsor Fee payable. 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 Fee and the in-kind liabilities paid in connection to the Sponsor Fee in DOT.
The Trust recognizes staking rewards as revenue in accordance with ASC Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers ("ASC 606"). Under the staking arrangements, the validator (e.g., the Custodian or other staking provider) is considered the customer, as it receives access to the Trust's staking capacity (i.e., the delegation of DOT), which represents the Trust's performance obligation. In exchange, the Trust is entitled to staking rewards generated by the Polkadot protocol, net of Validator fees. Staking rewards represent variable consideration, as the amount of rewards is not known until the applicable validation activities are completed, and the Trust receives rewards in their custodial account. The contract term is the length of each staking epoch. Staking rewards are recognized as revenue when the Trust satisfies its performance obligations (i.e., successfully validates blocks or transactions as determined by the protocol). Staking rewards are received in DOT, which represents non-cash consideration. Non-cash consideration is measured at fair value at the inception of each contract, in accordance with ASC 606. Because the Trust is not the principal to the block validation service, it does not control the full output of the reward-generating activity, and instead receives net staking rewards, after Validator fees are deducted. As such, the Trust presents staking revenue on a net basis, reflecting only the portion of protocol rewards to which it is entitled. Staking revenue is recorded as Staking Rewards on the Statements of Operations.
The Trust measures staking rewards at fair value using the Pricing Benchmark (as defined in Item 1) price as of 4:00 p.m. ET on the applicable measurement date, which is consistent with the Trust’s NAV determination policies and represents the point at which both the quantity and value of rewards can be reliably determined. The Trust concluded that earlier measurement is impracticable because the quantity of rewards is not determinable prior to completion of validation activities and becomes measurable only when sufficient information is available.
The Trust earns staking rewards by delegating a portion of its DOT on the Polkadot Network’s proof-of-stake consensus protocol. The Sponsor has entered into contractual arrangements with Coinbase Crypto Services, LLC (“Coinbase Crypto”) and Figment Inc., an Ontario corporation (“Figment” and together with Coinbase Crypto, the “Staking Services Providers”), to facilitate the staking of the Trust’s DOT. Each Staking Services Provider that generates staking rewards is entitled to compensation determined as a portion of the staking rewards (“Staking Provider Consideration”). The Staking Provider Consideration is paid directly to the Staking Services Provider from the staking rewards. The Sponsor, Staking Services Provider and DOT Custodians are expected to receive an aggregate of 26.5% of the staking rewards, with the remainder being retained by the Trust. Staking rewards represent variable consideration based on a variety of factors such as the amount of the DOT holdings the Trust has made available to the network, the staking yield, and other factors, for its contribution to the network. The Trust retains control of its DOT throughout the staking process. The delegation of DOT for staking purposes does not constitute a sale, transfer, or other derecognition event, as control of the DOT is not transferred to the validator or Staking Services Provider. Staking rewards are recorded as staking income recognized at fair value when earned. Because the Sponsor is not the principal to the block validation service, it does not control the full output of the reward-generating activity, and instead receives a net staking rewards, after the Staking Provider Consideration is deducted (“Staking Rewards”). The rewards owed or paid to the Staking Services Providers reduce the amount of DOT rewards that are generated from the Trust’s staking activities (“Staking Activities”) that are available in the assets of the Trust. As such, the Trust presents staking rewards on a net basis, reflecting only the portion of protocol rewards to which it is entitled. Staking rewards are received in general daily at its Custodians’ account, as earned. The unbonding period for staked DOT is 28 days subject to the discretion of the Sponsor’s request to unstake such assets.. The Trust’s staked DOT is unable to be moved on the blockchain or traded during this period. Temporary lock-up periods or transfer restrictions from staking could limit the Trust’s ability to meet redemptions. For the year-ended March 31, 2026, the Trust staked an average of 73.81% of its DOT holdings on a daily basis. As of March 31, 2026, the Trust had staked 92.40% of its DOT holdings. The staked percentage as of any particular date, including at the end of a reporting period, may differ from the annual average. |
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| Distributions to Shareholders | Distributions to Shareholders
The Trust intends to pay cash distributions to Shareholders at least quarterly. Distributions are funded from staking rewards earned on the Trust’s DOT holdings. Staking rewards are recognized as income by the Trust on a daily basis as they accrue and are reflected in the Trust’s NAV prior to distribution.
Distributions to Shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date, which also serves as the record date. Shareholders of record as of the ex-dividend date are entitled to receive distributions paid on the applicable payment date. The amount of each distribution is based on the staking rewards actually earned by the Trust during the relevant period, net of the Staking Provider Consideration and the Staking Fee (as defined below). Distributions are reflected as a reduction of net assets as of the ex-dividend date.
The tax character of distributions is determined annually in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations, which may differ from the treatment of such amounts for GAAP purposes. Any differences between the tax and tax basis of distributable amounts are reclassified within the components of net assets at year-end. |
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| Calculation of NAV and NAV per Share | Calculation of NAV and NAV per Share
On each day other than when the Exchange is closed for regular trading (a “Business Day”), as soon as practicable after 4:00 p.m. ET, the NAV of the Trust is obtained by subtracting all accrued fees, expenses and other liabilities of the Trust from the fair value of the DOT (as measured by reference to the Pricing Benchmark price) and other assets held by the Trust. The Administrator computes the NAV per Share by dividing the NAV of the Trust by the number of Shares outstanding on the date the computation is made. |
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| Federal Income Taxes | Federal Income Taxes
The Sponsor and the Trustee will treat the Trust as a “grantor trust” for U.S. federal income tax purposes. As a grantor trust, the Trust can undertake only certain types of activities. For example, generally, the Trust cannot vary its investment portfolio to take advantage of market fluctuations. The Trust may receive income from investment activities that do not require such decision-making. If staking is treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a passive ministerial and administrative activity, it should be permissible for the Trust. To that end, on November 10, 2025, the U.S. Treasury Department and the IRS issued a revenue procedure that provided a safe harbor for trusts that otherwise qualify as investment trusts and as grantor trusts to stake their digital assets without jeopardizing their tax status as investment trusts and grantor trusts for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The revenue procedure provides specific requirements that must be satisfied by a Trust in order to be eligible to rely on the safe harbor. The Trust intends to operate so it will qualify to be treated U.S. federal income tax purposes as a grantor trust.
Because the treatment of staking in a grantor trust, including interpretation of the requirements under the safe harbor, is still developing, there remains a risk of adverse regulatory or legal determinations that could affect the tax treatment of the Trust as a grantor trust or affect the Trust’s operations.
Each beneficial owner of Shares will be treated as directly owning its pro rata Share of the Trust’s assets and will be treated as if it directly received a pro rata portion of the Trust’s income, gain, losses and deductions. If the Trust sells DOT (for example, to pay fees or expenses), such a sale is a taxable event to the shareholders of the Trust (“Shareholders”). Upon a Shareholder’s sale of its Shares, the Shareholder will be treated as having sold the pro rata share of the DOT held in the Trust at the time of the sale and may recognize gain or loss on such sale.
The Sponsor has reviewed the tax positions as of March 31, 2026, and has determined that no provision for income tax is required in the Trust’s financial statements. |
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| Segment Reporting | Segment Reporting
The Trust operates in segment. The segment derives its revenues from Trust investments made in accordance with the defined investment strategy of the Trust, as prescribed in the Trust’s prospectus. The Chief Operating Decision Maker (“CODM”) is the of the Sponsor. The CODM monitors the operating results of the Trust. The financial information that the CODM leverages to assess the segment’s performance and to make decisions for the Trust’s single segment is consistent with the financial information that is presented within the Trust’s financial statement. Segment assets are reflected on the accompanying Statements of Assets and Liabilities as Total assets and the only significant segment expenses, the Sponsor Fee and the Staking Fee, are included in the accompanying Statements of Operations. |
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