Crypto asset management firm Hashdex took the next move in its plan to launch an exchange-traded fund that directly owns spot bitcoin and ether, establishing what could be the first index-based crypto ETF in the United States.

Hashdex filed its registration statement, also called an S-1, with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday. The fund, called the Hashdex Nasdaq Crypto Index US ETF would own bitcoin and ether, but could later hold more assets depending on how the regulatory landscape unfolds.

"If any crypto asset other than bitcoin and ether becomes eligible for inclusion in the Index, the Sponsor will transition to a sample replication strategy, with only bitcoin and ether in the same proportions determined by the Index," the firm said in its S-1 filing. "In the …