TL;DR

• ReserveOne, a $1B digital asset fund inspired by a potential U.S. Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, is launching with support from top institutional names.
• ADA (Cardano) is included alongside BTC, ETH, and SOL, highlighting its role in academically driven blockchain innovation.
• ReserveOne aims to blend long-term crypto holding with staking and venture participation more dynamic than traditional ETFs.
• This signals growing institutional confidence in Cardano’s peer-reviewed, energy-efficient architecture.
• With leadership from former Coinbase, BlackRock, and Hut 8 execs, the fund could elevate ADA into broader portfolios over time.

In a major move blending institutional capital with blockchain ambition, ReserveOne has announced its intent to launch a $1 billion digital asset reserve and Cardano (ADA) is one of the few cryptocurrencies included. That alone is news. But the deeper story reveals why this decision could shape how traditional finance embraces Web3’s more academically sound protocols.

Let’s break down what ReserveOne is, who’s backing it, and why ADA made the shortlist.

What Is ReserveOne?

ReserveOne is a newly formed digital asset holding and management firm designed to operate much like a sovereign wealth reserve but for crypto.

It’s inspired by the proposed U.S. Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile, and will be structured as a diversified, actively managed portfolio anchored in Bitcoin. But it won’t stop there.

According to ReserveOne’s official overview:

It’s designed for long-term stewardship, yield generation, and professional governance. 

Backing the project is a who’s who of both Web2 and Web3:

• Jaime Leverton, former CEO of Hut 8, serves as CEO
• Sebastian Bea, ex-Coinbase Asset Management head, leads investment
• Board includes Wilbur Ross (former U.S. Secretary of Commerce), Reeve Collins (Tether co-founder), and senior leaders from Coinbase, Kraken, Galaxy Digital, and more

ReserveOne is merging old-guard finance with digital asset infrastructure.

Big Deal for Cardano

In a landscape dominated by Bitcoin and Ethereum, getting Cardano into a top-tier institutional fund isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s a validation of what ADA’s been quietly building for years.

Cardano’s inclusion signals trust in its:

• Peer-reviewed Ouroboros protocol, the first blockchain consensus model to be formally verified
• Energy-efficient proof-of-stake model, praised for its environmental footprint
• Stability and security-first architecture, favored by developers in high-assurance use cases

As Jaime Leverton and team seek long-term crypto assets with integrity, Cardano's academic backbone stands out.

Why ReserveOne Isn’t Just Another ETF

Many comparisons have been made between ReserveOne and a spot Bitcoin ETF but the structure is broader, and arguably bolder.

Here’s the difference:

• ETFs are typically restricted to one asset and must comply with rigid SEC limitations
• ReserveOne, on the other hand, can hold multiple tokens, including ones not allowed in ETFs
• It can also generate yield via staking, lending, and early-stage venture investing

As noted in their explainer:

So, that means ADA in ReserveOne isn’t just sitting idle. It could be actively staked to secure the network and return value to holders.

Who’s Behind It

ReserveOne expects more than $1 billion in gross proceeds, consisting of:

• $297.7M from M3-Brigade SPAC trust account

• $750M from private PIPE offerings

Notable names participating include:

• Galaxy Digital
• CC Capital 
• Blockchain.com
• Pantera Capital
• FalconX
• Hivemind
• Kraken
• ParaFi Capital
• Mantle
• Monarq Asset Management
• Republic DMantle
• Origin Protocol

They’re betting not only on Bitcoin, but on the viability of a diversified reserve.

FalconX wrote on X :

Galaxy Digital echoed:

ADA’s Role in the Portfolio

While the portfolio allocation hasn’t been disclosed in full, ADA is clearly positioned as a core ecosystem asset next to:

• Bitcoin (Store of value) 
• Ethereum (Programmable finance layer)
• Solana (high speed execution platform)
• Cardano (Blockchain built on scientific rigor)

Unlike Solana’s speed-first approach or Ethereum’s programmability-first design, Cardano was built with a formal methods foundation. That’s a different value proposition for long-horizon capital. In the context of ReserveOne’s emphasis on risk-managed returns and staking yields, ADA fits like a glove.

What's Next

The business combination with M3-Brigade Acquisition V Corp. (NASDAQ: MBAV) is moving forward, with final closings expected later this year. Once live, ReserveOne will:

• Offer diversified crypto exposure to institutions, family offices, and public investors
• Operate with transparency and public company governance
• Use Coinbase as custodian for secured BTC holdings

And if successful, this could pave the way for more sovereign-style digital reserves.

— Wilbur Ross, former U.S. Secretary of Commerce

Final Thought

For years, Cardano has been the quiet achiever often excluded from headline integrations despite deep technical substance. ReserveOne changes that.

It adds ADA to an exclusive class of institutionally selected assets. It shows that peer-reviewed design, energy efficiency, and staking maturity are no longer niche perks, they’re desirable features. As ReserveOne scales, so could ADA’s presence in long-term capital flows. And in that future, ADA might be just getting started.