BTCS to issue world’s first Ethereum dividend to shareholders

BTCS will become the first public company to issue dividends in cryptocurrency.

Crypto and institutional finance are increasingly converging. On Monday, August 18, BTSC announced the issuance of $0.05 per share in Ethereum (ETH). This move would make it the first public company to offer dividends in crypto.

In addition to the dividend, the company is offering a one-time loyalty payment of $0.35 per share. This bonus will go to shareholders who move their shares to the company’s transfer agent and hold them there between September 26, 2025, and January 26, 2026. To prioritize retail investors, BTCS noted that the loyalty payment will exclude executives and employees.

BTCS currently trades at $4.41 per share, making the combined $0.40 dividend and loyalty payment a notable return for participating shareholders. The company says this initiative is designed to attract new investors while rewarding those who stay long.

BTCS hopes to discourage short sellers

Beyond shareholder incentives, the move also aims to deter short sellers. Shares that are moved to the transfer agent cannot be lent out, which limits the pool of stock available for shorting.

“The Loyalty Payment is designed to reward long-term shareholders who have supported our vision and aims to limit market manipulation through predatory short-selling,” the BTCS statement wrote.

BTCS also stressed that at the time the board approved its dividends, shares were trading below its net asset value per share, or the combined value of its cash and crypto. The company’s current valuation is $211 million, while it holds 70,140 ETH, worth more than $300 million. The dividend and the loyalty payments are supposed to realign the stock with its assets.