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ETHZilla, the crypto treasury firm that spent much of last year accumulating Ether, has pivoted into real-world asset tokenization with the launch of Eurus Aero Token I — a blockchain-based security offering fractional ownership of two commercial jet engines leased to a major US airline and targeting an 11% return for investors who hold through 2028.
The company said the new product, called Eurus Aero Token I, provides fractional exposure to two commercial aircraft engines leased to a leading U.S. airline, with lease contracts running through 2028.
The move positions Tokenized Jet Engines as ETHZilla’s flagship entry into aviation-backed digital securities aimed at crypto investors seeking yield-bearing assets.
ETHZilla, formerly known as 180 Life Sciences Corp, rebranded after pivoting in July toward building a crypto treasury centered on Ether.
Now, with the debut of Tokenized Jet Engines, the firm is broadening its strategy to bring traditional income-generating assets on-chain.
Each Eurus Aero Token I unit is priced at $100, with a minimum purchase of 10 tokens. According to the company, the structure targets an 11% return for investors who hold the tokens through the full lease term.
The introduction of Tokenized Jet Engines follows months of signaling from ETHZilla leadership that the company would move beyond a passive Ether holding model.
“Expands investment access and modernizes fractional asset ownership in markets that have historically been available only to institutional credit and private equity,” — McAndrew Rudisill, Chairman and CEO, ETHZilla.
Rudisill added that the aviation-backed structure demonstrates how blockchain rails can be applied to established asset classes.
“Offering a token backed by engines leased to one of the largest and most profitable US airlines serves as a strong use case in applying blockchain infrastructure to aviation assets with contracted cash flows and global investment demand,” — McAndrew Rudisill, Chairman and CEO, ETHZilla.
The company acquired the two jet engines in January for $12.2 million after trimming part of its Ether holdings.
By structuring Tokenized Jet Engines around leased aviation equipment, ETHZilla is attempting to merge predictable cash flows with crypto-native settlement and ownership systems.
The pivot reflects broader cooling enthusiasm around standalone crypto treasury firms, which surged in popularity last year amid rising digital asset prices but have since faced market volatility.
ETHZilla’s Tokenized Jet Engines initiative enters a growing market for tokenized real-world assets (RWAs).
Industry data from RWA.xyz estimates that more than $24 billion in RWAs are currently on-chain across over 846,000 holders.
Tokenization proponents argue that converting physical or financial assets into blockchain-based tokens can increase liquidity, expand investor access, and lower entry barriers.
Aviation finance, traditionally dominated by banks, leasing firms, and private equity funds, represents a relatively niche but high-value asset class.
The Tokenized Jet Engines structure specifically ties investor returns to lease payments from the aircraft engines, which are under contract with what the company describes as a major U.S. carrier.
While the airline was not named in the announcement, the company emphasized the contractual nature of the revenue stream.
ETHZilla also indicated plans to tokenize additional asset classes, including home and auto loans, as part of its broader real-world asset roadmap.
Executives across the crypto sector have predicted stronger adoption of tokenized assets in emerging markets where access to capital formation remains limited.
ETHZilla’s shift toward Tokenized Jet Engines coincides with changes in its crypto treasury.
In a September filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the company disclosed it held 102,246 Ether at an average acquisition price of approximately $3,948, valued at about $443 million at the time.
Since then, Ether prices have declined alongside broader crypto markets.
According to data from CoinGecko, Ether has traded between $1,872 and $2,130 over the past week. Strategic Ether reserve trackers estimate ETHZilla now holds over 93,000 Ether, though CoinGecko places the figure closer to 69,802.
The reduction in holdings suggests that proceeds from partial Ether sales may have funded the aviation acquisition underpinning the Tokenized Jet Engines offering.
For crypto investors, the key question is whether Tokenized Jet Engines can deliver stable, contract-backed returns in a market often defined by volatility.
By combining aviation leasing with blockchain issuance, ETHZilla is testing whether tokenization can move beyond speculation and into income-generating infrastructure assets.
As real-world asset tokenization accelerates, Tokenized Jet Engines may serve as an early case study in whether blockchain-based fractional ownership can successfully bridge traditional finance and digital asset markets.
