ETHZilla launches token backed by jet engines

ETHZilla has announced the launch of its first real-world-asset token: a product backed by revenue from leasing two commercial jet engines acquired in January for $12.2 million. The Eurus Aero Token I is issued by ETHZilla Aerospace, a subsidiary, and is tied to two engines leased to what the company calls a “large and profitable U.S. air carrier.” Each token is priced at $100, with a minimum purchase of 10 tokens. The company targets an 11% return for investors who hold through the end of the lease term in 2028.

The token launch marks a strategic shift for ETHZilla. Just last year, the firm operated as clinical biotech 180 Life Sciences before pivoting to crypto and accumulating Ether as part of the corporate-treasury wave. Now it is moving away from an ETH-holding model and toward tokenizing stable, income-producing assets. CEO McAndrew Rudisill said the project aims to “simplify access to the aircraft-leasing market” and democratize exposure to assets previously limited to institutional capital and private-equity funds.

ETHZilla also plans to expand its tokenized product line to include residential and auto-loan assets. The company believes the RWA (real-world assets) sector will become one of the defining trends of 2026, driven by growing demand for on-chain yield across emerging markets. According to RWA.xyz, the total market capitalization of tokenized real assets already exceeds $24 billion across more than 846,808 holders.

The state of ETHZilla’s Ether reserves has raised questions following its strategy shift. The company previously reported to the SEC that it held 102,246 ETH at an average cost of roughly $3,948, valued at $443 million. Today, Strategic Ether Reserves estimates its holdings at around 93,000 ETH ($188 million), while CoinGecko places the figure closer to 69,802 ETH ($136 million). The reduction stems from the sale of part of the stash to finance the jet-engine acquisition.

Despite market volatility and ETH’s recent drop below $2,130, the company says moving toward assets with contractual cash flows will make its business model more resilient. Ethereum continues to trade in a sideways range of $1,872–$2,130, and analysts note that interest in RWA tokenization is rising precisely amid market uncertainty.

The launch of Eurus Aero Token I illustrates how crypto firms are building hybrid models that bridge digital assets and traditional capital markets — and ETHZilla aims to be among the first to bring aviation-leasing assets on-chain.