Ethzilla Rebrands to Forum Markets, Ends ETH Treasury Strategy

Ethzilla has officially rebranded as Forum Markets, marking a strategic shift away from its Ethereum treasury model toward tokenized real world assets and multi asset financial infrastructure.

Key Takeaways

• Ethzilla will begin trading as Forum Markets under the Nasdaq ticker FRMM on March 2, pending approval.
• The company is moving away from holding large Ethereum reserves on its balance sheet.
• Forum will focus on tokenized income generating assets such as aviation, housing loans, and real estate credit.
• Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund exited its stake, highlighting pressure on crypto treasury models.

What Happened?

Ethzilla announced it is rebranding to Forum Markets Inc. and will trade under the ticker FRMM, replacing ETHZ, pending Nasdaq approval. The move signals a major strategic reset from positioning itself as an Ethereum proxy toward building regulated, tokenized financial products backed by real assets.

The company said the rebrand reflects its evolution into a digital asset platform connecting traditional capital markets with blockchain based infrastructure.

From Ethereum Proxy to Infrastructure Platform

Ethzilla first gained attention in 2025 after pivoting from its former identity as 180 Life Sciences into a crypto treasury company. At the peak of enthusiasm around digital asset balance sheet strategies, the company accumulated large amounts of Ether and positioned itself as a publicly traded proxy for Ethereum exposure.

Shares surged to $107 in August 2025 as Ethereum approached $4,950 and the firm outlined plans for a sizable reserve. However, as crypto markets cooled, that strategy began to lose favor. Ether focused treasury firms struggled more than Bitcoin based counterparts, and investor appetite for leveraged exposure faded.

At its peak, the company held 69,802 ETH valued at approximately $143.7 million at an Ether price of $2,060, according to CoinGecko data. Over time, it reduced its crypto exposure, sold portions of its holdings, and launched share buybacks to address the gap between its stock price and net asset value.

Pressure intensified after regulatory filings revealed that Founders Fund, led by Peter Thiel, exited its entire position, reversing a previously disclosed 7.5 percent stake.

Leadership Signals Strategic Reset

Chairman and Chief Executive McAndrew Rudisill described the rebrand as a forward looking transformation.

Rudisill said in a statement:

In a separate statement, he added, “Forum represents who we are today and where we are going.”

The company emphasized that the CUSIP number will remain unchanged and that shareholders are not required to take any action during the ticker transition.

Focus on Tokenized Real World Assets

Under the Forum Markets identity, the company will focus on aggregating and structuring income generating real world assets for tokenization rather than accumulating digital currencies.

Recent initiatives include:

• Acquisition of two commercial jet engines leased to a major United States air carrier.
• Launch of Eurus Aero Token I, offering fractional exposure to aviation lease cash flows.
• Investment in artificial intelligence driven credit platforms spanning auto loans, manufactured housing, and aerospace equipment.
• Acquisition of manufactured home loans from Zippy Manufactured Home Credit Fund I L.P., which will be converted into tokenized cash flow products.

The company has also secured exclusive distribution through Liquidity.io and plans to expand into real estate credit opportunities.

Forum said its revenue model will combine yield generation, origination fees, asset management fees, and transaction based income from secondary trading of tokenized assets.

Shares rose more than 13 percent to $3.91 following the rebranding announcement, though the stock remains down over 20 percent this year and significantly below its 2025 high.

Image Credit – Google Finance

Broader Shift in Digital Asset Markets

The transition comes as Wall Street attention shifts from corporate crypto reserve models toward structured tokenized products tied to tangible cash flows. As traditional assets increasingly move on chain, the distinction between crypto platforms and traditional brokerages is narrowing.

Forum Markets is positioning itself as regulated infrastructure at the center of that convergence, seeking to connect institutional capital, asset originators, and blockchain technology.

CoinLaw’s Takeaway

In my experience, crypto treasury models look exciting in bull markets but can quickly become liabilities when volatility hits. I believe this pivot was necessary. Forum Markets is making a calculated move away from speculation and toward income generating assets that traditional investors understand. If executed properly, tokenized real world assets could offer more stable long term growth than simply holding Ethereum on a balance sheet.

The big question now is execution. Investors will be watching closely to see whether Forum can truly deliver institutional grade products and rebuild credibility after a turbulent year.

The post Ethzilla Rebrands to Forum Markets, Ends ETH Treasury Strategy appeared first on CoinLaw.