Crypto treasury firm ETHZilla has taken a strategic stake in Karus, a move designed to bring auto credit onchain by 2026. The investment grants ETHZilla access to Karus’s proprietary underwriting engine and its established loan origination network. This partnership aims to create tokenized portfolios of auto loans, merging traditional finance infrastructure with blockchain-based asset representation.
By leveraging Karus’s advanced data analytics and lending platform, ETHZilla intends to structure and issue digital assets backed by real-world auto debt. The initiative seeks to unlock new liquidity and investment opportunities within the decentralized finance ecosystem, providing a novel avenue for institutional and retail capital. The collaboration underscores a growing trend of integrating tangible financial products with blockchain technology to enhance transparency, efficiency, and accessibility in credit markets.
Executives from both companies highlighted the partnership as a foundational step toward a more open and programmable financial system. The targeted 2026 launch for onchain auto credit products reflects a deliberate development timeline focused on regulatory compliance and robust technical integration.
