IMPORTANT DISCLOSURES

^* Redemptions may be suspended under certain circumstances.

The VanEck Smart Contract Leaders Fund (the “Fund”) is not an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, and therefore is not subject to the same regulatory requirements as mutual funds or ETFs registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940.

The Fund is available to Qualified Purchasers Only. Please carefully read the Private Placement Memorandum (“PPM”) before investing. An investor should consider the investment objective, risks, charges and expenses of the Fund carefully before investing. The Fund has no operating history and involves a significant degree of risk. There is no guarantee the Fund will achieve its investment objective and investors may lose their entire investment. The Fund is not suitable for all investors. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.

The Fund’s investment program is speculative and entails substantial risks. There can be no assurance that the Fund’s investment objective will be achieved.

Your individual performance may be different and will be reflected in your monthly investor statement. It is important to rely on the monthly investor statement that you receive from the fund’s Administrator, as the statement will indicate your individual performance. An individual investor’s performance may differ, perhaps materially, from the performance results set forth herein due to a number of factors, including (a) participation in new issues, (b) timing of individual contributions/ subscriptions and withdrawals/redemptions, (c) any accumulated loss carryforwards and (d) different expenses, fees and other charges paid by certain investors.

An investment in the Fund involves risk and should only be undertaken by investors capable of evaluating and bearing such risks, including possible loss of entire principal investment. Investors should be aware of potential conflicts of interest that may impact performance and returns. Prospective investors should carefully consider all risk factors and consult their legal, tax, and financial advisors. The General Partner may limit or suspend withdrawals under certain circumstances as outlined in the Private Placement Memorandum.

An investment in the Fund is subject to risks which include among others, risks associated with cryptocurrencies, smart contracts, complex software and programming, loss or theft of fund assets, Blockchain miners or validators, miners ceasing to mine blocks due to lack of incentive, development or acceptance of blockchain networks and assets, changes in the governance of a cryptocurrency blockchain network, long-term viability of cryptocurrencies, networks scaling challenges, concentrated ownership of digital assets, security threats, volatile price fluctuations, irreversible transactions, shallow trade volume, extreme hoarding, low liquidity and high bankruptcy risk, unsecure local storage sites, malware and data loss, public or third-party blockchain, inaccurate valuation, emergence or growth of other cryptocurrencies and/or methods of investing in cryptocurrencies, temporary or permanent “forks”, lack of banking services, geopolitical events, lack of the benefits from forks or “airdrops”, lack of regulatory protections and future regulatory developments could affect the viability and expansion of the use of the Fund. Please note that this is not an exhaustive list of risks pertaining to the Fund. Please read carefully the PPM for a complete list of potential risks. Please contact us at investorrelations@vaneck.com for the Private Placement Memorandum which contains additional risk information.

VanEck Smart Contract Leaders Fund’s investment objective is capital appreciation, which it generally seeks to achieve by investing in “smart contract” digital assets. The MarketVector Smart Contract Leaders Index (MVSCLE) is designed to track the performance of the largest and most liquid smart contract assets, and is an investable subset of MarketVector Smart Contract Index (MVSC). The MarketVector Ethereum Index (MVETH) covers the performance of a digital assets portfolio which invests in Ethereum. The S&P 500^® (SPX) is widely regarded as the best single gauge of large-cap U.S. equities. The index includes 500 leading companies and covers approximately 80% of available market capitalization. The Nasdaq-100 Index (NDX) is a modified market-capitalization-weighted index composed of securities issued by 100 of the largest non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market.

Cryptocurrencies and digital assets are not suitable for all investors. Investments in digital assets and Web3 companies are highly speculative and involve a high degree of risk. These risks include, but are not limited to: the technology is new and many of its uses may be untested; intense competition; slow adoption rates and the potential for product obsolescence; volatility and limited liquidity, including but not limited to, inability to liquidate a position; loss or destruction of key(s) to access accounts or the blockchain; reliance on digital wallets; reliance on unregulated markets and exchanges; reliance on the internet; cybersecurity risks; and the lack of regulation and the potential for new laws and regulation that may be difficult to predict. Moreover, the extent to which Web3 companies or digital assets utilize blockchain technology may vary, and it is possible that even widespread adoption of blockchain technology may not result in a material increase in the value of such companies or digital assets.

Digital asset prices are highly volatile, and the value of digital assets, and Web3 companies, can rise or fall dramatically and quickly. If their value goes down, there’s no guarantee that it will rise again. As a result, there is a significant risk of loss of your entire principal investment.

Digital assets are not generally backed or supported by any government or central bank and are not covered by FDIC or SIPC insurance. Accounts at digital asset custodians and exchanges are not protected by SPIC and are not FDIC insured. Furthermore, markets and exchanges for digital assets are not regulated with the same controls or customer protections available in traditional equity, option, futures, or foreign exchange investing.

Digital assets include, but are not limited to, cryptocurrencies, tokens, NFTs, assets stored or created using blockchain technology, and other Web3 products.

Web3 companies include but are not limited to, companies that involve the development, innovation, and/or utilization of blockchain, digital assets, or crypto technologies.

VAN ECK ABSOLUTE RETURN ADVISERS CORPORATION (‘VEARA”), THE INVESTMENT MANAGER OF THE FUND, IS A MEMBER OF NFA AND IS SUBJECT TO NFA'S REGULATORY OVERSIGHT AND EXAMINATIONS. HOWEVER, YOU SHOULD BE AWARE THAT NFA DOES NOT HAVE REGULATORY OVERSIGHT AUTHORITY OVER UNDERLYING OR SPOT VIRTUAL CURRENCY PRODUCTS OR TRANSACTIONS OR VIRTUAL CURRENCY EXCHANGES, CUSTODIANS OR MARKETS. THE FUND IS NOT A COMMODITY POOL AND WILL NOT BE REGULATED BY THE U.S. COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION (THE “CFTC”) UNDER THE COMMODITY EXCHANGE ACT AND THE RULES THEREUNDER. INVESTORS IN THE FUND WILL NOT RECEIVE THE REGULATORY PROTECTIONS AFFORDED TO INVESTORS IN REGULATED COMMODITY POOLS.

Information provided by Van Eck is not intended to be, nor should it be construed as financial, tax or legal advice. It is not a recommendation to buy or sell an interest in cryptocurrencies.

© Van Eck Securities Corporation, Distributor, a wholly owned subsidiary of Van Eck Associates Corporation.