BlackRock Launches Staked Ether ETF on Nasdaq

TLDR

• BlackRock launched the iShares Staked Ethereum Trust ETF on Nasdaq under the ticker ETHB.
• The fund provides spot ether exposure and includes on-chain staking rewards.
• ETHB becomes BlackRock’s first crypto ETF to incorporate staking.
• The ETF carries a 0.25% sponsor fee with a reduced 0.12% fee on the first $2.5 billion for one year.
• BlackRock expects demand from individual traders, financial advisors, hedge funds, and family offices.

BlackRock has launched its iShares Staked Ethereum Trust ETF on Nasdaq. The fund offers spot Ether exposure and staking rewards. The product expands the firm’s digital asset ETF lineup.

BlackRock expands crypto lineup with staking-enabled ether fund

BlackRock began trading its iShares Staked Ethereum Trust ETF under the ticker ETHB on Thursday. The fund holds spot ether and stakes a portion on the Ethereum network. As a result, investors can seek price exposure and staking rewards within one structure.

The launch marks BlackRock’s third crypto ETF in the United States. The firm already manages the iShares Bitcoin Trust and the iShares Ethereum Trust. However, ETHB becomes the first fund to integrate on-chain staking.

Jay Jacobs, BlackRock’s U.S. head of equity ETFs, said the move centers on investor demand. “This is really about investor choice,” Jacobs told CoinDesk. He added that some investors want ether exposure with staking rewards combined.

Ethereum operates on a proof-of-stake system that rewards token holders. Participants lock coins to validate transactions and secure the network. In return, they receive rewards that many view as yield.

Until now, most ether ETFs have excluded staking features. Some managers, including Grayscale, have introduced staking-enabled products. Jacobs said that absence kept certain crypto-native investors away from ETFs.

“Some investors who already hold ether directly were staking it,” Jacobs said. He added that they hesitated to lose that feature in an ETF. Therefore, ETHB aims to retain staking benefits within a regulated structure.

BlackRock targets broader adoption as allocations remain low

BlackRock stated that ETHB carries a 0.25% sponsor fee. The firm will waive part of that fee for one year. Consequently, it will charge 0.12% on the first $2.5 billion in assets.

The firm oversees about $130 billion in crypto-related exchange-traded products and tokenized funds. According to the company, iShares captured about 95% of digital asset ETP flows in 2025. IBIT now manages more than $55 billion, while ETHA holds about $6.5 billion.

Jacobs said institutions usually allocate low single digits to digital assets. He estimated that typical allocations range between 1% and 2%. At those levels, he said, crypto risk can match exposure to large technology stocks.

He explained that staking rewards may support that framework. The firm expects demand from traders, advisors, hedge funds, and family offices.

Jacobs said BlackRock will focus on expanding the adoption of bitcoin and ether ETFs. “We’re still in the early days of digital asset ETF adoption,” he said. He added that many investors continue to learn about the asset class.

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