BlackRock launched the iShares Staked Ethereum Trust ETF, a new crypto investment product that combines spot ether exposure with staking rewards. The fund, trading under the ticker ETHB, marks the asset manager’s third crypto ETF and its first to incorporate staking.
ETHB will hold spot ether and stake a portion of its holdings on the Ethereum network, allowing investors to earn staking rewards alongside price exposure.
The launch expands BlackRock’s growing digital asset lineup, which already includes the iShares Bitcoin Trust IBIT and the iShares Ethereum Trust ETHA. Since their debut, those funds have accumulated significant assets, with IBIT managing more than $55 billion and ETHA roughly $6.5 billion.
BlackRock expects the new ETF to attract a broad investor base, including individual traders, financial advisors, hedge funds, and family offices seeking simplified access to Ethereum staking income through traditional brokerage accounts.
The fund carries a 0.25% sponsor fee, though BlackRock will waive part of the cost during the first year. For the first $2.5 billion in assets, the fee will be reduced to 0.12% to help the product gain traction during its early months.
Ethereum was last trading near $2,060 at press time, up about 0.6% on the day. BlackRock’s new product enters a small but growing segment of the market, where one of the main competitors is Grayscale, which also offers a staked Ethereum investment vehicle designed to provide exposure to ether alongside potential staking rewards.
Source: https://cryptobriefing.com/blackrock-launches-staked-ethereum-etf/
