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BlackRock Seeks Staking Option for iShares Ethereum Trust in New Filing
Nasdaq submitted an amended 19b-4 filing to allow staking of ether held in the iShares Ethereum Trust ETF (ETHA).
Updated Jul 17, 2025, 5:22 p.m. Published Jul 17, 2025, 5:00 p.m.
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What to know:
- BlackRock is seeking to add staking to its iShares Ethereum Trust (ETHA), according to an amended 19b-4 filing submitted by Nasdaq on Thursday.
- The move would allow the fund to earn yield by locking up ether to help validate transactions on the Ethereum network.
- Several other asset managers have proposed similar staking features, as the SEC weighs how staking fits into the evolving crypto ETF landscape.
BlackRock is looking to add staking to its iShares Ethereum Trust (ETHA), a move that would allow the fund to earn rewards by validating transactions on the Ethereum network. Nasdaq, which lists the fund, submitted the amended 19b-4 filing on Thursday.
The update signals that BlackRock is aiming to go beyond simple ether (ETH) exposure and participate in Ethereum’s proof-of-stake consensus system. If approved, the ETF could stake a portion of its ETH holdings through one or more trusted providers to generate additional yield.
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Ether staking involves locking up tokens to help secure the network in exchange for regular payouts. Several asset managers, including Franklin Templeton and Grayscale, have also proposed staking features in their Ethereum ETF filings. The SEC delayed its first deadline to make a decision on those proposals.
U.S. regulators have yet to definitively decide whether staking services offered through an ETF would qualify as securities activity. But the inclusion of staking in the BlackRock filing reflects growing confidence that staking could eventually be part of crypto ETFs.
The SEC is widely expected to greenlight a further wave of spot crypto ETFs this year after approving similar bitcoin and ether products last year.
ETHA is currently trading at $25.42 a share and has attracted over $7.2 billion in assets since its launch in June of last year.
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