Ethereum and Solana funds mark industry first as Grayscale adds staking to spot crypto products
Kyle Smith/Shutterstock and Adobe modified by Blockworks
Grayscale Investments has just launched the first US-listed spot crypto exchange-traded products (ETPs) offering staking.
The Grayscale Ethereum Trust ETF (ETHE) and Grayscale Ethereum Mini Trust ETF (ETH) now enable Ether staking, while the Grayscale Solana Trust (GSOL) has activated staking capabilities ahead of its proposed uplisting as a spot Solana ETP.
The move provides traditional brokerage investors with access to staking rewards — previously confined to native crypto platforms — through regulated vehicles.
The products are not registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, meaning they operate outside the framework governing traditional mutual funds and ETFs. Staking, the process of locking up tokens to secure proof-of-stake blockchains like Ethereum and Solana in exchange for rewards, introduces yield potential but also adds operational and network risks.
Grayscale said staking will be managed through institutional custodians and diversified validator networks to reduce single-party risk.
This marks the first time US investors can access staking yield through exchange-traded exposure to Ethereum and Solana, expanding upon regulatory acceptance that began with spot Bitcoin ETFs in January 2024 and spot Ether ETFs in July 2024.
Grayscale CEO Peter Mintzberg called the initiative “first mover innovation,” underscoring the firm’s role in shaping institutional crypto access.
This is a developing story.
This article was generated with the assistance of AI and reviewed by editor Jeffrey Albus before publication.
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