New corporate filings indicate BlackRock is preparing to capitalize on the dominance of its existing iShares Ethereum Trust (ETHA) by launching a staked version of the fund.
The “iShares Staked Ethereum Trust” was registered in Delaware by Daniel Schweiger, the same BlackRock managing director behind the firm’s initial Ethereum ETF filing.
This development is part of a broader industry trend, with Nasdaq having already filed to add staking to the existing ETHA structure in July. While the SEC under the current administration has approved spot Ethereum ETFs, it has remained cautious about permitting staking—a feature that generates yield for investors.
By filing for a new, distinct fund, BlackRock may be testing the regulatory boundaries. If approved, it could use the massive scale of ETHA (over $11.5B in AUM) as a foundation to quickly establish market leadership in the staked ETH ETF space.
