BlackRock Begins Purchasing ETH Ahead of its Ethereum Staking ETF Launch

TL;DR

• Asset manager BlackRock has begun accumulating ETH as it looks to launch its Ethereum staking ETF.

• The filing estimates the ether staking yield to average out annually to 3% using early 2026 reference benchmarks.

BlackRock Intensifies Plans to Launch an Ethereum Staking ETF

BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager, has continued its plans towards launching a yield-generating Ethereum fund in the U.S.

In an amended S-1 registration statement on Tuesday, the asset manager revealed that its affiliate purchased 4,000 seed shares at $25 each, providing $100,000 in initial capital for the trust.

The statement added that the iShares Staked Ethereum Trust ETF, expected to trade under the ticker ETHB, will stake as much of the Trust’s ether as practicable, equating to 70%–95% under normal market circumstances

“Early 2026 reference benchmarks show annualized rates around 3% on average. These historical ranges are descriptive of average network conditions over those periods and do not guarantee future results,” noting “rewards trended lower as validator participation grew,” the statement added. 

The new ETF differs from BlackRock's existing spot Ethereum ETF (ETHA), the largest ETH-based exchange-traded fund, which offers pure price tracking without yield.

The asset manager first hinted at launching an Ethereum staking fund last year. BlackRock’s filing notes a sponsor fee of 0.25% per year, with a promotional waiver reducing it to 0.12% for the first $2.5 billion in assets under management for the first 12 months after launch.

Furthermore, the new fund will allocate 18% cut of gross staking rewards by the sponsor, BlackRock, and execution agent, Coinbase Prime, with the remaining net rewards accruing to the trust and, ultimately, shareholders. 

The filing concluded that between 5%–30% of the fund’s total ETH will remain unstaked to facilitate creations, redemptions, and operational needs.

Ether, the second-largest cryptocurrency by market cap, is up 1.5% in the last 24 hours and is now trading above $2k.