Grayscale Investments, the world’s largest digital asset manager, has taken a major step in bridging traditional finance and blockchain infrastructure by enabling staking for its U.S.-listed spot Ethereum exchange-traded products.
The company announced Monday that the Grayscale Ethereum Trust ETF (ETHE) and Grayscale Ethereum Mini Trust ETF (ETH) are now the first U.S.-listed spot crypto exchange-traded products to allow staking. The move gives investors a way to earn network rewards while maintaining exposure to Ether’s price movements.
Grayscale also said that staking has been activated for the Grayscale Solana Trust (GSOL), which trades over-the-counter. Pending regulatory approval, the company plans to uplist GSOL as a spot Solana ETP with staking features — one of the first of its kind in the market.
Expanding Access to Staking
The new capability allows Grayscale’s funds to participate in blockchain validation without direct investor involvement. Through institutional custodians and a network of validator providers, Grayscale will engage in passive staking, contributing to the Ethereum and Solana networks’ security and long-term sustainability.
Unlike 1940 Act-registered ETFs and mutual funds, ETHE and ETH are not regulated under the Investment Company Act, meaning they carry different investor protections and risk profiles. Grayscale emphasized that investments in these funds are not direct holdings of digital assets and could result in loss of principal.
By integrating staking, Grayscale aims to offer investors a regulated path to access blockchain yield — an area traditionally limited to direct crypto holders or institutional participants.
Industry Implications and Next Steps
Chief Executive Officer Peter Mintzberg described the update as part of Grayscale’s broader strategy to align product innovation with evolving investor demand. “Staking in our spot Ethereum and Solana funds is exactly the kind of first-mover innovation Grayscale was built to deliver,” Mintzberg said in a statement.
The company also released a report titled Staking 101: Secure the Blockchain, Earn Rewards, which outlines how staking supports network operations and offers potential incentives for participants.
As regulatory frameworks for digital assets mature, Grayscale said it plans to extend staking across additional products while maintaining transparency and investor education. The initiative positions the firm among a small group of asset managers integrating blockchain infrastructure features into traditional investment vehicles.
