Ethereum News Today: SEC Confirms BlackRock Staking-Enabled ETHA ETF With 3% Yield Potential Spurring Industry Adoption

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has formally acknowledged a proposal submitted by Nasdaq on behalf of BlackRock to permit staking within the iShares Ethereum Trust (ETHA), a spot Ethereum exchange-traded fund (ETF). The revised Rule 19b-4 filing outlines that the proposed change would allow ETHA to stake Ether—either directly or through approved staking providers—with rewards classified as fund income [1]. This development positions BlackRock alongside other fund issuers, including Fidelity, Grayscale, 21Shares, and Franklin Templeton, which are also seeking regulatory approval to integrate staking into their Ethereum-focused products.

The proposal introduces the potential for enhanced returns through Ethereum staking rewards, which are estimated to yield approximately 3% annually per ETH [1]. The SEC’s recent clarification that protocol staking itself is not a securities offering suggests a regulatory environment increasingly open to such innovations [2]. However, the timing of BlackRock’s filing has drawn scrutiny, as it lags behind similar submissions from other issuers. Critics argue the SEC should prioritize applications based on submission order rather than consolidating rulings across multiple proposals [3].

For investors, approval of the staking-enabled ETHA could create a yield-bearing Ethereum investment option, potentially outperforming existing ETFs that hold non-staked Ether. Industry-wide, a favorable outcome might catalyze broader adoption of staking features across U.S. spot Ethereum ETFs, reshaping the crypto market landscape. Analysts note that if the SEC issues a unified approval, it could encompass all staking proposals as early as Q4 2025, well before BlackRock’s April 2026 deadline for final action [4]. This timeline hinges on the agency’s capacity to process applications efficiently while maintaining regulatory rigor.

Source: [1] SEC Officially Confirms BlackRock’s Stake-Enabled Spot Ethereum ETF Filing (https://coinmarketcap.com/community/articles/6889376e3981806f1249e24f/)

[2] SEC Officially Confirms BlackRock’s Stake-Enabled Spot Ethereum ETF Filing (https://coinmarketcap.com/community/articles/6889376e3981806f1249e24f/)

[3] SEC Officially Confirms BlackRock’s Stake-Enabled Spot Ethereum ETF Filing (https://coinmarketcap.com/community/articles/6889376e3981806f1249e24f/)

[4] SEC Officially Confirms BlackRock’s Stake-Enabled Spot Ethereum ETF Filing (https://coinmarketcap.com/community/articles/6889376e3981806f1249e24f/)