Solana News Today: Grayscale Cuts GSOL Fees, Raises Staking Rewards to Counter Bitcoin ETF Outflows

Grayscale Investments, the world's largest digital asset-focused investment platform, has announced a strategic move to boost investor returns in its Grayscale Solana Trust ETF (GSOL). Effective immediately, the firm is waiving the sponsor's fee and reducing staking fees for the fund for up to three months or until the fund's assets under management (AUM) reach $1 billion, whichever occurs first, according to a GlobeNewswire release. This initiative, which benefits both new and existing investors, comes as Grayscale seeks to enhance the appeal of its Solana-based product amid a competitive crypto ETF landscape, as reported by Phemex.

The GSOL fund, which holds Solana (SOL) and stakes up to 100% of its holdings, now offers a 7.23% gross staking reward rate per the GlobeNewswire release. This rate, combined with the temporary fee waiver, positions GSOL as one of the most attractive options for investors seeking yield from staking. "By waiving the management fee and reducing the staking fee for GSOL, we're directing more of the economics to investors," said Inkoo Kang, Senior Vice President of ETFs at Grayscale, as detailed in the GlobeNewswire release. The firm has been staking in GSOL since October 6, 2025, even before the fund's recent uplisting to an exchange-traded product (ETP) status, according to MarketScreener https://www.marketscreener.com/news/grayscale-waives-management-fees-and-expands-staking-up-to-100-for-solana-trust-gsol-offering-7-ce7d5cdcd18ef026.

The move underscores Grayscale's broader strategy to diversify its ETF offerings beyond Bitcoin. The firm's flagship Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC) has faced over $12 billion in outflows since converting to a spot Bitcoin ETF in early 2024, a trend analysts attribute to its 1.5% expense ratio—higher than rivals like BlackRock and Fidelity, as reported by Cryptopolitan. By contrast, GSOL's net staking reward rate of 6.60% (after fees) and its 0.35% fee post-promotion aim to attract investors seeking cost efficiency, an analysis discussed by Blockonomi.

GSOL, which launched in 2021 and uplisted to an ETP in October 2025, provides exchange-listed exposure to Solana through a diversified validator approach, mitigating risks associated with centralization, according to the GlobeNewswire release. Solana's high-throughput, low-fee blockchain has drawn institutional interest, with entities like Forward Industries recently acquiring over $1 billion in SOL for corporate treasuries, as reported by Coinotag. Grayscale's staking program, which locks up SOL to secure the network, offers compounding potential for investors while aligning with Solana's proof-of-stake model, per the GSOL page.

However, the fund is not without risks. GSOL is not registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, meaning it lacks the regulatory protections of traditional ETFs, a point noted in the GlobeNewswire release. Additionally, staking exposes the fund to liquidity constraints and market volatility during lock-up periods, as described in the GlobeNewswire release. Despite these caveats, the firm's transparent staking structure and real-time reward distribution have drawn praise from industry observers, an assessment found in the Blockonomi analysis.

The fee waiver and staking incentives reflect Grayscale's efforts to reset investor perceptions and compete in a maturing crypto market. As institutional capital flows into Solana, the firm's move signals a strategic pivot toward yield-generating products, positioning GSOL as a key player in the altcoin ETF space, as covered by Cryptopolitan.