Solana News Today: Solana Staking ETF Surpasses $100M in AUM as Staking Rewards Drive Demand SOL Gains 25 3% in 7 Days

The Solana Staking Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF), SSK, launched by REX-Osprey, has surpassed $100 million in assets under management (AUM) within 12 trading days of its July 2 debut, marking a significant milestone for U.S.-listed crypto investment products. The fund is the first in the country to offer spot exposure to Solana’s native token, SOL, while enabling investors to earn on-chain staking rewards as regular dividends. This innovative structure, registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, distinguishes SSK from conventional crypto ETFs—typically governed by the Securities Act of 1933, which prohibits the distribution of staking income. By integrating staking rewards into a traditional ETF framework, SSK caters to investors seeking both blockchain exposure and yield generation in a regulated environment.

The rapid growth of SSK reflects increasing demand for crypto-based income strategies among institutional and retail investors. REX-Osprey’s founder and CEO, Greg King, emphasized that the fund’s structure appeals to registered investment advisers (RIAs) and other professionals seeking diversified returns in a low-yield market. “SSK is opening the door for mainstream investors to access the power of Solana staking through the familiar ETF wrapper,” he stated. The fund’s success also coincides with a broader market trend: Solana’s native token, SOL, has surged 25.3% over the past seven days, trading above $200 per coin as of the latest data. This price movement underscores growing confidence in the Solana ecosystem as a platform for both speculative and yield-focused strategies.

SSK’s launch aligns with a shifting institutional landscape, where asset managers are increasingly prioritizing staking-based returns as an alternative to traditional fixed-income assets. With global interest rates stabilizing and Bitcoin’s price gains moderating, investors are turning to crypto yield strategies to enhance portfolio performance. While SSK is the first U.S. ETF to explicitly incorporate on-chain staking rewards, other platforms offering Ethereum staking and tokenized U.S. Treasury products have also seen steady inflows from institutional capital. However, regulatory challenges remain a hurdle for staking-linked ETFs. SSK’s compliance-driven structure, which navigates existing legal frameworks, could serve as a model for future products.

The competitive landscape for crypto ETFs is intensifying as multiple firms seek to replicate SSK’s success. REX-Osprey has already filed for similarly structured ETFs targeting XRP, DOGE, and ETH, with plans to expand further based on client demand. Concurrently, industry players such as 21Shares, Franklin Templeton, and Grayscale are exploring staking-linked offerings, while Fidelity recently submitted an S-1 registration for a spot Solana ETF with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Despite these developments, no Ethereum-based ETFs currently offer on-chain staking rewards, a gap that could close as regulatory clarity and compliant structures emerge.

The trajectory of SSK highlights the evolving intersection of traditional finance and blockchain technology. By bridging the gap between crypto staking and conventional investment vehicles, REX-Osprey has demonstrated a viable path for mainstream adoption of blockchain-native assets. As the regulatory environment for crypto products continues to mature, the trend of institutional capital allocating to staking-based returns is likely to accelerate, reshaping the competitive dynamics between crypto and traditional asset management sectors. SSK’s performance underscores the potential for innovative structures to attract both yield-hungry investors and those seeking exposure to blockchain’s growth narrative without sacrificing regulatory alignment.