- BlackRock plans to stake up to 95% of ETH in ETHB, sharing 82% of rewards with investors for steady yield.
- The ETF lets institutions earn from Ethereum without handling complex staking themselves.
- ETHB launch reflects a major U.S. policy shift, now allowing staking rewards in exchange-traded products.
BlackRock is gearing up to launch a groundbreaking Ethereum staking ETF, signaling a new era for institutional crypto investors. The iShares Staked Ethereum Trust, trading under the ticker ETHB, could transform ETH from a passive holding into a yield-generating asset.
According to Arkham, the ETF plans to stake up to 95% of its Ethereum while sharing 82% of the rewards with investors. This initiative follows BlackRock’s successful spot Ethereum ETF, ETHA, which has already accumulated over $6 billion in assets.
The fund got its first funding from a “Seed Capital Investor,” who bought 4,000 shares at just $0.25 each. BlackRock has officially filed with the SEC, but there’s still no set launch date. Experts expect the ETF to start sometime in the first half of 2026.
Besides getting regulatory approval, this move also reflects a big shift in U.S. rules, now allowing staking rewards to be included in ETFs—something that wasn’t possible before.
Staking Structure and Revenue Model
BlackRock intends to stake between 70% and 95% of the Ether held in ETHB. To meet redemption demands, the fund will maintain a “Liquidity Sleeve” of 5% to 30% in unstaked ETH. This setup ensures investors can access liquidity even while the majority of assets generate staking rewards.
Additionally, the fund will share 82% of staking rewards with investors, while BlackRock and Coinbase, as the prime execution agent, retain 18%. The trust carries a sponsor fee of 0.25% on top of staking revenue cuts.
Investors can monitor ETHB’s real-time performance and holdings through Arkham’s Intel Platform. BlackRock already ranks as the fourth-largest entity on Arkham, with over $57 billion in on-chain holdings as of February 2026.
However, traders should note that T+1 settlement in traditional finance delays on-chain evidence of ETH purchases by one business day. Monitoring BlackRock’s entity page reveals these significant capital movements as they settle on the blockchain.
Despite Ethereum trading below $2,000 during the ongoing “crypto winter,” institutional participation in DeFi continues to rise. The ETHB ETF represents a convergence of traditional finance with decentralized finance infrastructure.
Moreover, it opens opportunities for institutions seeking yield on long-term ETH holdings without navigating complex staking processes. Consequently, ETHB could redefine Ethereum’s utility for large-scale investors.