BlackRock’s Bold Move: Staked Ether ETF or Just a Fad?

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Hold onto your wallets, folks! The mighty US-based asset management behemoth, BlackRock, has decided to dip its toe (or maybe its whole foot) into the wild world of staked Ether. Yes, you heard it right! They’re looking to list an investment vehicle tied to staked Ether – and if you can believe it, it’s all part of their grand plan to dominate the cryptocurrency universe, one ETF at a time.

In a daring move (and possibly toying with the SEC’s patience), BlackRock filed a Form S-1 registration statement on Friday with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. This, dear reader, is how companies like BlackRock ask for permission to list and trade their shiny new toys like ETFs. Will the SEC approve? Oh, they might, they might not… Who knows? Stay tuned!

Now, for the juicy bit. BlackRock is planning to list its staked Ether (ETH) fund under the ticker ETHB on the famous Nasdaq exchange. It could even be one of the first to launch a staked cryptocurrency ETF. How exciting! Grayscale, that other giant in the crypto game, added staking to its ETH and mini ETH trusts back in October, just to keep things spicy. 🍿

But wait – there’s a twist! The SEC, that ever-watchful guardian of regulations, hasn’t exactly been showering staked crypto funds with approval since it gave the green light to spot Ether ETFs in May 2024. Still, Canary Capital had a go in July with its Injective (INJ) staking product, and Grayscale and Bitwise are all in with Solana (SOL) staking products. But, really, who’s counting?

For those keeping score at home, BlackRock is also the proud manager of the world’s largest spot Bitcoin ETF, the iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF, which you can find under the ticker symbol IBIT. Big deal, right? 😎

Has Larry Fink Finally Seen the Crypto Light? 💡

Now here’s the real kicker: Larry Fink, BlackRock’s co-founder, the man who once said Bitcoin was all about “money laundering,” seems to have had a change of heart. Can you believe it? In the roaring days of Bitcoin’s 2017 bull run, Larry was convinced that crypto was merely a haven for money launderers. Oh, how times have changed! 📉

Fast forward to today, and Fink’s opinions have… evolved. He now claims to have had a “big shift” in his crypto views, but don’t get too excited – he still calls Bitcoin an “asset of fear.” So, while he’s warming up to crypto, he’s not exactly singing its praises from the rooftops just yet. Baby steps, Larry. Baby steps.

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2025-12-08 20:34