Catenaa, Tuesday, February 24, 2026- BlackRock has begun purchasing Ethereum for its upcoming iShares Staked Ethereum Trust ETF, signaling a move to offer yield-generating exposure to the cryptocurrency in the U.S.
The firm’s affiliate acquired 4,000 seed shares at $25 each, providing $100,000 in initial capital for the trust.
The ETF, expected to trade under the ticker ETHB, plans to stake 70%–95% of its Ether holdings under normal market conditions.
Staking rewards are projected to average around 3% annually based on early 2026 network benchmarks, though the company cautioned that these figures do not guarantee future returns.
The fund differs from BlackRock’s existing spot Ethereum ETF, which tracks price without yield.
BlackRock set a sponsor fee of 0.25% per year, temporarily reduced to 0.12% for the first $2.5 billion in assets under management during the first year.
The fund will retain 5%–30% of ETH unstaked to facilitate operational needs, creations, and redemptions. An 18% cut of gross staking rewards will go to BlackRock and its execution agent, Coinbase Prime, with the remainder accruing to the trust and shareholders.
The ETF’s launch follows BlackRock’s earlier indications last year that it intended to expand yield-focused crypto products.
Analysts say the fund could attract investors seeking Ethereum exposure with additional income potential from staking, complementing existing passive crypto investment options.
