BlackRock Begins Seeding ETH Staking ETF
The TradFi asset management giant is currently aping ETH to seed its latest investment product.
BlackRock – the world's largest asset manager with $14T in assets under management – has begun purchasing Ether for its upcoming iShares Staked ETH ETF, an initial fund launch step known as "seeding."
What's the Scoop?
- Commence the Bid: According to an updated S-1 registration statement filed today, BlackRock (via an affiliate) has purchased 4,000 seed shares of the iShares Staked ETH ETF at $25 per share, seeding the trust with $100,000 of initial capital. The proceeds of this sale will be used to purchase and stake ETH.
- ETH Staking ETF: BlackRock first filed to create a staked
Ethereum ETF in December. The fund – which will trade under the ticker symbol "ETHB" – will stake up to 95% of AUM under normal market circumstances. BlackRock's existing "ETHA" spot ETF held net assets of $6.5B as of Friday, down sharply from the near $11B it held when BlackRock initially filed for ETHB.
NEW: updated filing for BlackRock’s @iShares staked Ethereum ETF. Ticker $ETHB. Filing includes expense ratio which will be 0.25%. pic.twitter.com/CW7pKVoJXX
—James Seyffart (@JSeyff) February 17, 2026
Jack Inabinet
Jack Inabinet is a Senior Analyst with a passion for exploring the bleeding edge of crypto and finance. Prior to joining Bankless, Jack worked as an analyst at HAL Real Estate where he conducted market research and financial analysis for commercial real estate development and acquisition activities in the Seattle region. He graduated from the University of Washington’s Michael G. Foster School of Business.
