Grayscale has announced a staking rewards distribution for its Ethereum Staking ETF, marking a landmark event as it is the first time a US-listed spot crypto ETP has scheduled a payout based on staking. Shareholders of the Grayscale Ethereum Trust ETF (ETHE) will receive approximately $0.08 per share from the staking rewards, with the payout set for Tuesday, following holdings recorded at market closure on Monday.
Grayscale activated staking for its Ethereum offerings on October 6, with the process managed through institutional custodians and third-party validators. This step allowed both ETHE and the Grayscale Ethereum Mini Trust ETF (ETH) to be the first US-listed spot crypto ETPs gaining exposure to Ether staking.
Staking involves locking up cryptocurrency on a proof-of-stake blockchain to validate transactions and secure the network, with participants receiving periodic rewards. For Grayscale’s Ethereum ETF, rewards are distributed in cash rather than Ether.
Grayscale operates outside the parameters of the Investment Company Act of 1940, enabling staking but providing different regulatory protections than traditional US ETFs.
Established in 2013, Grayscale Investments is a digital asset manager with around $31 billion in assets under its management.
The ETF experienced an increase of about 2% in early trading, as reported by Yahoo Finance data.
US Spot Ether ETFs and the Push Toward Staking
Currently, Grayscale stands as the sole US-traded fund disbursing payouts linked to Ether staking, with several spot Ether ETFs from significant asset managers still awaiting approval from the US Securities and Exchange Commission.
In March, Cboe BZX proposed a rule change seeking the SEC’s approval to enable staking for the Fidelity Ethereum Fund. Meanwhile, in November, BlackRock registered a staked Ethereum ETF in Delaware, marking an initial procedural step towards launching a staking-enabled product alongside its current spot Ether ETF.
US spot Ether ETFs commenced trading in July 2024, making 2025 the first complete calendar year for investor access. During this year, these funds attracted $9.6 billion in inflows, managing around $18 billion in total assets as of now.
BlackRock’s iShares Ethereum Trust ETF (ETHA) is the largest by market capitalization, with approximately $11.1 billion, followed by Grayscale’s ETHE at around $4.1 billion.
