Bitwise Asset Management is reportedly in the process of obtaining institutional staking provider Chorus One, aiming to expand its cryptocurrency yield offerings. This move aligns with the increasing demand for on-chain yield products from both retail and institutional investors.
Chorus One provides staking services to various decentralized networks and currently manages about $2.2 billion in assets staked, according to their website.
The financial details surrounding the acquisition have not been made public, as reported by Bloomberg, which cited statements from both involved companies. Cointelegraph has attempted to reach Bitwise and Chorus One for comments but has yet to receive a response by the time of publication.
Ethereum Staking Demand Increases
Recent data indicates a significant surge in the demand to stake Ether (ETH), with more than 4 million ETH in the entry queue, leading to a wait period extending over 70 days. Approximately 37 million ETH, which is over 30% of the total supply, is now staked, with nearly 1 million active validators safeguarding the network. This trend suggests that more holders are opting to lock up their ETH despite the lengthy waiting times.
The growing interest in staking has prompted other major asset managers to integrate yield into their regulated crypto products. Notably, Morgan Stanley has sought approval to launch a spot Ether ETF that would stake part of its assets to generate passive income. Similarly, Grayscale is preparing to distribute staking rewards from its Ethereum Trust ETF, marking the first payout associated with on-chain staking by a US-listed crypto ETF.
Record Mergers & Acquisitions in Crypto
This acquisition comes during a period of unprecedented growth in the crypto industry’s mergers and acquisitions, which reached $8.6 billion across a record 133 transactions by November 2025, surpassing the cumulative total of the previous four years. Notably, Coinbase has led this surge, completing six acquisitions, including the $2.9 billion acquisition of cryptocurrency derivatives exchange Deribit.
For related content, see: 21Shares launches first Jito staked Solana ETP in Europe.
