Staked Crypto ETFs: How to Earn Staking Yield Through Your Brokerage
Staked crypto ETFs let you earn on-chain staking rewards without ever touching a crypto wallet. Funds like BlackRock's ETHB (staked Ethereum, launched March 12, 2026) and Bitwise's BSOL (staked Solana, $717M AUM) hold crypto, stake it on the network, and pass yield to shareholders—all within a standard brokerage account. With 130+ crypto ETF filings under SEC review and staking yields running 2.5-7%+ annually, staked ETFs are the fastest-growing bridge between traditional finance and DeFi. This guide covers how they work, which funds exist, what you'll actually earn after fees, and whether they make sense for your portfolio.
Staked crypto ETFs carry risk of principal loss due to crypto price volatility, slashing events, and market conditions. Staking yields are variable and not guaranteed. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This guide is educational only—not financial advice. Always do your own research.
1. What Are Staked Crypto ETFs?
A staked crypto ETF is an exchange-traded fund that holds a proof-of-stake cryptocurrency (like Ethereum or Solana) and stakes a portion of its holdings on the blockchain network to earn staking rewards. These rewards flow back to the fund, increasing the net asset value (NAV) for shareholders—essentially giving you crypto price exposure plus yield, all within a traditional brokerage account.
Before March 2026, most crypto ETFs were "spot" products—they just held the asset and tracked its price. You got exposure to ETH or BTC but missed out on staking rewards that native holders earned. That changed when the SEC began approving staking within ETF wrappers, following the GENIUS Act (July 2025), which established a regulatory framework for yield-generating crypto products.
Proof-of-stake blockchains like Ethereum and Solana secure their networks by having validators lock ("stake") tokens as collateral. In return, stakers earn rewards—similar to interest on a savings account, but generated by the blockchain itself. Ethereum currently yields approximately 3.1% annually, while Solana yields 7%+. Staked crypto ETFs automate this process within a regulated fund structure.
The practical benefit is enormous: you can now earn staking yield on Ethereum or Solana through your Schwab, Fidelity, or Robinhood account—no MetaMask wallet required, no gas fees, no validator selection. The ETF handles all staking operations, and you receive yield as NAV growth or monthly distributions.
2. How Staked ETFs Work (Step-by-Step)
Understanding the mechanics helps you evaluate whether the fee structure is fair and what risks you're taking on. Here's how a typical staked crypto ETF operates from purchase to yield:
On Ethereum, unstaking has a withdrawal queue that can take hours to days depending on network congestion. On Solana, unstaking takes approximately 2-3 days (1 epoch). Staked ETFs manage this by keeping a liquidity buffer (5-30% unstaked) so that share redemptions aren't delayed. This buffer slightly reduces the total yield compared to staking 100% of holdings.
3. Top Staked Crypto ETFs in 2026
The staked ETF landscape is evolving rapidly. Here are the major funds available as of March 2026, sorted by AUM:
| Fund | Ticker | Asset | AUM | Mgmt Fee | Staking Fee | Net Yield (est.) | Exchange |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bitwise Solana Staking ETF | BSOL | SOL | $717M | 0.20% | ~15% | ~5.5-6.5% | NYSE Arca |
| iShares Staked Ethereum Trust | ETHB | ETH | ~$100M* | 0.25% (0.12%†) | 18% | ~2.5% | Nasdaq |
| VanEck Solana Staking ETF | VSOL | SOL | ~$340M | 0.20% | ~15% | ~5.5-6.5% | Cboe BZX |
| Grayscale Ethereum Trust (Staked) | ETHE | ETH | ~$4.5B‡ | 1.50% | 10% | ~1.3% | NYSE Arca |
| REX-Osprey ETH Staking ETF | RSTK | ETH | ~$45M | 0.35% | 15% | ~2.3% | Nasdaq |
* ETHB launched March 12, 2026 with ~$100M initial assets. † Promotional rate on first $2.5B. ‡ Grayscale ETHE is a converted trust, not a native ETF—higher fees reflect legacy structure. Data approximate as of March 16, 2026. Check current NAV and yield on fund sponsor sites.
BlackRock's iShares Staked Ethereum Trust ETF (ETHB) launched on Nasdaq on March 12, 2026—the asset manager's third crypto ETF and first with staking. ETHB stakes 70-95% of its ETH holdings through Coinbase Prime, targeting approximately 82% pass-through of gross staking rewards (with BlackRock and Coinbase retaining 18%). At launch, it debuted with $15.5M in first-day trading volume on roughly $100M in initial assets.
Why it matters: BlackRock manages $11.5 trillion in assets. When they launch a staking product, it signals to the entire TradFi ecosystem that on-chain yield is here to stay. ETHB is expected to absorb significant capital from their existing ETHA (non-staking ETH ETF) as investors migrate for the yield premium.
Bitwise's BSOL is currently the largest staked crypto ETF by AUM at $717M. Launched in November 2025 alongside VanEck's VSOL, it stakes Solana tokens at approximately 7%+ gross yield—significantly higher than Ethereum staking. After the ~15% staking fee and 0.20% management fee, net yield runs approximately 5.5-6.5%. Solana staking ETFs have attracted substantial inflows due to the network's higher yield profile and strong DeFi ecosystem growth.
4. Fee Structures & Net Yield Breakdown
Staked ETFs charge two layers of fees, and understanding both is critical to evaluating your actual return:
Assume $10,000 invested, 3.1% gross ETH staking rate, 85% of holdings staked:
Minus staking fee (18%): $263.50 × 18% = -$47.43
Net staking income: $216.07
Minus management fee (0.25%): $10,000 × 0.25% = -$25.00
Total net income: $191.07 (~1.91% net yield)
At the promotional 0.12% management fee, net yield improves to approximately $203.07 (~2.03%). Compare this to 3.1% from direct staking—you're paying roughly 1% for the convenience and regulatory wrapper.
For Solana staked ETFs, the math is more favorable due to higher base yields. BSOL at 7% gross with 15% staking fee and 0.20% management nets approximately 5.5-5.7%—a narrower gap from direct staking and a meaningfully higher absolute yield than Ethereum options. Use our Staking APY Calculator to model different scenarios.
5. Staked ETFs vs Direct Staking
The core trade-off is yield versus convenience. Here's a detailed comparison:
| Factor | Staked ETF | Direct Staking (e.g., Lido/Native) | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Net Yield (ETH) | ~1.9-2.5% | ~3.0-3.5% | Direct |
| Setup Difficulty | Buy shares (1 click) | Wallet + approve + stake | ETF |
| Custody Risk | Institutional custodian | Self-custody (your keys) | Depends |
| Regulatory Protection | SEC-regulated product | Unregulated DeFi | ETF |
| Tax Reporting | 1099 from brokerage | Self-report (complex) | ETF |
| Retirement Account | Yes (IRA, 401k) | No (typically) | ETF |
| Liquidity | Market hours trading | 24/7 + unstaking delay | Tie |
| Composability | None (siloed) | DeFi (LSTs, lending) | Direct |
| Slashing Risk | Fund absorbs/insured | You absorb (via LST) | ETF |
| Fee Drag | ~0.5-1.5% total | 0-10% (Lido 10%) | Direct |
Staked ETFs are better for: TradFi investors entering crypto, anyone wanting retirement account exposure, people who value regulatory protection and simple tax reporting, institutions with compliance requirements.
Direct staking is better for: Crypto-native users comfortable with wallets, DeFi users who want to use liquid staking tokens (stETH, mSOL) in lending/yield strategies, those optimizing for maximum yield, and anyone who wants 24/7 liquidity. Learn more in our Consensus Mechanisms Guide.
6. Risks & Drawbacks
Staked ETFs are not free money. Here are the specific risks to evaluate:
7. Tax Implications
One of the biggest advantages of staked crypto ETFs over direct staking is tax simplicity. Your brokerage handles all reporting—you receive a 1099 at year-end, just like any other ETF.
However, the IRS treatment of staking rewards within ETFs is still evolving. Current guidance suggests staking rewards may be treated as ordinary income when received (not capital gains), similar to bond interest. This means staking yield could be taxed at your marginal income tax rate rather than the lower capital gains rate.
Holding staked crypto ETFs in a Roth IRA can be particularly tax-efficient: staking rewards grow tax-free and qualified withdrawals are also tax-free. This effectively eliminates the ordinary income tax treatment of staking rewards. Consult a tax professional for advice specific to your situation. For more on crypto tax strategies, see our Crypto Tax Guide and Tax Calculator.
8. Staked ETFs in Retirement Accounts
This is arguably the killer feature of staked crypto ETFs. Because they trade as standard securities on Nasdaq and NYSE, you can hold them in any tax-advantaged account: Traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs, SEP IRAs, 401(k)s (if your plan allows individual stock/ETF selection), and HSAs.
Before staked ETFs, getting crypto staking rewards in a retirement account required specialized crypto IRAs (like Alto or iTrustCapital) with higher fees and limited asset selection. Now, any brokerage that offers Nasdaq-listed ETFs gives you access. You get crypto yield inside your retirement portfolio with no wallet management and standard investor protections.
For a long-term retirement strategy, dollar-cost averaging into a staked ETF combines regular investing with yield accumulation. Model this with our DCA Calculator.
9. What's Coming Next
The staked ETF category is just getting started. With 130+ crypto ETF filings under SEC review and new generic listing standards cutting approval timelines from 240 days to 60-75 days, expect a wave of new products in 2026:
Bitwise expects 100+ new crypto ETFs to launch in the US during 2026. The staking category will be one of the fastest-growing segments, as it solves the biggest criticism of early crypto ETFs: that they left yield on the table. Track new ETF launches and performance with our Portfolio Tracker.