BlackRock’s staked Ethereum exchange-traded fund recorded more than $15.5 million in trading volume on its first day. The early activity signals measurable institutional interest in yield-bearing crypto exposure packaged within a regulated ETF structure.
The iShares Staked Ethereum Trust ETF (ETHB) began trading with over $100 million in assets under management, according to Bloomberg ETF analyst James Seyffart. Data shared by Seyffart on X indicated most activity occurred within the initial trading session, bringing total day-one volume to roughly $15.5 million. The product marks the first staking-enabled crypto ETF introduced by BlackRock.
Can staking rewards reshape the appeal of crypto ETFs?
ETHB introduces a structural shift in how institutional investors can access Ethereum yield. The fund stakes between 70% and 95% of its ether holdings under typical market conditions, while keeping 5% to 30% unstaked to facilitate creations, redemptions, and operational liquidity. Approximately 82% of staking rewards are distributed to investors each month, with the remaining 18% allocated to the sponsor and execution agent.
The product also carries a 0.25% annual sponsor fee, temporarily reduced to 0.12% on the first $2.5 billion in assets during the initial year. BlackRock previously indicated its intent to introduce staking-enabled funds in 2025 and began accumulating ether earlier this year ahead of the launch.
Broader crypto ETF flows remained positive during the same trading session. Spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds recorded $53.8 million in net inflows, marking a fourth consecutive day of gains, while spot ether ETFs attracted $72.4 million in fresh capital. By comparison, spot Solana ETFs logged roughly $4 million in inflows, while XRP-focused funds posted $6 million in net outflows, extending a weaker trend that began in mid-February.
“Very solid for a day 1 ETF launch,” Seyffart wrote on X, referring to the $15.5 million trading figure.
Vast majority of the trading is done and we are at $15.5 million in trading volume for the BlackRock staked Ethereum ETF -- $ETHB. Very very solid for a day 1 ETF launch https://t.co/5f9VeA9ivq pic.twitter.com/MpwRqeHnwU
— James Seyffart (@JSeyff) March 12, 2026
Analysts have closely monitored the debut because staking introduces a yield component absent from earlier spot crypto ETF structures.
Still, the key metric may emerge in the coming weeks. Market participants will watch whether ETHB’s asset base grows toward multi-billion-dollar scale as staking distributions begin reaching investors.
