VanEck Moves Toward Staked Ethereum ETF With Delaware Trust Filing
VanEck has taken a preliminary step toward launching a staked Ethereum exchange-traded fund (ETF) by registering a Delaware statutory trust for the VanEck Lido Staked Ethereum ETF, according to a filing dated October 2.
The proposed fund would provide investors with exposure to Ether (ETH) staked through Lido, a decentralized protocol that enables users to earn staking rewards without directly managing validator operations.
The filing represents an early procedural stage and does not yet constitute a formal ETF submission to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Lido, the leading staking protocol on Ethereum, currently manages about $38 billion in staked ETH, accounting for roughly one-third of the network’s total staked assets. Through its liquid staking model, participants receive stETH, a derivative token that maintains liquidity while accruing staking rewards.
If approved, VanEck’s ETF would function like a yield-bearing investment product, similar to traditional funds that hold interest-generating assets. By holding staked ETH, it would give institutional investors a regulated vehicle for participating in Ethereum’s proof-of-stake ecosystem.
Lido’s native token (LDO) rose over 3% in the past 24 hours, supported by optimism around institutional exposure to staking-based products.
Should the SEC approve it, VanEck’s proposal could become the first staked Ethereum ETF in the U.S., potentially paving the way for broader adoption of staking-linked financial instruments across traditional markets.
