Fidelity files with SEC to add staking to Ethereum ETF

cointelegraphPublished on 2026-08-12Last updated on 2026-08-12

Abstract

Fidelity Investments filed with the SEC to add staking capabilities to its spot Ethereum ETF, the Fidelity Ethereum Fund (FETH). The fund could stake up to 100% of its Ether holdings, retaining 85% of staking rewards and distributing quarterly cash payouts. This move follows similar staking-enabled products from competitors like Grayscale and BlackRock, addressing prior criticism that FETH was at a disadvantage without staking. Since its July 2024 launch, FETH has seen approximately $2.13 billion in net inflows.

Fidelity Investments plans to add staking to its spot Ether exchange-traded product, the Fidelity Ethereum Fund (FETH), according to its Tuesday filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

The asset manager said FETH could stake up to 100% of its Ether under normal conditions, excluding ETH reserved for redemptions, expenses and liquidity needs.

The fund would retain 85% of staking rewards, with 15% going toward staking fees, and plans quarterly cash distributions, although payouts are not guaranteed. Fidelity expects staking to begin “as soon as practicable” after the prospectus date. The preliminary prospectus remains subject to change before the registration statement becomes effective.

One of the world’s largest asset managers, Fidelity follows other US Ether products offering or pursuing staking. Grayscale became the first US issuer to enable staking in spot crypto exchange-traded products in October 2025, while BlackRock launched its separate iShares Staked Ethereum Trust ETF (ETHB) in February 2026. Bitwise also sought to add staking to its Ethereum ETF but withdrew the proposal in September 2025.

Seeking Alpha contributor Ryne Mauck wrote in May that FETH’s lack of staking put it at a “relative disadvantage” to staking-enabled products from Grayscale and BlackRock.

As of Aug. 11, FETH had recorded about $2.13 billion in cumulative net inflows since its July 2024 launch, according to Farside Investors. Ahead of Wednesday’s US markets open, the ETF was leading pre-market gains across most ETH funds, up 2.4%, according to Yahoo Finance data.

Related: Italy’s biggest bank triples staked Ether ETF holdings while cutting IBIT shares

Related Questions

QWhat does Fidelity Investments plan to add to its Fidelity Ethereum Fund (FETH) according to the SEC filing?

AFidelity Investments plans to add staking to its spot Ether exchange-traded product, the Fidelity Ethereum Fund (FETH).

QWhat percentage of its Ether could the Fidelity Ethereum Fund stake under normal conditions?

AUnder normal conditions, FETH could stake up to 100% of its Ether, excluding ETH reserved for redemptions, expenses, and liquidity needs.

QHow will the staking rewards from the Fidelity Ethereum Fund be distributed?

AThe fund would retain 85% of the staking rewards, with 15% going toward staking fees. It plans quarterly cash distributions, but payouts are not guaranteed.

QWhich other US asset managers were mentioned as having or pursuing staking in their Ether products?

AThe article mentions Grayscale, BlackRock (with its iShares Staked Ethereum Trust ETF), and Bitwise as other US issuers that have offered, launched, or pursued staking for their Ether products.

QHow had the Fidelity Ethereum Fund (FETH) performed in pre-market trading ahead of Wednesday's US markets open?

AAhead of Wednesday's US markets open, the FETH ETF was leading pre-market gains across most ETH funds, up 2.4% according to Yahoo Finance data.

Related Reads

El Salvador’s Bitcoin experiment turns 5: ‘It was for us, not them’

Five years after becoming the first country to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender, El Salvador's national experiment is widely viewed as a failure based on its original stated goals of banking the unbanked, slashing remittance costs, and attracting major foreign investment. Research indicates mass adoption by citizens never occurred; Bitcoin use remained concentrated among young, urban, educated, and already banked males. The government's Chivo wallet failed to address core barriers to financial inclusion, and Bitcoin accounted for barely 1% of remittances by 2024, offering little advantage as most funds arrive in US dollars. Following a 2024 IMF financing deal, El Salvador scaled back its involvement, making Bitcoin acceptance voluntary and limiting state use. However, the experiment undeniably changed the global conversation, turning nation-state Bitcoin adoption from theory into reality and positioning El Salvador at the center of the Bitcoin movement. It provided a proof of concept and a global platform, attracting prominent Bitcoin advocates. Success stories exist in localized economies like Bitcoin Beach, but analysts note the project's symbolic benefits were largely "for" the international Bitcoin community rather than "for" the economic transformation of most Salvadorans. The assessment is further complicated by President Nayib Bukele's popular, yet authoritarian, governance style, which delivered drastically improved security but raised concerns about centralized power and civil liberties. Ultimately, Bitcoin gave Bukele a global stage, and Bukele gave Bitcoin its first national adoption test.

cointelegraph18m ago

El Salvador’s Bitcoin experiment turns 5: ‘It was for us, not them’

cointelegraph18m ago

Trading

Spot
活动图片