Institutional Access to stETH Nears Reality as VanEck Pushes First ETF

VanEck Files to Launch First stETH ETF in the ￰0￱ firm VanEck has submitted a Form S-1 to the ￰1￱ and Exchange Commission (SEC), requesting approval to launch the VanEck Lido Staked ETH ETF — a product designed to give institutional investors direct exposure to stETH, the liquid-staking token representing Ethereum staked through the Lido ￰2￱ proposed ETF would hold stETH and rely on verified smart contracts, deep secondary-market liquidity, and integration with custodians and ￰3￱ launch, Lido users have earned more than $2 billion in staking rewards, and the protocol’s total value locked now exceeds $33 ￰4￱ to Kian Gilbert, Head of Institutional Relations at the Lido Ecosystem Foundation, the filing reflects growing recognition of liquid staking as a core pillar of the Ethereum ￰5￱ emphasized that Lido aims to merge decentralization with institutional-grade ￰6￱ Position on Liquid Staking The press release also notes that the SEC has previously clarified that issuance, redemption, and trading of liquid-staking tokens are not treated as regulated securities activities when performed under established technical and administrative ￰7￱ approved, VanEck’s product would become the first ￰8￱ backed by stETH, potentially opening the door to broader institutional use.

Recently, we also reported the appearance of Canary Capital’s TRUMP ETF on the DTCC list — further evidence of accelerating ETF activity across emerging digital-asset categories. Globally, regulators and institutions are rapidly embracing crypto-based financial ￰9￱ and Europe already offer spot Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs, which have attracted steady inflows from traditional asset ￰10￱ Kong is also positioning itself as a digital-asset hub with new ETF approvals aimed at competing with ￰11￱ adoption grows, more jurisdictions are shaping clearer frameworks to bring crypto exposure into mainstream portfolios.