In a nutshell: An Ethereum ETF is a fund that holds real ether (ETH) and trades on a stock exchange, so you can get ETH price exposure from a normal brokerage account without a crypto wallet. US spot ether ETFs began trading on July 23, 2024. Fees run from about 0.15% to 2.50% a year, and some funds now stake part of their ETH and pass on rewards. You buy them like any stock: open a brokerage account, search the ticker, compare fees, and place an order.
Last updated: October 14, 2026. Fund fees and staking details were checked on issuer pages and The Block’s ETF tracker on October 14, 2026, and can change.
An Ethereum ETF lets you invest in ether, the coin that powers the Ethereum network, the same way you buy shares of Apple or an S&P 500 fund. The fund buys and stores the ETH; you own shares that rise and fall with its price. This guide explains how Ethereum ETFs work, the main US funds, staking ETFs, fees, risks, taxes, and a step-by-step way to buy one in the US or Canada.
New to the coin itself? Start with our beginner guide What Is Ethereum? If you already know how a Bitcoin ETF works, most of this will feel familiar; the big difference is staking.
Table of contents
What Is an Ethereum ETF?
An exchange-traded fund (ETF) is a basket of assets that trades on a stock exchange during market hours. A spot Ethereum ETF holds actual ETH in custody, so its share price follows the market price of ether, minus the fund’s yearly fee. That is different from a futures Ethereum ETF, which holds ether futures contracts instead of the coin. The Block notes the first futures-based Ethereum ETFs went live in October 2023, before any spot fund (The Block ETF tracker, checked October 14, 2026).
Most US spot ether products are technically grantor trusts rather than funds registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, but they trade like ETFs and are commonly called ETFs. When people say “Ethereum ETF” today, they usually mean the spot funds.
How Ethereum ETFs Work
- The fund holds ETH with a custodian. For example, BlackRock’s staked ether fund names Coinbase Custody as its ether custodian, with Anchorage Digital Bank as an alternative custodian and BNY Mellon holding cash (Nasdaq information circular for ETHB).
- Shares are created and redeemed by big firms. Large “authorized participants” create new shares when demand rises and redeem them when it falls. The SEC first allowed only cash creations for these products; on July 29, 2025 it approved in-kind creations and redemptions, letting firms swap ETH itself for fund shares, which the SEC said should make the products less costly and more efficient (SEC press release).
- The price tracks a benchmark. iShares’ ETHA, for example, is valued against the CME CF Ether-Dollar Reference Rate, New York Variant (iShares ETHA fund page, checked October 14, 2026).
- The fee is taken out daily. You never get a bill; the yearly sponsor fee is deducted from the fund’s assets, which slowly lowers ETH per share.
Those creations and redemptions are what show up as daily “inflows” and “outflows” in the news. Our Ethereum ETF inflows report shows what that data looks like in practice.
A Short History of US Ethereum ETFs
- October 2023: futures-based ether ETFs launch in the US (The Block).
- May 23, 2024: the SEC approves the exchange rule changes (Form 19b-4) needed to list spot ether ETFs, while noting shares can’t trade until each fund’s registration statement is effective (SEC order 34-100224).
- July 22–23, 2024: the SEC declares nine registration statements effective, and the funds start trading on July 23 on Nasdaq, NYSE Arca and Cboe BZX (Investopedia). Reuters reported about $1.07 billion of shares traded on day one (Reuters). At launch, none of them staked.
- July 29, 2025: in-kind creations and redemptions approved (SEC).
- March 12, 2026: BlackRock launches the iShares Staked Ethereum Trust ETF (ETHB) on Nasdaq (BlackRock press release).
Main US Spot Ethereum ETFs and Fees
The table lists the largest US spot ether funds by assets on The Block’s tracker, with the fee from the issuer or tracker. Assets move every day, so we only list the funds here and keep a full ranking in our list of Ethereum ETFs by size.
| Ticker | Fund | Sponsor fee | Stakes ETH? |
|---|---|---|---|
| ETHA | iShares Ethereum Trust ETF (BlackRock) | 0.25% | No |
| ETH | Grayscale Ethereum Mini Trust / Staking Mini ETF | 0.15% | Yes |
| ETHE | Grayscale Ethereum Trust / Staking ETF | 2.50% | Yes |
| FETH | Fidelity Ethereum Fund | 0.25% | Yes |
| ETHB | iShares Staked Ethereum Trust ETF (BlackRock) | 0.25% (0.12% on the first $2.5B during a 12-month waiver from March 12, 2026) | Yes |
| ETHW | Bitwise Ethereum ETF | 0.20% | No |
Sources, as of October 14, 2026: The Block ETF tracker (tickers, fees, assets order), iShares ETHA page and iShares ETHB page (fees, waiver), and Chain & Ticker (which funds stake). Fund names changed for some Grayscale products after staking was added. Always confirm on the issuer’s site before you buy.
Other spot ether funds from VanEck, Franklin Templeton, Invesco Galaxy, 21Shares and others also trade, but they hold less money. ETHE’s 2.50% fee is far above the rest of the table, so fees are worth comparing before you buy.
Ethereum Staking ETFs
Ethereum secures its network through proof of stake: holders lock ETH with validators and earn rewards. (Our guide on how to stake Ethereum covers doing this yourself.) The first US spot ether ETFs did not stake, so ETF holders missed that yield. That has changed:
- BlackRock’s ETHB “seeks to reflect generally the performance of the price of ether, as well as rewards from staking a portion of the Trust’s ether” and showed a 30-day staking rewards rate of 1.35% as of October 9, 2026 (iShares ETHB page).
- Coinbase charges the fund a staking fee of 4% of rewards, falling to 3.75% if staked assets reach $10 billion (ETHB staking addendum filed with the SEC).
- As of October 6, 2026, Chain & Ticker counted six US spot ether funds that stake (ETHB, ETH, ETHE, FETH, TETH and Morgan Stanley’s MSSE) and said they pay net rewards out in cash, monthly or quarterly. ETHA and ETHW do not stake (Chain & Ticker).
Staking ETFs keep part of the reward (the sponsor and staking provider take a cut), so your payout will be lower than the network rate. They also keep some ETH unstaked so they can meet redemptions. If you want more of the yield and are comfortable holding crypto, compare with liquid staking.
How to Buy an Ethereum ETF, Step by Step
- Open a brokerage account. Any US broker that lets you trade Nasdaq, NYSE Arca and Cboe listings will usually work. Retirement accounts like an IRA may also allow them; check with your broker.
- Fund the account by bank transfer.
- Pick a fund. Decide whether you want staking rewards (ETHB, ETH, ETHE, FETH) or plain price exposure (ETHA, ETHW), then compare sponsor fees in the table above.
- Search the ticker and check the bid/ask spread. iShares listed ETHA’s 30-day median bid/ask spread at 0.05% as of October 13, 2026 (iShares); smaller funds can have wider spreads.
- Place a limit order during market hours (9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET) so you don’t pay more than you planned. Unlike crypto exchanges, ETFs don’t trade on weekends.
- Decide how you’ll add over time. Many beginners buy a fixed amount on a schedule; see dollar cost averaging crypto.
Ethereum ETFs in Canada
Canada got spot ether ETFs years before the US. Purpose Investments calls its Purpose Ether ETF “the world’s first physically settled Ether ETF,” lists an inception date of April 19, 2021, and now stakes a portion of its ether (Purpose Investments, checked October 14, 2026). Canadian investors can buy Canadian-listed ether ETFs on the Toronto Stock Exchange through a regular brokerage account, and often inside a TFSA or RRSP; check with your broker. Compare each fund’s MER (management expense ratio), which includes its management fee and other costs, before you buy.
Ethereum ETF vs Buying ETH Directly
| Ethereum ETF | Buying ETH | |
|---|---|---|
| Where you buy | Stock brokerage | Crypto exchange or app |
| Wallet and seed phrase | Not needed | Needed if you hold it yourself |
| Ongoing cost | Yearly sponsor fee | No yearly fee; trading and network fees |
| Trading hours | Stock market hours only | 24/7 |
| Use ETH on Ethereum (DeFi, NFTs, gas) | No | Yes |
| Staking | Only in staking ETFs, after fees | Yes, yourself or through a service |
The ETF route is simpler and fits retirement accounts. Buying the coin gives you full control and lets you actually use Ethereum, but you are responsible for security; see self-custody in crypto and crypto exchange fees before you go that way.
Risks to Know
- Price swings. An ETF does not make ETH less volatile. ETHA’s net asset value ranged from $35.24 to $96.51 over the 52 weeks to October 13, 2026, and was down 15.64% year to date (iShares).
- Fees add up. A 2.50% fee costs roughly 16 times more per year than a 0.15% fee on the same amount.
- Staking risks. Staking funds rely on validators and custodians; rewards vary, and a portion of ETH may not be instantly available for redemptions.
- Custody and counterparty risk. You rely on the sponsor and custodian to hold the ETH safely.
- Regulation. Rules for crypto products have changed several times since 2024 and may change again.
How Ethereum ETFs Are Taxed
In the US, selling ETF shares for more than you paid generally creates a capital gain; staking ETF payouts are generally taxable income in the year you receive them. We cover the details in our beginner guide to crypto taxes and in crypto staking taxes. Canadians should check the CRA rules for their account type. This is educational only, not tax advice.
FAQ
Is there an Ethereum ETF?
Yes. US spot Ethereum ETFs have traded since July 23, 2024, and Canadian ones since 2021.
What is the cheapest Ethereum ETF?
Among the large US funds in our table, Grayscale’s ETH had the lowest listed fee at 0.15% as of October 14, 2026 (The Block). Temporary fee waivers can make other funds cheaper for a while.
Do Ethereum ETFs pay staking rewards?
Some do. ETHB, ETH, ETHE and FETH stake part of their ETH; ETHA and ETHW do not.
Can I hold an Ethereum ETF in an IRA, TFSA or RRSP?
Often yes, because they trade like stocks, but each broker sets its own rules.
Is an Ethereum ETF safer than owning ETH?
It removes wallet and seed-phrase risk, but not price risk. ETH can still fall sharply.
This article is for education only and is not financial advice. Crypto is volatile; only invest what you can afford to lose.
