The iShares Staked Ethereum Trust will distribute staking rewards on a monthly basis from institutional-grade Ethereum validators run by Figment, Galaxy Digital and Attestant. BlackRock’s staked Ethereum exchange-traded fund has tallied $15.5 million in trading volume on its first trading day, which a market analyst described as “very, very solid” despite falling short of two similar Solana staking products that launched last year. Nasdaq data shows the iShares Staked Ethereum Trust (ETHB) had 592,804 shares traded on its debut on Thursday, with Bloomberg ETF analyst James Seyffart noting on X that the product turned over around $15.5 million. “Very, very solid for a day 1 ETF launch,” Seyffart said. Read more
Senator John Thune reportedly said that the chamber would prioritize the SAVE America Act before addressing a vote on bipartisan bills like crypto market structure. US Senator Majority Leader John Thune reportedly said he doesn’t expect the chamber to move forward with legislation to establish digital asset market structure before April. According to a Thursday Punchbowl News report, Thune said that the Senate planned to prioritize voting on the SAVE America Act, a bill that would require voters to provide proof of US citizenship in person to register. The majority leader addressed reporters on Thursday saying that the bill would go to the chamber next week, adding that lawmakers would focus on the crypto market structure bill and other bipartisan bills after the SAVE America Act vote. Read more
SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce urged regulators to simplify corporate disclosure rules and allow experimentation with tokenized securities via a potential innovation exemption. US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Commissioner Hester Peirce said regulators should avoid micromanaging markets and consider simplifying disclosure requirements as discussions around tokenized securities continue. Peirce, often referred to as “Crypto Mom” for her generally supportive stance toward the digital asset industry, made the remarks Thursday during a speech to the SEC’s Investor Advisory Committee, warning that overly prescriptive rules can distort how capital flows through financial markets. Citing Adam Smith, the 18th-century economist widely regarded as the father of modern economics, Peirce argued that regulators should exercise restraint when shaping market outcomes. Read more
The integration allows institutions to stake Ether held in Anchorage custody and receive Puffer’s liquid restaking token while earning staking and restaking rewards. Anchorage Digital has integrated with Puffer Finance to give institutional clients access to Ethereum liquid restaking through its custody platform. According to Thursday’s announcement, institutions can stake Ether held with Anchorage and receive Puffer’s liquid restaking token, pufETH, directly into their accounts. The token represents a restaked ETH (ETH) position that can be transferred or deployed across supported onchain applications while continuing to earn staking and restaking rewards. Institutions using the platform can participate in restaking without running validators or managing staking infrastructure themselves. Read more
The provision banning the Federal Reserve from issuing a central bank digital currency was included in housing affordability legislation. The United States Senate voted on Thursday to include an amendment in the 21st Century Road to Housing Act that would prohibit the Federal Reserve from issuing a central bank digital currency (CBDC). The CBDC prohibition will remain in effect until Dec. 31, 2030, according to the amendment in the bill. The legislation, which passed 89-10, stated: However, the bill does not prohibit any dollar-denominated digital currency that is “open, permissionless, and private,” such as stablecoins. Read more