etf

Tidal Trust II has filed with the US SEC for a Bitcoin ETF targeting returns when US markets are closed. The move comes amid heavy outflows from spot BTC ETFs, which saw a record $3.48B leave in November, with BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin ETF alone accounting for $2.34B.
ETF Strategy Focuses on Overnight Performance
The proposed ETFs, Nicholas Bitcoin and Treasuries AfterDark ETF and Nicholas Bitcoin Tail ETF, will gain BTC exposure through futures, options, and US-listed ETFs/ETPs rather than holding Bitcoin directly. Positions are taken during US overnight hours and closed shortly after market open. The fund may use a Cayman Islands subsidiary and holds US Treasuries and cash during daytime.
Bloomberg analyst Eric Balchunas highlighted that a large portion of Bitcoin’s gains occurs after hours. The ETF aims to systematically capture that trend while managing risk during regular trading hours.
Spot ETF Market Struggles
Spot BTC ETFs have faced persistent selling pressure. November marked the worst month of the year for Bitcoin, with a 17.4% drop in price. Early December outflows continued at $87.77M but showed signs of stabilizing with $151.74M inflows on December 9.
This filing reflects a growing focus on capturing after-hours Bitcoin performance as investors seek to mitigate volatility during traditional market hours.
$BTC #BTCVSGOLD #BinanceBlockchainWeek #WriteToEarnUpgrade #etf

As market attention remains focused on Bitcoin ETFs, a far more transformative development is emerging within the Ethereum ecosystem. BlackRock—the world’s largest asset manager with more than $11 trillion under management—has formally submitted an application to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for the iShares Staked Ethereum Trust. Unlike traditional spot ETFs, this product is designed to provide investors with exposure not only to ETH’s market performance but also to staking rewards, introducing a new category of yield-generating, regulated crypto investment vehicles.

This filing represents one of the most consequential institutional moves in Ethereum’s history. Here is a detailed breakdown of what has changed, why this ETF matters, and how it could reshape the broader digital asset market.

A New ETF, Not an Upgrade

Rather than modify its existing iShares Ethereum Trust (ETHA), BlackRock opted to launch an entirely new vehicle. According to the S-1 registration:

70% to 90% of the Trust’s ETH will be staked, enabling the fund to generate on-chain income.

Coinbase Custody will serve as the primary custodian, with Anchorage Digital acting as an additional institutional-grade custodian.

Staking operations will be executed by professional node operators, ensuring operational security and regulatory compliance.

This structure combines traditional ETF accessibility with the passive-income attributes of Ethereum’s Proof-of-Stake model.

The Regulatory Shift That Made This Possible

For years, under former SEC Chair Gary Gensler, staking was considered too close to unregistered securities activity, and ETF applicants were discouraged from referencing staking outright.

That changed in April 2025, when Paul Atkins assumed leadership of the SEC. The new administration quickly signaled a more technologically informed stance.

In May 2025, the SEC issued a pivotal clarification stating that “certain protocol-level activities” (specifically, staking) do not inherently constitute securities offerings.

This regulatory interpretation opened the door for:

Grayscale to introduce staking into its fund structures.

VanEck to submit its own staking-enabled ETF application.

BlackRock to formally pursue an income-bearing Ethereum ETF.

BlackRock’s filing now serves as the most significant test case under the SEC’s updated policy framework.

How BlackRock’s Approach Differs From Competitors

BlackRock’s product is architected specifically for long-horizon institutional capital. Key differentiators include:

1. Quarterly Cash Distributions

Staking rewards will be distributed in USD at least once per quarter, creating predictable cash flow.

This appeals to pensions, insurance funds, and yield-oriented asset allocators.

2. Contrast With Grayscale’s Dual-Model Strategy

Grayscale’s ETHE distributes staking income.

Grayscale’s Ethereum Mini Trust reinvests rewards for compounding yield.

BlackRock’s single-track dividend model positions the fund as a stable, income-generating instrument for conservative institutions.

3. Institutional-Grade Risk Mitigation

BlackRock will not operate validator nodes directly. All validation will be delegated through custodians using vetted node operators, lowering operational and compliance risk.

The expected yield range (3–5% annually) aligns with current network rewards.

Market Impact: Why This ETF Matters

1. A Gateway for Institutional Capital

If approved, the BlackRock Staked ETH ETF could unlock massive inflows from institutions that previously avoided staking due to custody, regulatory, or operational concerns.

2. Increased Pressure on the SEC

The application forces regulators to demonstrate consistency under the new policy direction. A rejection could undermine the SEC’s own May guidance.

3. Potential ETH Supply Shock

Staking hundreds of thousands of ETH through a regulated ETF could:

decrease liquid supply,

increase staking participation,

and strengthen the network’s economic security.

This dynamic is structurally bullish for ETH’s long-term valuation.

4. Formal Legitimization of Staking

SEC approval would effectively validate staking as a compliant, yield-generating mechanism—solidifying Ethereum’s position within regulated finance.

Will This Reshape Crypto in 2026?

The introduction of staking-enabled ETFs may become a defining catalyst for the next cycle, especially within the altcoin market. By merging yield-bearing on-chain activity with traditional ETF wrappers, Wall Street is moving beyond passive exposure and into active participation in Ethereum’s economic layer.

Whether this triggers a broader altcoin rally will depend on:

SEC approval timelines,

competitor filings,

institutional appetite for on-chain yield,

and macroeconomic conditions heading into 2026.

Question for the Community

Do you believe the SEC will approve BlackRock’s staking-enabled Ethereum ETF?

And if it does, could this be the spark that ignites the next major altcoin cycle?

#SEC #blackRock #etf $ETH

In 2025, the digital asset landscape underwent a profound transition. After years of hesitation, institutional investors—once cautious observers of the cryptocurrency sector—have now stepped decisively into the market. This shift, driven by improved infrastructure, clearer regulatory pathways, and a stronger focus on real-world financial integration, is redefining how capital flows into crypto.

Aishwary Gupta, Global Head of Payments and Real-World Assets at Polygon Labs, spoke with BeInCrypto to outline the forces behind this transformation. His insights reveal why institutional inflows now dominate the market and how this evolution may shape the future of blockchain finance.

Institutional Capital Now Represents the Majority of Crypto Inflows

According to Gupta, institutions currently contribute an estimated 95 percent of all inflows into the crypto ecosystem. Retail participation—once the primary engine behind speculative market cycles—has diminished to approximately 5–6 percent. This shift indicates a maturing environment where structured finance, regulated products, and long-term strategies take precedence over hype-driven trading.

Major investment firms such as BlackRock, Apollo, and Hamilton Lane have begun integrating digital assets into their portfolios, typically allocating between 1–2 percent and launching ETFs or on-chain tokenized products. These entrants are not motivated by trend-chasing; rather, they are responding to the robustness of today’s blockchain infrastructure.

Gupta explains that the real catalyst has been the development of institutional-grade rails, particularly those enabled by Ethereum-compatible networks. Polygon’s collaborations with JPMorgan for a live DeFi trade under the Monetary Authority of Singapore, Ondo’s tokenized treasuries, and AMINA Bank’s regulated staking initiatives demonstrate that public blockchains can now meet regulatory and audit standards while supporting scalable, low-cost transactions.

“Institutions no longer need experimental sandboxes,” Gupta noted. “They can interact directly with well-tested, public networks that satisfy compliance and operational requirements.”

Why Institutions Are Entering: Yield, Diversification, and Efficiency

Gupta identified two main drivers behind the institutional surge.

The first is the hunt for yield and portfolio diversification. Tokenized treasuries, regulated staking products, and yield-bearing stable instruments offer familiar value propositions with the added benefits of digital settlement.

The second is operational efficiency. Blockchain delivers measurable improvements in settlement speed, liquidity sharing, and asset programmability. This is pushing traditional financial institutions and fintech networks to pilot tokenized fund structures, explore on-chain transfers, and streamline asset servicing workflows.

Retail Retreat Raises Concerns—But Gupta Sees a Path Back

While institutions are gaining traction, the departure of many retail investors has raised questions about crypto’s identity. Gupta attributes the retail decline to losses from speculative meme coin cycles and unrealistic expectations during volatile market phases.

However, he does not consider this exit permanent. He believes structured, regulated, and transparent financial products will restore confidence among retail participants over time.

Does Institutional Dominance Threaten Decentralization?

A recurring concern in the blockchain community is whether institutional dominance undermines crypto’s decentralized ethos. Gupta argues that this outcome is unlikely as long as public, open networks remain the foundational infrastructure.

“Decentralization is threatened when networks close themselves off, not when new participants arrive,” he explained. He sees institutional participation not as centralization, but as a merging of infrastructures—where the same chains that host DeFi, NFTs, and gaming can also support ETFs, treasuries, and institutional staking.

Will Compliance Slow Innovation? Gupta Says It May Strengthen It

When asked whether increased compliance could inhibit creativity, Gupta acknowledged the tension but emphasized long-term benefits. The early “move fast and break things” mentality fueled innovation but also produced notable failures and regulatory backlash. Institutional involvement, he argues, encourages developers to embed compliance into innovation from the outset, resulting in more resilient and scalable solutions.

The Road Ahead: A More Stable, Yield-Oriented Crypto Market

Gupta believes the future of crypto will not be defined by Wall Street taking over, but rather by convergence. Institutional-grade capital is slower, more risk-managed, and less emotional. As this capital takes a leading role, market volatility is expected to decline, with financial infrastructure becoming the dominant narrative over speculative trading.

He anticipates rapid growth in real-world asset tokenization, deeper integration of regulatory frameworks, and increased institutional staking activity. Interoperability will also become a critical priority as institutions scale their operations across multiple networks and rollups.

Crypto, he concludes, is evolving from an alternative asset class into a core component of global financial infrastructure.
#etf
#ETH
#NFT​

Solana (SOL) is holding just above the key $130 support level, where bulls are trying to stabilize the price. While institutional inflows via spot ETFs and major technical upgrades continue to provide long-term optimism, recent token unlocks and weak price structure are fueling downward pressure.
SOL is trading between $125 and $150, with critical support in the $125–$130 zone and first resistance at $140–$145. Since October 2024, the token has lost more than 40% from its highs near $200.

ETF Inflows Remain Strong, But Sentiment Is Cautious
Despite the price correction, Solana remains one of the most favored altcoins among institutional investors. In 2025 alone, spot ETFs tracking SOL have absorbed over $600 million in net inflows, while some Bitcoin and Ethereum products have seen outflows.
These ETFs create structural demand that could help drive a short squeeze, if key technical levels are broken to the upside.

Technical Outlook: Key Levels in Focus
The chart shows a persistent downtrend since November, with repeated rejections near $180. Now, the price is hovering just above dense support at $125–$130, awaiting a catalyst.
🔹 Bullish case: If $125–$130 holds, a move toward $140–$145 is possible, with a breakout opening the door to $155.
🔹 Bearish case: A decisive close below $125 would confirm further downside toward $115–$120, continuing the downward momentum.

Fundamentals Remain Strong Long-Term
Despite short-term fragility, the Solana ecosystem continues to strengthen. Major infrastructure upgrades like Firedancer and Alpenglow are scheduled for 2025–2026. These are aimed at improving throughput, latency, and reliability — addressing historical outages and making the network ready for institutional use.
At the same time, Solana is seeing growing adoption in real-world asset (RWA) tokenization, emphasizing its long-term potential. However, short-term sentiment remains cautious due to macroeconomic risks and ongoing token unlocks, which continue to weigh on the market.

#solana , #sol , #Altcoin , #etf , #RWA

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According to recent analyses, Bitcoin (BTC) is under pressure not just from a drop in price but from broader structural headwinds that are sapping demand and liquidity in the market.
Key factors behind the slump:
Institutional interest is cooling: Spot‑Bitcoin ETFs have seen sustained outflows, rather than inflows, undermining what had been a major source of capital for BTC.
Liquidity and macro pressures: Global monetary tightening, shifting central‑bank policies and rising interest rates are weighing on risk assets and crypto is no exception.
Structural exhaustion: Analysts argue that demand is simply “tapped out” at current price levels many long‑term holders are realizing gains, creating a persistent supply overhang.
For now, Bitcoin’s ability to recover hinges on fresh catalysts new institutional money, macroeconomic stability, or renewed investor confidence. Until then, the structural weaknesses may continue to keep demand muted.
#BTC #etf