BlackRock taps Galaxy Digital as validator for its staked Ethereum ETF

Galaxy Digital has been named an approved validator for BlackRock’s iShares Staked Ethereum Trust ETF (ETHB), the firm’s first crypto exchange-traded product designed to generate staking rewards, according to a Thursday press release.

Launched last month, ETHB is expected to follow in the footsteps of BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF, which has grown into a top-performing digital asset fund since 2024.

As of April 8, the fund had over $435 million worth of assets under management, with $339 million in staked $ETH.

The ETF will stake a majority of its Ether holdings through institutional validators, including Figment, Attestant, and Galaxy, with rewards distributed monthly to investors.

“When a firm like BlackRock selects you as a validator, it’s because you’ve demonstrated the systems, the scale, and the accountability they require,” Steve Kurz, Global Co-Head of Digital Assets at Galaxy, stated. “That trust is something we’ve earned over years of building.”

Galaxy’s digital infrastructure division ended 2025 managing $5 billion in staked assets across Ethereum, Solana, and other proof-of-stake networks.

That year, Galaxy completed custodial integrations with BitGo, Zodia Custody, Fireblocks, and Coinbase Prime. The firm also became the development company behind Liquid Collective, an enterprise-grade liquid staking protocol designed for institutions that need both yield and liquidity simultaneously.

“Staking is a core component of the Ethereum ecosystem and we are excited to enable this capability for investors in ETHB,” Robert Mitchnick, who leads BlackRock’s digital assets division, said. “Working with experienced providers helps us deliver that capability within the structure and standards our clients expect.”

Galaxy recently introduced staking functionality on its GalaxyOne platform, enabling clients to earn yield without paying platform commissions. Alongside this, the firm is advancing blockchain-based proxy voting through a partnership with Broadridge on the Avalanche network, expanding its institutional on-chain services beyond validation.