Grayscale Staking Ethereum ETF Makes First Reward Payout in U.S

On January 5, crypto asset manager Grayscale Investments released the first staking rewards on its spot Ethereum ETF, ETHE. This comes as the overall flows into US Ether ETFs have turned positive once again.

These staking rewards allow investors to earn additional income while being compliant with the Securities Act of 1933.

Grayscale Ethereum ETF Starts Staking Rewards

Back in October 2025, asset manager Grayscale became the first US issuer to allow staking for its Ethereum ETF. A similar facility from other issuers, such as BlackRock, Fidelity, and Bitwise, is still pending.

The payout covers Ethereum staking rewards generated between Oct. 6, 2025, and the end of the year. Shareholders of Grayscale’s Ethereum Trust (ETHE) will receive $0.083178 per share. The distribution shall happen on Tuesday, Jan. 6, as per the final holding on the previous day.

The move could mark a turning point and could revive the demand for proof-of-stake crypto assets among retail investors. Until recently, staking rewards were excluded from U.S. spot crypto ETFs due to regulatory uncertainty.

This has deterred institutional inflows coming to the investment product. However, with Grayscale resuming the distribution of staking rewards, it could revive investment sentiment again. Speaking on the development, Peter Mintzberg, Chief Executive Officer of Grayscale, said:

Grayscale also signaled plans to expand its lineup of investment products. The firm added that staking involves specific liquidity constraints and security considerations. It also noted that investors should understand how these mechanisms work before allocating capital.

Spot Ethereum ETF Inflows Resume Again

After a poor December performance, inflows into spot Ethereum ETFs have resumed once again. On Jan. 5, the net inflows stood at more than $150 million for the second consecutive day. The total inflows across all US ETF issuers was $168 million.

The BlackRock Ethereum ETF (ETHA), led the most inflows at $100.2 million. On the other hand, Grayscale’s ETHE saw very minor flows at $1.32 million.

BlackRock’s iShares Ethereum Trust (ETHA) recorded strong inflows on the latest trading day. It added a total of 31,737 ETH, worth over $100 million.

Trading activity was also elevated, with total volume reaching $1.3 billion. This also highlights a renewed investor interest in the product.

Following the recent uptick in inflows, the ETHA share price jumped 4% on Jan. 5. The stock has been seeing a strong recovery with gains of more than 10.5% on the weekly chart. Despite this, the stock is still trading at 33% discount from the highs of $36.

Ethereum Staking Demand Spikes

The demand for Ethereum staking has been rising consistently, with large institutional players scooping up major ETH circulating supply.

Tom Lee’s Bitmine Technologies has staked an additional 186,336 ETH, worth roughly $605 million, according to market data. The latest move brings the firm’s total staked holdings to approximately 779,488 ETH. It represents more than $2.5 billion locked into the Ethereum network.

Staked ETH leaves active trading circulation and earns yield. This reduces the overall liquid supply. Market participants note that sustained staking by large balance-sheet players can gradually tighten supply conditions. This could provide more fuel for a strong ETH price upside.