BlackRock has officially filed for a staked Ethereum ETH$3,161.84 exchange-traded fund, marking a key step in bringing staking exposure to the masses.

The world’s largest asset manager submitted an S-1 registration statement with the U.S. SEC on Friday. The filing kicks off the review process, but to trigger a formal deadline for SEC approval or denial, the fund’s listing exchange must still submit a separate 19b-4 form.

The proposed fund, called the iShares Ethereum Staking Trust (ETHB), was first hinted at in November when BlackRock registered the name in Delaware. That move signaled intent but didn’t count as a formal application with the SEC.

This isn’t BlackRock’s first Ethereum ETF. The firm launched the iShares Ethereum Trust (ETHA) in July 2024 alongside other issuers. But at the time, the SEC—then led by Chair Gary Gensler—reportedly instructed firms to strip out staking components from their filings. The agency had previously argued that staking services offered by platforms like Kraken and Coinbase could constitute unregistered securities offerings.

Under new Chair Paul Atkins, that position appears to be softening. BlackRock and VanEck are now among several issuers resubmitting or amending ETF filings to include staking. While others are modifying their existing products, BlackRock opted to launch an entirely new fund.

ETHA, which holds about $11 billion in ETH, will remain separate from the staking version. The staked fund, if approved, would give investors exposure to Ethereum’s yield-generating mechanism without having to stake assets themselves.