Toronto-based digital asset manager 3iQ will start offering ether (ETH) staking in its Ether Fund and Ether ETF, making it the first ETF issuer in North America to allow for this investment strategy, the company announced Wednesday. The feature will be available on or about Aug. 28.
Coinbase (COIN) will provide the necessary staking infrastructure to support the staking and serve as a custodian, the announcement said. This comes as the U.S.-based crypto exchange is doubling down on its business in Canada amid regulatory uncertainty in the U.S.
“While staying true to the investment objectives of the Funds, we believe that commencing ETH staking offers the best of both worlds to our investors – providing additional yield while eliminating the complexities of directly handling digital assets,” Fred Pye, Chairman and CEO of 3iQ, said in a statement.
Staking a crypto asset lets investors earn passive income by allowing the asset to be locked up to participate in running the blockchain and maintaining its security, similar to putting money in a high-yield savings account. Ether staking surged in May after Ethereum implemented the Shapella or Shanghai upgrade.
In 2020, 3iQ launched its Ether Fund and Bitcoin Fund on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX).