Grayscale Issues First Ethereum Staking Payouts to ETF Investors
Grayscale has distributed Ethereum staking rewards to its ETF investors for the first time, issuing a payment of $0.083178 per ETHE share tied to Q4 staking activity. The payout, announced on Jan. 5, 2026, represents the initial transfer of on-chain staking revenue into the ETF vehicle and follows the fund’s operational setup to capture yield from staked ETH.
The distribution matters because it sets a precedent for how staking income can be passed to ETF holders and may affect yield expectations and demand for ETHE. While the per-share amount is modest, the move signals Grayscale’s ability to operationalize staking at scale and could influence competitors and investor comparisons between custodial staking products and traditional ETF structures. Market participants will watch future payout cadence and NAV adjustments to gauge the program’s materiality over time.