- The SEC’s Crypto Task Force met with Jito Labs and Multicoin Capital to discuss integrating staking into exchange-traded products (ETPs).
- Regulators are reviewing multiple Solana ETF proposals, with firms like VanEck pushing for approval amid a shifting regulatory climate.
- The SEC is considering two staking models for ETFs, but concerns over redemptions, tax implications, and securities classification remain.
The SEC’s new Crypto Task Force is already making moves, meeting with Jito Labs, Multicoin Capital, and other industry leaders to discuss staking in exchange-traded products (ETPs).
Meeting notes, published Friday, reveal that the task force—formed to rewrite U.S. crypto policy—held talks two weeks ago on how staking could be integrated into ETFs, a move that could redefine the landscape for crypto investment products.
Solana ETFs & Staking—Regulatory Shifts Incoming?
The SEC is currently reviewing multiple Solana ETF proposals, with VanEck leading the charge after being the first to file for a SOL-based exchange-listed product last year.
With Trump’s pro-crypto administration now in place, asset managers are racing to get approvals, betting on a friendlier stance from regulators.
Two Staking Models Under Consideration
According to the meeting notes, the task force is exploring two possible ways to integrate staking into ETFs:
Allowing a portion of the ETF’s assets to be staked via validator service providers.
Issuing liquid staking tokens (LSTs) as a form of redemption for staked assets.
The debate isn’t just theoretical—real-world staking models were discussed, showing a serious push to make this a reality.
Why the SEC Has Hesitated on Staking ETFs
Historically, the SEC has held three major concerns about staking in ETFs:
- Unbonding periods could slow down redemptions for investors.
- Tax implications remain murky.
- Staking-as-a-service could create a securities transaction, triggering more regulatory complexity.
Despite these hurdles, the conversation is shifting, and if staking ETFs get the green light, it could open the floodgates for institutional crypto adoption at a whole new level.
