VanEck Bets Big on Solana: New ETF to Allocate Half Its Assets to Staking

VanEck Files New Solana Staking ETF: How It Aims to Merge SOL Price Growth and Staking Rewards

In a move that could reshape the future of institutional crypto investing, global asset management giant VanEck has updated its application with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for the first-ever Solana Staking Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF).

The filing, submitted amid rising institutional appetite for staking-enabled products, marks a bold attempt to bridge the gap between traditional investment structures and blockchain-based yield generation. Following the success of Ethereum staking ETFs, VanEck’s Solana proposal represents another major step toward mainstream crypto integration within regulated markets.

Industry analysts say this move highlights the growing confidence in Solana (SOL) — a blockchain known for its high-speed transactions and scalability — as it continues to evolve into a leading ecosystem in decentralized finance (DeFi), Web3, and tokenized assets.

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What the VanEck Solana Staking ETF Proposes

The newly updated filing introduces several innovative components designed to combine price exposure to Solana with staking rewards, giving investors the potential to earn returns on both the asset’s market performance and its network participation.

Source: James Seyffart X

Key features of the ETF include:

• Up to 50% Staking Allocation: VanEck plans to stake as much as 50% of the fund’s SOL holdings through a dedicated Solana staking strategy. This approach would allow investors to benefit from staking yields while maintaining exposure to SOL’s market price.

• Staking Rewards After Fees: The ETF will collect staking rewards and distribute them to investors after a modest 0.28% staking fee deduction.

• Low Management Fee: The fund will charge a 0.30% annual management fee, payable in SOL tokens and calculated on a monthly basis.

• Trusted Custodians: Gemini and Coinbase have been listed as primary and secondary custodians in the filing, providing institutional-grade security and ensuring that fund assets are safely stored.

• No Launch Date Yet: The SEC has not yet set a definitive approval or launch date, especially amid the ongoing U.S. government shutdown. Still, the filing underlines rising institutional interest in regulated Solana-based investment products.

If approved, the VanEck Solana Staking ETF would become the first of its kind in the United States, giving investors access to staking rewards through a traditional ETF vehicle — without having to interact directly with crypto wallets or validators.

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How Staking and Fees Will Work

Under the proposed model, VanEck will impose a 0.3% sponsor fee, calculated daily and paid monthly in SOL tokens. The ETF’s staking rewards will be automatically accrued, and after deducting the 0.28% fee, investors will see their net returns reflected in the ETF’s performance.

For tax purposes, the staking rewards may be treated as income in certain jurisdictions, meaning investors could be subject to taxation on earned rewards in addition to capital gains. To help investors track this, VanEck plans to publish detailed staking reward history files, showing both USD and EUR denominated net rewards to ensure full transparency.

This dual-return mechanism — capturing both the token’s appreciation and network yield — could make the ETF an attractive option for long-term institutional investors seeking diversified exposure to the digital asset space.

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The Broader Context: VanEck’s Existing Solana ETN

VanEck already operates a Solana Exchange-Traded Note (ETN), listed in European markets under the ticker VSOL. As of October 14, 2025, the ETN reported net assets worth $121.81 million and a net asset value (NAV) of $10.75 per note.

Unlike the ETF, the ETN is already staking a large portion of its holdings — approximately 82% of the Solana tokens in the product are currently staked. This generates a gross staking yield of 5.63% and a net yield of 4.22% after fees.

Source: VanECK Official

The ETN tracks the MarketVector SOL VWAP Close Index (MVSOLV), providing price exposure to Solana’s daily market performance. However, because it is traded in European jurisdictions, the ETN is primarily targeted at non-U.S. investors and operates under a different regulatory framework.

The success of this ETN may have inspired VanEck to bring a similar concept to U.S. markets through a fully regulated ETF structure, which would provide more accessibility and investor protection under SEC oversight.

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Why Solana? The Case for Institutional Interest

Solana’s rapid rise has been one of crypto’s most remarkable stories since its 2020 debut. Known for fast transaction speeds, low fees, and a thriving ecosystem of developers, Solana has positioned itself as a major rival to Ethereum.

Institutional investors are increasingly paying attention to Solana for several reasons:

• Performance: The Solana network can handle up to 65,000 transactions per second, significantly higher than Ethereum’s base layer capacity.

• Stability: Recent upgrades to the Solana validator network have reduced downtime incidents and improved efficiency.

• Ecosystem Growth: Projects in DeFi, NFTs, and tokenized assets continue to expand rapidly within the Solana ecosystem.

• Liquidity and Market Maturity: Solana has consistently remained among the top 10 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, giving it both credibility and trading depth.

By combining these strengths with a regulated investment vehicle like an ETF, VanEck is betting that Solana can attract serious capital inflows from both retail and institutional investors who prefer traditional investment structures.

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Regulatory Hurdles and Market Timing

Despite its potential, the Solana ETF still faces regulatory uncertainty. The SEC has historically taken a cautious stance toward crypto-based ETFs, with only a few Bitcoin and Ethereum futures ETFs approved so far.

The timing of VanEck’s filing also comes during heightened regulatory scrutiny and an ongoing U.S. government shutdown, which could delay the approval process.

Nonetheless, experts believe that the proposal sends a strong signal to regulators that demand for crypto staking products continues to rise, and that institutional investors want safe, compliant ways to access blockchain yield opportunities.

VanEck’s proactive engagement with regulators could also help set new standards for transparency and risk management in the staking ETF sector.

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Risks and Challenges Ahead

While the potential for returns is attractive, VanEck’s filing also highlights the inherent risks of crypto investments. Solana’s market volatility remains high, and staking involves its own set of operational challenges, including:

• Validator Downtime: If staking validators experience downtime, rewards could be reduced or lost.

• Smart Contract Risks: Staking mechanisms rely on code, which can be vulnerable to bugs or exploits.

• Regulatory Risk: Changing U.S. regulations could alter how staking rewards are taxed or even whether such products remain permissible.

• Market Risk: As with any cryptocurrency, Solana’s price can fluctuate dramatically in short periods.

Investors should weigh these factors carefully before participating in staking-based funds, even under an ETF structure.

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What This Means for the Future of Crypto ETFs

The launch of an officially sanctioned Solana Staking ETF could mark a major evolution in the way digital assets are integrated into mainstream portfolios.

By merging price exposure, staking income, and regulatory oversight, VanEck’s product could open the door to a new generation of hybrid crypto investment vehicles — blending blockchain economics with the safety nets of traditional finance.

If approved, the ETF could also pave the way for similar products tied to other staking-enabled blockchains, such as Cardano (ADA), Polkadot (DOT), or Avalanche (AVAX), further diversifying the crypto ETF landscape.

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Conclusion: A Step Toward Institutional Crypto Maturity

VanEck’s new Solana Staking ETF filing represents more than just another investment product. It symbolizes a shift in how traditional finance views blockchain — not merely as a speculative asset class, but as a legitimate source of yield and innovation.

While regulatory uncertainty and market volatility remain challenges, the initiative underlines one key point: institutional investors are no longer ignoring crypto. They are actively finding ways to integrate it within frameworks that balance opportunity with compliance.

If approved, the VanEck Solana Staking ETF could be a milestone moment — merging technology, trust, and transparency in one product that could define the next era of digital finance.

Writer @Ellena

Erlin is an experienced crypto writer who loves to explore the intersection of blockchain technology and financial markets. She regularly provides insights into the latest trends and innovations in the digital currency space.

 

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