Franklin Templeton, one of the world’s largest investment management firms, has filed an application with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for its Solana exchange-traded fund (ETF) and proposes to include staking as part of its structure.
The firm’s registration statement explicitly mentions staking, which marks a significant move in the evolving regulatory landscape for cryptocurrency-based investment products.
According to the filing document, Franklin Templeton’s proposed Solana ETF would allow the fund to engage in staking activities and earn rewards in the form of SOL ($173.69). “In exchange for any staking activity in which the Fund may participate, the Fund will receive certain staking rewards in Solana tokens, which rewards may be treated as income for the Fund,” the filing said.
Franklin Templeton’s move comes amid growing interest in launching Solana ETFs, particularly following changes in SEC leadership and a more crypto-friendly regulatory environment. Under the previous administration, former SEC Chairman Gary Gensler took a cautious stance on crypto-related products. However, the approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs following Grayscale’s landmark lawsuit against the SEC paved the way for Ethereum ETFs and potentially other crypto-based investment vehicles.
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Firms seeking approval for their Solana ETFs are now in contact with the SEC to discuss the inclusion of staking. Last week, the agency’s newly formed crypto task force met with Jito Labs and Multicoin Capital to explore the feasibility of staking in exchange-traded products. Similar discussions have occurred regarding Ethereum ETFs. The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is seeking permission for staking in Grayscale’s Ethereum ETFs, while Cboe BZX Exchange is seeking approval for 21Shares’ staking-enabled Ethereum ETF.
James Seyffart, an ETF analyst at Bloomberg, believes that staking will eventually be allowed for all proof-of-stake assets within ETF structures: “At this point, it’s just a matter of when.”
While regulatory clarity is still needed, Ethereum ETF staking applications are expected to be reviewed before those for Solana, according to Seyffart. Previously, many firms have removed staking from their ETF applications due to regulatory uncertainty. The SEC has noted that proof-of-stake tokens could be classified as securities, creating hurdles for their inclusion in regulated investment products.
*This is not investment advice.
Continue Reading: Important Development for Solana (SOL): If Adopted, It Will Be a First in History
