Institutional access to cryptocurrency staking is taking two distinct but complementary paths forward: custody-native staking for TRON’s TRX, and the long-awaited arrival of staking inside U.S. spot Solana ETFs. Together, they signal a market where proof-of-stake assets are no longer just held, but are being integrated into yield-generating structures that meet the compliance, custody, and operational demands of professional investors.
Anchorage Digital now offers native TRX staking directly from its regulated custody platform. The service allows institutions to earn TRON network rewards without moving assets out of Anchorage’s controlled environment. That removes a major friction point: institutional holders otherwise face complex decisions about governance, reporting, and security when interacting directly with blockchain networks. With assets remaining inside a managed custody framework, staking becomes feasible for funds, treasuries, and other regulated entities that could not previously participate. Rewards are variable and depend on network conditions and validator performance, so the integration is primarily about infrastructure, not guaranteed yield.
The move matters for TRON, a network already dominant in stablecoin transfers. By adding a custody-grade staking layer, Anchorage gives institutional holders a way to capture network economics beyond simple transfer activity, positioning TRX as more than just a settlement token.
Meanwhile, Solana ETFs are rewriting the staking playbook for exchange-traded products in the U.S. After the SEC approved spot SOL ETFs in October 2025, the focus shifted to structural details: in-kind redemptions and staking. In mid-2025, the agency asked issuers to amend S-1 filings to address both. Franklin Templeton, Bitwise, Fidelity, and others responded by outlining frameworks where authorized participants can redeem shares directly for SOL instead of cash, reducing tracking error and costs. Grayscale’s Solana Staking ETF went further, amending its Authorized Participant Agreement with Jane Street Capital to permit in-kind creations and redemptions.
Staking is the genuinely novel feature. Bitwise’s BSOL stakes 100% of its SOL through Helius, targeting rewards above 7%, while Grayscale’s GSOL charges a 23% fee on gross staking consideration. Morgan Stanley’s amended S-1 filing in June 2026 added a detailed staking framework with a 0.14% annual sponsor fee, undercutting rivals. Crucially, the SEC has now permitted staking inside ETFs, a first for U.S.-listed crypto funds, despite slashing risk—the potential loss of staked SOL if a validator misbehaves. The agency’s decision suggests that operational safeguards and custody controls sufficiently mitigate that risk.
Cumulative net inflows highlight growing demand: Solana ETFs have drawn roughly $1.14 billion, while XRP ETFs, also approved, have attracted $1.49 billion. Bitwise’s BSOL alone manages $760 million in assets. The SOL ETF approval template now provides a clear path for other proof-of-stake tokens to seek similar products.
These developments, from TRX custody staking to the SEC’s Solana ETF framework, reflect an institutional maturation. Rather than debating whether proof-of-stake assets belong in professional portfolios, the industry is now building the plumbing to make them accessible.
