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Ethereum transparent octahedron crypto. Source: maurice norbert - stock.adobe.com

Key Takeaways:

U.S. regulators have approved options trading for spot Ether ETFs, mirroring prior Bitcoin ETF developments.
Bloomberg analyst James Seyffart suggests staking approvals could come as early as May, ahead of an October deadline.
Ether ETFs have seen lower adoption than Bitcoin ETFs, but the addition of options and potential staking could increase investor interest.

U.S. regulators have approved options trading for spot Ether ETFs, marking a potential step toward enabling staking features.

This development follows similar approval for Bitcoin ETF options in 2024 and could significantly broaden trading strategies for investors.

Tons of people asking me about Ethereum ETF Staking approval timelines. Its possible they could be approved for staking early, but the final deadline is at the end of October.

Potential intermediate deadlines before the final approval (or denial) are in late May & late August https://t.co/EKPfC65IRF
— James Seyffart (@JSeyff) April 9, 2025

James Seyffart, a Bloomberg Intelligence analyst, suggests staking may be approved as early as May, even though the SEC’s final deadline is in October.

Intermediate review points are expected in late May and August.

Options allow investors to buy or sell Ether ETFs at a set price within a given timeframe, while staking involves committing ETH to support the Ethereum network in exchange for rewards.

Combining both features—options and staking—could enhance the appeal of Ether ETFs by offering both passive income and strategic trading tools.

Despite being launched in June 2024, Ether ETFs have underperformed compared to Bitcoin ETFs, drawing about $2.4 billion in net inflows versus Bitcoin’s $35 billion.

Asset managers have submitted multiple requests to the SEC to permit staking, hoping regulatory clearance will boost investor interest.

Analysts believe the integration of options and staking could help Ether ETFs catch up, offering new incentives to both institutional and retail investors seeking diversified Ethereum exposure.