Grayscale Bitcoin Trust ETF (GBTC) vs iShares Staked Ethereum Trust ETF (ETHB)

How Grayscale Bitcoin Trust ETF (GBTC) vs iShares Staked Ethereum Trust ETF (ETHB) compare on our ratings, crypto etf specs, funding, pros and cons.

Feature
Ratings
Our score3.6/54.4/5
User ratingNo reviews yetNo reviews yet
Fees2.54.5
Size & liquidity4.54.5
Issuer & custody4.55.0
Structure & tracking4.04.0
Extras (staking, options)2.54.0
Specs
TickerGBTCETHB
IssuerGrayscaleBlackRock
HoldsBitcoinEther
StructureSpot ETFSpot ETF
Expense ratio1.5%0.25%
Fee waiverNot disclosed0.12% for the first 12 months on the first $2.5B in assets
Assets under managementNot disclosed$1.18B
Listed onNYSE ArcaNasdaq
Launch date2013-09-132026-02-18
CustodianCoinbase CustodyCoinbase Prime
Stakes its holdings No Yes
MarketUnited StatesUnited States
Company
Founded20132026
HeadquartersUnited StatesUnited States
InvestorsNot disclosedNot disclosed
Strengths and weaknesses
Pros
  • Trades directly on NYSE Arca through standard US brokerages and retirement accounts
  • Holds physical Bitcoin rather than futures contracts or synthetic instruments
  • Operating track record dating back to September 2013
  • Complies with SEC reporting rules including Sarbanes-Oxley Section 404(b) audits
  • Sponsor fee waived to 0.12% on the first $2.5B in assets
  • Generates validator staking rewards without requiring manual validator hardware or pooling
  • Pays staking rewards through scheduled monthly cash distributions
  • Backed by institutional custody via Coinbase Prime
Cons
  • Shareholders cannot withdraw or redeem underlying physical Bitcoin to private wallets
  • Ongoing management fees compound to diminish underlying Bitcoin backing over time
  • Subject to sharp asset drawdowns, including a -22.8% total return in Q1 2026
  • Exposes capital to centralized institutional custody risks
  • Shares cannot be redeemed for physical ether tokens
  • Subject to validator slashing penalties and Ethereum unstaking lockup periods
  • Sponsor fee rises to 0.25% once initial waiver conditions conclude
  • Concentrated counterparty custody risk with a single custodian
Best forUS retirement account investors, Brokerage-focused crypto allocations, Institutional accounts requiring SEC filingsRetirement account crypto exposure, Investors seeking ether staking yields, US brokerage account holders

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