iShares Staked Ethereum Trust ETF (ETHB) vs Morgan Stanley Ethereum Trust (MSSE)

How iShares Staked Ethereum Trust ETF (ETHB) vs Morgan Stanley Ethereum Trust (MSSE) compare on our ratings, crypto etf specs, funding, pros and cons.

Feature
Ratings
Our score4.4/53.9/5
User ratingNo reviews yetNo reviews yet
Fees4.53.0
Size & liquidity4.53.5
Issuer & custody5.05.0
Structure & tracking4.04.0
Extras (staking, options)4.04.5
Specs
TickerETHBMSSE
IssuerBlackRockMorgan Stanley Investment Management
HoldsEtherEther
StructureSpot ETFGrantor trust
Expense ratio0.25%Not disclosed
Fee waiver0.12% for the first 12 months on the first $2.5B in assetsNot disclosed
Assets under management$1.18BNot disclosed
Listed onNasdaqNYSE Arca
Launch date2026-02-182026-07-28
CustodianCoinbase PrimeThe Bank of New York Mellon and Coinbase Custody Trust Company, LLC
Stakes its holdings Yes Yes
MarketUnited StatesUnited States
Company
Founded20262026
HeadquartersUnited StatesUnited States
InvestorsNot disclosedNot disclosed
Strengths and weaknesses
Pros
  • 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
  • Custody secured through both BNY Mellon and Coinbase Custody
  • Generates network staking yield that accrues to the trust
  • Trades directly through standard U.S. brokerage and retirement accounts
  • Backed by Morgan Stanley Investment Management with $2T in platform assets
Cons
  • 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
  • Not registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940
  • Staked ether carries smart contract and validator slashing penalty risks
  • No option for shareholders to redeem or withdraw underlying physical ether
  • Share price may trade at persistent premiums or discounts to net asset value
Best forRetirement account crypto exposure, Investors seeking ether staking yields, US brokerage account holdersU.S. brokerage account holders, Retirement accounts seeking ether exposure, Investors wanting staking-yield capture without self-custody

Highlighted cells show the stronger value in each row. Data comes from each provider's site and public sources; check details before you sign up.