BlackRock Turns Ethereum Trust into Base for Spot ETF

• BlackRock Proposes Collateral Function for Ethereum ETF
• SEC May Approve Ethereum ETFs in Batch
• Expected decision in the fourth quarter of 2025

Ethereum is trading near $3.720 on Monday, up 3,8% daily, amid growing expectations for a potential spot ETF approval in the United States. Market optimism intensified after BlackRock revamped its iShares Ethereum Trust to function as collateral in future Ethereum ETFs.

The change signals a strategy aligned with the models already used in Bitcoin ETFs, which received the green light from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in January 2024. At the time, the SEC approved several funds simultaneously, a model that could be repeated in the case of Ethereum, with a new round of decisions scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2025.

Eric Balchunas, senior ETF analyst at Bloomberg, commented: "I believe the agency would approve Ethereum ETFs for trading in a unified batch." This approach, in addition to speeding up the process, promotes transparency and reduces uncertainty among large asset managers interested in the cryptocurrency market.

BlackRock's move also reignited regulatory scrutiny of staking and collateral mechanisms in Ethereum-linked investment products. The fund's proposal seeks to meet the requirements for spot ETF approval, highlighting the robust institutional infrastructure of the world's largest asset manager.

Based on precedents and current evidence, market analysts already project that the eventual approval of Ethereum-backed ETFs could generate billions in inflows into the sector, favoring liquidity and institutional adoption of the digital asset.

The anticipation surrounding this decision comes at a time of growing regulatory scrutiny in the US, fueled by current President Donald Trump, who has signaled a more flexible stance toward the crypto industry. If the SEC maintains its pattern of coordinated decisions, Ethereum could experience a new appreciation cycle later this year.