SEC Commissioner Peirce Suggests Reconsideration of Ethereum ETF Staking

Hester Peirce, the commissioner at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), says that Ethereum exchange-traded fund (ETF) staking is open for reconsideration.

In an interview with Zack Guzman, Peirce discussed the potential for revisiting the inclusion of staking in Ethereum ETFs, despite it being initially excluded from the applications.

NEW: SEC Commissioner Peirce tells me Ethereum ETFs being able to stake could be open to reconsideration

"I think certainly something like staking, or any feature of the product … those are always open for reconsideration as far as I'm concerned" pic.twitter.com/SFUTPcX80z

— Zack Guzmán (@zGuz) July 17, 2024

SEC May Reconsider Ethereum ETF Features

She highlighted that any features of the product, including staking, could be subject to reevaluation based on market needs and regulatory developments.

In the interview, Guzman said, “One piece that was dropped was staking. Of course, that was removed from the applications earlier on.”

“I wonder, you know, reasonings for that and whether or not any of that could change as we see these progress in the life of them being out there as products,” asked Guzman.

“There were features of the product that some people would have liked to see included but weren’t. And those are always open for reconsideration as far as I’m concerned,” stated Peirce.

The context of this discussion arises from the SEC’s previous approval of Ethereum ETFs, which excluded staking due to regulatory concerns. However, Peirce’s remarks suggest that the evolving landscape of digital assets might prompt a reassessment of this decision.

The Commission has approved spot Bitcoin ETFs, spot Ethereum ETFs, and have received applications from 21Shares and VanEck for their spot Solana ETFs.

Crypto Regulation to Take a Shift

Though the SEC has singled out the crypto industry and engaged an “Enforcement-First” crypto regulation strategy by going after companies with relentless lawsuits, Patrick Daugherty, a partner at Foley & Lardner LLP believes that there could be a shift post-elections.

Daugherty presumed that if former President Donald Trump takes the Oval Office, his pro-crypto stance would be significantly positive for the crypto sector as he has demonstrated support, promised no Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) and pushed for the right to self-custody.

Daugherty also indicated that if President Joe Biden wins the upcoming election, he would likely designate a new Chair of the SEC to replace the currently opposed Gary Gensler.