21Shares renames its Ethereum and Polkadot ETFs to add "Staking," switches to FTSE Russell benchmarks from CME CF, and moves sponsor fees to quarterly payments.
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21Shares has renamed its Ethereum and Polkadot exchange-traded funds to include “Staking” in the official fund name. The Ethereum ETF is now the 21Shares Ethereum Staking ETF, and the Polkadot ETF is the 21Shares Polkadot Staking ETF, according to SEC filings dated August 25. The Bitcoin, XRP and Dogecoin funds keep their existing names.
The rename makes an existing operational feature more visible. Both the Ethereum and Polkadot funds already staked a portion of their holdings to generate rewards, 21Shares said in the filings. The new labels reflect that activity without changing the underlying asset exposure.
The second change affects how the funds calculate daily net asset value. Starting August 27, the affected funds will use FTSE Russell digital asset indices instead of the previous CME CF benchmarks. The Ethereum fund, for example, will switch to the FTSE Ethereum Index from the CME CF Ether-Dollar Reference Rate. 21Shares and FTSE Russell said the fund’s asset exposure, structure, custodians and exchange listings remain unchanged.
The third change involves sponsor-fee timing. The funds will pay sponsor fees at least quarterly in arrears rather than weekly, with payments continuing in the underlying cryptocurrency. The Ethereum filing specifies that fees will be paid in ETH. Similar amendments were filed for the XRP and Dogecoin ETFs, with fees paid in XRP and DOGE respectively. The change affects the payment schedule, not the fee rate itself.
The updates come as competition among US crypto ETFs moves beyond simple price tracking. Staking features, benchmark design and fee structures are becoming points of differentiation. The new “Staking” labels on the Ethereum and Polkadot funds make their yield-generating features clearer to investors, according to industry observers. The crypto market analysis page tracks broader trends in the space.
For XRP, the update arrives as investor demand for the ETF remains elevated, with the fund continuing to attract inflows. For Ethereum and Polkadot, the name changes and the benchmark transition will be the clearest signal of how the funds are evolving operationally.
SEC filings confirm the Delaware trusts were formally renamed on August 25. The benchmark switch is scheduled for August 27. Sponsor fee payments will shift over to quarterly under the updated agreements.
The immediate focus, traders said, will be on how the funds perform after the FTSE Russell transition and whether staking-focused products continue to draw capital
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