13 Ethereum ETFs and Their Fees + Holdings
The SEC has approved spot Ethereum ETFs. Here's what to know about them, and how they compare to pre-existing Ethereum strategy ETFs.
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What is a spot Ethereum ETF?
A spot Ethereum ETF is an exchange-traded fund that invests directly in Ethereum, the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization after Bitcoin. On July 23, 2024, the SEC allowed the first spot Ethereum ETFs to start trading — this followed approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs in January 2024.
Ethereum has many features that distinguish it from Bitcoin. Its blockchain doesn’t just host Ether coins; it’s also home to decentralized apps and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) that run on the Ethereum protocol. Ethereum also now uses a proof-of-stake system to create new coins — a more energy-efficient system than the proof-of-work process behind Bitcoin mining. (Ethereum also used a proof-of-work system until it switched to proof-of-stake in 2022.)
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There were already Ethereum strategy ETFs on the market before the approval of spot ETFs, which indirectly track the price of Ether using futures contracts. However, these may not track the cryptocurrency’s price quite as accurately as a spot Ethereum ETF, and they may charge higher fees. The spot Ethereum ETFs approved in July 2024 are the first of their kind.
Spot Ethereum ETFs
To date, nine different spot Ethereum ETFs have started trading since approval. They are listed below, along with the name and ticker symbol of each ETF, and each ETF’s fee.
Fund name & symbol | Fee |
|---|---|
Grayscale Ethereum Mini Trust (ETH) | 0.15% |
Franklin Ethereum Trust (EZET) | 0.19% |
VanEck Ethereum Trust (ETHV) | 0.20% |
Bitwise Ethereum ETF (ETHW) | 0.20% |
21Shares Core Ethereum ETF (CETH) | 0.21% |
Fidelity Ethereum Fund (FETH) | 0.25% |
iShares Ethereum Trust (ETHA) | 0.25% |
Invesco Galaxy Ethereum ETF (QETH) | 0.25% |
Grayscale Ethereum Trust (ETHE) | 2.50% |
Source: Fund websites. Data is current as of July 30, 2025, and is for informational purposes only.
The Ethereum ETF price war
In the days leading up to the Ethereum ETF approvals in July 2024, Ethereum ETF issuers engaged in a race to the bottom in terms of fees. Many issuers filed multiple amended registration statements lowering their fees to try to undercut their competitors, some of whom responded days later by filing their own amended registration statements with even lower fees.
Others announced last-minute promos — such as reducing their fee to zero for the first six months of trading — in an effort to distinguish themselves as the cheapest Ethereum ETF. This fast-paced exchange of fee cuts and promos continued into the days just before the SEC’s approval announcement.
Ethereum strategy ETFs
We define an Ethereum strategy ETF as any ETF that invests at least 50% of its assets in Ether futures. There are four such funds on the market today, and they’re listed below from lowest to highest fee.
Fund name & symbol | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
ARK 21Shares Active Ethereum Futures Strategy ETF (ARKZ) | 0.70% | Invested in Ether futures. |
ProShares Ether Strategy ETF (EETH) | 1.0% | Invested in Ether futures. Fee reduced to 0.95% until Sept. 30, 2025. |
ProShares Bitcoin & Ether Equal Weight Strategy ETF (BETE) | 1.01% | Invested in Bitcoin and Ether futures. Fee reduced to 0.95% until Sept. 30, 2025. |
CoinShares Valkyrie Bitcoin and Ether Strategy ETF (BTF) | 1.25% | Invested in Bitcoin and Ether futures. |
Sources: Fund websites. Data is current as of July 30, 2025, and for informational purposes only.
What do ETF approvals mean for Ethereum?
Will the ETF approvals give momentum to the largest altcoin? Considering the price of Ethereum is up more than 60% since February 2024 (when speculators started pricing in the possibility of Ethereum ETF approval), it appears institutions are indeed gaining exposure to the cryptocurrency.
What's more, Ethereum ETFs give 401(k) and IRA investors a new way to invest in crypto. Americans collectively hold nearly $40 trillion in retirement accounts, and many of those retirement accounts do not allow trading of cryptocurrencies themselves.
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Ethereum ETFs vs. Ethereum itself
Spot Ethereum ETFs may have some advantages over other ways of investing in Ethereum. As we’ve discussed, they may offer investors who cannot buy Ethereum directly (such as retirement account investors) a cheaper and more reliable way to invest in Ethereum than the pre-existing slate of Ethereum strategy ETFs.
However, it’s important to note that Ethereum ETFs do have some disadvantages compared to owning the cryptocurrency itself. Investors in the current crop of Ethereum ETFs will not receive staking rewards (a sort of interest payment or dividend for Ether holders).
If you want that feature of Ethereum, you’ll need to invest in the cryptocurrency itself.
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The editor owned Ether at the time of publication.