Ethereum

BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager, is reportedly assessing a structure that would add Ethereum staking to its exchange-traded products. The proposed model would direct about 82%–83% of staking rewards to ETF investors, with the rest covering validator and management costs, potentially turning spot ETH ETFs approved in 2024 into yield-generating instruments in addition to providing price exposure.

On February 22, 2026, on-chain trackers Arkham Intelligence and Lookonchain flagged Vitalik Buterin withdrawing 3,500 ETH from Aave and selling 571 ETH. Earlier in February, reported sales climbed to 6,183 ETH at a $2,140 average exit price, while ETH has continued to trade below $2,000 amid broader weakness.

BlackRock has filed the iShares Staked Ethereum Trust, expected to trade as ETHB, which plans to stake 70–95% of its Ether and distribute 82% of staking rewards to investors while charging a 0.25% sponsor fee. A December 17 regulatory document noted a seed purchase of 4,000 shares at $0.25 each, and market participants expect a first‑half 2026 rollout.

US spot Bitcoin ETFs have seen about $3.8 billion in outflows over the last five weeks, with net redemptions continuing through Feb. 20. Ether products recorded nearly $123 million in withdrawals across five consecutive weeks, while Solana funds drew roughly $14 million in inflows and XRP saw smaller additions. The pattern points to investor rotation from BTC and ETH toward select altcoins.

Ethereum is showing relative strength on an inverted price chart, but an analyst known as Mizer still views the higher time frame trend as bearish until a key parabolic curve is broken. He outlines two possible outcomes from the current consolidation and sets downside targets near $1,700 and $1,400, warning that losing a crucial flip zone on the inverted chart would invalidate the setup and imply a broader trend shift.

BNP Paribas Asset Management is piloting a tokenised share class of a French money market fund on Ethereum using the ERC-3643 standard, with regulated access for pre-approved investors. In parallel, the bank is helping lead Qivalis, a Euro stablecoin backed by segregated reserves and targeting a commercial rollout in the second half of 2026 across Ethereum, Polygon, and Base.

The cryptocurrency market has reversed most gains achieved after the 2024 U.S. election, now roughly 40% below its October 2025 peak. Total3 rose more than 91% to $1.16 trillion by December 2024 before slipping toward about $713 billion, while Bitcoin and Ether also saw drawdowns of over 50% and about 60%, respectively.

After clearing $1,950, Ethereum advanced toward the $2,000 mark, with ETH around $1,988, up roughly 1.1% in the past 24 hours and slightly ahead of Bitcoin with a sub‑1% move. The article's on‑chain review notes major whale cohorts are in unrealized losses, while resistance stands at $2,157–$2,260 and support near $1,820–$1,850.

According to Arkham, Vitalik Buterin holds more than 240,000 ETH worth about $467 million and ranks as the largest accessible individual holder. In late January 2026 he withdrew 16,384 ETH, followed by sales totaling around 2,961 ETH over three days in early February routed via CoW Protocol.

BlackRock is preparing the iShares Staked Ethereum Trust (ETHB), an ETF designed to generate yield via Ethereum staking. The fund plans to stake 70%–95% of holdings, maintain a 5%–30% liquidity sleeve, and distribute 82% of staking rewards to investors, with a 0.25% sponsor fee. It is widely expected to launch in H1 2026.