Episode
BlackRock's Matt Kunke on the Launch of ETHB and Staking ETF Mechanics
- Podcast
- CFB Talks Digital Assets
- Published
- Apr 28, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 2424
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- https://rss.com/podcasts/cfb-talks-digital-assets/2775729
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Summary
In around four weeks after its listing, BlackRock's iShares Staked Ethereum Trust ETF (ETHB) had gathered roughly $450M in assets — which BlackRock itself calls a "top-quintile" launch. We're stoked to welcome Matt Kunke, CFA — Director and US iShares Digital Assets ETFs Product Strategist at BlackRock — to the CFB Talks Digital Assets podcast for a deep dive on what ETHB unlocks, why it sits alongside the original Ether ETF (ETHA) rather than replacing it, and how staking actually works inside an ETP wrapper. CF Benchmarks is the index provider for BlackRock's IBIT, ETHA and ETHB - so this conversation gets technical fast, but Matt is at his lucid best throughout. A sample of what's in store: Why BlackRock built ETHB as a separate product instead of converting ETHA — and the reasoning behind giving investors choice The "collateralized bond" mental model for proof-of-stake, and why correlated slashing — the tail risk everyone names — has never actually happened How ETHB manages its stated 70%–95% staking range, the entry queue currently sitting at ~50 days, and why the exit queue is the one that really matters The Lido stETH precedent: why sophisticated market actors should keep ETHB-style products at-or-near NAV even in stressed environments Where staking yields are headed post-Pectra, the floor mechanics, and why the glide path is gradual rather than abrupt ETH + staking rewards — how wealth advisors and hedge funds are actually framing the trade Why ETH's wirehouse approval trajectory looks today the way IBIT's did roughly nine months ago Grab your beverage of choice and dive in! Recorded April 2026. Chapters 00:00 – Intro & Welcome: Matt Kunke from BlackRock 02:00 – A Top-Quintile Launch: ETHB Hits $450M in Under Four Weeks 04:15 – A New Product, Not an ETHA Co…