VanEck Seeks to Bridge TradFi and DeFi Through JitoSOL ETF Tied to Solana’s Liquid Staking

VanEck Targets Traditional Investors With Staked Solana ETF Filing

VanEck has filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to launch a staked Solana (SOL) exchange-traded fund (ETF), aiming to bridge the gap between decentralized finance and traditional capital markets.

The proposed fund, disclosed in an S-1 registration submitted Friday, would offer exposure to JitoSOL—a liquid staking token built on the Solana blockchain. JitoSOL represents staked SOL and automatically accrues staking rewards, meaning the ETF would capture both SOL’s price movement and its staking yield.

This structure differs from conventional crypto ETFs, which typically track price alone. If approved, it would mark one of the first ETFs to incorporate blockchain-native yield mechanisms into a regulated product.

SEC Weighs Staking-Integrated Products

The filing comes as the SEC continues to evaluate how staking elements can be factored into crypto investment vehicles. Discussions between regulators and fund issuers—including VanEck—have accelerated in recent months.

Speaking at a Jackson Hole panel earlier this week, SEC Commissioner Paul Atkins acknowledged the agency’s regulatory framework needs updates. “We cannot have things so abstruse that lawyers can’t give opinions to clients,” he said, adding that future rulemaking should be more adaptive to technological change.

His comments suggest a softening stance toward staking-focused products and a willingness to modernize outdated regulatory barriers.

Competitive Landscape Expands

VanEck joins a growing list of asset managers—including Fidelity, Grayscale, and Franklin Templeton—looking to launch Solana-based ETFs with embedded staking exposure. As interest in decentralized yield strategies grows, traditional firms are moving quickly to secure early-mover advantage.

By leveraging JitoSOL, VanEck’s proposal could bring Solana’s staking returns to a wider investor base, offering passive access to blockchain-based income via a compliant ETF wrapper.