VanEck pulls the plug on Lido staked Ether ETF, leaving stETH on the sidelines 🚫

Asset manager VanEck told regulators it will not move forward with its proposed Lido staked Ether exchange-traded fund, according to an SEC filing on Wednesday. VanEck Digital Assets said it "does not intend to proceed with the planned distribution" of the trust's shares, without explaining what prompted the decision or whether it would seek a replacement product.

The fund's S-1 registration statement was initially filed on Oct. 16, 2025. As proposed, the trust would have held Lido staked Ether (stETH) and would expect to accrue certain staking rewards through ownership of stETH, giving investors exposure to the liquid staking token.

VanEck's withdrawal comes amid an active period for the asset manager's crypto product lineup. Cointelegraph reached out to VanEck Digital Assets for comment. In a separate matter, VanEck recently criticized Metaplanet over executive dilution despite compensation cuts.