#Trump-related Platform Stakes ETH#

Recently, World Liberty Financial (WLFI), a crypto platform associated with Donald Trump, deposited a total of 10,000 Ether (ETH), worth $33 million, into the liquid staking platform Lido Finance (LDO) for staking and earning rewards. This move has sparked hope that regulators will soon allow spot ETH exchange-traded funds (ETFs) for staking. Hester Pierce, a member of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) currently leading the agency’s crypto working group, said in a Coinage interview last month that she is open to considering a staking ETF. Former SEC Chair Gary Gensler, known for his anti-crypto stance, resigned on January 20th as Trump took office. Staking would enhance the appeal of investment products, allowing investors to earn stable returns from their holdings and reduce product fees. According to SoSoValue, U.S. spot ETH ETFs collectively hold $12 billion in assets. Potential regulatory approval could also shake up the price of ETH and neighboring ecosystem tokens, such as LDO from Lido. Ethereum’s future has been under intense scrutiny recently due to its declining price compared to competitors, leadership disputes, and concerns about the project’s roadmap. ETH’s price against Bitcoin (BTC) recently fell to its lowest point in four years, ceding market share of trading activity to fast-growing blockchains like Solana. Moreover, recent inflows into Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs indicate bullish sentiment in the market for cryptocurrencies. On January 22, Bitcoin ETFs saw a net inflow of 6,719 BTC (approximately $701 million), while Ethereum ETFs saw a net inflow of 18,108 ETH (approximately $59.59 million). Bitwise Bitcoin ETF BITB also surpassed $4.5 billion in market cap. CME Bitcoin options trading indicates the strongest bullish sentiment since Trump’s election on November 5th. These data point to a growing investment appetite in cryptocurrencies, particularly for an Ethereum staking ETF.