Major Ethereum Investment by FTX for $79 Million: As Whales Purchase More, Growth in BlackRock's ETH Asset Gains Traction
In a significant development for the cryptocurrency market, major players are increasing their Ethereum (ETH) accumulation and staking, driven by institutional demand and potential regulatory approvals for Ethereum staking ETFs.
Recent data shows that BlackRock, a leading institutional investor, has added $375 million in ETH to its holdings, controlling about 2.5% of Ethereum's total circulating supply. This move comes as BlackRock advances a proposal for an Ethereum staking ETF, signaling growing institutional confidence.
The Ether Machine, a company focused on ETH accumulation, bought 15,000 ETH this week, increasing its total ETH holdings to over 334,000. Interestingly, The Ether Machine now holds more ETH than the Ethereum Foundation.
The current price of ETH is $3,860, marking an increase of 1% in the last 24 hours and 7% over the past seven days. This growth is partly due to the record high ETH staking, with 35 million ETH staked as of June 2025. This surge in staking is supported by a May protocol update that increased the validator staking limit, allowing large holders to consolidate stakes more efficiently.
The approval of Ethereum staking ETFs by the U.S. SEC is expected soon, likely prioritized over XRP ETFs. This approval could bring massive liquidity inflows, estimated at over $10 billion, reducing sell pressure as more ETH becomes locked in staking and ETFs. This could help Ethereum maintain support above $3,500 and potentially drive the price toward $5,000 or higher by year-end.
Since their launch in July 2024, ETH ETFs have received $9.62 billion. July 2025 saw a significant increase in inflows, with the iShares Ethereum ETF acquiring over 3 million ETH, with an additional 1 million ETH added since July 12. Eleven new wallets have acquired a total of 722,152 ETH, worth $2.77 billion, since July 9.
The trend points to a new phase of Ethereum’s growth driven by staking incentives, ETF adoption, and institutional engagement. On-chain data tracked by Lookonchain shows these ETH transfers and staking actions. Most of these new wallets are staking their ETH.
This news is noteworthy as it underscores the growing institutional interest in Ethereum and the potential for Ethereum staking ETFs to reshape ETH investment. As regulatory progress continues, we can expect to see more institutions following suit, further bolstering Ethereum's position in the cryptocurrency market.
- Institutional investors like BlackRock, with $375 million in ETH holdings, are taking advantage of Ethereum staking, driven by the potential approval of Ethereum staking ETFs.
- The surge in ETH staking, including the 35 million ETH staked as of June 2025, is supported by technology advancements such as the May protocol update increasing the validator staking limit.
- The growing institutional interest in Ethereum is evidenced by the recent inflows into ETH ETFs, with the iShares Ethereum ETF acquiring over 4 million ETH since July 2025.
- The trend of increasing Ethereum staking and ETF adoption by institutions, backed by regulatory progress, could propel Ethereum's price towards $5,000 or higher by the end of the year, supported by technology-driven investment strategies.
