- Outperformed XRP, ETH futures ETFs, ranking in top 1% of launches.
- Institutional interest grows with $167M in Solana CME futures.
- 1.4% fee, risks include validator failures, network issues.
On the very first day of its introduction on the Cboe BZX Exchange, July 2, 2025, the REX-Osprey Solana + Staking ETF (SSK) generated a trading volume of $33 million and net inflows amounted to $12 million. This was faster than XRP and Ethereum futures ETFs that are achieving a major milestone in the U.S. crypto investment products.
Strong Market Entry for Solana Staking ETF
Source – X
In the initial hours of its existence, the SSK ETF traded $20 million, thereby securing a position in the top 1 percent of ETF launches. It is the first U.S.-traded fund to offer exposure to Solana through spot, staking, and reward income.Trading volume was $33 million and inflows were $12 million on the Solana futures ETF (SOLZ)’s launch day, exceeding $1 million. Initially, the fund had $25 million in assets, which was more than SOLZ.
The ETF follows the price of Solana and provides an extra yield by staking, and approximately 80 percent of its funds are invested in spot SOL. A portion of these assets, at least 50 percent, is on-chain staked through Anchorage Digital, a federally regulated digital asset bank, to provide an estimated 7.3 percent annualized yield rate. Cash payments are made to investors monthly and allow easy access to blockchain native returns.
This framework does not involve the technicalities of a direct staking, like having to handle personal keys or having to work around network infrastructure. In contrast with futures-based ETFs, the SSK spot pricing model, comprising the CME CF Solana-Dollar Reference Rate, will result in a more accurate tracking of the market price of SOL, minimizing possible losses due to contango.
Institutional Interest and Market Impact
This is accompanied by a rise in Solana price by 5 percent, which according to market data stood at 155 by July 3, 2025. Open interest in Solana CME futures also exploded, up 13 percent to a new record of $167 million, and that reflects more institutional interest. The ETF performance explains a market preference in the Solana staking protocol over futures-based products like XRP and Ethereum ETFs that recorded a less volume when launched.
The SSK ETF was organized as a C-corporation under the Investment Company Act of 1940 to ensure that the fund did not have to go through the traditional approval processes with the SEC, but this was referred to as a regulatory workaround. Approximately 40% of its assets are held in foreign Solana exchange-traded products, while the remaining portion is directly pledged SOL and liquid staking tokens such as JitoSOL.The investors interested in regulated exposure to crypto yields have taken an interest in this new way.
It charges an annual fee of 1.4 percent, which is above the rates charged by most passive ETFs since the fund is actively staking and custody. The possible risks include validator and network issues, which are addressed by the institutional validators including Galaxy or Figment.The successful launch has the potential to spur further innovation in crypto ETFs, and analysts predict that the SEC will sanction spot Solana, XRP, and Litecoin ETFs by the end of the year, with a 95% likelihood.
