- Canary Capital’s Staking TRX ETF aims to expand income-generating opportunities
- The fund will be structured as a commodity investment trust backed by TRX
- Staking rewards from TRX will be reinvested into the trust, increasing its NAV
- Coinbase Custody Trust Company will serve as the custodian
- TRX pricing will be based on CoinDesk Indices
- The ETF will not use derivatives or leverage
Following Cboe BZX’s recent filing for an ETH Staking ETF, we’re now seeing a similar move focused on another core infrastructure blockchain Tron – The Canary Capital Staking TRX ETF is designed to offer institutional investors comparable access to staking-based returns via TRX.
Canary Capital’s filing to the SEC on April 18 reveals key details that outline how the Canary Capital Staking TRX ETF is expected to operate if approved.
Structural Features of the Canary Capital Staking TRX ETF
One of the key structural aspects of the Canary Capital Staking TRX ETF is its fairly standard setup, common among most ETFs. Until approval is granted, the fund is registered as a Delaware Statutory Trust. Shareholders in the fund do not directly own TRX, but instead hold an economic interest through their ownership stake in the trust.
The fund is expected to be fully backed by TRX, with the assets actively participating in staking operations. This staking mechanism is designed to generate additional yield for institutional investors—though retail investors will also have access to the product.
Among the key parties involved, Canary Capital Group LLC will serve as the sponsor, CSC Delaware Trust Company will manage the trust, and legal services will be provided by Chapman and Cutler LLP. As is typical, Coinbase Custody Trust Company will act as the custodian, while price tracking will be handled through the CoinDesk TRX Price Index. Interestingly, the fund is expected to be listed on Cboe BZX, the same exchange tied to a recent similar filing for an Ethereum Staking ETF.
According to the filing, the ETF will operate through market makers and Authorized Participants, who are permitted to create and redeem “creation units” — large blocks of TRX that correspond to a fixed number of ETF shares. These participants play a critical role in maintaining market liquidity and ensuring the trading price of the ETF stays in line with its calculated NAV.
Regarding the Fund’s Investment Objectives, Several Key Features Stand Out:
- The fund aims to track the TRX price, factoring in the yield generated through staking, while all staking rewards earned from delegating TRX to network validators will be automatically reinvested into the trust and reflected in the daily NAV calculation.
- Staking will be executed natively through Tron validators without the use of third-party intermediaries or additional infrastructure, and validator selection and reward management will be handled directly by the trust through its custodian and trustee.
- Staking returns will vary based on factors such as network inflation, transaction fees, and the performance of selected validators, and the fund will not engage in leverage, derivatives, or hedging strategies, nor does it plan to participate in crypto lending, TRX borrowing, or the use of any other assets.
There’s also a notable legal distinction emphasized in the filing: the fund will not be classified as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and is not subject to the Commodity Exchange Act, as TRX is not recognized as a commodity traded on futures markets, nor does it qualify as a security under prevailing legal and regulatory interpretations.
Conclusion
It’s fair to say the Canary Capital Staking TRX ETF appears quite promising, and the choice of Tron and TRX stands out as uncommon yet prospective.
Still, it remains uncertain whether the SEC will approve the product, especially given the still-ambiguous stance on staking—even for top-tier assets like Ethereum.
In any case, this is an opportunity worth watching closely as the situation develops. Stay tuned for updates, and be adaptive in the rapidly evolving technology, blockchain, and crypto landscape.
