Ethereum is seeing a surge in corporate interest, with institutional treasuries now holding around 1% of ETH’s total circulating supply, according to a recent report from Standard Chartered. The bank projects this figure could climb as high as 10% in the coming years, signaling a significant shift in how businesses are integrating cryptocurrencies into their financial strategies.
ETH Staking: A New Source of Passive Income for Corporations
Unlike bitcoin, Ethereum offers staking rewards, currently averaging around 3% annually. This added utility has made ETH an increasingly attractive option for companies looking to grow their treasuries.
Firms such as BitMine Immersion Technologies and SharpLink Gaming have already adopted ETH-based treasury strategies, using staking and decentralized finance (DeFi) tools to earn passive income on their holdings. These capabilities provide a clear advantage over traditional crypto holdings that remain idle in cold storage.
Rising Institutional Inflows Mirror Spot ETF Demand
Standard Chartered also noted that institutional ETH purchases now rival the inflows seen in spot Ether ETFs, which have been experiencing record levels of demand. This trend reflects growing confidence among large investors in Ethereum’s long-term value and utility.
Supporting this momentum, Ethereum has outperformed bitcoin in recent months, with the ETH/BTC ratio rising from 0.018 in April to 0.032 by July. Analysts at Standard Chartered interpret this move as a signal of a strategic shift in institutional crypto allocations, increasingly favoring ETH over BTC.
Despite market volatility, the bank reaffirmed its year-end price target of $4,000 for ETH. At the time of the report, Ethereum was trading close to $3,830, underscoring strong bullish sentiment.
As more companies look to leverage crypto assets for yield and diversification, Ethereum appears to be at the forefront of this transformation—offering not just value appreciation, but also income and access to an expanding financial ecosystem.
