Grayscale Launches Avalanche Staking ETF on Nasdaq

Highlights:

• Leading asset management firm, Grayscale, announced that its AVAX staking ETF has begun trading. 
• Grayscale noted that the new product is trading on the Nasdaq with the market ticker GAVA. 
• AVAX’s price drops slightly as it edges closer to breaking above $10

Cryptocurrency asset management firm Grayscale Investments has begun trading a new exchange-traded product linked to Avalanche (AVAX) on the Nasdaq stock exchange. The asset management company announced the move in a press release dated March 12, 2025. The new product, called the Grayscale Avalanche Staking ETF, will trade under the market ticker symbol GAVA.

Grayscale stated that the fund is designed to provide investors with access to AVAX, the primary token used for transactions on the Avalanche blockchain. Aside from increasing traders’ exposure to AVAX, the new ETF will participate in the network’s staking system. This allows it to earn rewards from offering support to the Avalanche blockchain. 

Grayscale Avalanche Staking ETF (Ticker: $GAVA) is now trading — with 0% fees¹ and staking.

Why Avalanche²
• Built for real businesses – over 10.5 billion transactions since 2020.
• Capable of processing 4,500+ transactions per second
• Powers blockchain infrastructure for… pic.twitter.com/1ON3jI7nxC

— Grayscale (@Grayscale) March 12, 2026

How Grayscale’s New ETF Operates

Like many ETFs, Grayscale’s new product is designed to track AVAX’s market value, while participating in Avalanche’s proof-of-stake system. In that system, tokens are locked or delegated to help confirm transactions and keep the network secure. By including staking, the ETF might generate extra yields linked to the Avalanche network. In addition, traders who participate in the activities will be eligible for rewards. However, investors should note that buying shares in the fund is not the same as owning AVAX tokens directly. 

Grayscale warned its Avalanche Staking ETF is designed as an exchange-traded product rather than a traditional ETF registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Hence, the new ETF will not benefit from the same regulatory protections that apply to standard ETFs or other mutual funds. The asset management firm also warned that its latest fund carries significant risks and high price swings. Consequently, it may not be ideal for investors who cannot afford to lose the money they invest in the fund. 

According to Grayscale’s press release, the Avalanche blockchain is designed to serve three key purposes simultaneously. They include speed, security, and decentralization. The network supports activities like creating digital assets, transferring tokens, and running smart contracts. A key feature of the Avalanche blockchain is its ability to create custom blockchains known as Avalanche L1s, designed to serve diverse specific purposes. This makes the system ideal for companies and institutions that want control and flexibility. 

Grayscale Avalanche Staking ETF ("GAVA" or the "Fund"), an exchange traded product, is not registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 ("40 Act") and therefore is not subject to the same regulations and protections as 40 Act registered ETFs and mutual funds. Investing…

— Grayscale (@Grayscale) March 12, 2026

Top Executives React as Grayscale Launches AVAX Staking ETF

Speaking on the latest achievement, Inkoo Kang, Senior Vice President for ETFs at Grayscale, stated that the new ETF has expanded Grayscale’s over 40 digital asset investment products, while offering investors access to one of the leading smart-contract platforms.

The Senior Vice President added:

“By integrating staking into the Fund’s strategy, GAVA also enables investors to access the potential economic benefits of participating in Avalanche’s Proof of Stake network through an ETP structure.” 

John Wu, President of Ava Labs, said the Avalanche platform noted that financial companies, businesses, and platforms that work with tokenized real-world assets have shown interest in the Avalanche platform, evidenced by its soaring adoption. “Built for business, Avalanche enables financial services, enterprise platforms, and tokenized real-world assets through a customizable, flexible architecture that gives institutions the performance, security, and control needed for production deployment,” he stated.

AVAX’s Price Drops Slightly

The cryptocurrency market is 0.3% up in the past 24 hours, with a market cap of $2.475 trillion and a trading volume of $131.277 billion. On its part, AVAX is down 0.2%, changing hands at about $9.58. It has a market cap of $4.136 billion and a trading volume of roughly $251.8 million. In the past week, AVAX’s price climbed 1.9%, with price extremes fluctuating between $8.82 and $9.87.