- Corporate ETH holdings are now 1% of supply and could grow 10x, driven by treasury adoption and institutional demand, Standard Chartered reports.
- Ethereum’s staking rewards and DeFi access give it a clear edge over Bitcoin as a corporate treasury asset, boosting ETH portfolio interest.
- The ETH/BTC ratio jumped from 0.018 in April to 0.032 in July, reflecting Ethereum’s outperformance amid ETF and corporate buying momentum.
Ethereum treasury holdings among public companies are on track for rapid growth, according to a recent report from Standard Chartered.
Institutional ETH Holdings Surge
Corporate entities currently hold about 1% of Ethereum’s circulating supply. Standard Chartered projects this figure could rise tenfold to 10%, citing a rise in institutional interest. This trend is unfolding alongside growing inflows into spot Ethereum exchange-traded funds (ETFs), which are also experiencing strong demand.
Several listed companies have already adopted Ethereum as a treasury asset. BitMine Immersion Technologies (BMNR) and SharpLink Gaming (SBET) have recently implemented ETH-focused treasury strategies. These strategies include staking, which allows firms to generate passive income while holding the asset on their balance sheets.
The bank’s digital assets research team observed that the pace of ETH accumulation by corporations is now rivaling ETF inflows. This is viewed as part of a broader shift in how institutions view and engage with Ethereum.
Staking and DeFi Give Ethereum a Treasury Edge
Ethereum’s ability to offer staking rewards and decentralized finance (DeFi) opportunities sets it apart from Bitcoin. Staking currently offers yields around 3%, making ETH an appealing treasury option for yield-seeking firms.
Standard Chartered notes that this added layer of utility gives Ethereum a structural edge over Bitcoin in corporate treasury strategy. Geoff Kendrick, the bank’s global head of digital assets research, highlighted Ethereum’s outperformance, referencing the ETH/BTC ratio’s rise from 0.018 in April to 0.032 in July.
This performance is attributed to both ETF demand and corporate ETH accumulation. The combination of yield potential and price performance may be influencing a shift in institutional portfolio allocation.
Ethereum’s Institutional Role Expected to Expand
Ethereum’s use as a corporate treasury asset may continue expanding as regulatory arbitrage creates openings in markets where direct crypto access remains limited. In such environments, ETH becomes a practical option for companies seeking compliant exposure to digital assets.
Standard Chartered has maintained its Ethereum year-end price target of $4,000. At the time of the report, ETH was trading around $3,830.
