Bitwise is expanding its staking services through the strategic acquisition of Chorus One, a staking infrastructure specialist that oversees more than $2.2 billion in actively staked assets. The move underscores how traditional asset-management firms are deepening their on-chain offerings as institutions seek diversified yields and regulated exposure to proof-of-stake ecosystems. Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) and Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) have long anchored crypto investment strategies, and Bitwise’s latest deal signals a broader push into staking across multiple networks as demand for yield on locked crypto continues to grow. The integration comes as Bitwise looks to broaden its portfolio of exchange-traded products (ETPs) and staking solutions in a regulatory landscape that has shown appetite for a wider array of crypto investment products.
Bitwise said on Tuesday that 50 Chorus One employees will join Bitwise Onchain Solutions, a segment already handling substantial on-chain activity and staking for thousands of clients. The transfer of talent will bolster Bitwise’s staking operations, enabling the firm to scale its offerings and support a broader set of networks while leveraging Chorus One’s established infrastructure. The deal’s financial terms were not disclosed, but the strategic alignment is clear: a long-tenured staking provider joining a manager with a growing footprint in crypto ETPs and a plan to diversify product structures beyond spot exposure.
The significance of staking in the current market context cannot be overstated. Staking, the process by which holders lock tokens to participate in network consensus and earn rewards, has emerged as a meaningful yield channel alongside potential price appreciation. Industry players typically note annual yields ranging roughly from 2% to 10%, depending on the chain and validator economics. The Bitwise move aligns with broader market activity where investors seek yield-enhancing strategies within regulated product wrappers. A linked industry debate has highlighted interest from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in embracing a wider set of crypto investment vehicles, which could eventually pave the way for more diverse staking-focused ETFs and ETPs.
The acquisition adds a multi-chain dimension to Bitwise’s staking capabilities, extending the reach to more than 30 proof-of-stake networks. In practical terms, Bitwise will be able to offer staking services across major ecosystems such as Solana (CRYPTO: SOL), Avalanche (CRYPTO: AVAX), Tezos (CRYPTO: XTZ), Sui (CRYPTO: SUI), Aptos (CRYPTO: APT), and Tezos, among others. By integrating Chorus One’s technical backbone with Bitwise’s distribution channels, the combined entity aims to deliver staking services more efficiently, with a focus on security, governance participation, and compliance-ready product structures for institutional clients. The breadth of networks is particularly noteworthy given the fragmented nature of staking across the crypto space, where different chains require bespoke tooling, validator oversight, and risk management frameworks.
Chorus One has carved a niche delivering staking infrastructure since 2018, serving finance firms, family offices, high-net-worth individuals, custodians, funds, exchanges, and decentralized protocols. The firm’s clients benefit from a modular, scalable framework that supports validator operations, node management, and governance participation, all of which dovetail with Bitwise’s core competency in designing, managing, and distributing crypto investment products. The deal also ensures continuity for Chorus One’s existing customers, as the team, including Chorus One CEO Brian Crain, will remain engaged in advisory capacities at Bitwise. The continuity of leadership suggests a smooth transition and a shared emphasis on reliability and risk controls in staking operations.
Bitwise has been building its presence in the exchange-traded space for years, and the Chorus One integration sits squarely within a broader strategy to diversify product lines beyond just spot exposure. Bitwise’s workforce, now nearing 200 employees globally, is already deeply involved in crafting, managing, and distributing crypto ETPs to a growing roster of clients. The company has reported robust flows through its flagship funds—Bitwise Bitcoin ETF (BITB) and Bitwise Ethereum ETF (ETHW)—which have drawn considerable investor attention since their respective launches in January and July 2024, collectively moving billions of dollars of allocations. The broader footprint includes other theme-based and sector-focused ETPs such as the Bitwise Solana Staking ETF (BSOL), along with XRP, Chainlink (CLNK), and Dogecoin (BWOW) variants, illustrating Bitwise’s intent to embed staking and yield across diverse crypto themes while maintaining a strong core exposure to the largest cryptocurrencies.
The strategic logic for Bitwise is clear: staking represents a growth vector that can complement a wide slate of ETPs while leveraging an infrastructure partner with an established track record. By bringing Chorus One’s deep bench of engineers, operators, and governance-minded expertise under the Bitwise umbrella, the company aims to accelerate product development and expand access to staking through a regulated, institution-grade lens. As Bitwise’s leadership has noted, staking is one of the most compelling growth opportunities for the firm’s client base, which spans thousands of spot-asset holders and institutional investors seeking diversified yield alongside potential upside from crypto price dynamics.
From a market-wide perspective, the integration aligns with rising interest in staking-as-a-service despite ongoing regulatory scrutiny. The SEC’s public position on crypto products has shown a willingness to entertain a broader slate of offerings, potentially enabling more ETFs and ETF-like products that incorporate staking mechanics. This regulatory openness, combined with competitive pressure from peers expanding into staking, creates a backdrop in which Bitwise’s expanded capacity could translate into more investor-friendly products, clearer custody and reporting standards, and more transparent risk controls around staking operations. In practice, this means investors who prefer traditional investment vehicles may soon see more choice when it comes to gaining exposure to staking yields on multiple chains, rather than relying solely on direct token holdings.
Bitwise’s leadership underscores staking as a core strategic thrust. Bitwise CEO Hunter Horsley described staking as a growth engine for Bitwise’s global client base, highlighting the potential to unlock on-chain yields across a broader set of networks while maintaining the governance and security standards that institutional investors demand. The Chorus One acquisition thus reads as a signal that Bitwise intends to scale not only its asset base but also its staking ecosystem, transforming how institutions access and manage on-chain yields through a familiar, regulated product framework. The combination of Chorus One’s technical capability and Bitwise’s distribution network could accelerate the adoption of staking across more jurisdictions and investor segments, particularly as the crypto market continues to mature and competition among ETP issuers intensifies.
Market reaction and key details
The deal’s impact on Bitwise’s staking strategy is tangible. With Chorus One’s team on board, Bitwise gains a broader, more scalable staking infrastructure that can support a wider array of networks and staking configurations. The extended network reach means clients can participate in validator governance and earn staking rewards across more ecosystems without the operational burden of self-managing multiple staking setups. The integration also positions Bitwise to accelerate product development for institutional-grade staking solutions, potentially leading to new ETPs that embed staking yields alongside traditional price exposure.
On the investor side, Bitwise’s growing scale—now with nearly 200 employees and a portfolio that includes more than 40 investment products—helps explain why the market has increasingly looked to Bitwise as a bridge between traditional finance and crypto-native strategies. Bitwise’s flagship funds remain a focal point for capital inflows; the Bitwise Bitcoin ETF (BITB) and Bitwise Ethereum ETF (ETHW) have been central to early 2024-2025 performance narratives, drawing billions of dollars in flows since their inception. This real-world performance data, combined with Chorus One’s proven staking framework, could set the stage for additional fundraising, product launches, and potential partnerships as the crypto market evolves toward greater institutional participation.
Chorus One’s CEO, Brian Crain, will join Bitwise in an advisory capacity, emphasizing continuity in the transition and signaling a long-term collaboration rather than a short-term integration. The leadership alignment is notable because it preserves the technical and governance ethos that Chorus One built over the past five years, while infusing Bitwise’s distribution and compliance capabilities with that experience. The resulting synergies may manifest in more efficient onboarding of new staking clients, improved reporting and risk-management tools for staked assets, and a more cohesive approach to custody and regulatory alignment across staking operations.
As Bitwise continues to expand its staking footprint, the broader ecosystem will be watching how the company navigates regulatory developments, product approvals, and the evolving demand for on-chain yield. The market’s current climate—characterized by liquidity dynamics, rising risk appetite in certain segments, and ongoing regulatory soul-searching—could determine the pace at which Bitwise translates this strategic acquisition into tangible product launches and investor uptake. The Chorus One integration is a meaningful data point in a sector that is still maturing, with staking poised to become a more prominent feature of crypto investment vehicles for both retail and institutional stakeholders.
What to watch next
- Timeline for onboarding Chorus One staff into Bitwise Onchain Solutions and any restructuring of staking operations.
- Regulatory updates or product approvals from the SEC related to staking-enabled ETPs and new crypto investment products.
- Subsequent launches or pilots of staking-focused ETFs across additional networks beyond the current portfolio (SOL, AVAX, XTZ, SUI, APT, etc.).
- Rollout of enhanced governance, reporting, and risk-management tooling tied to the expanded staking program.
- Monitoring Bitwise’s asset growth, AUM, and product launches to gauge how the Chorus One integration translates into client acquisitions and inflows.
Sources & verification
- Bitwise press release announcing the acquisition of Chorus One and integration details.
- Chorus One’s staking infrastructure profile and public statements about multi-chain staking capabilities.
- Bitwise communications noting AUM, employee count, and the breadth of crypto ETPs (as cited in the article).
- The referenced discussion by Bitwise leadership on staking growth opportunities and client demand.