Digital asset custodian Hex Trust has agreed to provide custody and staking support for stETH, ethereum’s largest liquid staking token issued via the Lido protocol, which represents nearly a quarter of all staked ETH.

Under the agreement, Hex Trust integrates stETH into its custody platform, combining the innovation of Lido’s liquid staking protocol with its institutional-grade infrastructure.

This gives clients secure access to staking rewards and liquidity, with the flexibility to use stETH in decentralized finance ( DeFi ) while avoiding the operational overhead of managing staking infrastructure directly, Hex Trust says.

Liquid staking allows an investor to claim a stake on cryptocurrencies while still retaining liquidity by receiving a tradable "receipt" token representing staked assets and accumulated rewards.

“For institutional investors, efficiency and security are not just preferences – they are necessities," says Hex Trust chief commercial officer Calvin Shen. "Our clients need to generate rewards without compromising on their risk framework. Our solution provides that critical combination: a secure custody platform that enables a seamless one-click staking experience. This eliminates the operational friction and counterparty risks associated with managing on-chain activities, allowing them to focus on portfolio strategy, not infrastructure."

According to Hex Trust, the integration addresses core barriers that institutions face when adopting liquid staking, including liquidity management, complex workflows, and a lack of trusted infrastructure.

It establishes a trusted and scalable model for how traditional institutions can interact with the decentralized economy. This critical step definitely positions staking as a core component of institutional digital asset strategies, the firm adds.