Ether Investors Face Record 45-Day Exit Queue—Patience Required for Profits

Ethereum's unstaking queue hits unprecedented 45-day wait as validators scramble for exits—locking millions in limbo just when bulls want out.

The Great Ether Lock-Up

Network congestion’s pushing withdrawal times to brutal new highs. Validators flooding exit requests—over 45 days’ worth—means eager sellers become forced holders. No quick cash-outs here.

Liquidity? What Liquidity?

Staked ETH’s piling up faster than exits process. That’s 45 days of pent-up sell pressure waiting to unleash—if anyone’s still bullish by then. Classic crypto: promise instant access, deliver a bureaucratic nightmare.

Finance’s ‘patient capital’ just got a crypto-style upgrade—involuntary hodling, courtesy of code. Because nothing says decentralization like not being able to get your money out.

Validator Rebalancing

Crypto analyst Colin Talks crypto said that the waiting period will likely increase “as bull run euphoria intensifies in the late stage, as laggards realize they have to unstake.”

“Furthermore, this actually may assist in propelling the ETH price higher, as a percentage of the space may outright miss the profit-taking zone due to being stuck in the unstaking queue.”

The analyst has previously said that staking was a “trap” because you cannot instantly access funds. However, most stakeholders are long-term investors and not day traders.

If you have staked $ETH and you plan to take profits this bull run, I’d recommned you start the unstaking process.

The unstaking queue is currently 45 days(!)

This figure will likely increase as bull run euphoria intensifies in the late stage, as laggards realize they… https://t.co/h14QRarVqR pic.twitter.com/7A9Dm5zKOE

— Colin Talks Crypto (@ColinTCrypto) September 14, 2025

According to CryptoQuant, staking inflows “remain robust,” and investors are still locking ETH into the Beacon Chain, signaling confidence in Ethereum’s long-term value and yield potential.”

“This suggests the exit surge is not a wholesale exodus but more likely profit-taking or rebalancing by large validators.”

The entry queue currently stands at about 600,000 ETH. There were no massive inflows of unstaked ETH to exchanges, researchers observed before adding that, historically, spikes in exchange inflows correlate with selling pressure, but current netflows remain moderate.

“This indicates that most unstaked ETH has not yet translated into immediate market supply.”

Unless exchange inflows accelerate, the exit queue surge may have a limited short-term bearish effect, they added. Additionally, Kiln Finance’s mass withdrawal over a security hack has contributed to a large part of the exit queue spike.

ETH Price Holds Up

Ether prices are holding their ground after topping $4,700 again over the weekend. However, the asset lost its momentum and dropped to $4,550 as of press time, but it’s still at the upper bounds of a range-bound channel that formed five weeks ago.

ETH is currently just 6.5% away from its August 24 all-time high of $4,946 and is still pegged to reach $5,000 this year.