đ Ethereum Staking Smashes Records: 28% of Total Supply Now Locked in Proof-of-Stake
Ethereum's proof-of-stake revolution hits hyperdrive as stakers lock down over a quarter of all ETH in circulationâWall Street bankers still can't decide if it's 'disruptive' or just 'annoying.'
### The Great ETH Lock-Up
Validators are hoarding ETH like digital dragons, with 28% of the entire supply now staked. That's billions in assets frozen for yieldâwhile TradFi struggles to beat 5% APY.
### Why This Burns the Fiat System
Every staked ETH is a middle finger to inflationary monetary policy. The network now pays out more in staking rewards than most sovereign bondsâwith zero printing presses required.
### The Institutional FOMO Factor
Hedge funds are quietly building staking positions while publicly dismissing crypto. Spoiler: They'll issue a bullish research report right after accumulating their target.
Ethereum's staking economy just turned deflationary pressure into a competitive sport. Watch the suits try to ban itâthen replicate it.

Latest ethereum news saw the leading altcoin quietly crossed a critical milestone: more than 35âŻmillion ETH, equal to 28.3âŻpercent of its total supply, now sits locked in staking contracts.
At current market prices, that stake is worth over $84âŻbillion. This marks the highest proportion of ETH ever secured for network validation.
Record ETH Staking Milestone
Staked ETH has climbed steadily since the Merge. Data shows the total hitting 35âŻmillion ETH, up from roughly 30âŻmillion six months ago.
In June alone, over 500,000 ETH were added to staking pools in the first half of the month, according to Sentora. This surge reflects growing confidence in Ethereumâs proofâofâstake security model.
As per recent Ethereum news reports, concerns about centralization have emerged as the three largest staking entities now control nearly 40âŻpercent of all validator balances.
Liquidâstaking provider Lido leads with about 8.7âŻmillion ETHâ25âŻpercent of the staked totalâfollowed by Binance and Coinbase, each managing around 7.5âŻpercent of the stake.
Sentora warns that an outage or coordinated censorship event at any of these three could affect more than 40âŻpercent of newly proposed blocks.
As more ETH locks up, the liquid supply falls to postâMerge lows. BeInCrypto notes that an additional 19âŻpercent of ETH is held in longâterm wallets, leaving under 53âŻpercent of the supply freely tradable.
This shrink in float has tightened order books and amplified price swings. DeFi lenders report rising borrowing rates for liquidâstaking derivativesâstETH, rETH, and frxETHâon protocols such as AAVE and Compound.
Ethereum News: Institutional Confidence Spurs Growth
Firms are allocating capital to Ethereum to broaden their treasury portfolios, earn staking rewards, and tap into rising institutional crypto adoption.
While most corporations still favor Bitcoin as their chief reserve asset, a handful view Ether similarly.
SharpLink Gaming, for example, holds 176,271âŻETH as its principal treasury asset and has generated substantial yield, serving as a benchmark for other ETHâholding firms.
Ethereum ranks second to bitcoin in market acceptance and value. At the time of writing, it traded at $2,439âup 0.51% on the dayâwith a market cap of $292.8âŻbillion, off 1.25%.
As the leading platform for smartâcontract activity, Ethereum tops blockchain revenue charts and is widely regarded for its robustness. The approval and launch of ETH spot ETFs have spurred further user and trader interest.
Ethereumâs Expanding Role DeFi
Meanwhile, Etherâs role in decentralized finance, NFTs, and enterprise solutions continues to drive corporate demand.
The SECâs MayâŻ2025 guidance on digitalâasset securities has bolstered institutional staking.
According to Sentora, U.S. regulatory clarity triggered a notable uptick in largeâwallet stakes. Several whales opted to lock in ETH for yield rather than hold unencumbered tokens.
The concentration of validator power has reignited governance debates. Ethereumâs security relies on a broad distribution of stake.
When a handful of entities control block validation, the network risks potential slashing events and governance capture.
Developers and community members have scheduled discussions for late July to explore decentralization measures and promote a more resilient validator set.
Ethereumâs staking growth reveals both strengths and challenges of its proofâofâstake transition. Locking 28.3âŻpercent of the supplyâover $84âŻbillionâsignals robust institutional backing and network security.
Simultaneously, the dominance of a few validators and the shrinking liquid float prompt urgent calls for enhanced decentralization and DeFi risk management.