Ethereum is currently experiencing a staking wave. Over 36 million ETH are now locked in the network – equivalent to almost a third of the total circulating supply. For investors, this means that more and more coins are being locked for the long term, significantly reducing the freely tradable supply.

The full queues are particularly striking. There are currently around 1.63 million ETH in the exit queue, with withdrawals taking an average of 28 days. At the same time, around 815,000 ETH are waiting to be included in staking. The waiting time there is currently around two weeks. Such figures demonstrate the high demand for validator slots – and how much the staking process can restrict supply on the market.

A total of just under 1.06 million validators currently secure the network. The average staking yield (APR) is 2.86 percent – ​​lower than in previous bull markets, but still attractive enough to tie up large amounts of capital. Many experts see this development as a bullish signal: The more ETH is staked over the long term, the fewer coins are available for sale in the short term.

The consequences for the market: Less liquidity on exchanges, combined with stable or increasing demand, can support the price. For investors, this is a twofold signal: On the one hand, the security of the network is increasing, and on the other, the scarcity of ETH in circulation is increasing.

Ethereum is considered the leading settlement layer in the crypto sector. If demand continues in the coming months, the all-time high staking volume could become a decisive driver for the next price rally. However, this is only part of the overall development.