Record $3.6B in ETH Awaits Staking as Validator Queues Grow

Key Highlights $3.6B in ETH waits for staking, highest level since Shanghai upgrade. Entry requests surpass exits for the first time since July 2025. Stakers face ~15-day wait before assets become active. Ethereum Staking Demand Surges to Record Highs The Ethereum network is experiencing a major shift in staking dynamics, with requests to enter staking now surpassing exits for the first time since July 2025. Validator queues are at their highest levels since the Shanghai upgrade in 2023, which introduced withdrawals for staked ETH. According to Validator Queue data, as of September 4, 2025, there are 826,876 ETH (≈$3.6B) waiting to be staked, compared to 815,757 ETH (≈$3.55B) in the exit queue. This marks the first time since July 22 that staking inflows have outpaced outflows, signaling renewed confidence in Ethereum’s staking ecosystem. Queues Stretch to 15 Days as Demand Rises Staking provider Everstake noted: “The surge in demand reflects the largest queues since the Shanghai upgrade, which opened up the ability to withdraw staked Ethereum.” Because of this unprecedented demand, new stakers must now wait about 15 days before their ETH becomes fully active on the network. Despite the congestion, analysts expect the total amount of staked ETH to remain relatively stable at over 36 million ETH , as entry and exit volumes are nearly balanced. Ethereum Price Remains Strong At the time of writing, Ethereum — the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency by market cap is trading at $4,352 , according to TradingView. With staking demand surging and queues at historic highs, investors see Ethereum’s staking model as a cornerstone of its long-term value proposition, combining security, liquidity, and yield for participants.