ETH Staking Entry Queue Hits Two-Year High as Institutional Demand Surges

Ethereum (ETH) staking activity has reached a two-year high. The surge is attributed to the increased demand by institutional players who are locking up Ether for network rewards. The onchain data from 3rd October 2025 revealed that the Ethereum staking entry queue has increased to 860,369 ETH, which is valued at approximately $3.7 billion. This is the highest since September 2023. According to the staking protocol Everstake, this surge underscores the renewed confidence of the institutional players in Ethereum’s long-term value

“Honestly, this is pretty striking, because we haven’t seen queues of this size since 2023 when the Shanghai upgrade enabled withdrawals,” the firm said. It attributed the growth to rising trust in Ethereum’s security, favorable market conditions, and an influx of institutional capital.

Market experts say that institutions and crypto treasury funds are two of the main reasons why the backlog is getting longer. Staking has grown more appealing to people looking for steady returns because Ether prices are stable and gas expenses are at all-time lows. Everstake said, "More companies and funds are getting into Ethereum staking, which is bringing more money into the chain."

There was a recent jump in the exit queue, which made people worry about a lot of selling when ETH achieved an all-time high on August 24. Now, there are many more staking entries. On August 29, the exit queue reached its highest point, with little over 1 million ETH. Since then, it has dropped by 20%, which means that withdrawals are slowing down.

Currently, 35.7 million ETH, worth around $162 billion, is staked, accounting for about 31% of the total supply, according to Ultrasound.Money.

Corporate treasury holdings have also expanded, with more than 70 participants now owning nearly 4.7 million ETH, or close to 4% of total supply, valued at $20.4 billion. Most of these funds are being staked, which makes validators want them even more.

Ether's market price has gone down, even though staking is still strong. ETH fell 1.2% to $4,321 on the day, which is a 12.4% drop from its peak in late August. This is because retail traders are still locking in profits. Still, the growing validator line shows that Ethereum is popular with big investors who see staking as a long-term way to make money while keeping the network safe.