Corporate adoption of Ethereum staking is accelerating, with major firms locking up billions of dollars’ worth of ETH to earn passive yield. This growing trend is reducing the amount of Ether available on the open market, potentially supporting long-term price strength for the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency.
BitMine Immersion Technologies, currently the largest corporate holder of Ethereum, recently staked 342,560 ETH—valued at over $1 billion—within just two days. Blockchain analytics firm Lookonchain identified the move, highlighting how large institutions are increasingly treating ETH as a yield-generating asset rather than a speculative trade.
Ethereum staking allows holders to lock their ETH into the network to help secure it under the proof-of-stake system. In return, stakers earn an annual yield typically ranging between 3% and 5%, making it an attractive alternative to traditional fixed-income products.
Corporate Ethereum Staking Tightens ETH Supply
BitMine’s massive staking activity has had an immediate impact on Ethereum’s validator queues. Data shows that the validator entry queue has grown to nearly double the size of the exit queue for the first time in over six months, signaling strong demand to stake rather than withdraw ETH.
Currently, the entry queue sits at nearly 13 days, with over 739,000 ETH waiting to be staked. In contrast, the exit queue stands at just over six days, with roughly 350,000 ETH awaiting withdrawal. This imbalance suggests that more participants are committing to long-term staking instead of preparing to sell.
Other leading corporate Ether holders are following a similar strategy. SharpLink Gaming, the second-largest corporate ETH holder, has staked nearly all of its Ethereum holdings and has already earned more than 9,700 ETH in staking rewards—worth roughly $29 million. Meanwhile, The Ether Machine, which holds nearly $1.5 billion in ETH, has fully staked its treasury and consistently ranks among the top-performing validators in terms of efficiency.
As more ETH is locked into staking, the amount of liquid Ether available for trading continues to shrink. Many analysts view this as a positive factor for Ethereum’s long-term value, as reduced sellable supply can help stabilize prices during periods of demand growth.
Smart Money Selling While Whales Accumulate ETH
Despite the surge in corporate staking, some of the industry’s most profitable short-term traders are taking a different approach. Wallets classified as “smart money” by blockchain analytics platform Nansen have reduced their spot Ether holdings over the past week, selling a combined $4.26 million worth of ETH across 53 wallets.
At the same time, larger whale wallets have accumulated approximately $11.6 million in Ether during the same period. Public figures have also added nearly $6 million worth of ETH, while newly created wallets purchased over $500,000 in Ether, pointing to fresh demand from new market participants.
This divergence suggests a market split: experienced traders are trimming exposure, while long-term holders, institutions, and new investors continue to accumulate. Combined with the rapid growth in ETH staking, the data reflects increasing confidence in Ethereum’s role as a long-term yield-bearing digital asset rather than just a trading instrument.
