The ratio of ETH waiting to enter the staking queue compared to those exiting has reached 13.6x. In July 2026, the exit queue reached zero, while the entry queue grew to approximately 2.48 million ETH, resulting in a wait time of 43 to 45 days for new validators.
Earlier in May 2026, the entry queue peaked at 3.4 million ETH. By late September 2026, it remained at 1.8 million ETH with a 32-day wait. This contrasts with September 2025, when the exit queue reached 2.67 million ETH before dropping by more than 99.9% by early January 2026.
The Ethereum protocol limits entries and exits to 57 600 ETH per day. Total staked ETH has reached a record 41 million ETH, accounting for 33.5% to 34% of the total supply. The network currently supports between 885 000 and 900 000 validators.
Institutional interest, including participation from operators like BitMine, has driven entry demand. The Pectra upgrade is also cited as a factor in increasing staking activity. This high level of locked liquidity reduces the amount of ETH available for exchange trading and collateral.
