Ethereum Staking Hits Record 43.8 Million ETH as Annual Yield Falls to 2.63%
Ethereum staking reached a record 43.8 million ETH in the third quarter of 2026, equivalent to approximately 36% of the cryptocurrency's total supply, according to data released by Bitwise. Despite the growing amount of ETH committed to network validation, annualized staking yields declined to 2.63%, highlighting the pressure on individual returns as participation increases.
Net inflows into Ethereum staking totaled approximately 7.96 million ETH during the first nine months of 2026. The staking balance also expanded for a sixth consecutive quarter, with around 2 million ETH added on a net basis in the third quarter alone.
Ethereum Staking Growth Puts Pressure on Yields
Ethereum's annualized average staking yield dropped from 2.81% in the second quarter to 2.63% in the third quarter. As more ETH enters the validator system, rewards are distributed across a larger pool of participants, contributing to lower returns for individual stakers.
Bitwise identified institutional investors as an important driver of the increase in Ethereum staking. The continued growth in locked ETH reflects greater participation in the network's validation process, although the rising staking balance has not translated into higher yields.
More than 96% of Ethereum staking revenue came from newly issued ETH, according to the reported data. Revenue generated through maximal extractable value (MEV), including transaction tips and the ordering of transactions within blocks, remained a relatively small component.
Ethereum Network Revenue Declines
Ethereum's network revenue fell from $63 million in the second quarter to approximately $40.6 million in the third quarter. The decline occurred alongside the increase in staked ETH, illustrating that a larger staking balance does not necessarily correspond with stronger network revenue or higher staking returns.
Solana Staking Reaches 69% of Supply
Solana also recorded substantial staking participation. Approximately 440.5 million SOL was staked, representing 69% of the network's total supply.
Solana's transaction fees increased by 49% to $76 million, while the network recorded 14.2 billion transactions. These figures provide a contrasting picture of network activity alongside Ethereum's declining revenue and staking yield.
Record Staking Does Not Guarantee Higher Returns
High staking participation can support the economic security of both Ethereum and Solana by committing more tokens to network validation. However, the reported figures show that greater participation does not automatically improve the returns earned by each token staked.
For Ethereum, the record 43.8 million ETH staking balance coincided with a decline in annualized yield and lower network revenue in the third quarter. The data underscores the distinction between growth in assets committed to staking and the income generated for participants.
source: en.bitcoinsistemi
Writer: Ethan Collins
Crypto Journalist
Ethan Collins reports on developments across the cryptocurrency and blockchain sector. His work covers market movements, protocol updates, regulatory changes, and emerging trends in digital assets.
He focuses on presenting complex topics in a clear and accessible manner for a broad readership.
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