Ethereum’s proof-of-stake contract handle now holds over half of the Ether provide “for the primary time within the coin’s eleven-year historical past,” reported on-chain analytics supplier Santiment on Wednesday.
This seems considerably deceptive, as roughly 37 million ETH are at present staked, representing roughly 30% of the full provide of 121.4 million tokens. Nevertheless, Santiment defined that there’s typically confusion about how the proof-of-stake handle works. It described the handle as a “one-way vault that quickly locks ETH to assist safe the community.”
“When somebody stakes ETH, it will get despatched into this contract and is faraway from regular circulation, that means it can’t be spent or traded whereas it’s staked.”
Completely different Strategies Of Counting Provide
When validators depart and withdraw, the Ether is launched again into circulation as newly issued cash on Ethereum’s important community, “reasonably than being pulled again out of the vault itself,” Santiment defined.
“Because of this, the present provide can typically differ based mostly on whether or not solely pre-burned or complete post-burned cash are being counted.”
So over time, the “vault” accumulates ETH with out it simply flowing again out the identical means it went in, making the contract’s share of the present provide seem bigger. This ends in a calculation of fifty.18% based mostly on ETH issued traditionally earlier than burns. Santiment predicted that this determine will improve, particularly throughout bear markets and poor buying and selling circumstances.
“As staking continues to extend in recognition, count on that this handle will proceed its ascension, significantly when buying and selling slows down throughout bear cycles.”
BREAKING: Ethereum’s proof-of-stake contract handle now holds over half of Ethereum’s provide for the primary time within the coin’s 11-year historical past.
There’s typically confusion about how this proof-of-stake handle works. Consider it as a one-way vault that quickly locks $ETH… pic.twitter.com/agj2YG37nu
— Santiment (@santimentfeed) February 17, 2026
No matter what determine is taken, the demand for staking has surged, and the share of ETH provide staked is at file highs.
Moreover, the validator entry queue can also be round file highs, with round 3.9 million ETH ready to be staked, and the wait time is 67 days.
In the meantime, the exit queue has dropped to its lowest ever ranges with round 11,500 ETH and fewer than 5 hours wait.
Ether Value at Bear Market Lows
Panic promoting by retail merchants has pushed Ether costs to bear market lows under $2,000. ETH touched this psychological stage briefly in late Tuesday buying and selling, however once more was crushed again by resistance, falling to $1,970 throughout the Wednesday morning session in Asia.
“Ethereum isn’t costly proper now, it’s boring,” stated analyst Merlijn The Dealer earlier than including, “boring is the place positions are constructed.”
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BREAKING: Ethereum’s proof-of-stake contract handle now holds over half of Ethereum’s provide for the primary time within the coin’s 11-year historical past.
There’s typically confusion about how this proof-of-stake handle works. Consider it as a one-way vault that quickly locks