Ethereum Foundation stakes another $93 million ether, reaching its 70,000 ETH target

Markets Share Share this article Copy link X icon X (Twitter) LinkedIn Facebook Email Ethereum Foundation stakes another $93 million ether, reaching its 70,000 ETH target The foundation deposited the bulk of its planned staking commitment in a single session, completing a program announced in February to turn dormant treasury holdings into a yield-generating position. By Shaurya Malwa | Edited by Omkar Godbole Updated Apr 3, 2026, 11:57 a.m. Published Apr 3, 2026, 11:38 a.m. Make preferred on What to know : The Ethereum Foundation has now staked roughly $143 million worth of ether, effectively completing its previously announced 70,000 ETH staking target. The move shifts the foundation from regularly selling ETH to help fund its roughly $100 million in annual expenses toward earning staking yield of an estimated $3.9 million to $5.4 million a year instead. Despite the new staking program, the foundation still holds more than 100,000 ETH unstaked and has not said whether it will expand staking beyond the initial commitment or keep the rest as liquid reserves. The Ethereum Foundation staked roughly $93 million in ether (ETH) on Thursday in several batches, bringing its total staked position to approximately $143 million and nearly completing the 70,000 ETH staking target it announced in February, according to Arkham data. The total deposit of 45,034 ETH was split into uniform chunks of 2,047 ETH, each worth roughly $4.23 million, sent from the foundation's treasury multisig to the Eth2 Beacon Chain deposit contract. At roughly $2,059 per ETH, the $143 million total staked position works out to approximately 69,500 ETH, nearly the full 70,000 ETH commitment. The foundation had been building toward the target incrementally since February, starting with an initial 2,016 ETH deposit and adding roughly 20,470 ETH on Monday. Thursday's batch covered the remaining balance in one shot. The foundation's Arkham-tracked portfolio shows approximately $270.9 million in total assets across 14 addresses, with ETH as the dominant holding at roughly 102,400 ETH ($210.9 million). Smaller positions include USDC, BNB, and a fraction of a bitcoin. Yield income Staking is the process of locking up cryptocurrency to help secure a blockchain and earn rewards. It's analogous to buying bonds and lending money to the government in return for fixed income yields. At current staking rates, the position would generate roughly $3.9 million to $5.4 million annually at the 2.7% to 3.8% APY range typical for institutional stakers. With MEV-boost, returns could run higher. That is modest relative to the foundation's annual operating expenses, which have historically run near $100 million, but it converts a dormant treasury into a productive one without selling ETH. Why staking? The Ethereum Foundation is putting its ETH to work through staking, earning rewards that help fund research, grants, and operations — all without needing to sell its coins, creating a long-term, self-sustaining treasury. This replaces the earlier model where the foundation resorted to ETH sales that weighed over valuations. The foundation faced criticism for the same through 2024 and early 2025. With staking, the foundation earns yield. The shift, however, does not fully eliminate the need to sell entirely. At the same time, completing the 70,000 ETH target does not mean staking is done. The foundation still holds over 100,000 unstaked ETH. Whether it expands the program beyond the initial commitment or holds the rest as liquid reserves has not been announced. Ether traded at $2,059 at the time of the deposits, down roughly 4.3% over the past week. Ethereum News More For You Encryption Supremacy: Zcash and Privacy in the Age of Scale By CoinDesk Research Mar 31, 2026 Commissioned by GenZcash Most crypto privacy models weaken as blockchain data grows. Encryption-based models like Zcash strengthen. CoinDesk Research maps the five privacy approaches and examines the widening gap. Why it matters : As blockchain adoption scales, the metadata available to machine learning models scales with it. Obfuscation-based privacy approaches are structurally degrading as a result. This report provides a comprehensive comparison of all five major crypto privacy architectures and a framework for evaluating which models remain durable as AI capabilities improve. View Full Report More For You Crypto consolidates as volatility cools and futures markets tilt bearish By Oliver Knight , Omkar Godbole 1 hour ago Bitcoin holds a tight range as altcoins rally on low liquidity, but derivatives data and options skew suggest traders are bracing for downside. What to know : Bitcoin remains stuck near $67,000 in a broader downtrend, with low volatility and muted futures activity signaling lack of conviction. Derivatives show growing bearish positioning: negative funding, rising Solana open interest, and puts trading above calls. Altcoins, especially DeFi and AI tokens, are outperforming, a typical sign of consolidation that... Read full story Latest Crypto News Crypto snoozes into Good Friday as oil and macro stir: Crypto Daybook Americas 43 minutes ago Crypto consolidates as volatility cools and futures markets tilt bearish 1 hour ago Naoris Protocol's quantum-resistant blockchain goes live as Bitcoin and Ethereum face 'Q-Day' threats 2 hours ago Bitcoin heads into holiday weekend exposed as ETF and CME flows go offline 7 hours ago Todd Blanche, author of DOJ crypto enforcement memo, is now interim AG 11 hours ago Crypto market structure bill release pushed back as industries view revised stablecoin yield compromise this week 13 hours ago Top Stories Here’s why bitcoin’s drop below $68,000 raises the risk of a crash under $60,000 17 hours ago CFTC sues Illinois, Arizona, Connecticut over states' sports prediction market efforts 19 hours ago Coinbase wins initial bank regulator nod for trust charter, boosting custody push 19 hours ago Bitcoin trims big loss, stocks erase 2% decline, as Iran signals cooperation on key shipping route 20 hours ago How a Solana feature designed for convenience let attackers drain more than $270 million from Drift 20 hours ago North Koreans hackers likely behind $286 million Drift Protocol exploit: Elliptic 21 hours ago