Ethereum Validator Queue Hits 1M Milestone as Tom Lee’s BitMine Drops Fresh 259M Token Stake

The Ethereum validator queue just smashed through a psychological barrier—one million tokens waiting to secure the network. Meanwhile, Tom Lee's BitMine operation just dropped another 259 million into the staking pool. The line to get in keeps growing, and the big players aren't waiting for an invitation.

The Great Ethereum Lock-Up

Think of the validator queue as the velvet rope outside the hottest club in crypto. Right now, over a million ETH is in line, waiting to become active validators. That's capital signaling long-term commitment—or maybe just FOMO dressed up as infrastructure. It's a massive vote of confidence in Ethereum's proof-of-stake future, locking liquidity away from the spot market and tightening supply.

BitMine's Power Move

Tom Lee's BitMine didn't just join the line; it bought a VIP pass. A fresh stake of 259 million tokens is a headline-grabbing move that screams institutional conviction. It's a bet on Ethereum's fee revenue and the long-term appreciation of the asset itself. While retail debates price targets, the whales are busy building the foundation—and collecting the yield.

What This Means for the Network

More validators mean a more secure and decentralized network. Period. Every new stake makes a 51% attack more expensive and theoretically less likely. But let's be real—it also centralizes influence in the hands of the biggest staking operations. The irony of 'decentralization' funded by concentrated capital isn't lost on anyone watching the space.

The Supply Shock Scenario

Here's the trader math: take millions of ETH off the market, add constant demand from network usage and speculation, and what do you get? A classic supply squeeze setup. With staking yields acting as a dividend, Ethereum is slowly morphing into a yield-bearing digital commodity. The queue is a visible, ticking metric of that transformation.

The Bottom Line

A million-token queue and a quarter-billion token stake from a major player isn't just news—it's a market signal. It tells you where the smart money is placing its bets for the next cycle. While traditional finance still puzzles over 'what backs it,' the crypto-native institutions are busy backing it themselves, one validator at a time. Sometimes, the most bullish action isn't on the chart—it's in the code.

BitMine kicks off major ETH staking push

BitMine implemented its decision to stake additional ETH on December 26, 2025, and transferred almost $219 million in ETH into contracts related to staking on the ethereum network. 

Before carrying out this move, BitMine initially made clear its intentions to begin staking Ether in the first quarter of 2026 in a statement published in November.  The statement also noted that this staking process will take place using the company’s internal infrastructure, known as the Made-in-America Validator Network (MAVAN).

It was also confirmed that BitMine selected three institutional staking providers for a pilot initiative. Apart from this, sources disclosed that the firm intended to deploy a limited amount of ETH meant to evaluate performance, security, and reliability before executing their motive to add new stakes.

Meanwhile, reports highlighted that BitMine’s intensified effort into staking led to Ethereum’s validator entry queue reaching around 977,000 ETH. Due to this congestion, the Ethereum Validator Queue, a blockchain explorer, indicates that new validators are expected to wait approximately 17 days to become active.

On the other hand, analysts conducted research and discovered that the amount of exit activity is relatively low, with slightly more than 113,000 ETH awaiting withdrawal. 

At this point, data from Ethereum’s network showed that more than 35.5 million ETH, which approximately accounts for 29% of the total supply, is currently staked. For the annual staking yield, the report noted that it had amounted to about 2.54%.

Abdul Rehman, who holds the title of Head of Decentralized Finance (DeFi) at the Monad Foundation and leads DeFi at the LAYER one blockchain Monad, commented on the situation. He shared an X post last week, highlighting that “when the entry and exit queue changed back in June, Ether’s price doubled shortly after.”

Rehman also predicted that 2026 WOULD be an inspiring year.

Lee calls on shareholders to increase BitMine’s shares

BitMine’s decision to stake an additional $259 million in ETH coincided with the Chairman of BitMine, Tom Lee’s proposal to shareholders, urging them to significantly increase the firm’s authorized share count to approximately 50 billion. According to Lee, this move is important for future stock splits in the event Ether’s price enhances the valuation of BitMine.

Lee further explained that the stock price of BitMine keeps pace with ETH and establishes scenarios where Ether could reach an all-time high of $250,000, provided that Bitcoin records a new level of around $1 million. If this happens, the chairman stated that he is certain prices for BitMine shares will be too expensive for many retail investors.

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