Ethereum Staking Queue Explodes: BitMine Dumps 82K ETH Into Validator Rush

The line to stake Ethereum just got a whole lot longer. A single institutional player—BitMine—just shoved 82,000 ETH to the front, sending the validator entry queue into overdrive and highlighting the relentless institutional hunger for crypto yield in a near-zero-rate world.

The Rush Is On

Forget the gentle drip of retail validators. This is a firehose. BitMine's massive, single-transaction commitment represents a seismic shift in staking dynamics. It's not just about securing the network anymore; it's a high-stakes game of capital deployment where whales move markets simply by showing up to the party.

Network Pressure Cooker

That swelling queue? It's a direct symptom of Ethereum's success and its growing pains. Every batch of 82,000 ETH staked means more validators waiting for activation, more pressure on the protocol's chokepoints, and more evidence that the 'merge' was just the opening act. The network is now stress-tested not by developers, but by the sheer weight of capital demanding entry.

Yield in a Barren Landscape

Let's be cynical for a second. In traditional finance, parking this much capital would earn you a hearty handshake and maybe enough interest to buy a coffee. On Ethereum? It's a yield-generating engine. This move isn't just bullish on ETH; it's a scathing indictment of legacy finance's return-free risk. When institutions choose crypto volatility over bond market boredom, you know the game has changed.

The stakes—pun intended—have never been higher. This isn't just a queue; it's a bidding war for the future of finance, and the big money just raised the bet.

TLDR

• BitMine added 82,560 Ether worth around $259 million to Ethereum’s staking system.
• The company’s total staked ETH has now reached 544,064 valued at approximately $1.62 billion.
• BitMine began staking on December 26 and continues to increase its ETH deposits.
• Ethereum’s validator entry queue has grown to nearly 1 million ETH with a 17-day wait time.
• Exit activity on the network remains low with only about 113,000 ETH waiting to withdraw.

BitMine has increased its ethereum staking position by adding 82,560 Ether worth about $259 million, pushing its total to 544,064 ETH, and this has accelerated congestion in the Ethereum validator queue which is nearing 1 million ETH as institutional demand rises, according to data from Arkham and Lookonchain.

BitMine Boosts Ethereum Staking by $259 Million

BitMine transferred large ETH amounts to Ethereum’s BatchDeposit contract within the past few hours. Arkham’s onchain data shows multiple transactions were executed to add to their existing stake.

Lookonchain confirmed BitMine’s total staked amount has now reached 544,064 ETH, worth approximately $1.62 billion at current prices. The latest deposit is one of the company’s largest to date since it began staking ETH on December 26.

Tom Lee(@fundstrat)'s #Bitmine staked another 82,560 $ETH($259M) 4 hours ago.

In total, #Bitmine has now staked 544,064 $ETH($1.62B).https://t.co/P684j5YQaG pic.twitter.com/3OItIe2k4d

— Lookonchain (@lookonchain) January 3, 2026

Earlier, BitMine transferred nearly $219 million in Ether to staking contracts during its initial staking move. The Ethereum network has recorded all associated transactions through its staking infrastructure.

Validator Queue Nears 1 Million ETH as Entry Delays Mount

Ethereum’s validator entry queue has reached around 977,000 ETH, extending the waiting period for validator activation. The current estimated wait time is nearly 17 days, based on data from the Ethereum Validator Queue.

Validator exits remain low with just over 113,000 ETH queued for withdrawal, creating a backlog in entry approvals. This reflects growing demand for Ethereum staking, largely driven by institutional participants entering the space.

Ethereum’s data shows over 35.5 million ETH are now staked, accounting for roughly 29% of the total circulating supply. At present, the annualized staking yield stands NEAR 2.54% according to Ethereum’s network statistics.

Abdul, head of DeFi at Monad, posted that “the last time queues flipped in June, ETH doubled in price shortly after.” He added, “2026 going to be a movie,” referencing the potential future impact of such congestion patterns.

Update:

ETH validator entry queue is now bigger than the exit queue, for the first time in six months

The last time this happened in June, ETH doubled in price shortly after

2026 going to be a movie https://t.co/GWMCjxfigo pic.twitter.com/3dMttYpB4B

— Abdul (@0x_Abdul) December 28, 2025

BitMine Advances MAVAN and Proposes Share Expansion

BitMine’s internal infrastructure, the Made-in-America Validator Network (MAVAN), is central to its staking expansion strategy. The company selected three institutional staking providers to test performance, security, and reliability with a pilot phase.

BitMine began staking through MAVAN in Q4 2025 before entering full-scale deployment in early 2026. These moves align with its long-term strategy to build native infrastructure for yield generation on Ethereum.

Tom Lee, BitMine’s chairman, asked shareholders to approve an increase in the authorized share count to 50 billion. He stated the MOVE is essential to accommodate potential stock splits if ETH prices continue to rise sharply.

Lee said, “If Bitcoin hits $1 million and ETH touches $250,000, our share price could become inaccessible for retail investors.”

BitMine’s share price historically tracks Ether’s market performance, which guides Lee’s valuation expectations moving forward.