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The Ethereum Foundation is about to cross a token threshold. With nearly 70,000 ETH now staked by institutions, it is accelerating a major strategic shift in the management of its treasury. There is a clear objective behind this rise: to generate income without selling your reserves. This relocation goes beyond financial logic as it also redefines its role in the ecosystem and raises management issues.
In short
- The Ethereum Foundation is fast approaching its goal of 70,000 ETH staked, which means a significant acceleration of its strategy.
- A massive deposit of more than 45,000 ETH in one day confirms the scale change in treasury management.
- Staking is becoming a central lever for generating revenue and funding the development of the Ethereum ecosystem.
- This strategic shift responds to community expectations and promotes better use of the Foundation’s reserves.
Spectacular acceleration towards 70,000 ETH
The Ethereum Foundation has reached a new milestone by increasing its deposits to 69,500 ETH, which is less than 500 units from its goal set a few weeks ago. This progress accelerated with a massive deposit of over 45,000 ETH in a single day, confirming the change in strategy.
According to data from Arkham Intelligence, this transaction represents more than $92.2 million, bringing the total locked funds to more than $143 million. This momentum is part of a progressive trajectory that began in February.
The rise of foundation stakes is detailed in several key steps:
- In February: 2,016 ETH (approx. $4.1 million) staked;
- In March: another 22,517 ETH (approximately $46.1 million);
- Last operation: more than 45,000 ETH stored in a single day;
- Transaction structure: deposits divided into batches of 2,047 ETH;
- Current total: 69,500 ETH staked, which is close to the goal of 70,000.
This strategy responds to the foundation’s official reorientation towards revenue-generating mechanisms. In its updated treasury policy, the organization specifies: “We continue to turn to staking and DeFi to strengthen our financial viability while supporting a key category of applications that today deliver on the promise of open, secure and permissionless access to core infrastructure for millions of people”.
Proceeds from staking are intended to fund research, protocol development and ecosystem grants.
Strategy under pressure, between yield and management
This development goes beyond financial optimization. It comes amid growing pressure from the Ethereum community, which has called on the foundation to reduce its ETH sales and use its reserves more to generate revenue. The choice of staking and DeFi thus means a direct response to these critics and at the same time strengthens the presence of the Ethereum Foundation in the basic network mechanisms.
However, this placement raises questions about management. Staking involves actively participating in network validation with potential consequences in case of major disagreements.
Vitalik Buterin himself warned on this point, stating: “If the Ethereum Foundation puts in its own funds, it is de facto forced to take a position on any future contested hard fork”. The Foundation is aware of this problem and is looking for solutions to limit the risks of centralization associated with increasing involvement.
As the Ethereum Foundation establishes itself as a major stakeholder through the modernization of its grant program, its role is evolving towards a full economic participant in the network. This transformation could strengthen the financial stability of the ecosystem while redefining the balance of power. It remains to be seen whether this model will balance revenue, neutrality and decentralization in the long term.
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A graduate of Sciences Po Toulouse and holder of the blockchain consultant certification issued by Alyra, I joined the Cointribune adventure in 2019. Convinced of the potential of blockchain to transform many sectors of the economy, I committed myself to raising awareness and informing the general public about this ever-evolving ecosystem. My goal is to enable everyone to better understand blockchain and take advantage of the opportunities it offers. I strive every day to provide an objective analysis of current events, decipher market trends, convey the latest technological innovations, and put into perspective the economic and social issues of this ongoing revolution.
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The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and should not be construed as investment advice. Before making any investment decision, do your own research.
