Major Crypto Milestone Looms as Ethereum Foundation Inches Closer to Significant Ether Holding Threshold
In a significant development, the Ethereum Foundation (EF) has made substantial progress towards its Ethereum staking target, with only 500 coins separating it from reaching the milestone of 70,000 Ether ($ETH). According to data from Arkham Intelligence, the non-profit organization, which oversees the growth of the Ethereum ecosystem, has successfully staked over 45,000 $ETH in a single day, bringing the total staked amount to approximately 69,500 $ETH. This massive staking effort, valued at over $92.2 million, was achieved through a series of transactions, each involving 2.047 $ETH.
As part of its revamped treasury strategy, announced in June 2025, the EF has been actively staking $ETH since February. Notably, the foundation staked 2.016 $ETH (worth $4.1 million) in February and 22,517 $ETH (valued at $46.1 million) in March, resulting in a total locked $ETH value of over $143 million. The yields generated from this staking activity will be allocated towards funding protocol research, development, and ecosystem grants.
The EF's renewed staking strategy is primarily aimed at reducing $ETH sales, a move that was adopted in response to community pressure. Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin had expressed concerns in January 2025 that the foundation's stake could potentially lead to it taking positions in contentious hard forks, highlighting the need to mitigate centralization risks. Buterin assured that the EF is exploring ways to minimize these risks.
For those seeking clarification on the EF's $ETH staking initiatives, the foundation has provided answers to frequently asked questions. The primary objective of staking $ETH is to decrease sales and utilize the resulting yields for ecosystem development. The total stake value currently exceeds $143 million, with the yields being channeled into protocol research, development, and grants. While centralization risks are a concern, Buterin has confirmed that the EF is working to reduce these risks, ensuring the long-term sustainability and decentralization of the Ethereum ecosystem.