Ethereum Sees $38.84 Billion Exit Amidst PoS Network Surge and Institutional ETF Interest
As of August 16th, data from Validator Queue indicates that the Ethereum Proof-of-Stake (PoS) network is witnessing a significant withdrawal trend, with an estimated 873,682 ETH exiting—valued at approximately $38.84 billion based on current market rates. The average delay for these withdrawals stands at around 15 days and 4 hours, highlighting the liquidity constraints within the network. Currently, over 1.08 million active validators are maintaining a staked supply representing 29.45% of Ethereum’s total circulation, equating to roughly 35.4 million ETH.
Notably, DeFi analyst Ignas identified that the majority of this unbonded ETH is emerging from key liquidity staking platforms: Lido leads the way with 285,000 ETH, followed by EthFi at 134,000 ETH and Coinbase with 113,000 ETH. Despite the apparent large-scale profit-taking, new influxes into Ethereum Treasury corporate and spot ETH ETFs are alleviating much of the selling pressure.
Recent statistics from strategicethreserve.xyz reveal that total holdings in Strategic Reserve and ETFs have surged by 140% since May 1st, escalating from 4.14 million ETH to 10 million ETH. This trend suggests institutional actors are increasingly solidifying their foothold in Ethereum’s market.
Ignas emphasizes the upside potential of ETH staking ETFs, suggesting that some investors are strategizing liquidity release in anticipation of reallocating via these vehicles. This “portfolio rotation” approach is unlikely to drain significant funds from the Ethereum market. Meanwhile, while the SEC’s approval deadline is projected for April 2026, Bloomberg ETF analyst Seyffart speculates that a more expedited approval could occur as soon as October 2025.