Crypto

ETH Whales Shift $2B+ in Holdings into Staking and Smart Contracts

Guavy AI Editorial Team Published August 22, 2026

Instruments

ETH

Ethereum whales have been moving a significant amount of Ether (ETH) into staking and smart contracts, according to blockchain analytics firm Santiment. The data shows that approximately 1.7 million ETH has left wallets containing more than 1,000 coins since May.

At first glance, this decline might appear bearish, but it's essential to consider the changing landscape of Ethereum's ecosystem. With more ETH being used outside traditional wallets for staking, decentralized finance applications, and smart contracts, wallet balances no longer accurately reflect the total amount of ETH controlled by long-term investors.

Santiment suggests that a substantial portion of the ETH may have moved into staking arrangements rather than being transferred to exchanges for immediate sale. This is in line with Ethereum's transition to a proof-of-stake consensus system, which allows holders to participate in network validation by staking their coins.

ETH Whales Shift $2B+ in Holdings into Staking and Smart Contracts

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