Ethereum Validator Exit Queue Hits Record High Amid Staking Demand Surge

The Ethereum validator exit queue reached a historic peak of 2.65 million ETH on September 12, 2025, accounting for 4.5% of all staked ETH.

This surge was triggered by an infrastructure provider's decision to exit all ETH validators as a security precaution following the NPM Supply Chain Attack and the SwissBorg breach, which sent 1.6 million ETH into the queue.

The current queue length is approximately 45 days, with the 1.6 million ETH withdrawal accounting for over 60% of the total waiting in the queue.

Demand for staking has grown due to the SEC's statement that protocol staking is not a security and the anticipated approval of staked ETH ETFs, which could attract institutional interest.