MetaMask Withdrawals Drive Ethereum Exit Queue Surge While Clayton Takes AI Role

Ethereum’s staking exit queue surged dramatically last week after MetaMask began withdrawing validators as a precautionary measure. The queue grew more than fivefold, reaching about 851,000 ETH on October 2, up from roughly 166,000 ETH on September 29. This represented around 2% of the total 43.6 million ETH staked on the network.

MetaMask’s withdrawals were triggered by an infrastructure security incident disclosed on September 30. The wallet provider started removing affected validators, although it later confirmed that customer wallets and funds were not compromised. By Monday, the exit queue had slightly decreased to about 786,000 ETH, valued at over USD 2 billion, with an estimated exit wait of nearly 14 days.

Ethereum’s staking system limits the rate at which validators can enter or leave to maintain network security. Currently, about 57,600 ETH can exit the staking system daily, leading to longer queues during large withdrawal requests. Lido, a major staking provider, expects the withdrawn ETH to gradually return to staking after validators complete the exit process, which could take around 45 days.

Separately, former SEC Chair Jay Clayton was appointed to lead the White House’s new Super Intelligence Force on October 4. Clayton, who also serves as Director of National Intelligence, will oversee federal artificial intelligence policy. The group, which includes FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson and Pentagon Chief Technology Officer Emil Michael, must deliver a report within 120 days on AI risks and opportunities.