The Ethereum Foundation staked roughly $93 million in ether (ETH) on Thursday in several batches, bringing its total staked position to approximately $143 million and nearly completing the 70,000 ETH staking target it announced in February. At roughly $2,059 per ETH, the $143 million total staked position works out to approximately 69,500 ETH, nearly the full 70,000 ETH commitment. The Ethereum Foundation has now staked roughly $143 million worth of ether, effectively completing its previously announced 70,000 ETH staking target, shifting the foundation from regularly selling ETH to help fund its roughly $100 million in annual expenses toward earning staking yield of an estimated $3.9 million to $5.4 million a year instead.
The total deposit of 45,034 ETH was split into uniform chunks of 2,047 ETH, each worth roughly $4.23 million, sent from the foundation's treasury multisig to the Eth2 Beacon Chain deposit contract. At current staking rates, the position would generate roughly $3.9 million to $5.4 million annually at the 2.7% to 3.8% APY range typical for institutional stakers.
That is modest relative to the foundation's annual operating expenses, which have historically run near $100 million, but it converts a dormant treasury into a productive one without selling ETH. The Ethereum Foundation is putting its ETH to work through staking, earning rewards that help fund research, grants, and operations — all without needing to sell its coins, creating a long-term, self-sustaining treasury. Despite the new staking program, the foundation still holds more than 100,000 ETH unstaked and has not said whether it will expand staking beyond the initial commitment or keep the rest as liquid reserves.
