Ethereum Hits Record High, But Earnings Drop: 43.8 Million ETH Locked! Here Are the Critical Data

Ethereum staking reached approximately 36% of the total supply, while the annual yield dropped to 2.63%; a similar trend was observed in Solana.

The amount of $ETH locked for staking on the Ethereum network reached a new record high of 43.8 million in the third quarter of 2026. According to data released by Bitwise, this amount represents approximately 36% of the total Ethereum supply. The net amount of $ETH that entered the staking system in the first nine months of the year was 7.96 million.

Investor returns moved in the opposite direction during the same period. Ethereum’s annualized average staking yield fell from 2.81 percent in the second quarter to 2.63 percent. As more $ETH joins the validator system, the rewards distributed by the network are shared among a wider pool.

Ethereum staking balance grew for the sixth consecutive quarter, with net inflows of approximately 2 million $ETH recorded in the third quarter. Bitwise cited institutional investors as a significant driver of this growth. However, over 96% of staking revenue came from newly created $ETH. The share of MEV revenue from transaction tips and queuing within blocks remained limited.

Ethereum network revenue also fell from $63 million in the second quarter to approximately $40.6 million. On Solana, 440.5 million SOL, or 69% of the total supply, was staked. Solana’s transaction fees increased by 49% to $76 million, while the number of transactions reached 14.2 billion.

The record staking volume could support the economic security of both networks. However, increased participation doesn’t guarantee higher returns for each token; on the contrary, data shows reward rates remain under pressure.

*This is not investment advice.