Wisevoter
World

Ethereum and Solana Reach Record Staking Levels

Investors locked a record amount of tokens on the Ethereum and Solana networks during the third quarter of 2026.

Updated on Oct. 20, 2026 in Investing

Isometric editorial illustration featuring solid geometric shapes representing stacked crypto tokens within a vault structure, symbolizing high-volume financial staking.
Ethereum and Solana reached record staking volumes in the third quarter of 2026, though increased competition for rewards caused annualized yields to decline. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Is now a good time to pursue passive income through cryptocurrency staking?

Ethereum and Solana reached record staking levels in Q3 2026 as global interest in crypto-staking continues to grow. Despite these volume highs, annualized yields for both networks experienced a decline during the same period.

Why it matters

Yields decreased because a larger number of tokens are now competing for the same pool of available rewards. Additionally, expanded network capacity contributed to a significant drop in transaction fees, impacting overall returns for participants.

Ethereum closed Q3 2026 with 43.80 million tokens staked, representing 35.9% of its total supply, while Solana activity reached 440.5 million tokens. Annualized yields for these networks fell to 2.63% and 5.99%, respectively.

The players

Ethereum

Ethereum is a decentralized blockchain platform that allows for the creation of smart contracts and decentralized applications.

Solana

Solana is a high-performance blockchain network designed to host decentralized, scalable applications.

Bitmine

Bitmine is a digital asset entity that maintains large positions in staked tokens across various blockchain networks.

NEAR Protocol

NEAR Protocol is a developer-friendly blockchain platform that utilizes sharding technology to achieve scalability.

The details

Bitmine increased its holdings to 5.07 million staked ETH tokens by late September, a significant jump from 410,000 tokens held in December 2025. While newly issued ETH provides 96.3% of Ethereum yield, transaction costs on the network have dropped from $1.35 to $0.45 over the past year.

Timeline

  1. December 2025: Bitmine held 410,000 staked ETH tokens.

  2. July 2026: Robinhood Chain recorded $17 million in daily trading.

  3. Q3 2026: Ethereum and Solana reached record staking levels.

  4. September 2026: Bitmine holdings reached 5.07 million ETH tokens.

Market Dynamics

This record-breaking staking volume follows the pattern established by the industry-wide transition to proof-of-stake consensus mechanisms. The surge in participation highlights a broader shift toward securing blockchain networks in exchange for yield-based incentives.

Retail participants should note that increased staking participation generally leads to lower individual yield percentages due to the dilution of rewards. Investors may need to monitor transaction fees and yield adjustments closely when allocating assets to these networks.

The takeaway

Record levels of participation indicate sustained interest in blockchain protocols despite moderating annual yields. Investors should balance the stability of staking against the reality that rising network participation often compresses reward rates over time.

Further reading

For more information on market trends, visit the Investing section.

Live Poll

Is now a good time to pursue passive income through cryptocurrency staking?