The Ethereum Foundation staked 45,034 ETH worth roughly $93 million Friday morning, depositing the tokens in blocks of 2,047 ETH to the Eth2 Beacon Chain deposit contract.
The move brings the foundation close to completing its 70,000 ETH staking target announced in February, representing one of the largest institutional commitments to Ethereum's proof-of-stake infrastructure.
1/ The Ethereum Foundation has begun staking a portion of its treasury, in line with its Treasury Policy announced last year.
Today, the EF made a 2016 ETH deposit. Approximately 70,000 ETH will be staked with rewards directed back to the EF treasury.
— Ethereum Foundation (@ethereumfndn) February 24, 2026
Thursday's deposits push the foundation's total staked position to approximately 69,500 ETH valued at $143 million. With current staking rates ranging from 2.7% to 3.8% APY for institutional validators, the foundation stands to earn between $3.9 million to $5.4 million annually.
The staking strategy reflects a calculated shift in how the Foundation manages its $270.9 million treasury across 14 addresses, which hold some 102,413 ETH worth $209.7 million according to Arkham-tracked portfolio data.
"It communicates a belief that the network’s staking yield and long-term appreciation outweigh other uses of capital, like funding grants or covering operational expenses," said Dr. Lena Schmidt, a blockchain economist at the Digital Asset Research Institute, calling it “a profound vote of confidence in the protocol's economic sustainability.”
The Ethereum Foundation first outlined its revised treasury strategy last June before staking treasury funds before starting to stake treasury funds in February. Last week, it reached $50 million in staked assets.
The strategy comes amid broader institutional momentum for Ethereum, from BlackRock's staked ETH fund to the $10 billion ETH treasury held by Tom Lee's BitMine.
Beyond staking, the Foundation continues shaping Ethereum's future through an "Economic Zone" initiative addressing Layer-2 fragmentation and a seven-fork development roadmap extending through 2029.