Ethereum Staking Exit Queue Tops 851,000 ETH After MetaMask Validator Pullback

Ether (ETH) queued to exit Ethereum's staking system surged more than fivefold in three days after MetaMask began withdrawing validators in response to a security incident tied to a widely used wallet app last week, sending the exit queue to its longest level of 2026. CoinDesk analysis shows roughly 166,000 ETH was awaiting exit on Sept. 29. By Oct. 2, that figure had risen to about 851,000 ETH, around 2% of the 43.6 million ETH staked and well above the roughly 476,000 ETH seen during a May spike. As of Monday morning in Asia, about 786,000 ETH—worth just over $2 billion—remained in the queue, implying an estimated wait of nearly 14 days. Staking allows ETH holders to earn rewards by assigning coins to validators, the computers that verify Ethereum transactions. To avoid abrupt shifts in network security, Ethereum caps how quickly validators can enter or leave. Under current limits, about 57,600 ETH can join and about 57,600 ETH can exit each day, meaning large flows accumulate in queues. After exiting, funds still undergo a separate withdrawal process before reaching users' wallets. Demand on the entry side has eased. Around 1.5 million ETH—about $4 billion—was waiting to begin staking on Monday, with an estimated wait near 25 days. That is down from roughly 2 million ETH and an estimated 35-day wait in early September. MetaMask appears to account for most of the exit build-up. The firm, best known for its crypto wallet, also operates validators for Lido, the staking service that pools users' ether. Ethereum security researcher Kaden previously estimated the precautionary exits involved about 17,000 validators holding roughly 523,000 ETH, figures MetaMask has not confirmed. MetaMask disclosed a security incident on Sept. 30 and started removing affected validators from service. In an Oct. 1 update, the company said it had found no indication that wallets or customer funds were impacted. That framing suggests much of the exit queue reflects a temporary detour tied to a single operator's funds. Lido expects the ether to return gradually as the affected validators exit, balances are withdrawn, and coins are restaked. Lido estimates the full cycle could take up to about 45 days, with affected validators missing rewards while offline. "No action is required from stETH holders," Lido said last week, referring to the token representing users' stake in the service. Lido expects the last affected MetaMask validators to stop staking by Oct. 7, after which their coins would re-enter the queue to begin staking again. Read More: MetaMask security incident forces Ethereum staking exits, no funds at risk