Ethereum staking has been extremely popular in the crypto world since the ETH network transitioned to a Proof of Stake system. The 32 ETH staking amount, equivalent to about 112,000 dollars, made it difficult for individual investors to participate in such a mechanism. In this context, pooled approaches emerged, allowing those without 32 ETH to participate. Recently, MetaMask made a final move on this topic. Can it compete with established players like Lido and Rocket Pool?
Lido Currently Dominates the Market
Looking at the numbers, Lido controls more than 27% of staked ETH. With MetaMask’s recent staking move, data shows that 101,000 ETH are currently staked. In this context, MetaMask ranks 28th.
Considering that 33 million Ethereum are staked, the number is small. For example, this figure corresponds to 9.5 million ETH in Lido. Additionally, there are approximately 297,000 validators. The number of validators in MetaMask is only 3,000.
Decrease in the Number of Stakers
Despite the increase in the total value of staked Ethereum, it was noted that there is a decrease in the number of new stakers. According to an analysis by CryptoQuant, there has been a significant drop in the number of new stakers in recent days. On June 9, the daily number of new depositors was over 3,700, but this number has since fallen to 540.
We need to move from the fact that competition is always good in the crypto market. In this context, while Lido leads the field, new entries into the staking area, as seen in the MetaMask example, can make it easier for investors to choose different options.
Finally, it is worth remembering that staking is a topic evaluated in terms of countries’ own legal regulations. For example, MetaMask launched its staking feature, but it will have limited availability in the US and the UK. In such a competitive environment, limited usage in some countries could be an obstacle to MetaMask’s growth. However, regardless of the situation, new participation in the staking area means new investors entering the field.