Total Staked ETH

Definition ∞ Total Staked ETH represents the aggregate amount of Ether (ETH) that has been deposited and locked into the Ethereum 2.0 (Beacon Chain) smart contract for the purpose of validating transactions and securing the network. This metric indicates the collective commitment of network participants to the Proof-of-Stake consensus mechanism. It reflects the network’s security and the economic participation of its holders.
Context ∞ Total Staked ETH is a key metric for understanding the health and decentralization of the Ethereum network, directly impacting its security and the yield available to stakers. The growth or contraction of this amount often reflects market confidence in Ethereum’s future and the attractiveness of staking rewards. A critical future development involves observing how withdrawals and ongoing network upgrades influence staking behavior and the overall distribution of staked ETH among various validators and liquid staking protocols.