Ethereum Foundation Unstakes $50M ETH Amid Treasury Shifts
The Ethereum Foundation (EF) has withdrawn 21,270 Ether (ETH), valued at approximately $50 million, from Lidos liquid staking protocol, according to blockchain analytics firm Arkham. This marks the second significant unstaking move by the foundation in recent weeks, raising questions about its treasury strategy. The withdrawal, initiated on Monday, shifts these funds out of Ethereum‘s Beacon Chain, where they had been locked to earn staking rewards. While the move doesn’t necessarily signal an imminent sale of the unstaked ETH, it does represent a recalibration of how the nonprofit manages its assets. Withdrawals through Lido enter a queue system, allowing claimants to redeem ETH once the process is finalized. This unstaking follows a similar action in late April when the EF withdrew 17,000 ETH. Shortly after, on May 1, the foundation reportedly sold 10,000 ETH in an over-the-counter (OTC) deal to Bitmine, the largest corporate holder of Ethereum. Its unclear if this latest move is part of a broader strategy to free up liquidity or reposition treasury holdings. Strategic Treasury Adjustments The Ethereum Foundation updated its treasury policy in mid-2025, emphasizing increased staking as a mechanism to fund protocol development. Since then, it has progressively allocated more ETH to staking, with significant deposits made in