After a brief period of trading below the $2,000 mark, the Ethereum price has regained above this level as bullish momentum slowly returns to the market. Even though ETH has been struggling with the growing volatility across the market, interest in the asset at the institutional level has remained strong, with accumulation spiking each month.
Institutional Interest In Ethereum Keeps Expanding
Ethereum may be experiencing prolonged sideways price action, but institutional investors in the sector are unfazed by the bearish performance. During the downward trend, a steady wave of institutional demand is building around the leading altcoin, putting it in the spotlight.
Over the past few months, public companies have been accumulating the altcoin at a relentless pace. These companies are steadily increasing their holdings rather than slowing down in the face of market uncertainty, indicating a strong long-term belief in Ethereum’s place in the developing digital economy.
In a post on the X platform, Leon Waidmann, a market expert and research head at Lisk, revealed that these public companies have scooped up approximately 7.4 million ETH in a period of 12 months. This figure represents a 6.1% of the total circulating supply of ETH.
Even after a massive wave of accumulation, these public companies are still buying ETH, persistently tightening available supply. Such a sustained accumulation by institutions strengthens the narrative of ETH as a strategic asset for corporate treasuries.
As of May 2025, the cumulative ETH treasury holdings of institutional and corporate players were sitting at near 0. However, by April 2026, over 6.5 million ETH have been scooped off the market, demonstrating ETH’s position as a leading crypto asset with short and long-term potential.
These ETH are being moved into treasury reserves, rather than cryptocurrency exchanges, suggesting a holding sentiment, especially for the long term. As a result, these coins are not available to sell without board approval, shareholder disclosure, and regulatory filings. In a market deep in bearish conditions, public companies’ ETH holdings continue to climb, as they add more coins every single month.
ETH Staking Rises To Historical Levels
While institutional accumulation has spiked, Ethereum staking activity has also experienced a sharp uptick. After persistent staking activity, the number of ETH staked has now reached a new all-time high, reflecting growing participation in the network’s proof-of-stake system.
As seen in the chart, over 32% of all ETH’s entire supply is now locked away in staking contracts. In May 2021, the total number of staked ETH was 18 million, marking a 16% of its entire supply. Meanwhile, by March 2026, the figure had increased to a staggering 40 million ETH or 32% of its entire supply.
Waidmann added that the 32% of ETH’s total supply is not present on cryptocurrency exchanges or in wallets waiting to sell. Rather, they are stored in staking contracts and actively being used to secure the Ethereum network.
Featured image from Freepik, chart from Tradingview.com
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