BitMine has confirmed plans to stake up to $1 billion worth of Ethereum, marking one of the largest disclosed commitments to Ethereum staking by a crypto infrastructure firm and highlighting a broader strategic shift underway across the digital asset sector.
The company, under the leadership of Tom Lee from Fundstrat, recently revealed that it holds over four million ETH, which accounts for about 3.4% of the total supply. On-chain data indicates that this number has actually increased as the firm has been steadily accumulating more throughout the week.
The move places Ethereum staking at the center of BitMine’s evolving business model as institutional players increasingly pivot away from energy intensive mining toward yield generating participation in proof of stake networks.
The company plans to deploy the capital gradually rather than through a single transaction, a strategy designed to manage market exposure while building a sustained, long term position in Ethereum. BitMine has framed the allocation as a strategic bet on Ethereum’s expanding role as the settlement layer for decentralized finance, tokenized assets, and enterprise blockchain applications.
The scale of the commitment carries broader implications for Ethereum’s ecosystem. Large staking allocations can affect validator distribution and governance dynamics, keeping the decentralization debate active as institutional participation accelerates. Ethereum developers have repeatedly stressed the need for broad participation even as large players enter the network.
The company has initiated a live pilot with three selected partners to track real-time performance before committing more assets.
With a targeted go-live in early 2026, BitMine aims to create a purpose-built platform for native ETH staking, prioritizing long-term value for its shareholders.
BitMine did not disclose expected yields or a precise deployment timeline, but the size of the allocation alone signals conviction. A $1 billion stake places the firm among the most significant participants in Ethereum’s staking economy and underscores growing confidence in proof of stake as a durable, long term model.
