After a brief period of trading below the $2,000 mark, the price of Ethereum has climbed back above this level as bullish momentum slowly returns to the market. Even as ETH faces increasing market volatility, interest in the asset at an institutional level has remained strong, with accumulation increasing each month.
Institutional interest in Ethereum continues to grow
Ethereum may be experiencing prolonged sideways price action, but institutional investors in the sector appear unfazed by the bearish performance. During the downtrend, a steady wave of institutional demand builds 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 stakes rather than slowing down in the face of market uncertainty, indicating a strong long-term conviction in Ethereum’s place in the developing digital economy.
In an article on the X platform, Leon Waidmann, market expert and head of research at Lisk, revealed that these public companies raised approximately 7.4 million ETH over a 12-month period. This figure represents 6.1% of the total circulating ETH supply.
Even after a massive wave of accumulation, these public companies are still buying ETH, constantly reducing the available supply. Such institutionally supported accumulation reinforces the narrative that ETH is a strategic asset for corporate treasuries.
As of May 2025, the cumulative ETH Treasury Holdings of institutional and corporate players stood at near 0. However, as of April 2026, over 6.5 million ETH had been withdrawn from the market, demonstrating ETH’s position as a leading crypto asset with short- and long-term potential.
These ETH are transferred to cash reserves rather than cryptocurrency exchanges, suggesting a sense of holding, especially over the long term. Therefore, these coins cannot be sold without board approval, shareholder disclosure and regulatory filings. In a deep market in bearish conditionspublic companies’ ETH holdings continue to climb, as they add more coins each month.
ETH Staking Reaches All-Time Highs
As institutional accumulation peaked, Ethereum staking activity also experienced a sharp increase. 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 graphover 32% of the total ETH supply is now locked in staking contracts. As of May 2021, the total number of ETH staked was 18 million, or 16% of its total supply. Meanwhile, by March 2026, this figure had increased to 40 million ETH, or 32% of the total supply.
Waidmann added that 32% of the total ETH supply is not present on cryptocurrency exchanges or in portfolios awaiting sale. Instead, they are stored in staking contracts and are actively used to secure the Ethereum network.
Featured image from Freepik, graphic from Tradingview.com
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