Ethereum Sees $3.2 Billion Unstake Surge as Price Nears ATH

- Ethereum’s unstaking queue hits $3.2 billion during price rally. - Validators face a 12-day wait to withdraw funds. Ethereum validators are rushing to unlock $3.2 billion in ETH as the token approaches its all-time high, creating a 12-day backlog for withdrawals. On August 14, 2025, Cryptopolitan reported that validators have queued more than 699,600 ETH for withdrawal, which is valued at over $3.2 billion and has resulted in an estimated waiting time of more than 12 days. This increase coincides with substantial outflows from liquid staking protocols and the unwinding of leveraged ETH trades. LidoDAO, the largest liquid staking provider, recorded outflows of 281,824 ETH over the past month, marking the most significant decline among similar platforms. Cryptopolitan attributes this trend to validators opting to secure profits by unstaking tokens they initially locked at lower prices. Simultaneously, new ETH staking demand has contracted, reflecting a preference among holders for liquidity during the ongoing price rally. Market participants are monitoring the potential implications of these developments. A decline in new staking demand and rising withdrawal requests could pressure staking yields, which would in turn affect both liquid staking token markets and DeFi protocols that rely on them as collateral. This dynamic underscores a broader shift in market sentiment, as holders take advantage of favorable price conditions to de-risk their positions. As of August 14 at 19:09 UTC, Ethereum (ETH) is trading at $4,547.46. According to market data, its 24-hour trading volume has declined by 3.803%.