$479 million re-entering the market, why does Bitmine continue to increase ETH staking?

Bitmine once again makes a significant stake by pledging 154,208 ETH, valued at $478.77 million. This is the second large-scale pledge within just two days. According to the latest news, Bitmine has accumulated a total of 1,344,224 ETH pledged, with a total value of $4.15 billion. Behind this figure reflects an institution’s systematic and long-term optimism towards Ethereum.

Bitmine’s Continuous Staking Pace

Recent staking timeline

Based on on-chain monitoring data, Bitmine’s staking actions are accelerating:

• January 11: Staked 86,400 ETH, worth $266.3 million
• January 12: Staked another 154,208 ETH, worth $478.77 million
• Total over two days: 240,608 ETH staked, valued at $745 million

This frequent and large-scale staking rhythm is not accidental. According to related information, Bitmine Chairman Tom Lee recently publicly stated that the company needs to expedite the approval amendment to increase authorized shares; otherwise, the ETH accumulation rate will slow down. This indicates that staking is only superficial; behind it is Bitmine’s strategic plan for ETH accumulation capacity.

The true scale of holdings

As of now, Bitmine’s Ethereum ecosystem layout is quite substantial:

This means Bitmine has become one of the largest institutional holders in the Ethereum ecosystem. This scale itself sends a strong signal to the market: long-term optimism.

The logic behind strategic intent

Why stake?

Staking is not just passive holding but also an active participation in maintaining Ethereum’s security. Bitmine’s continuous staking reflects several key considerations:

• Yield optimization: Staking ETH can earn staking rewards, providing additional income for long-term holders
• Ecosystem participation: Staking demonstrates a commitment to Ethereum network security
• Liquidity locking: Large-scale staking is essentially a long-term commitment to the price, reducing market selling pressure

Tom Lee’s “Inflation Anxiety”

According to the latest news, Tom Lee urged shareholders to support the increase in authorized shares in his chairman speech, citing that “the 500 million shares authorization is about to run out.” While this appears to be a corporate governance issue, it actually reflects Bitmine’s desire to accumulate more ETH—they want more “ammunition” to continue buying.

What does this urgency indicate? It suggests that, in Tom Lee’s view, the current ETH price and market environment are still worth active allocation.

Market impact

Signal of liquidity tightening

The continuous staking at this scale by Bitmine directly reduces market liquidity. Over 1.34 million ETH are locked in staking, effectively “disappearing” from the trading market. As more institutions take similar actions, the tradable ETH in the market will gradually tighten.

Reflection of institutional confidence

From MicroStrategy’s continuous BTC purchases to Bitmine’s ongoing ETH buying and staking, a phenomenon is evident: large institutions are voting with real money. Despite ETH’s recent 4.3% decline over 7 days, Bitmine is still increasing its stake, which is a contrarian move.

Points to watch moving forward

Voting results of the issuance proposal

On January 15, the shareholder meeting will vote on the amendment to increase authorized shares. If approved, Bitmine will gain more “ammunition,” potentially leading to more aggressive ETH accumulation in the future.

MAVAN staking solution

According to information, Bitmine’s MAVAN staking solution is expected to launch in Q1 2026. This could further optimize its staking yields and even provide staking services to other institutions, expanding its influence within the Ethereum ecosystem.

Summary

Bitmine’s ongoing large-scale staking is not just a simple “bottom-fishing” move but a systematic strategic deployment. From staking $745 million in two days to a total of $4.15 billion, and pushing for issuance increases to accelerate accumulation, all these actions point to one conclusion: Bitmine is actively demonstrating confidence in Ethereum’s long-term value.

For the market, this institutional-level continuous allocation may mean a gradual tightening of liquidity and increased participation in the ETH ecosystem. The key will be whether this momentum can be sustained and whether it will trigger other institutions to follow suit.