Vitalik Buterin Pushes 1 ETH Solo Staking Requirement

Vitalik Buterin Supports 1 ETH Minimum for Solo Staking

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has expressed support for lowering the minimum Ether (ETH) required for solo staking, making it easier for more investors to earn passive income. On Oct. 3, Buterin joined a discussion on X, advocating for reducing the current 32 ETH deposit required for solo stakers, which has been a barrier for broader participation.

Solo stakers are independent individuals who run full Ethereum nodes using their own hardware, without relying on third-party services or staking pools. This approach plays a crucial role in maintaining Ethereum's security and decentralization. However, the high cost of locking up 32 ETH (over $2,000) has deterred many potential participants from staking solo.

Buterin recently highlighted the significance of solo stakers at the Ethereum Singapore 2024 event in September. He emphasized that even a small percentage of solo stakers can add an extra layer of decentralized protection to Ethereum’s network, reducing the risk of 51% attacks. “Solo staking can serve as a critical defense for the security and privacy of Ethereum,” Buterin stated.

Proposal to Lower the Staking Threshold

Buterin has been actively engaging with the Ethereum community, sharing ideas on how to encourage more solo stakers. One temporary solution he suggested is increasing the bandwidth requirement for solo stakers, which would allow the deposit minimum to be lowered to 16 or 24 ETH.

However, an Ethereum developer pointed out that available bandwidth varies depending on a user’s location, potentially creating challenges for some participants. Despite this, Buterin believes that lowering the staking requirement could make solo staking more accessible.

Looking ahead, Buterin mentioned a long-term goal of reducing the solo staking requirement to just 1 ETH. This change could significantly boost participation and further decentralize the Ethereum network. As technologies improve, such as peering mechanisms and single-slot finality (SSF), Buterin envisions the bandwidth requirement decreasing and solo staking becoming more affordable for everyone.

In parallel, Buterin recently took a stand against Ethereum projects that claim to be layer-2 solutions without meeting necessary benchmarks. He stressed that these projects must reach “Stage 1” by the end of 2024 to retain their layer-2 status.

Also Read: Celo's Transition to Ethereum Layer-2 Praised by Vitalik Buterin