Ethereum core developers are considering raising the maximum validator balance from 32 ETH to 2,048 ETH per validator.
The proposal was discussed during the most recent Ethereum core developer consensus meeting.
Ethereum’s core developers are considering a proposal that suggests raising the maximum validator balance from the current 32 ether (ETH) to 2,048 ETH per validator. This proposal concerns an increase in the maximum validator stake, while the minimum would remain at 32 ETH.
As it stands, Ethereum validators are subject to an effective balance cap set at both the minimum and maximum of 32 ETH. This forces large-scale staking operations to spin up multiple validators if they want to earn yield on any amount greater than this.
Unsurprisingly, this practice has led to a big increase in the number of validators. There are currently 600,000 active validators and an additional 90,000 awaiting activation in the queue.
Michael Neuder, an Ethereum Foundation researcher and key proponent of the proposed change, made the case for this increase, during the most recent Ethereum core developer consensus meeting held on Friday. He said while the current validator cap promotes decentralization, it inadvertently leads to an inflation of the validator set size.
Neuder explained that raising the cap could slow down the expansion of the active validator set — ultimately improving the network’s efficiency in terms of achieving finality within a single Ethereum slot.