Bitmine Stakes $266 Million in Ethereum, Pushing Total Past $3.3 Billion
January 11, 2026 — Bitmine has staked an additional 86,400 Ethereum (ETH) worth $266.3 million, bringing its total staked holdings to a massive 1.08 million ETH valued at $3.33 billion. The move, executed on January 10, accelerates the company’s aggressive shift from passive accumulation to active yield generation on its Ethereum treasury, which now represents over 3% of the asset’s total supply.
Immediate Details & Direct Quotes
The latest staking transaction marks a continuation of a strategy that began in late December 2025. According to on-chain data shared by Lookonchain, Bitmine’s total staked Ethereum now stands at 1,080,512 tokens. This activity is part of a deliberate pivot overseen by Tom Lee, co-founder of Fundstrat Global Advisors and Chairman of Bitmine, who is steering the company from Bitcoin mining to active Ethereum treasury management.
Under Lee’s leadership, the company has accumulated over 4.1 million Ethereum, representing approximately 3.43% of ETH’s total circulating supply. The firm has stated it aims to acquire 5% of all Ethereum tokens. Lee has noted that Bitmine remains the largest “fresh money” buyer of ETH globally, signaling a major institutional commitment to the cryptocurrency.
Market Context & Reaction
The staking spree has been rapid and substantial. Bitmine initiated its staking operations on December 26, 2025, with a $219 million deposit. The pace intensified dramatically, with the company staking $1 billion worth of ETH over just two days through December 28. By January 4, 2026, its staked balance had reached 659,219 ETH ($2.1 billion).
The acceleration continued into the new year, with an additional $1.46 billion staked on January 6. A deposit of roughly 99,800 ETH ($344.4 million) followed on January 8, bringing the total to $2.95 billion before the final January 10 transaction pushed it over the $3.3 billion mark. At current estimated staking yields near 3.12% annually, Bitmine’s 1.08 million staked ETH could generate approximately 33,700 ETH in rewards per year.
Background & Historical Context
Bitmine’s strategic shift is a recent development. Tom Lee became chairman on June 30, 2025, and immediately pivoted the company’s focus. Starting from zero Ethereum holdings, Bitmine aggressively accumulated 1.15 million ETH worth $4.9 billion by mid-August 2025 after announcing a $500 million funding placement in July to accelerate purchases.
The company’s holdings grew to 3.86 million ETH by its December 8 earnings release and surpassed 4 million ETH on December 21, valued at over $12 billion. As of January 4, 2026, Bitmine’s total treasury holdings were reported at 4,143,502 ETH, worth between $13.2 and $14.2 billion. The move to stake roughly one-quarter of its holdings marks a new phase of active yield generation from its massive treasury.
What This Means
Bitmine’s colossal staking activity has several immediate implications. In the short term, it removes a significant amount of Ethereum from liquid circulation, which can impact market supply dynamics. It also demonstrates a growing institutional model of treating major cryptocurrencies like Ethereum as yield-generating treasury assets, similar to bonds.
For the broader Ethereum ecosystem, such large-scale staking by a single entity reinforces network security but also raises questions about concentration. For investors and the market, Bitmine’s public strategy and targets provide a clear benchmark for institutional Ethereum accumulation. The company’s goal to own 5% of the total supply indicates this aggressive acquisition and staking strategy is likely to continue, potentially influencing both price and staking reward metrics for all network participants.
Meta Description: Bitmine stakes $266M in Ethereum, pushing total staked past $3.3B as part of an aggressive yield-generation strategy from its 4.1M ETH treasury.
Primary Keywords: Ethereum, staking, Bitmine, institutional investment, ETH