Ethereum

Multicoin

Galaxy

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has finally addressed some concerns over the lengthening Ethereum staking exit queue, which has now grown to 45 days.&nbsp;
His response came after Galaxy Digital’s head of DeFi, Michael Marcantonio, called the exit queue length “troubling” on X and compared it to Solana, which only requires two days to unstake. He has since deleted the posts.&nbsp;
<blockquote>
 “Unclear how a network that takes 45 days to return assets can serve as a suitable candidate to power the next era of global capital markets.”
</blockquote>
<figure>
 <img src="https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2025-09/01995ac1-3c2e-70d4-ba0f-04a37d31600c" title="" alt="Vitalik Buterin finally pushes back after weeks of staking queue FUD">
 <figcaption style="text-align: center;">
 Deleted post from Galaxy Digital’s DeFi head. Source: <a href="https://x.com/ec265/status/1968382744184111222" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="https://x.com/ec265/status/1968382744184111222">Etc.</a>
 </figcaption>
</figure>
However, Buterin seemingly took a more ideological stance on the subject, describing unstaking from Ethereum as “more like a soldier deciding to quit the army,” <a href="https://x.com/VitalikButerin/status/1968428048086352285" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">adding</a> that staking is more about “taking on a solemn duty to defend the chain.”
<blockquote>
 “Friction in quitting is part of the deal. An army cannot hold together if any percent of it can suddenly leave at any time.”
</blockquote>
Overall, the network remains highly secure with over a million active validators and 35.6 million ETH staked, or almost 30% of the entire supply.&nbsp;
That being said, Buterin acknowledged the current <a href="https://cointelegraph.com/learn/articles/how-to-stake-ether-eth" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">staking</a> queue design was not optimal, but reducing the constants would make the chain “much less trustworthy” for nodes that do not go online frequently.&nbsp;
<figure>
 <img src="https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2025-09/01995ac1-4117-79d6-91f0-6cd9a555befe" title="" alt="Vitalik Buterin finally pushes back after weeks of staking queue FUD">
 <figcaption style="text-align: center;">
 Ethereum exit queue surged to an all-time high last week. Source: <a href="https://www.validatorqueue.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="https://www.validatorqueue.com/">ValidatorQueue</a>
 </figcaption>
</figure>
 Galaxy Digital <a href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/galaxy-digital-scoops-306m-solana-after-deal-for-crypto-treasury" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">purchased</a> $1.5 billion worth of Solana (<a href="/solana-price-index" rel="noopener noreferrer">SOL</a>) recently after partnering with Multicoin Capital and trading firm Jump Crypto in a Solana treasury firm.&nbsp;
Galaxy Digital was also the first Nasdaq-listed company to <a href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/galaxy-digital-stock-tokenized-solana" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">tokenize its shares</a> on Solana.&nbsp;
Related: <a href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/ethereum-unstaking-queue-goes-parabolic-what-does-it-mean-for-eth-price" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Ethereum unstaking queue goes ‘parabolic’: What does it mean for price?</a>
<h2 id="fighting-the-staking-fud">Fighting the staking FUD</h2>
Marcantonio seemingly deleted the posts after pushback from others.
Former Consensys product manager Jimmy Ragosa called out Marcantonio and Galaxy Digital, <a href="https://x.com/Jrag0x/status/1968280261596184948" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">stating</a> that&nbsp; from what he can gather from direct messages, the only thing the “relentless ETH FUD” has achieved is that “most entities with any vested interest in Ethereum are now reconsidering their business with Galaxy.”
<figure>
 <img src="https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2025-09/01995ac1-458a-7b2e-9d6f-0d056df9aea5" title="" alt="Vitalik Buterin finally pushes back after weeks of staking queue FUD">
 <figcaption style="text-align: center;">
 Source: Jimmy Ragosa
 </figcaption>
</figure>
“Apparently, Galaxy made their head of DeFi delete all of his Ethereum FUD,” <a href="https://x.com/lex_node/status/1968379465903550957" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">said</a> crypto lawyer Gabriel Shapiro, adding that “he was engaging in insanely gaslighty psyops.”&nbsp;&nbsp;
<blockquote>
 “Frankly, I wish it had stayed up because it only made Ethereum look great both technologically and culturally, but oh well.”
</blockquote>
“I’ll be recommending that people no longer do business with Galaxy,” <a href="https://x.com/sassal0x/status/1968444950527558021" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">said</a> Ethereum educator Anthony Sassano, adding:
<blockquote>
 “Deleting tweets doesn’t change the fact that the guy is their 'Head of DeFi' and doesn’t understand the very basics of this industry and cares more about fudding Ethereum than the actual truth.”
</blockquote>
Solana proponent Mike Dudas sided with Galaxy, <a href="https://x.com/mdudas/status/1968288729023627627" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">stating</a>, “folks with a ‘vested interest in Ethereum’ have to work with shitty bankers instead of Galaxy who has proven with Solana that they can drive significant value in transactions and bridge to a much broader group of stakeholders.”
Cointelegraph reached out to Marcantonio and Galaxy for comment.
<h2 id="ethereum-ecosystem-remains-healthy">Ethereum ecosystem remains healthy&nbsp;</h2>
The <a href="https://cointelegraph.com/learn/articles/how-to-buy-ethereum-a-beginners-guide-to-buying-eth" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Ethereum</a> exit queue has dipped over the past few days, but remains high at 2.5 million ETH. However, a large portion of this is from <a href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/ethereum-validator-exit-queue-increase-concerns-eth-educator" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Kiln Finance</a> following an exploit.&nbsp;
There are currently 512,000 ETH in the entry queue, which hit a <a href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/ethereum-staking-entry-queue-hits-highest-level-for-2-years" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">two-year high</a> recently amid institutional accumulation.&nbsp;
Magazine: <a href="https://cointelegraph.com/magazine/xrp-price-forecast-crypto-exchange-coinbase-gary-gensler-sec-hodlers-digest/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">XRP to retest highs? Bitcoin won’t go sideways for long: Hodler’s Digest</a>

Vitalik Buterin finally pushes back after weeks of staking queue FUD

Table of Contents

Cointelegraph

Other articles published on Sep 18, 2025

CME Group Announces Solana, XRP Futures Options Launch

LTCCloudMining: Power Up Crypto Earnings Daily

Filecoin Deposits: Crucial Bithumb Suspension Announced

Pibble AI platform: Revolutionary AION Completes POSCO International POC with Stunning Success

Explosive Growth: 100 Crypto ETFs Poised for Launch Within a Year

KAITO (KAITO) To Rise Higher? Key Breakout and Retest Signaling Potential Upside Move

Join our free newsletter for daily crypto updates!