The number of validators on the network now exceeds 500,000, data from BeaconScan shows. A validator must deposit 32 ETH (roughly $45,000) to run a dedicated staking node on the proof-of-stake blockchain. The growing number points to “increasing confidence, positive market sentiment, and conviction”. The total value stake staked on the Ether network has reached over $22 billion. This indicates that it would be extremely difficult and costly to attack the network’s consensus. Reports show that validators are spread across at least 11,400 physical nodes in 80 countries.
Ethereum Hits 500,000 Validator Milestone