A Decreasing Issuance for Ethereum? A New Proposal Sparks Debate

Since the transition to proof of stake in 2022, the reward mechanisms for validators have taken a central role in discussions around the network. A new proposal today rekindles this debate by suggesting a progressive reduction of rewards paid to staking participants. The project aims to modify economic incentives while limiting the creation of new tokens. Ethereum thus finds itself at the heart of a reflection that already divides the actors of its ecosystem.

A Proposal That Would Gradually Change Ethereum Validator Rewards

A group of six researchers presented a project proposal aiming to review the workings of staking rewards. Among them are Jérôme de Tychey, Ladislaus von Daniels, and Justin Drake, a member of the Ethereum Foundation. Their goal is to burn an increasing share of rewards already granted to validators, depending on the total amount of ETH staked. This new approach seeks to correct a system where the incentive to deposit more funds never disappears.

Specifically, the deduction would increase as the staking ratio progresses. When this ratio reaches about half of the total Ether supply, the reward reduction would reach 100%. Since the September 2022 merge, the execution layer no longer creates new tokens, and validators receive about 1,700 ETH per day, a volume that varies according to the amount staked. The authors also propose an 18-month phased transition to avoid a too abrupt adjustment. Ethereum would thus adopt a gradual change rather than an immediate modification.

Why This Reform Already Sparks Mixed Reactions

According to the authors, an immediate application of the new mechanism would reduce the net consensus yield from about 2.6% to 1.2% with the current staking rate. Such a decrease could encourage some validators to withdraw their funds. At the same time, this change would modify the economic balance of the network and the different products linked to staking. Ethereum would then see its incentives evolve significantly.

Stani Kulechov, founder of Aave, expressed his reservations on X. He believes that a reward cap set to 0% beyond 50% staking would make yields less predictable. According to him, this situation could reduce interest from institutional investors, who generally favor regular income streams. The debate thus concerns both the network’s economic security and its attractiveness to different user profiles.

A Response to the Increase in Staking and Concerns About Centralization

The ETH staking rate reached a historic high of 33.33% on July 28, 2026. The current system does not provide any limit to this progression. Today, the yield only decreases according to the square root of the number of validators and maintains a floor close to 1.5%, regardless of the total volume of ETH locked. This dynamic fuels discussions about Ethereum’s future evolution.

The authors believe their proposal would limit the issuance of new ETH while reducing dilution for holders who do not participate in staking. The topic also arises as Bitmine Immersion Technologies has increased its holdings. After adding 150,120 ETH on August 4, the company now holds about 5.8 million ETH, nearly 4.8% of the circulating supply, a concentration that fuels concerns around centralization.

At the same time, a reduction in rewards could lessen the appeal of liquid staking protocols and investment products backed by staked ETH. These protocols currently represent $34.9 billion, including $17.6 billion for Lido.

Ethereum will now have to review this proposal during the public consultation open on the Ethereum Magicians forum, where it has already received one negative opinion and two favorable ones. Upcoming feedback from client teams and stakers should clarify whether this reform can evolve into a future improvement of the blockchain protocol.