Criticism swirls around Ethereum's staking exit times, with Vitalik Buterin responding in defense
In a recent turn of events, Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum, has defended the network's long exit times for unstaking ETH, following criticism within the crypto industry. The controversy was ignited after Galaxy Digital, a renowned crypto investment firm, invested over $700 million in Solana within the past seven days.
Critics argue that the long exit times undermine usability, making Ethereum seem clunky compared to its rivals like Solana, which boasts a 2-day unstaking period. Solana supporters, including Mike Dudas, have rallied behind Galaxy, casting Ethereum in a less favourable light.
Buterin, in a tweet on September 17, 2025, defended the delays as a deliberate safeguard to preserve trust in the Ethereum chain. He compared the process of unstaking to a soldier quitting the army, suggesting that friction in quitting is necessary for the network's stability.
However, the current staking exit delays have been deemed 'troubling' by some industry figures. Michael Marcantonio, head of DeFi at Galaxy Digital, has criticized the long exit times on Ethereum, comparing it unfavourably to Solana's swift process. His critique was met with sharp pushback, with rumours suggesting that he was forced to delete the post by Galaxy Digital.
The average wait time to enter the staking queue on Ethereum is approximately 7 days, with exit times for validators leaving staking now exceeding 43 days. Despite these concerns, Buterin acknowledged the need for improvement at the user experience level on Ethereum and noted that the Ethereum Foundation has been working to address these concerns for the past six months.
Meanwhile, Galaxy's investment in Solana has not gone unnoticed. Over one million validators are currently staking on Ethereum, with nearly 30% of all ETH (35.6 million ETH) staked. Jimmy Ragosa, a former Consensys product manager, accused Galaxy of fueling 'relentless ETH FUD' and suggested that Ethereum-aligned businesses are reconsidering ties with the firm.
As the crypto landscape continues to evolve, the debate over Ethereum's staking delays and Galaxy's investment in Solana promises to be a fascinating development to watch.
