BitMine stakes 1.77M ETH worth $5.66B, tightening Ethereum supply on exchanges. Institutional staking grows, signaling long-term confidence.

Ethereum liquid supply continues to tighten as institutional players expand their holdings. BitMine Immersion, led by Tom Lee, has now staked over $5.6 billion in ETH, locking up more tokens amid a broader exchange supply drop.

This move comes as the total Ethereum on centralized exchanges falls to 16.3 million, reflecting increased long-term holding strategies across the sector.

BitMine Stakes 1.77 Million ETH Amid Market Volatility

BitMine Immersion recently staked 86,848 ETH, worth $277.5 million, according to data shared by Lookonchain on X.

The company now holds 1.77 million ETH in its staking portfolio, valued at approximately $5.66 billion.

Despite market volatility, BitMine has continued acquiring ETH and staking a portion to generate long-term returns.

Tom Lee(@fundstrat)’s #Bitmine staked another 86,848 $ETH($277.5M) 5 hours ago.

In total, #Bitmine has now staked 1,771,936 $ETH($5.66B).https://t.co/P684j5Yil8 pic.twitter.com/fNoIuERqKt

— Lookonchain (@lookonchain) January 20, 2026

In recent weeks, the company also purchased another 24,000 ETH, bringing its total Ethereum holdings to 4.17 million.

CEO Tom Lee confirmed this in a public statement, noting that BitMine remains the largest buyer of ETH using new capital.

He added that the company intends to become the largest staking provider once MAVAN begins commercial operations.

The staking strategy also supports BitMine’s broader financial goals. The company has used this approach to address its $4 billion debt while keeping exposure to ETH.

This steady accumulation strategy signals a shift in how large firms are engaging with Ethereum’s long-term potential.

Institutional ETH Holdings Rise as Exchange Supply Falls

According to CryptoQuant, BitMine has aggressively expanded its Ethereum staking efforts.

In just two weeks, the company staked 771,000 ETH, which is about 18.6% of its total holdings.

This addition further demonstrates BitMine’s commitment to earning rewards through staking.

More institutions are following a similar path by staking rather than trading ETH. As a result, the overall liquid supply of ETH on exchanges continues to decline.

This reduction makes it harder for traders to buy or sell ETH quickly on centralized exchanges.

The decrease in ETH supply on exchanges is a significant factor for the market. As fewer tokens remain available for trade, the growing institutional staking activity could push the price higher.

More companies, like BitMine, are choosing to hold and earn rewards, reducing the available supply further.

Related Reading:  Tom Lee’s BitMine Buys 20,000 ETH From Kraken, Adding to $146M Spree

Ethereum Staking Reaches Record Levels Driven by Long-Term Holders

Recent data shows that the total value locked in Ethereum staking has reached new highs. According to earlier reports, Ethereum staking has surpassed $118 billion.

This rise is largely driven by firms and long-term holders choosing to lock their ETH in validator nodes.

ETHEREUM STAKING AT RECORD LEVEL

Over 36 million ETH is now staked on ETHEREUM. That’s close to 30% of all ETH in circulation, worth over $118 billion pic.twitter.com/d298JyRz6K

— Bitinning (@bitinning) January 15, 2026

BitMine’s latest move contributes directly to this growth. By continuing to stake large amounts, it adds to the number of tokens being held outside the open market.

These decisions also reflect a growing focus on steady returns through network rewards rather than short-term price moves.

The shift toward staking and reduced liquid supply may reshape how Ethereum is used and traded.

As more tokens are removed from exchanges, Ethereum’s available supply for spot trading continues to decrease. This is being closely tracked by investors and blockchain analytics platforms alike.

The post BitMine’s $5.6B Ethereum Gamble: What the ETH Supply Crunch Means for Crypto appeared first on Live Bitcoin News.

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Filed under: Bitcoin - @ January 20, 2026 12:25 pm