TLDR:Bitmine staked over 342,560 ETH in two days, reflecting a large-scale institutional ETH staking commitment.Coordinated transfers and batch deposits indicate automated validator deployment rather than exchange-bound selling.ETH treasury-linked equities continue forming lower lows, signaling fading confidence in balance-sheet ETH exposure.ETH price consolidates after a sharp sell-off, with neutral momentum showing market digestion of recent volatility.ETH staking surged as Bitmine moved 342,560 ETH, worth about $1 billion, into validator contracts. The activity shows institutional involvement. Transfers happened in large, coordinated batches. Ethereum price hovers near $2,940, while ETH-linked equities remain weak.Institutional ETH Staking Activity and Validator Deployment PatternsETH staking took center stage after blockchain tracker Lookonchain reported fresh activity tied to Bitmine, associated with Fundstrat’s Tom Lee. Over two days, the entity staked approximately 342,560 ETH, valued at nearly $1 billion.On-chain dashboards reveal multiple large transfers, each ranging between 15,000 and 28,300 ETH. Several transactions clustered around similar dollar values, indicating structured execution rather than sporadic movement. Tom Lee(@fundstrat)'s #Bitmine continues moving $ETH into staking.Over the past 2 days, #Bitmine has staked 342,560 $ETH($1B).https://t.co/P684j5YQaGhttps://t.co/pXHT9mCPUC pic.twitter.com/0Y9XBShQzI— Lookonchain (@lookonchain) December 28, 2025Transfers occurred at regular intervals, with such consistency often reflecting automated treasury workflows or validator provisioning. Market observers noted repeated destination addresses linked to Ethereum staking infrastructure.ETH staking flows from Bitmine largely moved into addresses associated with Ethereum’s BatchDeposit contract. That contract is commonly used for validator onboarding, reinforcing the view that funds are being locked for yield generation.Another recurring destination wallet appeared across multiple transfers. Analysts tracking wallet labels suggested it functions as a custodial or aggregation address. This pattern aligns with internal capital routing rather than exchange-bound transfers.Additional Bitmine-labeled wallets participated in the process, pointing to compartmentalized fund management. Such address diversity is frequently observed among institutional entities managing operational risk. ETH Market Response Shows Equity Weakness and Price ConsolidationDespite rising ETH staking volumes, Ethereum treasury-linked equities showed renewed weakness. Shares tied to firms such as BitMine Immersion and Bit Digital continued forming lower highs and lower lows. The selling pressure remained persistent.Market participants noted that these equities often act as sentiment gauges. Their continued decline suggests investors are reassessing balance-sheet exposure to Ethereum. Even during periods of ETH price stability, equity momentum failed to recover.Tom Lee(@fundstrat)'s #Bitmine continues moving $ETH into staking.Over the past 2 days, #Bitmine has staked 342,560 $ETH($1B).https://t.co/P684j5YQaGhttps://t.co/pXHT9mCPUC pic.twitter.com/0Y9XBShQzI— Lookonchain (@lookonchain) December 28, 2025Short-term ETH price action reflected consolidation rather than expansion. A sharp intraday sell-off on the 15-minute ETH/USDT chart was followed by sideways movement between roughly $2,920 and $2,960. Momentum indicators stayed neutral. RSI hovered near mid-range levels, while MACD flattened after the initial shock. Traders on social platforms described the setup as post-event digestion. ETH staking flows remained active, yet price direction lacked conviction. The market continued balancing institutional deployment against tightening risk appetite. The post Ethereum Staking Surges as Bitmine Stakes 342K Eth Worth $1B appeared first on Blockonomi.