Lido (@LidoFinance): One Year of Community Staking Module (CSM)

One Year of Community Staking Module (CSM) The Lido Community Staking Module (CSM) turns one this month, marking a major milestone in the protocol’s ongoing effort to make Ethereum staking more decentralized, inclusive, and community-driven. When the Lido protocol first launched, participation as a Node Operator required DAO approval. While this curated model helped establish strong early validator performance, it limited participation. To expand access and further Lido’s mission of simple, secure, and decentralized staking, the Community Staking Module was launched in October 2024, allowing anyone with a modest bond and standard home hardware to participate in Ethereum validation through Lido. One Year Later: CSM by the Numbers ~50% of all Lido Node Operators now participate via a permissionless module, requiring no DAO approval. 347,200 ETH staked through CSM, representing ~4% of Lido’s total TVL. 291 active CSM operators (out of a total of 622 across all Lido modules). CSM is now ~55% the size of the largest permissionless staking protocol. As of October 30, CSM accounts for 4.05% of total Lido stake (capped at 5%). DAO tokenholders have already approved a potential increase to 10%, expected in late 2025 or early 2026, pending technical and governance milestones. Contributing to Ethereum’s Decentralization The CSM is designed for independent stakers, whether experienced or new, offering an accessible path to run validators with lower bond requirements (1.3–2.4 ETH) and potentially higher rewards (up to 2.36x compared with solo staking). By joining the CSM, stakers contribute directly to Ethereum’s decentralization and help shape the future of permissionless participation in the Lido ecosystem. Learn more or get started here: csm.lido.fi Note: CSM stats reflect 291 unique CSM-only Node Operators . Minor variations may occur due to Sybil or cross-participation effects.