Corporate backing strengthens Ethereum as EEA adds new heavyweights

Ethereum is receiving renewed support from the corporate sector as the Enterprise Ethereum Alliance (EEA) broadens its roster with Polygon Labs, Ethena, and Nethermind. The move comes alongside a second signal: even amid recent price pressure, a sizable share of Ether is being staked for the long haul.

With Polygon Labs (Layer-2 infrastructure), Ethena (synthetic dollar), and Nethermind (protocol engineering) joining, the network gains more suppliers focused on making Ethereum usable in regulated and large-scale setups. The EEA serves as a central coordinating body where companies, infrastructure providers, and protocol teams align on standards and practical applications.

Polygon Labs, in particular, aims to push partnerships around settlement capabilities and compliant payment rails. The backdrop is that Polygon has expanded its activity in regulated payments and on-chain financial services, and its infrastructure has already supported billions of dollars in on-chain transfer value for major financial players.

Staking grows ? despite weak price action

Parallel to the strengthened institutional network, on-chain activity shows a clear commitment from holders to lock in value. As of February 12, 2026, more than 30% of the circulating ETH supply was staked, representing about $72 billion in value. The effect is that a large portion of the supply is bound and not readily traded.

A notable feature is the surge in demand to become a validator:

• Rund 4 million ETH are in the queue to stake
• The wait time to enter the validator queue stands at 71 days (a record high)

Why this stands out: this demand is arriving even as the market has weakened. The report suggests that many investors are prioritizing the network?s long-term potential over short-term price movements.

Should investors sell immediately? Or is it worth buying Ethereum?

Macro factors weigh on the rally ? hope for a ?V? recovery?

Solid fundamental on-chain data sits alongside a softer price action. Ethereum has struggled to reclaim key levels after the recent sell-off. The macro backdrop?the changing expectations for central-bank rate cuts?is cited as a headwind.

On the flip side, some analysts see potential for upside. Tom Lee of Fundstrat points to historical patterns of V-shaped recoveries after sharp declines and describes a possible ?Opportunity Zone.? Whether this materializes will also depend on regulatory developments: in the United States, the SEC and CFTC are working under the proposed Clarity Act to establish clearer guidelines for digital assets, an issue that could influence near-term market sentiment.

At present, Ethereum trades at $1,940.43, and on a 30-day basis, the price is notably lower, underscoring the divergence between the network?s growing institutional signals and the broader market move.

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