• The top 5 Proof-of-Stake chains account for more than 70% of the entire staking market cap.

  • These five chains together have exceeded a combined staking value of $100 billion.

  • The distribution highlights a significant concentration of capital within a small group of dominant staking platforms

The past year has seen a boom in the value of staked assets in Proof-of-Stake (PoS) networks, resulting in a market concentration on the very wealthiest PoS chains, with the richest 5 chains currently having staking total market capitalization that exceeds 70%. This group dominance underscores a growing trend in the staking economy in which capital is growing concentrated to fewer, liquidity-rich staking chains.

$ 100 B+ Locked in Five Major Networks

The total value locked in these five chains has now crossed the $100 billion mark. This sharp growth emphasizes both investor confidence and the systemic preference for top-tier, high-performing chains within the staking ecosystem. Each network in the top five ranking exhibits a substantial level of validator participation and supports a robust staking infrastructure.

Performance and Adoption Drive Network Preference

Among these networks are systems recognized for their high throughput, strong development communities, and consistent staking rewards. Each chain’s ecosystem is marked by superior performance benchmarks, which include scalability, decentralization metrics, and yield efficiency. This concentration of stake capital underlines the market’s focus on reliable and scalable platforms, which have maintained long-term network uptime and continued growth.

Institutional Attention Increasingly Focused on Fewer Chains

The fact that there are more and more assets being staked in the few PoS networks available is another indicator of the growing institutional interest. Bigger investors seem to be preferring established chains with more predictable governance frameworks and lower risk levels. These networks tend to have a better on-chain performance history, security transparency, and available staking functionality, and are generally usable by entities administering large capital allocations.

Implications for Smaller Networks and Market Diversity

Although the data indicates the domination of these major chains, the data also speaks to less diversification across the staking space. Smaller PoS chains can struggle to attract staking participation, which can have an effect on decentralization across the entire ecosystem. This growing inequality points toward a possible deviation in how network value and resilience are perceived across staking-focused investment models.

Sustained Growth, But Uneven Distribution

As staking continues to evolve as a core aspect of blockchain economics, disproportionate capital distribution will be a characteristic hallmark of the sector. With over 70% of the total value of staking residing in the hands of just five PoS networks, the focus might still remain focused unless new chains offer competitive performance or unique features. Onlookers are monitoring if upcoming upgrades or protocol changes in smaller chains can shift this balance in the next few months.