Staking Modules Updates

Community Staking Module
The Future of CSM
Lido Core continues to evolve. LIP-33 proposes the next major upgrade to the Lido permissionless module, CSMv3, as well as extending its codebase to serve the proposed Curated Module v2. Discover the proposal:
Embed GitHub
Key features of the proposed CSM v3 include:
- Support for 0x02 withdrawal credentials in a separate instance
- More granular role-based access controls for managing Node Operators type parameters
- Optimized reward-claim mechanism
- Built-in reward splitters for NOs
- More robust penalty and accounting system, improving security while maintaining reasonable leeways for operators
This upgrade aims to make CSM more scalable, flexible, and operator-friendly, while continuing to lower barriers to participation in Ethereum validation. CSM operators and the broader Lido community are encouraged to review the proposal and share feedback.
CSM Stake Share Limit Raise (Again)

The Community Staking Module continues to grow rapidly. Now at 7.25% of Lido TVL, it is approaching DAO-approved 7.5% module stake share limit following the recent increase.
To support continued expansion and in line with the DAO’s previously signaled 10% target, Lido contributors proposed raising the CSM stakeShareLimit to 8.5%. At the same time, the priority exit threshold is proposed to increase to 10.3%.
Together, these changes would further strengthen the role of permissionless, community-driven validators within the Lido protocol, enabling more independent operators to join and improve Ethereum’s decentralization through a more distributed validator set.
The vote to support this change has been approved by the Lido DAO, and is currently under Dual Governance. Following a successful review, the CSM share will be increased on-chain.
Round Four ICS Application Closed
The fourth Identified Community Staker (ICS) application round has concluded this Monday, April 13. The results will be announced soon — keep an eye on Lido socials.
If you're an independent staker and haven’t applied yet, there’s still plenty of time to submit your application for the next review round! It remains open with another assessment expected in late Q2 or early Q3. Stay tuned for updates on the exact timeline.
By offering tailored staking conditions to empower and reward independent operators participation in the Lido validator set, the ICS framework enables a broader and more diverse group of operators to secure Ethereum and decentralize the network via the Lido protocol. Since the introduction with the CSM v2 upgrade, it has seen strong traction, with 482 applications evaluated, 345 approvals to date, and 269 operators have already claimed ICS status and benefit from enhanced parameters as of April 1.
Curated Module
Curated Module v2: From Concepts to Proposals
Following several months of analysis, discussions, and iteration, Lido contributors have consolidated the initial ideas around the Curated Module v2 (CMv2) into a set of concrete proposals that can be implemented if supported by the DAO.
These proposals outline the core design, features, and parameters of CMv2 Phase 1, as well as a governance update introducing the Curated Module Committee (CMC) — a proposed successor which should replace the current Lido Node Operator Sub-Governance (LNOSG).
Together, these changes aim to make the new Curated Module more adaptable and flexible, while improving how Node Operators are onboarded, managed, and incentivized within the protocol.
Curated Node Operators and the broader community are invited to review the proposals, share feedback, and participate in the discussion. Following the feedback period, the proposals are expected to move to a DAO Snapshot vote in the next available voting cycle.
Next Phase of ETHGas Testing
The official testing phase for the ETHGas sidecar is now underway. Lido contributors are aiming to onboard at least 5,000 validators on the Hoodi testnet, with a minimum of 1,000 per Curated Node Operator, to validate performance and multi-relay configurations.
Updated documentation provides guidance on how to get started. If you are a Curated NO interested in participating, please reach out to Lido contributors or signal your interest in the Research Forum post. For any technical support during testing, contact ETHGas support.
This phase is an important step toward testing ETHGas compatibility with Lido’s validator set requirements, including its ability to operate across multiple DAO-approved relays preserving flexibility and relay diversity.
Simple DVT Module
Following the operator rotations in January, and amid long Ethereum activation queue duration, some clusters are still awaiting activation.
Lido x Obol
Lido x SSV
Mainnet | Status: Active ▶️
- Cohort 1 is active, 10 clusters running 80 validators each, 1 cluster waiting for validator activations
- Cohort 2 is active: 12 clusters running 80 validators each, 1 cluster waiting for validator activations
- Cohort 3 is active, 9 clusters running 80 validators each
- Obol Super Clusters are active, 5 clusters running 500 validators each
Mainnet | Status: Active ▶️
- Cohort 1 is active, 12 clusters running 80 validators each
- Cohort 2 is active, 7 clusters running 80 validators each, 1 cluster waiting for validator activations
- Cohort 3 is active, 14 clusters running 80 validators each, 1 cluster waiting for validator activations
- SSV Super Clusters are active, 5 clusters running 500 validators each
Node Operator Community
Lido V3 Infra Fee
With the Ethereum validator entry queue still exceeding 50 days, the Lido V3 Early Adopters Campaign has been extended through June 30, 2026.
This is a great opportunity to launch on Lido V3 early and benefit from a 0% infrastructure fee on stVaults with 250+ ETH if you are an Identified Node Operator. If not, qualify for the Identified Node Operator by submitting your request following the stVaults Node Operators Identification guide.
Start building today with the stVaults Documentation Center. If you are a visual learner, check out the Lido V3 playlist on YouTube.

EarnETH Strategy for stVaults
The flagship Lido Earn DeFi strategy — EarnETH — is now available for stVaults builders via the DeFi Wrapper connector.
Build with EarnETH
With the DeFi Wrapper, NOs and builders can launch a DeFi-enhanced staking product in as little as one day with:
- Single CLI command to deploy staking product-related contracts
- White-label widget embeddable into websites and apps
Start building: http://docs.lido.fi/run-on-lido/stvaults/building-guides/pooled-staking-product/

Updated Governance Portal
Lido DAO Tech Infrastructure contributors have released an updated Lido Governance Portal:
This update is part of ongoing efforts to consolidate governance-related tools and interfaces into a more unified and consistent experience. The goal is to improve navigation, usability and maintainability while keeping existing flows familiar and fully functional.
As part of this consolidation, Easy Track has been moved to a new location, so you will be redirected from the old pages to the new ones. Or just head to the new link to initiate and enact your motions: dao.lido.fi/easy-track/motions
Validator and Node Operator Metrics Q4 & 2025 Update
The Q4 2025 VaNOM report is now live — offering an in-depth look into the protocol modules composition, infrastructure trends, and decentralization improvements across the Lido validator set. Here are a few highlights:

- DVT Scaled Across All Modules: 22,233 validators (711,456 ETH) now run using distributed setups, strengthening fault tolerance and infrastructure diversity protocol-wide.
- Curated Set Balanced: Validator allocation is evenly distributed across 36 Curated NOs, reducing concentration risk and aligning with the 1% cap.
- Infrastructure Matured: Validator density per node decreased, cloud reliance moderated, and hosting diversified, lowering correlated failure exposure.
Explore the full interactive report via the link or get more highlights in the blog.
One Year of Lido Impact Staking
Lido Impact Staking (LIS) — an initiative built by Launchnodes and supported by the Lido DAO grant — is designed to drive social impact and responsible staking. By allowing users to stake ETH via Lido and direct the generated rewards toward vetted social and environmental organizations, LIS demonstrates how staking infrastructure can be leveraged beyond financial returns to support real-world impact.
March marks the one-year anniversary of the initiative. Over this period, LIS has established its foundations, supported a growing set of impact partners, and explored new ways to connect Ethereum staking with public goods funding.
A thread below highlights the current state of the initiative, key milestones, and what’s next. For a deeper dive, check the full report on the Research Forum.

