Ethereum Validators Proposed to Redirect Up to 10% of Rewards for Ecosystem Funding

According to Kleros founder Clément Lesaege, a new proposal on Ethereum's research forum, introduced on June 22, asks validators to redirect up to 10% of their staking rewards toward ecosystem development and public goods funding. If majority support is signaled, the contribution rate would become mandatory across the network.

Under the proposal, validators would vote on both the redirect percentage and the recipients of those funds. At current staking levels, the mechanism could redirect as much as 70,000 ETH annually, valued at roughly $120 million at current market prices. Supporters argue this approach addresses a long-standing "free rider" problem in Ethereum's infrastructure maintenance.