Validator Economics Shifting

Validator economics look completely different than two years ago. Base staking yields compressed as more ETH entered. MEV became a larger share of rewards. Restaking added new revenue streams with new risks.

The yield compression was inevitable. More stakers means rewards split more ways. We're approaching an equilibrium where staking yield roughly matches risk-free rates elsewhere. The easy alpha disappeared.

MEV is where sophisticated validators differentiate now. Running MEV-boost properly, connecting to multiple relays, optimizing latency. The technical bar for maximum revenue rose significantly.

Restaking changed the calculation entirely. Suddenly validators can secure additional protocols and earn additional yield. But the slashing conditions multiply. One protocol's rules might conflict with another's.

I've watched solo staker economics get squeezed. The operational complexity increased while margins thinned. Economies of scale favor large operators now. Decentralization suffers.

The bright spot is LST innovation. Liquid staking protocols compete on features and yields. Users benefit from this competition even as they delegate validation. The staking layer abstracting away complexity helps.