Operator Atlas 2026Q3: Who runs ether.fi validators

The first ether.fi Operator Atlas: which clients our 14 node operators run, who uses DVT, where their servers sit and how they set up MEV.

ETH staked through ether.fi runs on validators operated by independent node operators. How those operators build and run their infrastructure decides how safe, reliable and decentralized the staking is. This is the first Operator Atlas for ether.fi. It shows which clients the operators run, whether they use distributed validator technology (DVT), where their servers sit and how they set up MEV. We work with the operators on an ongoing basis to improve their infrastructure and security.

Here is the short version. Five of 14 operators run SSV for some or all of their ether.fi stake, and none run Obol. Eleven of 14 operators have their primary servers in the EU, and five of them share one hosting provider, OVH. Geth and Lighthouse are the most used clients, and no client runs more than half of the estimated stake. Eight operators run commit-boost for MEV, and four already run the Optimum gateway.

What is the Operator Atlas?

The Operator Atlas is a regular public report on the node operators behind ether.fi staking. Each edition covers the same topics, so readers can compare quarters and compare operators.

Client diversity matters because a bug in one widely used Ethereum client can hit every validator that runs it. Hosting and MEV choices matter because they affect uptime, censorship resistance and the rewards validators earn.

Who runs ether.fi validators?

Fourteen node operators answered the 2026Q3 questionnaire between 25 September and 16 October 2026: NodeMonster, P2P.org, Finoa, HashKey Cloud, Ebunker, DSRV, Stakefish, Luganodes, Validation Cloud, Chainnodes, Stakin, Allnodes, Twinstake and InfStones.

• Operators reporting: 14
• Operators running SSV: 5
• Operators running Obol Charon: 0
• Operators with no DVT: 9
• Execution clients in use: 6 (Geth, Nethermind, Besu, Erigon, Reth, Ethrex)
• Consensus clients in use: 6 (Lighthouse, Prysm, Teku, Nimbus, Lodestar, Grandine)
• Operators reporting configuration changes this quarter: 9

Which Ethereum clients do ether.fi operators run?

Every validator needs three pieces of software: an execution client, a consensus client and a validator client. Running a mix of clients across operators limits the damage from a bug in any one of them.

Execution clients

Geth and Nethermind lead at an estimated 38.1% and 24.8%. Reth (17.7%) and Besu (17.0%) follow, and Erigon and Ethrex each appear at one operator. Nine operators use Geth and eight use Nethermind. Seven operators send all of their stake through a single execution client, and three of them (HashKey Cloud, Stakefish and InfStones) run 100% Geth.

Consensus clients

Lighthouse holds an estimated 38.1% across 10 operators. Teku (26.3%) and Prysm (23.2%) follow, then Nimbus (9.9%). Seven operators run one consensus client for all of their stake.

Validator clients

Teku and Lighthouse are the main validator clients outside DVT. SSV carries an estimated 30.3% across five operators, and Twinstake runs Vouch, a multi-client validator setup.

Do ether.fi operators use DVT such as SSV or Obol?

DVT splits a validator key across several operators so no single machine holds the whole key. Five operators run SSV: P2P.org, HashKey Cloud and Ebunker at 100% of their stake, and Finoa and DSRV at 51-75%. No operator reports an Obol Charon share. HashKey Cloud selected "Both Obol and SSV" on the DVT question but reported 0% Charon, which we are confirming with them.

Two operators changed their setup this quarter. InfStones moved from SSV to native staking on Geth and Prysm, and DSRV moved its SSV operators from Nethermind to Reth on 20 July.

Where do ether.fi validators run?

Eight operators run on bare metal for 76% or more of their stake. Three (DSRV, Twinstake and InfStones) run entirely on public cloud, two run a cloud-majority mix and one splits evenly between cloud and bare metal. Eleven of 14 operators have their primary servers in an EU country, led by Germany (4) and France (3).

OVH hosts five operators, and Latitude.sh, CherryServers and AWS each host three. One OVH incident would touch five operators at once.

How do ether.fi operators handle MEV and censorship resistance?

MEV software sits between a validator and the relays that sell block space. Operators choose which relays to connect to, how long to wait for a bid, and whether to build a block locally instead.

Nine operators use OFAC-filtering relays, and two of them do so because of regulation. Two operators mix filtering and non-filtering relays, and three use non-filtering relays only. Every operator runs the same relay set on all of its ether.fi validators. Only two operators set a min-bid (0.01-0.02 ETH). Four operators still list the bloXroute Max Profit relay, which bloXroute sunset on 26 August.

Which MEV software do operators run?

Eight operators run commit-boost, five run mev-boost and one runs Vouch. Commit-boost versions range from 0.9.2 to 0.10.1. Two operators run mev-boost 1.10.1, behind the 1.12 line the other mev-boost operators run. Four operators run the Optimum gateway.

When do operators ask relays for a block header?

Ten operators call relays for a header at the start of the slot. Two wait up to 500 ms. One starts at 100 ms and polls every 100 ms, with `late_in_slot_time_ms` at 2000, and one reports adaptive timing per slot. Most operators reported timing as categories, so the chart uses exact numbers only where an operator gave them.

How does ether.fi work with its node operators?

We work with our node operators on an ongoing basis to improve their infrastructure and security. The Operator Atlas gives us and each operator a shared picture of where things stand today, so we can focus that work on the areas that matter most.

How we collected the data

• Source. The ether.fi NO Metrics questionnaire, 14 responses for 2026Q3, one per operator. All answers are self-reported and not independently verified.
• Bands and estimates. Operators selected share bands (1-10%, 11-25%, 26-50%, 51-75%, 76-99% or 100%). Aggregate charts convert bands to midpoints (5.5, 18, 38, 63, 87.5 and 100), normalise each operator to 100% and weight operators equally. Counts of operators, such as "5 of 14", come directly from the answers.

Frequently asked questions

How many node operators run ether.fi validators?

Fourteen operators reported for 2026Q3: NodeMonster, P2P.org, Finoa, HashKey Cloud, Ebunker, DSRV, Stakefish, Luganodes, Validation Cloud, Chainnodes, Stakin, Allnodes, Twinstake and InfStones.

Does ether.fi use distributed validator technology?

Partly. Five of 14 operators run SSV for some or all of their ether.fi stake. No operator reports an Obol Charon share, and nine operators use no DVT.

Which execution and consensus clients do ether.fi operators run most?

Geth is the most used execution client (nine operators, an estimated 38.1% of stake) and Lighthouse is the most used consensus client (ten operators, an estimated 38.1%). No client is above 50% on an equal-operator basis.

Where are ether.fi validators hosted?

Eleven of 14 operators have their primary servers in the EU, led by Germany and France. Eight operators run mainly on bare metal and five share OVH as a provider.

Do ether.fi operators use OFAC-filtering relays?

Nine operators use OFAC-filtering relays, two mix filtering and non-filtering relays, and three use non-filtering relays only. Two of the nine use filtering relays because of regulation.

What MEV software do ether.fi operators run?

Eight operators run commit-boost, five run mev-boost and one runs Vouch. Four operators also run the Optimum gateway.

How does ether.fi work with its node operators?

We work with them on an ongoing basis to improve their infrastructure and security.

Is this data verified?

No. Operators reported it themselves, and share figures are bands converted to estimates. Each operator confirms the data shown for it before this report is published.

Glossary

• Execution client: software that runs transactions and holds Ethereum's state, such as Geth, Nethermind, Besu, Reth, Erigon or Ethrex.
• Consensus client: software that follows the Beacon Chain and votes on blocks, such as Lighthouse, Prysm, Teku, Nimbus, Lodestar or Grandine.
• Validator client: software that holds validator keys and signs attestations and blocks.
• DVT (distributed validator technology): a setup that splits a validator key across several operators, as SSV and Obol do.
• MEV (maximal extractable value): extra value validators earn by choosing how blocks are built.
• Relay: a service that passes block bids from builders to validators.
• commit-boost and mev-boost: sidecar software that connects a validator to relays.
• OFAC-filtering relay: a relay that leaves out transactions on US sanctions lists.
• min-bid: the lowest relay bid, in ETH, that a validator accepts over building a block itself.
• getHeader: the request a validator sends to a relay for the best block header.