EigenLayer Restaking on Ethereum Explained

EigenLayer restaking on Ethereum lets stakers reuse their ETH or liquid staking tokens to secure Actively Validated Services (AVSs), earning extra rewards beyond base staking yields. This comparison covers 10 top platforms and protocols built on or integrated with EigenLayer, helping you pick the best for security, liquidity, yields, and ease. Options range from direct restaking to liquid restaking tokens (LRTs) with varying fees, TVL, and risks.

EigenLayer's core protocol dominates with over $18 billion TVL in 2025, letting users restake native ETH or LSTs directly into its smart contracts to secure AVSs like EigenDA for data availability.

Operators charge 5-8% commissions on rewards, with no platform fee-yields layer Ethereum base (around 3-4%) plus AVS points often hitting 10-15% total APY during peaks. Minimums start at 32 ETH equivalents for native staking, but LSTs allow smaller entries.

• Full control over operator selection and AVS delegation.
• Slashing risks span Ethereum and chosen AVSs, up to full stake loss in extreme cases.
• 7-day unbonding period after Ethereum exits.
• Supports LSTs from Lido, Rocket Pool for flexibility.

Monitor operator performance via dashboards; diversify across 5+ AVSs to cut single service risk, as TVL growth to 3.2 million ETH has drawn more competition diluting yields.

Ether.fi eETH for Automated Yields

How much yield can Ether.fi deliver? It leads LRT market share on EigenLayer, automating restaking of staked ETH into eETH for AVS security while keeping liquidity for DeFi.

A flat 5% protocol fee applies, with total APYs exceeding 15% in high demand periods from Ethereum staking plus AVS incentives-no manual operator picks needed. Handles over 75% of EigenLayer's LRT TVL alongside rivals like Renzo.

• One click minting turns ETH into programmable eETH.
• Built in boosts from points systems for future rewards.
• Lower entry via pooled delegation.
• Fees stay fixed regardless of stake size.
• Potential centralization if top operators dominate.

Pair eETH with DEXs for extra farming; watch for 7-day liquidity locks post restaking to avoid surprises during volatile markets.

Renzo ezETH Simplified Entry

Renzo Protocol, with over $1 billion TVL, acts as a strategy manager for EigenLayer AVSs, issuing ezETH as an LRT that restakes your deposit in one transaction.

Fees: 4% total, unlocking 10-14% average yields for new users. Free tier under 0.1 ETH lets you test without commitment, scaling to broad AVS coverage like oracles and rollups.

• Reward tracker auto compounds earnings.
• Low 0.01 ETH minimum suits beginners.

Expect Ethereum grade security for smaller protocols; start with tiny deposits to grasp unbonding-full exits take 7 days after EigenLayer opt out.

Puffer Finance Points Chasing

Puffer bundles restaking with PUFF token incentives, contributing heavily to EigenLayer's 75% LRT TVL share through automated AVS delegation.

Fees hover at 3-5%, blending base staking yields with points multipliers that have driven APYs past 12% in 2025 peaks. Focuses on high throughput AVSs for DeFi scaling.

Stake ETH or LSTs to mint puUSDC or similar, gaining liquidity while operators handle validation. No hidden tiers-volume doesn't alter rates.

• Points system rewards long term holders.
• Broad operator diversity reduces slashing odds.
• Integrates with L2s.
• TVL growth ties to EigenLayer's $10.7 billion surge.
• Rewards dilute with mass adoption.

Use for airdrop farming but cap exposure at 20% of portfolio due to competition risks.

Kelp DAO LP Restaking Pools

Kelp DAO pools ETH LP tokens and LSTs for EigenLayer, targeting users blending liquidity provision with AVS security at fees dropping to 1% for stakes over 10 ETH.

• Auto delegates to vetted operators.
• 7-day liquidity after exits.
• 2-5% standard fees cover broad AVS exposure.

Verify pool mixes to dodge volatile pairs; ideal if you're already in ETH liquidity pools, as it stacks yields without new capital-total returns hit 11-13% in mixed strategies.

Swell Network Multi AVS Strategy

Management fee: 4% on Swell's LRT, which spreads restaked assets across multiple EigenLayer AVSs for balanced security and yields around 12%.

Supports 17+ assets including stETH and rETH, emphasizing diversification to counter single AVS slashing. TVL contributes to EigenLayer's top LRT trio with Ether.fi and Puffer.

• Custom exposure sliders for risk tuning.
• Intuitive app for strategy crafting.
• Compounds Ethereum and AVS rewards.
• Lower fees for larger deposits.

Best for diversified plays; audit operator lists quarterly as AVS landscape evolves rapidly in 2025.

Bedrock Direct Native Restaking

Bedrock keeps it simple with 2% fees on native ETH restaking into EigenLayer, bypassing LRT complexity for pure AVS security.

Yields track Ethereum base plus 4-6% AVS shares, with TVL feeding into the protocol's 4.17 million ETH dominance. No points gimmicks-just straightforward delegation.

• Minimal overhead for direct control.
• Supports precise ETH amounts from 1 ETH up.
• Fast operator switching.
• Systemic risks if EigenLayer centralizes credentials.

Activate during low gas windows; suits technical users avoiding LRT middlemen.

Rocket Pool rETH Decentralized Restaking

Rocket Pool's rETH enables permissionless LST restaking on EigenLayer, adding 2-4% AVS boosts atop 14% RPL rewards with minimums as low as 0.01 ETH equivalents.

• Operator competition caps commissions.
• LP restaking options available.
• Enforced slashing via Ethereum.
• Diversify AVSs to spread risk.

Delegate directly for small stakes; network congestion can delay activations by an hour, so time transactions carefully.

Lido stETH Marketplace Restaking

Lido's stETH restakes via EigenLayer operators, maintaining transferability while layering 3-5% AVS on 10% LST fees-TVL powerhouse for liquid ETH holders.

Total yields reach 12-16% with pooled security; supports consensus, oracles, and data layers as EigenLayer's TVL hit $18 billion.

Opt in delegation keeps stETH liquid for DeFi; balance against extended slashing to AVSs.

• One click operator marketplace.
• Preserves LST composability.
• High TVL ensures deep liquidity.

Track 7-day unbonding; great bridge from liquid staking to restaking.

Anchorage Digital Institutional Restaking

Anchorage integrates EigenLayer with LsETH custody under federal licenses, charging 0.5-1% plus AVS shares for stakes over 100 ETH securing bridges or VMs.

Automated LST to restake flows yield 8-12% compliantly, minimizing self custody risks in regulated setups.

• Compliant for enterprises.
• Lower volatility via custody.
• Standard 7-day withdrawals.

Compare fees to DeFi for smaller amounts; excels in institutional AVS participation.

What Is Restaking on Ethereum?

Restaking reuses staked ETH to secure AVSs beyond Ethereum consensus, boosting capital efficiency without new deposits. EigenLayer leads with $18 billion TVL, enabling oracles, rollups, and data layers like EigenDA to tap Ethereum's validator base.

• Native: Direct ETH deposit with withdrawal credentials shift.
• LST: Tokens like stETH restake for liquidity.
• LRT: Protocols issue new tokens automating the process.
• AVSs pay rewards, but slashing risks extend across services.

Systemic risks rise if EigenLayer controls too many credentials-current 3.2 million ETH is 75% via LRTs.

EigenLayer AVS Security Explained

AVSs are services like data availability or sequencing that inherit Ethereum's shared security via restaked stakes. Operators run nodes, earning fees split after commissions.

• EigenDA scales high throughput storage.
• Rollups bootstrap without native validators.
• Yields vary: 2-15% atop 3-4% Ethereum base.

Choose AVSs by demand-high TVL dilutes rewards, but diversification cuts slashing odds to under 1% historically.

How to Choose the Best EigenLayer Restaking Platform

1. Assess your stake size: Under 1 ETH? Pick Renzo or Rocket Pool for low minimums.
2. Prioritize liquidity: Go LRT like Ether.fi or ezETH to keep tokens DeFi ready.
3. Check fees vs. yields: Native EigenLayer saves on protocol cuts but demands operator management.
4. Diversify AVSs: Allocate across 3-5 via Swell or Kelp to balance risks.
5. Review operator commissions: Aim under 6% with competition from 2025 growth.
6. Test on testnet: Platforms like EigenLayer offer practice runs before mainnet.
7. Monitor TVL: Favor top LRTs holding 75% share for liquidity depth.
8. Factor slashing: All expose to AVS penalties-cap at 20% portfolio.
9. Time entries: Restake during low gas for cheaper activation.
10. Track rewards: Use dashboards for compounding; expect 10-15% APY peaks.