EigenLayer: What It Is and Why It's Changing Ethereum Staking

When you stake ETH on Ethereum, you help secure the network. But EigenLayer, a protocol that lets stakers reuse their locked-up ETH to secure other blockchains and services. It’s not just another layer—it’s a new way to turn existing security into reusable infrastructure. Before EigenLayer, stakers had one job: keep Ethereum safe. Now, they can also help secure everything from oracle networks to rollups, without locking up more ETH. This idea—called restaking, the act of reusing staked assets to provide security for additional systems—is what makes EigenLayer different from every other Ethereum upgrade.

EigenLayer doesn’t replace staking. It builds on top of it. If you’re already staking ETH through Lido, Coinbase, or another validator, you can opt in to EigenLayer and earn extra rewards by helping protect other protocols. That’s it. No new tokens to buy. No complex setups. Just your existing staked ETH doing double duty. Projects like EigenDA, a data availability layer built on EigenLayer that helps rollups cut costs by using Ethereum’s security already rely on this model. And it’s not just about data. EigenLayer powers privacy tools, cross-chain bridges, and even new types of decentralized oracles—all because stakers are now incentivized to extend their security beyond Ethereum.

But it’s not risk-free. If a service you’re securing through EigenLayer gets hacked, you could lose part of your staked ETH. That’s the trade-off: more rewards, but more responsibility. That’s why only about 20% of stakers have opted in so far. Still, the money’s there. Early adopters are earning 5–10% extra APY on top of their base staking rewards. And as more protocols join, the demand for restaked ETH will keep growing.

Below, you’ll find real cases—some successful, some scams—showing how EigenLayer’s model plays out in the wild. From projects that actually use restaking to deliver value, to fake airdrops pretending to be tied to it, this collection cuts through the noise. You’ll see what works, what doesn’t, and how to protect your stake when the next big thing comes along.