Ethereum now has over 500,000 validators keeping the network secure ahead of its highly anticipated Shanghai upgrade, scheduled for March. 

The upgrade will allow such validators to withdraw their ETH from Ethereum’s staking contract – some of which has been locked up for years.

According to data from BeaconScan, Ethereum’s validator count topped 500,000 as of January 12 2023. It registered at 501,893 as of Monday.