A Year with Simple DVT: Strengthening Ethereum Staking Through Diversity and Resilience

in Node Operator by Lido

One year ago, the first Simple DVT validators went live on Ethereum mainnet, following a long process that began with a strategic commitment by Lido DAO to support the research and development of DVT back in 2021. As a part of the execution of Lido’s Next Chapter roadmap to deliver a robust and diverse Ethereum validator set, following numerous successful testnets, a proposal was passed by Lido DAO that introduced the Simple DVT Module in October 2023. 

 

To celebrate the module’s first anniversary, let’s recap how the Simple DVT Module has grown since its inception and dive into details about how it is decentralizing the network. 

 

About Simple DVT

The Simple DVT (SDVT) Module is the second Staking Router module, added to the Lido protocol in Q1 2024. Integrating Distributed Validator Technology (DVT) was the fastest and most effective path to enhance Lido’s decentralization and security by scaling and diversifying the Lido Node Operator set. It also inherits the benefits of DVT, such as increased resilience, security, and infrastructure distribution. 

 

The initial mainnet pilot utilized Obol and SSV Network DVT solutions, through which node operators work together to run validators in a cluster setup. 

 

 

The successful rollout of the SDVT Module contributed to the Next Chapter roadmap, presented in 2022, and continues to support the path towards decentralizing the Lido validator set—a goal reaffirmed in the GOOSE framework updates in 2024 and 2025.

 

 

Notably, the Simple DVT Module also democratized access to run validators through Lido. For the first time since the protocol’s launch, home stakers, community staking groups, and other staking organizations—regardless of size, maturity level, jurisdictional structure, or origin country—could run validators using the largest Ethereum liquid staking protocol. 

 

To learn more about the SDVT Module, read the previous article.

 

Simple DVT Today

Following nine extensive testnets—four each with Obol and SSV Network and a later trial with SafeStake—with over 1,000 participants, the SDVT Module was successfully activated on mainnet one year ago. Today, the module consists of 82 clusters of seven participants each: 36 regular Obol Clusters, 36 regular SSV Network Clusters, and ten Super Clusters–five leveraging Obol and five SSV Network, respectively. 

 

A regular Simple DVT cluster includes a mix of Node Operators from the following groups:

  • Curated Module Node Operators
  • Advanced Node Operators (ANOs): This classification, introduced in the original Simple DVT Module proposal, refers to participants who demonstrated consistently strong performance, both qualitative and quantitative, during SDVT testnets and/or on mainnet, along with strong alignment with the broader Ethereum staking ecosystem
  • Community staking groups
  • Home stakers

 

Super Clusters consist of ANOs and members of the Curated Node Operator set. They were designed to operate a larger number of validators and support increased capacity.

 

The chart below illustrates the composition of Simple DVT Module participants, showcasing the diverse mix of Node Operator types that have helped enrich and diversify the Lido validator set.

 

 

As of June 2025, 261 SDVT operators run approximately 9,500 validators through the Lido protocol. Another 64 have just received their first deposits in the module. The appendix provides a full list of clusters and participants.

 

Of the Simple DVT participants, 127 operators—representing 39.32%—are part of both Obol and SSV clusters. Additionally, 27.86% participate exclusively in Obol clusters, while 32.82% are involved in SSV clusters only.

 

 

Among the current SDVT Module participants, 28 are members of the Curated Node Operator set, and 36 are also part of the Community Staking Module (CSM).

 

 

As of June 27, 2025:

 

Onboarding Round

Testnet Results

# of Clusters

# of Active Keys Per Cluster

Obol Cohort #1

Link

12

80

SSV Cohort #1

Link

12

80

Obol Cohort #2

Link

14

80

Obol Super Clusters


5

500

SSV Super Clusters


5

500

SSV Cohort #2

Link

9

80

Obol Cohort #3

Link

10

80

SSV Cohort #3

Link

15

5

 

A total of 323 unique operators run these clusters, with almost 300 being net-new to the protocol. This represents an increase of nearly 53.8% over initial onboarding estimates for the Simple DVT Module, and a growth of over 800% compared to the original 37 members of the Curated Node Operator set.

 

 

The initially approved proposal set a cap on the SDVT Module at 0.5% of the total Lido stake, equivalent to 44.1k ETH (around 1,377 validators) at the time of the proposal. This capacity was expected to enable the onboarding of 250+ net-new Node Operators within the first six months post-launch.

 

Three months after the successful mainnet rollout, the operational reliability of the Simple DVT Module, meaningful progress in decentralizing the Lido Node Operator set and accelerated adoption of Obol and SSV DVT implementations across the staking ecosystem led to a proposal to increase the module’s maximum target share to 4% and introduce Super Clusters. One of the most impactful advancements enabled by this increase was the rise in validator count per regular cluster, making economic participation more sustainable for Node Operators as the number of clusters scaled.

 

Currently, Node Operators in the Simple DVT Module run 308,320 staked ETH, representing 3.39% of all Lido protocol deposits and 0.88% of the total Ethereum stake. At this time, as the SDVT module is the smallest active module with spare capacity, all new deposits are directed to Simple DVT clusters.

 

 

The SDVT Module's aggregate performance, measured by 30-day Rated RAVER, stands at 97.9%, outperforming the Ethereum network average of 97.3%. Over the same period, the module accumulated 607.3643 ETH in Consensus (CL) and Execution Layer (EL) rewards with 3.07% average APR. Aggregate and per-cluster performance metrics are available on Rated.

 

 

Sculpting 'The Best Validator Set'

The Simple DVT participants operate nodes from 32 different countries across North and South America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia.

 

While Germany and Finland continue to hold a significant share of nodes, having established themselves as reliable data centre hubs, the overall distribution reflects a growing global footprint. Participation is increasing in countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and France, underscoring a more diverse and decentralized operator landscape.

 

 

As of the end of Q1 2025, the Gini Coefficient—a measure of distribution inequality, in this case representing the number of validators per Node Operator—stood at 0.4651, reflecting a moderate concentration level. While this marks a slight increase from the end of 2024, the distribution across the 67 active clusters and 261 operators remains stable. Please refer to the Glossary in the VANOM report to better understand the methodology behind the Gini Coefficient.

 

As of June 25, 2025, the average number of validators per active cluster is 64.375 and 500 per Super Cluster.

 

 

56.66% of SDVT Node Operators are active in a single cluster. Meanwhile, one in five participants operates at least two clusters. Additionally, 13.93% and 9.29% of members—mainly the Curated Set members and Advanced Node Operators—contribute to three and four clusters, respectively. 

 

 

Client distribution across EL and CL clients has significantly improved following the onboarding of all eight planned cohorts. On the EL side, Nethermind remains the dominant client. However, its share declined 26.2% (-20.6 pp.)—from 78.6% at the time of the module’s launch in Q2 2024 to 58% by the end of Q1 2025. Meanwhile, both Geth (+11.1pp.) and Besu (+7.7pp.) saw 1.6 and 2.6 times gains, respectively.

 

 

Lighthouse remains the most widely used for CL clients. However, its usage declined from 77.4% among participants of Obol and SSV Cohort #1—the first cohorts onboarded to the module—to 56% following the onboarding of all cohorts, a decline of 27.6% (-21.4pp.) year-over-year. Meanwhile, newly onboarded participants mostly use Teku, Prysm, Lodestar and Prysm clients, which led to an increased share of these clients in the overall distribution, contributing to a more balanced and diversified client landscape. Also worth mentioning is that Reth appears for the first time in Q1 2025.

 

 

The pie chart below illustrates the infrastructure distribution within the Simple DVT Module. Dedicated servers remain the primary choice, followed by Public Cloud and Colo, which account for 16.04% and 9.67%, respectively. 

 

 

Compared to the Curated Set, the higher usage of home nodes in the SDVT Module highlights the increased participation of home stakers and community staking groups, demonstrating that the goal of bringing more independent participants into the Lido protocol has moved from declared intention to reality.

 

These developments reflect more than just infrastructure improvements, client diversity, and geographical distribution—they signal meaningful progress toward a more open, inclusive, and resilient Ethereum staking ecosystem. 

 

The Simple DVT Module has simplified access to Ethereum validation for a wider range of participants and enabled them to take an active role in securing Ethereum through the Lido protocol. This evolution marks a step forward not only in decentralization but also in accessibility and operator diversity, laying the groundwork for a validator set that truly reflects the global and permissionless nature of the network.

 

Moving Forward

The onboarding process for the Simple DVT Module—which began in Q4 2023 with both SSV and Obol testnets, followed by five onboarding rounds for each—has now concluded. The remarkable progress achieved would not have been possible without the incredible support of the broader community, the thoughtful input of both advocates and critics, the dedication of testnet participants and mainnet Node Operators, and the continued collaboration with the Obol and SSV Network teams.

 

While the ultimate goal of this module is to pave the way for scalable, permissionless DVT-based modules that enhance decentralization, accessibility, and censorship resistance in Ethereum staking, it was never intended to operate indefinitely.

 

As a foundational step, the Simple DVT Module has achieved greater resilience and expanded the Node Operator set within the Lido protocol. In line with the original proposal, it is expected to be wound down within three years. By that time, more scalable and permissionless modules—one example is the Community Staking Module (CSM), which transitioned to a permissionless model earlier this year—are anticipated to take its place.

 

Simple DVT Operators on Mainnet

Obol Cohort #1 Participants

  • Lido x Obol: Azure Albatross cluster: SenseiNode, UniqNodes, CVJoint, Tessier-Hashpool Ltd., Node3.Tech, Sub7 Security, Spectrum Staking
  • Lido x Obol: Bountiful Bison cluster: DSRV, 01node, jayjay, OranG3cluB, starnodes, Validation Cloud, Pacobits
  • Lido x Obol: Covert Cougar cluster: Ebunker, Everlasting, Pier Two, DVStakersSpacesider, goooodnes, ContributionDAO, Nansen
  • Lido x Obol: Dazzling Duck cluster: A41, Blockblaz, Cosmostation, dimsome, Nodeinfra, Lavender.Five Nodes, Forbole
  • Lido x Obol: Enigmatic Elkcluster: RockawayX Infra, katesizova, Swiss Staking, Imperator.co, Yutu, Colinka | BeeHive, B62Node
  • Lido x Obol: Frolicsome Frog cluster: RockLogic GmbH, Mav3rick (BeeHive), H2O Nodes GmbH, natalia3647, TrustedAdvizer, kobya4evo, iicc1
  • Lido x Obol: Genteel Giraffe cluster: Blockscape, F5 Nodes, Finoa Consensus Services, Raccoon Nodes, Range, Weaitonamazerid, archimedes0159
  • Lido x Obol: Harmonious Hawk cluster: P2P.org, Chainode Tech, Deutsche Telekom, DragonStake SL, hukutu4 (BeeHive), vin4ik (Cryptology), goldstream777
  • Lido x Obol: Ingenious Ibis cluster: Staking Facilities, mahof, Chainbase Technology Holdings Pte. Ltd, superjax, Di-nodes, wallclimbr, yura_zp
  • Lido x Obol: Jubilant Jackrabbit cluster: Allnodes, Chainnodes, Serenita, Republic Crypto | Runtime, Thenop.io, alkadeta, knightsemplar
  • Lido x Obol: Knightly Kinkajou cluster: ChainLayer, Staking4All, Liquify LTD, Nodes.Guru, Steaking Frens, LIVE.NODE, farukyasar
  • Lido x Obol: Lustrous Leopard cluster: Everstake, GlobalStake, Polkachu, Dappnode, Bware Labs, Coinstamp, irina#7966

 

SSV Cohort #1 Participants

  • Lido x SSV: Agile Antelope cluster: ParaFi Technologies LLC, Spire Blockchain, Hayhouse Projects, Stardust Staking, GBeast, DCG Labs, Michael
  • Lido x SSV: Blissful Bear cluster: Kiln, Cryptonative Systems, Blockshard, Avaunt Staking, Colossus, Thunderhead, Luciola
  • Lido x SSV: Curious Coyote cluster: Gateway.FM AS, swiftstaking, Piconbello, Epoch Forge, MIDL.dev, TytyNode, smartinvest.eth
  • Lido x SSV: Delightful Dolphin cluster: Sigma Prime, BlockVision, LinkRiver, Pier Two, DVStakersSpacesider, IONode Online, XHash
  • Lido x SSV: Ethereal Elephant cluster: Nethermind, antotg, Matrixed.Link, [NODERS]TEAM, STAKR.space, kxinon, nodeADDICT
  • Lido x SSV: Flirtatious Flamingo cluster: HashKey Cloud, Girnaar Nodes, Sam | Stakesaurus, ChainUp, Liquify LTD, POSTHUMAN validator, Luganodes
  • Lido x SSV: Graceful Gazelle cluster: Galaxy Digital, Validation Cloud, mattstam, Astro-Stakers, kjnodes, Tessier-Hashpool, Ellipfra
  • Lido x SSV: Humble Hummingbird cluster: Stakin OÜ, 0xFury, Meria, Orion, 🅰🅻🅴🆇ⒾⓉ, Zim, Vladcrypto
  • Lido x SSV: Intrepid Impala cluster: Launchnodes, Lavender.Five Nodes, Girnaar Nodes, Blockblaz, htx-pool, OKX, IONode Online
  • Lido x SSV: Joyful Jaguar cluster: Kukis Global, Lev, 2xStake, Anvil Finance, LiveRaveN, Openbitlab, Moonlet
  • Lido x SSV: Keen Koala cluster: Stakely, Neuler, KysenPool, B62Node, ipetkov.eth, Lightning Strike, RomanK
  • Lido x SSV: Lively Lynx cluster: Simply Staking, Enigma, stakelab.zone, VARL, Infer, BlockPI Network, ShardLabs

 

Obol Cohort #2 Participants

  • Lido x Obol: Majestic Moose cluster: Galaxy Digital, snc.xyz (SNC Holding B.V.), LinkPool, nodeskuge, Highnok, PowerStaking, Pacobits
  • Lido x Obol: Nurturing Narwhal cluster: Stakin OÜ, Luganodes, Anonstake, spacex, Snode, PhiNodes, Nokey
  • Lido x Obol: Observant Octopus cluster: Stakely, Valakas, Piconbello, Node Guardians, SECARD, sodiumstar, VanGogh
  • Lido x Obol: Prancing Peacock cluster: Simply Staking, Blockpower, Eridian, tRDM | Nodera, minivipers, Infinite Lux Staking, TdrSys
  • Lido x Obol: Quixotic Quail cluster: Kukis Global, Finoa Consensus Services, Republic Crypto | Runtime, HellmanResearch, Applepai, lcofjurn, Konstantin#1194
  • Lido x Obol: Radiant Raccoon cluster: Nethermind, Chainnodes, Validation Cloud, DMITRY | SCANDALIST, D-stake, sellursoulcryptology, storchec
  • Lido x Obol: Serendipitous Shark cluster: InfStones, Node3.Tech, CVJoint, anvel, daniilkir, Igor, val4n17
  • Lido x Obol: Tranquil Turtle cluster: Launchnodes, Chainode Tech, H2O Nodes GmbH, Conqueror, CryptoZab, P-OPS Team, PMnodes
  • Lido x Obol: Unfettered Urial cluster: HashKey Cloud, Serenita, 01node, amarkelov, andersen007, natalia_256, Lefey
  • Lido x Obol: Vivacious Viper cluster: RockX, Deutsche Telekom, Staking4All, 1to, Anonstake, deNodes, dgnatiuk
  • Lido x Obol: Whistling Wolf cluster: Simply Staking, StakingCabin, Pier Two, 🅰🅻🅴🆇ⒾⓉ, Crouton Digital, MGTeam, vladislav7137
  • Lido x Obol: Xeric Xiphosuran cluster: Stakin OÜ, Luganodes, Imperator.co, ChainOps, kvqd777, maxim_101, svetlana1969
  • Lido x Obol: Yielding Yellowthroat cluster: Nethermind, Liquify LTD, snc.xyz (SNC Holding B.V.), Avdonin#9592 (web3dao), narko2t1, kobzar3830, testovich
  • Lido x Obol: Zephyr Zorilla cluster: HashKey Cloud, KingSuper, P-OPS Team, voinovbohdan (Cryptology), lesya, stellar_the_one, wtoroy (tesla)

 

Obol Super Clusters’ Participants

  • Lido x Obol: Arctic Amarok cluster: Cosmostation, Ebunker, HashKey Cloud, Blockblaz, Nodeinfra, Forbole, StakeWithUs
  • Lido x Obol: Bold Banshee cluster: SenseiNode, StakeCat, Tessier-Hashpool, Node3.Tech, Everlasting, Node Guardians, Liquify LTD
  • Lido x Obol: Cunning Chimera cluster: DSRV, Finoa Consensus Services, Luganodes, Chainode Tech, Bware Labs, Swiss Staking, Simply Staking
  • Lido x Obol: Divine Dragon cluster: Nethermind, RockLogic GmbH, Chainnodes, Validation Cloud, Republic Crypto | Runtime, Nodes.Guru, Colinka | BeeHive
  • Lido x Obol: Ethereal Elf cluster: P2P.org, Stakely, Deutsche Telekom, snc.xyz (SNC Holding B.V.), 01node, Imperator.co, Mav3rick (BeeHive)

 

SSV Super Clusters’ Participants

  • Lido x SSV: Arid Anubis cluster: Stakin OÜ, Kiln, ShardLabs, StakingCabin, Encapsulate, swiftstaking, Eridian
  • Lido x SSV: Blazing Basilisk cluster: Pier Two, Sigma Prime, Rockx, DVStakersSpacesider, ChainUp, LinkRiver, BlockVision
  • Lido x SSV: Celestial Cyclops cluster: Cryptonative Systems, Chainlayer, H2O Nodes, Blockshard, Piconbello, DragonStake.io, Staking4All
  • Lido x SSV: Dreamy Draugr cluster: Blockscape, Launchnodes, Serenita, Matrixed.Link, ipetkov.eth, LinkPool, Kukis Global
  • Lido x SSV: Enigmatic Ent cluster: ParaFi Technologies LLC, Astro-Stakers, Ellipfra, Polkachu, Foundry, Spire Blockchain, Stardust Staking

 

SSV Cohort #2 Participants

  • Lido x SSV: Mysterious Manta cluster: A41, Blockblaz, Nodeinfra, Encapsulate.xyz, Chainbase Technology Holdings Pte. Ltd, Ebunker, HellmanResearch
  • Lido x SSV: Noble Newt cluster: RockX, Node Guardians, D-Stake, Nodes.Guru, Crouton Digital, snc.xyz (SNC Holding B.V.), PhiNodes
  • Lido x SSV: Optimistic Orca cluster: Chainlayer, Spectrum Staking, H2O Nodes, jayjay, Staking4All, Dappnode, gavryushev
  • Lido x SSV: Playful Penguin cluster: RockawayX Infra, P2P.org, Republic Crypto, starnodes, hukutu4.eth | BeeHive, Anonstake, Cosmostation
  • Lido x SSV: Quiet Quetzal cluster: SenseiNode, Tessier-Hashpool, CVJoint, Node Guardians, Protofire, Node3.tech, keklodoq
  • Lido x SSV: Resilient Rabbit cluster: DSRV, Allnodes, 01node, Birkoff, Forbole, LinkPool, Chainnodes
  • Lido x SSV: Splendid Swan cluster: Everstake, StakingCabin, Pacobits, Republic Crypto, Serenita, Colinka | BeeHive, Chainode Tech
  • Lido x SSV: Thoughtful Tiger cluster: RockLogic GmbH, Eridian, Mav3rick|BeeHive, iicc, Blockpower, DragonStake.io, Polkachu
  • Lido x SSV: Unique Unicorn cluster: InfStones, blockscape, tRDM | Nodera, Deutsche Telekom MMS, Swiss Staking, Coinstamp, Nansen

 

Obol Cohort #3 Participants

  • Lido x Obol: Audacious Aardvark cluster: Infinity Stones Inc (DBA InfStones), Hayhouse Projects, Enti, Axol.io, GBeast, Chuy Garcia, Astro-Stakers
  • Lido x Obol: Brave Bison cluster: Kiln, swiftstaking, antotg, bountyblok, ipetkov.eth, Stake Village (semalist), Orion
  • Lido x Obol: Clever Chameleon cluster: A41, ChainUp, Girnaar Nodes, Tané, TWM, breskulpeak.com, Lavender.Five Nodes
  • Lido x Obol: Dynamic Dragonfly cluster: Galaxy Digital, LinkRiver, Kingnodes, Jon | AussieStake, DxPool, Sam (Stakesaurus), Benedict Chan
  • Lido x Obol: Elegant Eagle cluster: Everstake, GLCstaked, ShardLabs, P-OPS Team, Thoma Technologies LLC, nodeADDICT, Professor Parpinsons
  • Lido x Obol: Fierce Falcon cluster: RockawayX Infra, CertHum, Enigma, Yspud, Phuc Vu, smc, SnakePliskin
  • Lido x Obol: Gallant Gecko cluster: Staking Facilities, StakeLab.zone, CryptoCrew Validators, ITRocket, kxinon, Nodexplus, Igor
  • Lido x Obol: Heroic Hyena cluster: Allnodes, Syncnode, Blockshard, Openbitlab, 0xFury, CryptoBoru, pWse
  • Lido x Obol: Jubilant Jackal cluster: Kiln, StakeCat, Matrixed.Link, AutoStake, Jerod, [NODERS], Gavryushev
  • Lido x Obol: Loyal Lark cluster: Kukis Global, Stardust Staking, 2xStake, alikhalili3486, Verre, NakoTurk, 5quat

 

SSV Cohort #3 Participants

  • Lido x SSV: Vibrant Viperfish cluster: ParaFi, Artifact Systems, Stake Village, Stake DxPool, Stefan, pipsqueecs, DenverParaFlyer
  • Lido x SSV: Witty Wallaby cluster: DCG Labs, Block Farms, ProofGroup, atomicwhale, 0NEinfra, Albinos, zdec6kit
  • Lido x SSV: Xenial Xoloitzcuintli cluster: SenseiNode, enti, AXBLOX, Fiews, rs3der, lux8.net, Shadon
  • Lido x SSV: Youthful Yellowtail cluster: Sigma Prime, p10node, Kingnodes, AussieStake, Ben Chan, rick, Uwium
  • Lido x SSV: Zippy Zorilla cluster: Tané, ContributionDAO, Next Finance Tech, TWM, Khanhwizardpa | p10node, rylos, kongheyfatchoy
  • Lido x SSV: Agile Aye-Aye cluster: RockLogic GmbH, CertHum, Ethernodes, ThomasBlock.io, 2xStake, igorzp60, CryptoBoru
  • Lido x SSV: Brave Binturong cluster: stakefish, bountyblok, GRASSETS TECH, Amamu, StakeValid, ethdog, vinsystems
  • Lido x SSV: Cheerful Cockatoo cluster: stakefish, Sub7 Security, Swyke, khanami.eth, Viacheslav Smirnov, Professor Parpinsons, chainwizard94
  • Lido x SSV: Dashing Dingo cluster: blockscape, Provalidator, NodeSoda, starArsonist, Mach5 Validators, efa1994, hereWeGo
  • Lido x SSV: Elegant Eel cluster: Chainlayer, Syncnode, Nodes International, Mrs_ml, minibella333, 5quat, tommylowe90
  • Lido x SSV: Fearless Firefly cluster: RockawayX, Imperator.co, glcstaked, TXTiger, KudasaiJP, flisko, cgero.eth
  • Lido x SSV: Gentle Gurnard cluster: Stakely, Thoma Technologies LLC, DeeNode, ShalomGH, Daniil, crimson1, BlockNth
  • Lido x SSV: Honest Hoopoe cluster: Pier Two, StakeCat, Chuy, NORTHSTAKE, 79anvi, CrisOG, baoquoc1998
  • Lido x SSV: Insightful Ibex cluster: Openbitlab, RHINO, Blockops Network, SyncX, Igor, Maksim, humpyy.eth
  • Lido x SSV: Jubilant Jackdaw cluster: DSRV, CryptoCrew Validators, ChainLabo, Monika, leadparachutes, zheli, jeffjack
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