Cambridge Study: 31% of Ethereum Nodes Concentrated in US, Raising Centralization Risks

Key Facts

Amid ongoing debates regarding the resilience of decentralized networks, a new study from Cambridge University has found that 31% of Ethereum node activity is concentrated within the United States. The research highlights that these nodes are heavily clustered on specific cloud providers, most notably AWS, Hetzner, and OVH. These findings raise significant concerns about counterparty dependency, potentially leaving the network vulnerable to technical outages or regulatory shifts within specific jurisdictions.

This data arrives at a critical juncture for the crypto sector as major networks strive to prove their independence from traditional infrastructure. In comparison to other networks, market data suggests that Ethereum faces unique challenges in geographic node distribution compared to protocols like Bitcoin, which often see wider miner dispersion. Experts warn that significant regulatory action in the US could stall blockchain finalization, given that nearly a third of the network's operational capacity resides there.

Looking ahead, investors are weighing how such research impacts institutional confidence in the network's long-term stability. The upcoming economic calendar also features key events, such as Fed Governor Waller's speech on July 6, 2026, which may provide insights into the broader financial environment affecting risk appetite in digital assets.