Fast Track Withdrawals & Migrations

Overview

Whenever you create a new validator on Ethereum, an index number is assigned to it. This number represents the order in which your validator joined the network. For example, if your validator has index 2,000,000, it is the 2,000,000th validator to join.

When exiting a validator to retrieve ETH, the validator must undergo a standard process, which includes a 'validator clock' that cycles continuously. To have your ETH returned, it must be your validator's turn on the clock. As of March 2025, a full rotation of the clock is approximately 9 days. Therefore, if your validator's index number has only recently appeared on the clock, you may need to wait up to 9 days to receive your ETH.

By optimizing and selecting the next fastest validator on the clock, you can expedite the return of your ETH. On average, Pier Two has saved clients 2-3 days in retrieving ETH, with some cases saving up to 9 additional days. Coordinating validator transitions ensures that ETH is re-staked promptly with Pier Two, minimizing the period of missed rewards.

It's important to note that before being processed by the validator clock, you must first navigate the exit queue and safeguard delay. More details on utilizing the Fast Track product are provided below.

Using Fast Track

1. Supply your index numbers to the API to estimate withdrawal times and deadlines for optimal exits of your validators.

2. Determine the ideal validator(s) for exit based on the output. Typically, this will be the validator(s) with the deadline closest to the current time, as their staked funds will be the quickest to receive.

   • If an exit submission deadline is close (within 10 minutes), act promptly to avoid extended waiting periods for fund retrieval.

   • Be aware that if the queue expands before you submit your exits, or if you are submitting many withdrawals at once, the time spent in the exit queue may increase, potentially causing you to miss the optimal withdrawal window. Pier Two recommends allowing at least a few hours of leeway before submitting your withdrawal message.

   • Note: Withdrawing 1,000 validators will add approximately 6 hours and 40 minutes to the exit queue. This scales linearly (e.g., 500 validators add 3 hours and 20 minutes).

For personalized assistance in optimizing your withdrawals, please reach out to Pier Two.

Understanding the Validator Exit Process

Ethereum validators must initiate a voluntary exit before they can withdraw their staked ETH. The exit process involves multiple phases:

1. Exit Initiation

   The validator informs the network of their intention to exit and cease participation in block validation by generating and broadcasting an exit message to the beacon chain.

2. Exit Delay (Exit Queue)

   After initiation, the validator enters an exit queue, the length of which depends on network conditions and the number of validators exiting simultaneously.

3. Withdrawal Delay (Validator Sweep)

   Once the exit queue period concludes, the validator undergoes a withdrawal delay during which the network processes the exit and returns the staked ETH to the validator's withdrawal address.