Ethereum Validator Lifecycle and Status (Post-Pectra)
Introduction
This guide explains the different validator statuses shown on Beaconcha.in (Unknown, Deposited, Pending, Active, Exiting, Slashed, and Exited) along with what each status means, how validators transition between them, and how the queue system works. In addition to these Ethereum protocol-specific statuses, Beaconcha.in also labels validators as Online or Offline, indicating whether they are currently performing their assigned duties.Unknown (Transaction still in mempool)
Every validator deposit, like any Ethereum transaction, first enters the Mempool, which acts as a waiting room for transactions. While in the Mempool, the transaction status is pending. At this stage, the deposit has not yet been added to the canonical blockchain, so the validator appears as Unknown on Beaconcha.in. Each transaction pays a Base Fee, which is set algorithmically and burned, plus an optional Priority Fee that goes to the block builder including the transaction. Block builders typically prioritize transactions offering the highest Priority Fee. When the network is congested, the Base Fee rises dynamically. Transactions with low Base Fees or low Priority Fees may face unpredictable delays. You can speed up a pending transaction by increasing the network fees.Deposited
At this stage, the deposit transaction has been included in a block. Beaconcha.in will show the validator status as Deposited until the deposit has been fully processed by the deposit queue. A validator must have a minimum effective balance of 32 ETH to become eligible for activation. Note that there can be a difference between a validator’s balance and effective balance. The effective balance only increases if the balance is at least 1.25 ETH higher than the current effective balance. For example, if a validator has an effective balance of 31 ETH and receives an additional 1 ETH deposit, the validator’s balance becomes 32 ETH, but the effective balance remains 31 ETH.
Deposit Queue
Pending
Once a validator’s effective balance has reached at least 32 ETH, it enters the Pending state and stays there for 5 epochs (32 minutes) before becoming Active. See process_registry_updates for details.
Pending Queue
Active
Active validators have at least one attestation duty in every epoch and may also be randomly selected to propose blocks or participate in sync committee duties. At this stage, the validator begins earning staking rewards for helping secure the network.
Active Validator
Exiting (Exit in Progress)
The validator is currently Exiting the network, either because its effective balance fell below 16 ETH (a forced exit) or due to a Voluntary Exit requested by the owner or operator. The validator will continue to receive new duties and is expected to fulfill them. Exiting a validator takes at least 5 epochs (32 minutes), but there is also a queue with a dynamic per-epoch limit. As a result, completing an exit can take anywhere from minutes to weeks, depending on how many other validators are exiting at the same time. Note that a validator must remain in the Active state for at least 256 epochs (~27 hours) before it can be exited. See process_voluntary_exit, process_withdrawal_request and compute_exit_epoch_and_update_churn for details.
Exiting Validator
Exited
The validator has Exited the network and will no longer be assigned new duties. However, in rare cases, the validator may still have sync committee duties! Note that an exited validator can still have a balance. Exit and Withdrawal are two separate events. See How Ethereum validator withdrawals work and process_withdrawals for more details about withdrawals.
Exited Validator
Slashed (Forced Exit due to Slashing)
A Slashed validator violated network rules, usually by acting maliciously or negligently, such as signing conflicting blocks or attestations, resulting in a loss of a portion of their stake. The funds will be withdrawable after 8192 epochs (~36 days). See slash_validator for details.
Slashed Validator
Invalid Deposit
The transaction contains an invalid BLS signature. This often occurs when the deposit was accidentally signed for the wrong network.
Invalid Deposit
Online / Offline
We consider a validator that missed the latest 3 finalized attestations as Offline. Missing duties results in missed rewards and may also incur penalties.
Online Validator
Offline Validator