StorySoftware
EigenLayer activates slashing on Ethereum mainnet
Slashing went live on EigenLayer mainnet on April 17, 2025, enabling Autonomous Verifiable Services to penalise operators and stakers who violate commitments. At launch, ~40 AVSs operated on mainnet with 2,000+ registered operators, converting restaked ETH from voluntary opt-in to economically enforceable.
- Slashing creates economic enforcement; operators can designate staked portions for specific services, preventing risk concentration.
- AVSs can organize operators into sets with tailored slashing conditions; fine-grained control over security.
- LayerZero and similar services now offer cryptoeconomic security guarantees backed by penalties.
- ~40 AVSs and 2,000+ operators live at launch; transforms EigenLayer from incentive layer to accountability layer.