September 2026 Validator Set Highlights Curious about what's happening inside the Lido validator set? September was a milestone month for Lido Core, as the first 0x02 validators became active following a long entry queue since July, and the first consolidation kicked off the migration of approximately 8.4m ETH from the legacy Curated Module to Curated Module v2. Meanwhile, the launch of Lido DAO-funded ValOS introduced a new industry-wide standard for running Ethereum staking infrastructure according to established best practices. Together, these developments reflect Lido's ongoing efforts to support a more decentralized, resilient, and efficient Ethereum validator ecosystem. This article covers only the key highlights (reading time less than 2 minutes). Lido Node Operators are encouraged to explore the full September Update on the Node Operator Portal for deeper context, technical details, and useful links. September Highlights Staking Modules Q3 Stats Q3 brought further progress across the Lido validator set with continued growth in permissionless validation through the Community Staking Module (CSM) and the launch of Curated Module v2 (CMv2), which has already seen its first validator activations and consolidations from the legacy Curated Module. ICS & IDVTC Assessment Results, 0x02 CSM Around the Corner Independent validation through CSM continued to grow in September, with a total of 404 approved Identified Community Staker (ICS) applications and two additional Identified DVT Clusters (IDVTC) qualifying in the latest assessment rounds. Meanwhile, following a successful public testnet rollout, 0x02 CSM is approaching mainnet, introducing a new permissionless pathway for running validators with effective balances of up to 2,048 ETH through Lido Core. Curated Stake Migration Underway The migration of approximately 8.4m ETH from the legacy Curated Module to CMv2 is officially underway, with the first validator consolidations successfully completed in September. By the end of the month, approximately 917.4k ETH had already been migrated to CMv2, while the successful enablement of top-up deposits paved the way for the next phase of the migration. Explore the full progress in the September Validator Set Update. Updated stVaults Documentation Center The stVaults Documentation Center has been updated with resources covering everything from introductory concepts to technical deep dives, operational guides, references and more! Whether you're exploring stVaults for the first time or preparing to run your own, find the resources you need to get started. ValOS: The Blueprint for Staking Excellence ValOS (Validator Operations Standard) officially launched in September, introducing an open-source, community-driven standard for running Ethereum validators according to industry best practices. By establishing a shared standard for validator operations, the initiative aims to encourage higher standards, better risk management, and greater transparency across the validator ecosystem preserving Ethereum's decentralization and stability over time. Lido Goes to Devcon 🇮🇳 नमस्ते मुंबई! Devcon week is coming soon! Find out where to catch Lido contributors speaking, hosting, and joining discussions across Mumbai, and come say hi. With over a dozen events lined up, there's something for everyone. Subscribe to Lido on Luma to stay up to date on upcoming events throughout the week, and never miss a moment with the Lido staking community afterwards. All Validator Set Updates in One Place Explore previous Monthly Validator Set Updates on the Node Operator Portal. Stay informed. Stay aligned. Keep securing Ethereum together.