![Voluntary exit count surges ahead of Shanghai upgrade on Wednesday](https://cryptoslate.com/wp-content/themes/cryptoslate-2020/imgresize/timthumb.php?src=https://cryptoslate.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/ethereum-insight-1.jpg&w=70&h=37&q=75)
Quick Take
- The voluntary exit count is the total number of validators that have exited the validator pool voluntarily.
- CryptoSlate first reported that the voluntary exit count was starting to creep higher in the build-up to the Shanghai upgrade a couple of weeks ago.
- The total number of validators to have left the pool voluntarily is roughly 2,000, with a huge count on Friday of roughly 1,700.
- When a validator opts to cease participating in consensus and enters the exit queue, these validators no longer propose or attest to blocks. Still, the ETH stake cannot be withdrawn until the Shanghai upgrade is online.
- However, the total number of validators has exceeded 564,000, so the number may seem inconsequential, but could a higher number of validators leave the exit pool as the week goes on?
![Voluntary exit count: (Source: Glassnode)](https://cryptoslate.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/VEC1.png)
![Total Number of Validators: (Source: Glassnode)](https://cryptoslate.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/valid.png)