Rocket Pool bi‑weekly update: rETH supply dips, node growth and Fusaka client upgrades

Rocket Pool’s bi‑weekly update (18 Nov 2025) reports modest protocol changes and development activity. Key metrics: rETH supply fell 2.20% to 376,441 rETH; pending/active minipools decreased 0.6% to 18,120; node operator count rose 0.2% to 4,041. Technical: Smart Node v1.18.3 was released, bundling client updates required for the Ethereum Fusaka upgrade. Community & governance: the DAO’s GMC opened Round 31 and the team attended Devconnect in Buenos Aires. Marketing/liquidity: RockSolid surpassed 5,400 rETH deposited and continues to be tracked on DefiLlama; ETH+ remains a notable contributor to rETH; attractive borrow rates noted on Liquity V2. Summary keywords: Rocket Pool, rETH supply, node operators, Smart Node v1.18.3, Fusaka upgrade, RockSolid, Liquity V2. Implications: incremental on‑chain metrics and software updates reinforce network reliability and decentralisation; no single event here indicates major immediate price moves but continued protocol growth supports medium‑term confidence for stakers and rETH liquidity providers.
Neutral
The update shows incremental protocol metrics (rETH supply down 2.2%, slight rise in node operators) and the release of Smart Node v1.18.3 for Fusaka client compatibility. These are operational and developmental signals rather than catalysts for immediate market moves. Historical precedent: software releases and modest staking metric changes typically have neutral short‑term price impact unless accompanied by large capital flows, security incidents, or major governance decisions. For traders: short‑term volatility is unlikely to be driven solely by this update. Medium‑term, steady growth in node operators, continued rETH deposits (eg. RockSolid) and client upgrades support confidence in Rocket Pool’s decentralisation and service reliability, which can be constructive for rETH demand and staking derivatives liquidity. Monitor: (1) large inflows/outflows of rETH or ETH from Rocket Pool, (2) governance decisions from GMC Round 31, and (3) any issues reported after Smart Node v1.18.3 deployment. Those would be the likely triggers for a shift from neutral to bullish or bearish.