Actively Validated Services
Actively Validated Services (AVSs) are the protocols that restaked ETH actually secures. Each AVS outsources its validation to EigenLayer's operator network — paying for borrowed security instead of bootstrapping a new validator set. As of 2025, 20+ AVSs are secured by $15B+ in restaked ETH.
Types of AVSs
DA layers provide rollups with inexpensive data availability. Restaked ETH secures the data availability sampling (DAS) network — if operators withhold data, they get slashed.
Bridges verify cross-chain messages and must detect fraudulent state transitions. Restaked ETH serves as the security budget for message verification. If a bridge validator confirms a fraudulent tx, slashing fires.
Oracles aggregate off-chain data and post it on-chain. Restaked ETH secures the oracle validator set — if an oracle reports prices that deviate beyond allowed bounds, slashing applies.
Restaked ETH secures decentralized sequencers — entities that order and batch rollup transactions. If a sequencer reorgs the rollup or censors transactions, slashing fires.
ZK coprocessors generate zero-knowledge proofs of off-chain computations. Operators must submit valid proofs on time — if a proof is missing or invalid, slashing applies.
Automated task executors that trigger on-chain events (liquidations, arbitrage, Keeper rewards). Restaked ETH secures the Keeper network — failed task execution due to downtime triggers slashing.
🎚️ AVS Risk Tier Simulator
Choose your AVS risk profile to see how expected yield and slashing probability change. Use the slider to mix your exposure across risk tiers.
Risk score = (Additional APY) / (Slash Probability × estimated slash size). Higher is better. This is a simplified model — actual slashing depends on operator behavior, AVS-specific conditions, and correlated failures.
📊 AVS Reward Economics by Category
Each AVS type offers a different risk/reward profile. The chart below shows typical AVS reward rates, slashing probabilities, and resulting net yield for each category.
| AVS Category | Examples | AVS Reward | Slash Prob/yr | Net Yield Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low Risk AVS | Keeper networks, ZK coprocessors | 0.5–1% | 0.1%/yr | 3.3–3.8% |
| Medium Risk AVS | DA layers, oracle networks | 1–2% | 0.5%/yr | 3.7–5% |
| High Risk AVS | Bridges, cross-chain messaging | 2–4% | 1–2%/yr | 4–7% |
| Mixed Portfolio | Operator runs 5+ AVS types | 1.5–3% | 0.7%/yr | 4.5–6.5% |
Key AVSs in the Ecosystem
Data availability for rollups via DAS. Operators sample data shards and must stay available.
Cross-rollup messaging and interoperability layer. Handles tx relaying across L2s.
Decentralized rollup sequencer with restaked security. Flagship use of EigenLayer's DSS.
ZK coprocessor that generates fraud proofs for arbitrary off-chain computations.
ZK data attestation — proves historical on-chain data was valid without re-executing.
DePIN verification — confirms physical world sensor data and device participation on-chain.
👀 How to Evaluate an Operator's AVS Portfolio
Since you don't directly choose which AVSs your ETH secures, evaluating your operator's AVS portfolio is one of the most important risk management steps in restaking. Here's what to look at:
Historical validator uptime — downtime is a primary slashing vector. Look for 99.9%+ historical uptime.
How many AVSs the operator runs — diversification is good for you but raises their correlated risk.
Operators spread across regions to avoid geographic single points of failure.
Any historical slashing incidents and how they were resolved. Steer clear of repeated offenders.
What percentage of your AVS rewards the operator takes. Typical range: 5–20%.
Whether operator has additional自有 bond beyond restaked delegations — skin in the game reduces risk.
⚡ How a Slash Reaches Your Delegated ETH
Understanding the slashing chain is essential to AVS risk. Here is the complete flow from AVS fault detection to your ETH being burned:
The operator's own bonded ETH is slashed first — before any delegators. Operators typically maintain 5–10% of their total stake as自有 capital. If the operator's自有 bond is insufficient to cover the full slash, delegators absorb the remainder proportionally.
Yes — EigenLayer has a 7-day fraud-proof window and a Security Council veto committee. If an AVS fires a slash that looks erroneous or malicious, the Council can cancel it within 7 days. However, this is an emergency backstop, not a reliable shield — do not rely on it for regular risk management.
💰 Where Your AVS Yield Actually Comes From
AVS rewards are funded through several mechanisms depending on the AVS's business model:
- Protocol treasury — AVS uses its own token treasury to pay operators (AltLayer, Omni)
- User fees — Rollup sequencer fees fund restaking rewards (AltLayer's sequencer revenue)
- Data availability fees — Rollups pay DA providers who pay restakers (EigenDA)
- Bridged asset yield — Cross-chain bridges use bridging fees to pay restakers
⚠️ Understand the slashing risk first
Before delegating to any operator, understand exactly what can go wrong and how slashes propagate to your ETH.
Slashing & Risk →💸 Operator economics
See how operators earn, what they charge, and how to calculate whether a particular operator's commission is fair.
Operator Economics →🔄 Back to restaking overview
Understand the full restaking picture — how it works, the protocols, the yield, and the risks.
Restaking Overview →