# Entry barriers

Unlike PoW, PoS blockchains do not require expensive, sophisticated equipment or access to vast amounts of low-cost energy. However, some entry barriers still make many PoS prohibitively expensive and overly complicated: 

* The **staking requirements** (i.e., 32 ETH are required to run a single Ethereum 2.0 node, worth over $130k as of Oct 2021) 
* The **expertise** needed to run and secure many validator nodes 
* Access to inexpensive and continuous **wifi**, which can be prohibitive for node operators in countries and regions of insufficient coverage 
* Difficulty **assessing** the various PoS protocols in search of the better staking gains 
* Low **flexibility** to switch between different blockchains as the coins are locked or bonded for a specified period
* Loss of **liquidity** when staking 
* Other **risks** (downtimes, slashing, hacks, network attacks, etc.) 

Ethereum, the second-largest cryptocurrency with a devoted network of developers and supporters, has only 7.8 out of 117.8 million Eth staked (as of Sept 2021), that’s around 6.6%.