diff --git a/packages/api-database/source/migrations/1729064427168-CreateUpdateValidatorRankingFunction.ts b/packages/api-database/source/migrations/1729064427168-CreateUpdateValidatorRankingFunction.ts
index bcfbd4759d..bba241f305 100644
--- a/packages/api-database/source/migrations/1729064427168-CreateUpdateValidatorRankingFunction.ts
+++ b/packages/api-database/source/migrations/1729064427168-CreateUpdateValidatorRankingFunction.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ export class CreateUpdateValidatorRankingFunction1729064427168 implements Migrat
                         (attributes->>'validatorVoteBalance')::numeric AS vote_balance,
                         COALESCE((attributes->>'validatorResigned')::boolean, FALSE) AS is_resigned
                     FROM wallets
-                    WHERE attributes ? 'validatorPublicKey'
+                    WHERE attributes ? 'validatorPublicKey' AND attributes->>'validatorPublicKey' <> ''
                 ),
                 ranking AS (
                     SELECT
diff --git a/packages/api-database/source/search/filters/validator-filter.ts b/packages/api-database/source/search/filters/validator-filter.ts
index 611dd8f205..32adf385b4 100644
--- a/packages/api-database/source/search/filters/validator-filter.ts
+++ b/packages/api-database/source/search/filters/validator-filter.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,12 @@ export class ValidatorFilter {
 				{
 					expressions: [
 						{ attribute: "validatorPublicKey", op: "jsonbAttributeExists", property: "attributes" },
+						{
+							jsonFieldAccessor: { fieldName: "validatorPublicKey", operator: "->>" },
+							op: "notEqual",
+							property: "attributes",
+							value: "",
+						},
 					],
 					op: "and",
 				},
diff --git a/packages/api-database/source/search/query-helper.ts b/packages/api-database/source/search/query-helper.ts
index d1fff97194..bc1d48fc0c 100644
--- a/packages/api-database/source/search/query-helper.ts
+++ b/packages/api-database/source/search/query-helper.ts
@@ -75,6 +75,13 @@ export class QueryHelper<TEntity> {
 				const parameters = { [parameter]: expression.value };
 				return { parameters, query };
 			}
+			case "notEqual": {
+				const column = this.getColumnName(metadata, expression.property, expression.jsonFieldAccessor);
+				const parameter = `p${this.paramNo++}`;
+				const query = `${column} <> :${parameter}`;
+				const parameters = { [parameter]: expression.value };
+				return { parameters, query };
+			}
 			case "between": {
 				const column = this.getColumnName(metadata, expression.property, expression.jsonFieldAccessor);
 				const parameterFrom = `p${this.paramNo++}`;
diff --git a/packages/api-database/source/search/types/expressions.ts b/packages/api-database/source/search/types/expressions.ts
index 0dfbcd0e07..1234e3a2c5 100644
--- a/packages/api-database/source/search/types/expressions.ts
+++ b/packages/api-database/source/search/types/expressions.ts
@@ -13,6 +13,13 @@ export type EqualExpression<TEntity> = {
 	value: any;
 };
 
+export type NotEqualExpression<TEntity> = {
+	property: keyof TEntity;
+	jsonFieldAccessor?: JsonFieldAccessor;
+	op: "notEqual";
+	value: any;
+};
+
 export type BetweenExpression<TEntity> = {
 	property: keyof TEntity;
 	jsonFieldAccessor?: JsonFieldAccessor;
@@ -75,6 +82,7 @@ export type Expression<TEntity> =
 	| TrueExpression
 	| FalseExpression
 	| EqualExpression<TEntity>
+	| NotEqualExpression<TEntity>
 	| BetweenExpression<TEntity>
 	| GreaterThanEqualExpression<TEntity>
 	| LessThanEqualExpression<TEntity>
diff --git a/packages/api-http/source/controllers/validators.ts b/packages/api-http/source/controllers/validators.ts
index 7ce960cac8..77bafe5aa5 100644
--- a/packages/api-http/source/controllers/validators.ts
+++ b/packages/api-http/source/controllers/validators.ts
@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@ export class ValidatorsController extends Controller {
 			.createQueryBuilder()
 			.select()
 			.where("attributes ? :validatorPublicKey", { validatorPublicKey: "validatorPublicKey" })
+			.andWhere("attributes->>:validatorPublicKey <> ''", { validatorPublicKey: "validatorPublicKey" })
 			.andWhere(
 				new ApiDatabaseContracts.Brackets((query) => {
 					query