Cryptocurrency Staking
Staking means locking proof-of-stake coins so they help secure a network, in exchange for rewards paid in the same coin. Most holders do it by delegating to a validator rather than running one. The headline APY gets the attention, but what decides whether staking suits you is how fast you can get your coins back, whether a validator's mistakes can cost you part of your stake, and who holds the keys while you stake.
The table below compares every network we cover: how you get your coins back and whether a validator's mistakes can cost you part of your stake. Each row links to the full guide, which also gives the current reward rate.
Before you stake, check three things: the unbonding period against when you might need the money, whether you stake from your own wallet or through an exchange that holds your coins, and how the validator you pick has performed. None of this is financial advice.
| Guide | Getting coins back | Slashing risk for delegators |
|---|---|---|
| Ethereum Staking | About 2.56% a year in one snapshot, 32 ETH for solo staking, and a 16-day exit queue. | |
| Solana Staking | About 4.92% a year in one snapshot, a 2-3 day cooldown, and rewards that compound each epoch. | |
| Polygon Staking Calculator | 1,000 POL at 3.69% earns about 36.9 POL a year, and rewards are not compounded automatically. | |
| Cosmos Staking Calculator | With a 21-day unbonding period and rewards that are not auto-compounded by default. | |
| Polkadot Staking Calculator | Rewards are paid per 24-hour era, are not compounded, and unclaimed ones expire after 84 eras. | |
| Cardano Staking Calculator | The same 10,000 ADA can earn about 200 or 84 ADA a year depending on pool size. | |
| Solana Staking Calculator | Rewards are paid every epoch of about two days, and a 5% net rate on 1,000 SOL gives about 51 SOL. | |
| ETH Staking Calculator | A 32 ETH stake at a 2.5% rate earns about 0.8 ETH per year before fees. | |
| TRON Staking | 128 TRX per block is shared among 127 candidates, and voters claim rewards manually. | |
| BNB Staking | How delegation works, why yield is about 0.65%, and what to check before you stake. | |
| Aptos Staking | The max rate began at 7% in 2022, and one pool lockup cycle can last up to 14 days. | |
| Algorand (ALGO) | No lockup, ALGO stays in the wallet | No, according to the Algorand Foundation |
| Tezos (XTZ) | Up to 4 days before unstaked tez is spendable | Staked tez shares the baker's risk; delegated tez is not slashed |
| Sui (SUI) | One transaction, no unbonding period | A penalized validator's stakers lose that epoch's rewards; loss of principal is unconfirmed |
| NEAR | Two steps: unstake, then withdraw after four epochs, about 24 to 28 hours | Unclear: sources disagree |
| Polygon (POL) | Two steps: unbond, then claim after the unbonding window | See the guide |
| Polkadot (DOT) | 28-day unbonding period; nomination pools from 1 DOT | Yes, with an appeal window |
| Cardano (ADA) | No lockup, ADA stays spendable | No |
| Cosmos (ATOM) | 21-day unbonding period | Yes, delegators share the validator's penalty |
| Ethereum (ETH) | Exit through the validator queue, whose length changes with demand | Yes, for validators |
| Solana (SOL) in Phantom | Free at the end of the current epoch, about two to three days | See the guide |
| Harmony (ONE) | This Harmony (ONE) staking guide explains how to earn rewards while supporting the growing Harmony network. | |
| Tether (USDT) | Flexible products: any time; fixed terms: at the end of the term | See the guide |
| Shiba Inu (SHIB) | This Shiba Inu (SHIB) staking guide reveals how to put your SHIB to work in the growing staking trend. | |
| Hedera (HBAR) | This Hedera (HBAR) staking guide explains how to join the rapidly expanding Hedera network and earn rewards. | |
| Avalanche (AVAX) | Locked for the chosen period, at least two weeks | See the guide |
| Ethereum via Lido | Liquid: you hold stETH instead of locked ETH | Yes, validator slashing can reduce staked ETH |
| Axie Infinity (AXS) | This Axie Infinity (AXS) staking guide reveals how to earn rewards from one of blockchain gaming's top tokens. | |
| Filecoin (FIL) | This Filecoin (FIL) staking guide walks you through earning rewards on one of crypto's fastest-growing networks. | |
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