Staking is the process of locking up your cryptocurrency in a Proof of Stake network to help validate transactions and secure the blockchain. In return, you earn staking rewards—typically paid out in the same cryptocurrency you staked.
When you stake your coins, you are essentially pledging them as collateral. Validators (the network participants who process transactions) must stake a minimum amount of tokens to participate. If they act dishonestly or go offline, they risk losing part of their stake in a process called slashing.
You do not need to run your own validator to earn staking rewards. Common ways to stake include:
- Exchange staking – Platforms like Binance, Coinbase, and Kraken offer simple staking services where you delegate your tokens and earn rewards automatically.
- Liquid staking – Protocols like Lido let you stake ETH and receive a liquid token (stETH) that you can still use in DeFi.
- Native delegation – Some networks let you delegate directly to a validator from your own wallet.
Popular stakeable cryptocurrencies include Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL), Cardano (ADA), and Polkadot (DOT). Reward rates vary by network and typically range from 3% to 15% annually.
For a complete walkthrough, see our crypto staking guide.