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Stake Smarter.

Real-time staking data, validator analytics, and nomination strategies across every major Proof-of-Stake blockchain — all in one place.

$145B+
Total Value Staked
18
Chains Tracked
2.8M+
Active Validators
3.2 – 21%
APY Range

Live Comparison

Staking at a Glance

Side-by-side staking metrics for the top Proof-of-Stake networks. Sort by reward rate, lock-up period, or staking ratio to find your ideal chain.

Network Est. APY Staking Ratio Lock / Unbonding Min. Stake Validators Slashing Risk
E
Ethereum
 3.4% 28.1% ~1–5 days 32 ETH / any via LST 1,050,000+ Low
P
Polkadot
 15.2% 53.8% 28 days 250 DOT (nomination pools: 1 DOT) 297 active Medium
K
Kusama
 17.4% 47.2% 7 days 0.1 KSM (nomination pools) 1,000 active Medium
C
Cardano
 3.2% 62.1% None (liquid) 2 ADA 3,200+ Low
A
Cosmos
 14.8% 62.4% 21 days None 180 active Medium
S
Solana
 7.1% 66.7% ~2–3 days None 1,800+ Low
C
Celestia
 12.5% 58.3% 21 days None 100 active Medium
A
Avalanche
 8.2% 56.4% 14 days 25 AVAX (delegate) / 2,000 (validate) 1,700+ Low
N
NEAR
 9.5% 46.2% ~2–3 days None 230+ Low
S
Sui
 3.8% 81.2% ~1 day 1 SUI 107 active Low

* Approximate figures — APY fluctuates with network conditions. Updated April 2026.

Chain Deep Dives

Know Your Network

Detailed staking profiles for every chain we track, including mechanics, tips for nominators, and what to watch out for.

E
Ethereum
Beacon Chain · PoS since Sep 2022
Est. APY
3.4%
TVS
$55.8B
Unbonding
1–5 days
Solo Min.
32 ETH
Solo validators need 32 ETH, but liquid staking tokens (Lido stETH, Rocket Pool rETH, Coinbase cbETH) let anyone participate with any amount. Rewards come from attestation duties and MEV tips. Slashing is rare but possible for double-signing.
Liquid Staking Low Slashing DVT Available
P
Polkadot
NPoS · Nominated Proof of Stake
Est. APY
15.2%
TVS
$4.6B
Unbonding
28 days
Nom. Pools
1 DOT min
Polkadot's NPoS system lets nominators back up to 16 validators. Nomination pools lowered the barrier to just 1 DOT. Rewards are distributed per-era (24h). Slashing applies to both validators and their nominators, making validator selection critical.
Nomination Pools 28-Day Lock OpenGov
K
Kusama
Canary Network · NPoS
Est. APY
17.4%
TVS
$280M
Unbonding
7 days
Era Length
6 hours
Kusama mirrors Polkadot's NPoS but with faster parameters: 6-hour eras, 7-day unbonding, and 1,000 active validators. Higher APY compensates for the experimental nature. Nomination pools are available with very low minimums.
Experimental Fast Eras 1000 Validators
C
Cardano
Ouroboros · Delegated PoS
Est. APY
3.2%
TVS
$10.2B
Unbonding
None
Min. Stake
2 ADA
Cardano is one of the most staker-friendly chains: delegation is fully liquid (no lock-up), there's no slashing risk for delegators, and you retain custody of your ADA at all times. Rewards arrive every epoch (5 days). Stake pool saturation encourages decentralization.
No Lock-Up No Slashing Self-Custody
A
Cosmos Hub
Tendermint BFT · DPoS
Est. APY
14.8%
TVS
$2.4B
Unbonding
21 days
Validators
180 active
Delegates stake ATOM with up to 7 validators. The 21-day unbonding period is the main trade-off. Slashing occurs for double-signing (5%) and extended downtime (0.01%). Liquid staking via Stride and pSTAKE is increasingly popular to avoid the lock-up.
IBC Ecosystem 21-Day Lock Liquid Staking
S
Solana
Tower BFT · DPoS + PoH
Est. APY
7.1%
TVS
$14.5B
Unbonding
~2–3 days
Validators
1,800+
SOL staking is straightforward: delegate to any validator with no minimum. Liquid staking via mSOL (Marinade) and jitoSOL (Jito) offers immediate liquidity plus MEV rewards. Validator commission rates vary widely, so compare before delegating.
No Minimum MEV Rewards LST Options

Staking 101

Your Path to Staking Rewards

Whether you're a first-time delegator or a seasoned nominator, these guides cover everything you need to know.

Step 01

Choose Your Chain

Different blockchains offer different reward rates, lock-up periods, and risk profiles. Use our comparison table above to weigh APY against unbonding time, slashing risk, and minimum requirements.

Step 02

Pick a Wallet

Self-custody wallets are recommended. For Ethereum, try MetaMask or Ledger Live. For Polkadot/Kusama, use the Polkadot-JS extension, Talisman, or Nova Wallet. For Cosmos, Keplr is the go-to.

Step 03

Select Validators

Look for validators with high uptime (>99%), reasonable commission (5–15%), a track record of no slashing, and active community participation. Diversify across multiple validators when possible.

Step 04

Delegate or Nominate

Submit your staking transaction through your wallet. On NPoS chains like Polkadot, you nominate up to 16 validators. On DPoS chains like Cosmos, you delegate to individual validators.

Step 05

Monitor & Rebalance

Check your staking performance regularly. If a validator goes offline, raises commissions, or gets slashed, re-delegate promptly. Tools like StakingWatch help you stay on top of changes.

Step 06

Explore Liquid Staking

Liquid staking tokens (LSTs) give you a tradeable receipt for your staked assets. This lets you earn staking rewards while using that capital in DeFi — composability without the lock-up.

Risk Awareness

Understand the Risks

Staking isn't risk-free. Here are the key risks every staker and nominator should understand before committing capital.

⚠ Slashing

Validators who misbehave (double-signing, extended downtime) can lose a portion of their stake — and on NPoS chains like Polkadot, nominators share that loss. Always research validator history.

🔒 Lock-Up / Unbonding

Most chains enforce an unbonding period (7–28 days) during which your tokens are illiquid. During market volatility, you can't sell. Liquid staking mitigates this but introduces smart contract risk.

📉 Price Volatility

Staking rewards are paid in the native token. A 15% APY means little if the token's price drops 50%. Consider the overall outlook of the chain, not just the staking yield.

📜 Smart Contract Risk

Liquid staking protocols, staking pools, and DeFi integrations all rely on smart contracts. Bugs or exploits can lead to loss of funds. Stick with audited, battle-tested protocols.

⚙ Validator Risk

Validators can raise commissions, go offline, or act maliciously. On chains with capped validator sets, your nominations might not even be elected. Monitor your validators actively.

🌍 Regulatory Risk

The regulatory landscape for staking is evolving. Some jurisdictions may classify staking rewards as taxable income or restrict staking services. Stay informed about local regulations.

Reference

Staking Glossary

Key terms every staker and nominator should know.

APY (Annual Percentage Yield)
The annualized rate of return on staked assets, accounting for compounding. Varies by network conditions, inflation rate, and staking ratio.
Validator
A node operator who participates in block production and consensus. Validators stake tokens as collateral and earn rewards for honest behavior.
Nominator / Delegator
A token holder who backs a validator with their stake without running a node. Nominators share in rewards and, on some chains, slashing penalties.
Slashing
A penalty mechanism that destroys a portion of a validator's (and potentially their nominators') stake for protocol violations like double-signing or prolonged downtime.
Unbonding Period
The mandatory waiting time after unstaking before tokens become liquid again. Ranges from 0 (Cardano) to 28 days (Polkadot). Designed to deter short-term attacks.
Liquid Staking Token (LST)
A derivative token representing staked assets (e.g., stETH, rETH, mSOL). LSTs can be traded or used in DeFi while the underlying asset continues earning staking rewards.
NPoS (Nominated Proof of Stake)
A staking mechanism used by Polkadot and Kusama where nominators select multiple validators. An election algorithm optimally distributes stake to maximize decentralization.
Era / Epoch
A time period after which staking rewards are calculated and distributed. Length varies: Polkadot eras are 24h, Kusama eras are 6h, Cardano epochs are 5 days.
Commission
The percentage of staking rewards that a validator keeps before distributing the remainder to their nominators/delegators. Typically 0–20%.
Staking Ratio
The percentage of a network's total token supply that is currently staked. Higher ratios generally mean greater network security but can compress individual rewards.