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How to stake your ETH

Earn rewards while securing Ethereum

Any user with any amount of ETH can help secure the network and earn rewards in the process.

Image of the Rhino mascot for the staking launchpad.
34,380,410
Total ETH staked
1,074,806
Total validators
3.5%
Current APR

What is staking?

Staking is the act of depositing 32 ETH to activate software. As a validator you’ll be responsible for storing data, processing transactions, and adding new to the blockchain. This will keep Ethereum secure for everyone and earn you new ETH in the process.

Why stake your ETH?

Earn rewards

Rewards are given for actions that help the network reach . You'll get rewards for running software that properly batches transactions into new blocks and checks the work of other validators because that's what keeps the chain running securely.

Better security

The network gets stronger against attacks as more ETH is staked, as it then requires more ETH to control a majority of the network. To become a threat, you would need to hold the majority of validators, which means you'd need to control the majority of ETH in the system–that's a lot!

More sustainable

Stakers don't need to do energy-intensive proof-of-work computations to participate in securing the network meaning staking nodes can run on relatively modest hardware using very little energy.

More on Ethereum's energy consumption

How to stake your ETH

It all depends on how much you are willing to stake. You'll need 32 ETH to activate your own validator, but it is possible to stake less.

Check out the options below and go for the one that is best for you, and for the network.

Home staking

Most impactful

Full control

Full rewards

Trustless

Home staking on Ethereum is the gold standard for staking. It provides full participation rewards, improves the decentralization of the network, and never requires trusting anyone else with your funds.

Those considering staking from home should have some amount of ETH and a dedicated computer connected to the internet ~24/7. Some technical know-how is helpful, but easy-to-use tools now exist to help simplify this process.

Home stakers can pool their funds with others, or go solo with at least 32 ETH. Liquid staking token solutions can be used to maintain access to DeFi.

More on home staking

Staking as a service

Your 32 ETH

Your validator keys

Entrusted node operation

If you don't want or don't feel comfortable dealing with hardware but still want to stake your 32 ETH, staking-as-a-service options allow you to delegate the hard part while you earn native block rewards.

These options usually walk you through creating a set of validator credentials, uploading your signing keys to them, and depositing your 32 ETH. This allows the service to validate on your behalf.

This method of staking requires a certain level of trust in the provider. To limit counter-party risk, the keys to withdrawal your ETH are usually kept in your possession.

Pooled staking

Stake any amount

Earn rewards

Keep it simple

Popular

Several pooling solutions exist to assist users who do not have or feel comfortable staking 32 ETH.

Many of these options include what is known as 'liquid staking' which involves an liquidity token that represents your staked ETH.

Liquid staking makes staking and unstaking as simple as a token swap and enables the use of staked capital in DeFi. This option also allows users to hold custody of their assets in their own Ethereum .

Pooled staking is not native to the Ethereum network. Third parties are building these solutions, and they carry their own risks.

Centralized exchanges

Least impactful

Highest trust assumptions

Many centralized exchanges provide staking services if you are not yet comfortable holding ETH in your own wallet. They can be a fallback to allow you to earn some yield on your ETH holdings with minimal oversight or effort.

The trade-off here is that centralized providers consolidate large pools of ETH to run large numbers of validators. This can be dangerous for the network and its users as it creates a large centralized target and point of failure, making the network more vulnerable to attack or bugs.

If you don't feel comfortable holding your own , that's okay. These options are here for you. In the meantime, consider checking out our wallets page, where you can get started learning how to take true ownership over your funds. When you're ready, come back and level up your staking game by trying one of the self-custody pooled staking services offered.

As you may have noticed, there are many ways to participate in Ethereum staking. These paths target a wide range of users and ultimately are each unique and vary in terms of risks, rewards, and trust assumptions. Some are more decentralized, battle-tested and/or risky than others. We provide some information on popular projects in the space, but always do your own research before sending ETH anywhere.

Comparison of staking options

There is no one-size-fits-all solution for staking, and each is unique. Here we'll compare some of the risks, rewards and requirements of the different ways you can stake.

Home staking

Rewards

  • Maximum rewards - receive full rewards directly from the protocol
  • Rewards for proposing blocks, including unburnt transaction fees, and attesting regularly to the state of the network
  • Option to mint a liquid staking token against your home node to be used in DeFi

Risks

  • Your ETH is at stake
  • There are penalties, which cost ETH, for going offline
  • Slashing (larger penalties and ejection from the network) for malicious behaviour
  • Minting a liquid staking token will introduce smart contract risk, but this is entirely optional

Requirements

More on home staking

Staking as a service

Rewards

  • Usually involves full protocol rewards minus monthly fee for node operations
  • Dashboards often available to easily track your validator client

Risks

  • Same risks as solo staking plus counter-party risk of service provider
  • Use of your signing keys is entrusted to someone else who could behave maliciously

Requirements

  • Deposit 32 ETH and generate your keys with assistance
  • Store your keys securely
  • The rest is taken care of, though specific services will vary
More on staking as a service

Pooled staking

Rewards

  • Pooled stakers accrue rewards differently, depending on which method of pooled staking is chosen
  • Many pooled staking services offer one or more that represents your staked ETH plus your share of the validator rewards
  • Liquidity tokens can be held in your own wallet, used in and sold if you decide to exit

Risks

  • Risks vary depending on the method used
  • In general, risks consist of a combination of counter-party, and execution risk

Requirements

  • Lowest ETH requirements, some projects require as little as 0.01 ETH
  • Deposit directly from your wallet to different pooled staking platforms or simply trade for one of the staking liquidity tokens
More on pooled staking

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