Crypto Staking Rewards
Staking is the proof-of-stake equivalent of mining: lock up tokens, help validate the network, earn rewards. Below are typical native APY ranges, unbonding times and key mechanics for the largest PoS chains.
| Network | APY | Unbonding | Mechanism |
|---|---|---|---|
Ethereum ETH | 3.0 – 4.5% | ~5–10 days | Solo (32 ETH) or liquid staking (Lido, Rocket Pool) |
Solana SOL | 6 – 8% | ~2–3 days | Native delegation to validators or liquid (Jito, Marinade) |
Cardano ADA | 2.5 – 4% | Instant | Native delegation, no slashing, no lock-up |
Polkadot DOT | 10 – 13% | 28 days | Nominated PoS, slashing risk on misbehaving validators |
Cosmos Hub ATOM | 12 – 18% | 21 days | Delegation; high inflation funds rewards |
Avalanche AVAX | 5 – 7% | Lock for 14 days–1 year | Validator or delegation; no slashing, only reward loss |
Sui SUI | 2.5 – 3.5% | End of epoch (~24h) | Delegated PoS to validators |
NEAR NEAR | 8 – 10% | ~3 days | Delegation to validators |
Polygon POL | 4 – 5% | ~3–4 days | Delegation on Ethereum L1 staking contract |
Tezos XTZ | 5 – 6% | Instant (delegation) | Liquid baking, no slashing for delegators |
APY values are typical native ranges and fluctuate with network participation rate. Always verify on a live source before staking.
Key things to understand before staking
- Real yield vs nominal yield: a 12% APY on a token with 8% inflation is a 4% real yield. Always compare to issuance.
- Lock-up risk: long unbonding periods mean you cannot exit during a crash.
- Slashing: validators behaving badly can lose your stake. Pick well-known operators with diversified setups.
- Liquid staking: tokens like stETH, mSOL or jitoSOL keep your capital tradable but introduce smart-contract and depeg risk.
- Tax treatment: staking rewards are usually taxable income at receipt in most jurisdictions.
"Earn 20%+" red flags
Native PoS APYs above ~15% almost always come from high token inflation, not real yield. CeFi platforms advertising 20–30% on stablecoins typically lend customer funds out at risk — multiple have failed (Celsius, BlockFi, Anchor). If the yield isn't auditable on-chain, treat it as unsecured credit risk.