Crypto Staking is Explained! Consensus mechanisms aside providing security brings about decentralization in decision making on the blockchain. Every node gets to agree on the validation of blocks before they’re added to the chain.
The proof of work (PoW) consensus mechanism is used by the popular cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Miners use this mechanism to record transactions into blocks and compete to solve complex mathematical puzzles, increasing computing resources in order to add the next block to the chain.
Staking, on the other hand, has grown in popularity as a method for crypto investors to increase their holdings by supporting a blockchain network and confirming transactions. It is compatible with cryptocurrencies that process transactions using the proof-of-stake (PoS) model. This is a less energy-intensive version of the original proof-of-work (PoW) model.
When you stake your cryptocurrency, you lock up your digital assets in order to contribute to the security of a blockchain network and earn rewards in return. Staking can be a great way to generate passive income with your cryptocurrency, especially since some cryptocurrencies offer high interest rates for staking.
In this article, you’ll understand what’s crypto staking, how it works, why it’s important, and some of the top crypto staking platforms to get started.
What’s Crypto Staking?
When users “stake”—or lock up—their crypto assets for rewards, this is known as crypto staking. Staking requires users to commit their assets to the blockchain in order to validate cryptocurrency transactions and ensure the blockchain’s integrity. It works with cryptocurrencies that validate transactions using a proof-of-stake (PoS) consensus mechanism. Proof-of-stake protocols are an alternative to proof-of-work protocols (PoW).
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PoS relies on system users to validate transactions, whereas PoW relies on external miners who compete on computing power for the right to validate transactions and receive rewards for their efforts. Because specific networks offer high interest rates for various crypto stakes, staking has become a popular method for users to generate passive income.
Why Crypto Staking
The benefits of staking in cryptocurrency include, first and foremost, the reward for staking your tokens in the form of block rewards and other fees paid by blockchain users who want to prioritize their transactions over others. The process of bringing out rewards is known as “minting” in the POS system.
Staking tokens can result in large and lucrative minting rewards; additionally, different protocols may compete by offering larger staking rewards. Staking helps the blockchain project by increasing its efficiency and security. It improves the project’s ability to handle transactions while also making it more secure against attacks.
Some projects also distribute governance tokens to those who stake; these governance tokens function similarly to a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO). DAOs bring about decentralization in decision-making and changes to the protocol or project in question.
How does Crypto Staking work
Staking is only possible through the proof-of-stake consensus mechanism, which is a method used by some blockchains to select honest participants and validate new blocks of data added to the network.
These participants are referred to as “validators.” They buy and store a certain number of tokens in the blockchain, making it unappealing to engage in dishonest behavior in the network. They purchase and store a certain number of tokens on the blockchain, making dishonest behavior on the network unappealing. Validators who perform invalid functions (for example, adding a corrupted block to the blockchain) may lose some of their pledged tokens, a process known as “slashing.”
New cryptocurrency coins are minted and distributed as staking rewards every time a block is added to the blockchain. In exchange for their commitment, validators receive these rewards in the native cryptocurrency. The greater their stake, the greater their chances of proposing a new block and collecting the rewards.
To stake cryptocurrency, you must first own a cryptocurrency that employs the proof-of-stake model. Then you can decide how much you want to bet. This is possible with some of the most popular cryptocurrency exchanges.
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Some crypto exchanges like Binance offer two kinds of staking services: locked staking and flexible staking. Flexible staking allows you to redeem your staked assets at any time, whereas locked staking locks your asset for a set period of time. Higher interest rates are associated with locked staking.
When you stake your coins, they remain in your possession. You’re essentially putting those staked coins to work, and you can unstake them at any time if you want to trade them.
Many cryptos like Bitcoin use the proof-of-work model to add blocks to their blockchains. The problem with proof of work is that it requires considerable computing power which has led to significant energy usage from cryptocurrencies that use proof of work. This energy intensive process is also questioned over environmental concerns.
Proof of stake, on the other hand, doesn’t require nearly as much energy. This also makes it a more scalable option that can handle larger numbers of transactions.
Crypto Staking Platforms
If you want to participate in staking or a crypto rewards program, choosing the right crypto exchange is critical to ensuring that you have access to the best resources and the highest yields. Here are some of the best crypto staking platforms to get you started on your staking journey.
Binance
Binance is the largest cryptocurrency exchange by daily transaction volume and one of the best crypto staking platforms, supporting over 100 staking coins. Binance offers two staking options: locked and flexible.
As the name implies, locked staking involves a set bond period, whereas flexible staking allows you to be more flexible at the expense of lower staking rewards. Notably, locked staking allows for flexible withdrawals, but you will forfeit all of your rewards.
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Binance’s locked staking generally holds our funds for a minimum of 30 days, but a few coins do allow a 10 or 15 days staking period. They often command a higher annualized percentage yield (APY) and are safer.
Flexible locking periods come with DeFi staking. Here, you invest in 3rd-party DeFi projects, which may result in the smart contract getting attacked and your staking amount biting the dust.
But the prime advantage of DeFi staking is that you don’t have to maintain an on-chain wallet for every project you stake in. Then there are the extremely short bond periods; most are only 24 hours.
Kraken
As of this writing, Kraken is the third largest crypto exchange, as ranked by CoinMarketCap. Kraken supports staking in 12 crypto assets and unstaking in the majority of crypto coins. Unstaking means withdrawing or trading your staked amount. As a result, there is no bonding period.
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Furthermore, you earn staking rewards instantly, with Kraken paying you once a week or more, depending on the coin. You can also stake your rewards further to increase your earnings.
Kraken refers to this traditional method as “on-chain staking.” They do, however, include off-chain staking, which is only available in a few countries. Finally, there are no additional fees for staking or un-staking with Kraken.
ByBit
If you are concerned about fixed-term staking, ByBit offers a flexible staking option to alleviate your concerns. Furthermore, the large selection of top coins makes it an ideal staking location. Staking in BTC, ETH, USDT, Bit, SOL, DOT, and other currencies is supported by ByBit savings.
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Flexible terms include daily yields that are deposited into the user’s account automatically. Compound staking is not available, and you must manually reinvest for continuous earnings. In any case, ByBit staking is one of the most flexible offerings in the crypto space, with industry-leading APYs that you should not overlook.
Crypto Staking vs Yield Farming
Staking
Staking is the process by which users pledge to secure a proof-of-stake blockchain network by locking their crypto assets. Individual nodes are set up by stakers to validate transactions and add new blocks to the blockchain network.
Because, unlike PoW networks, PoS blockchains do not require massive computing power to validate new blocks, they consume less energy than proof of work (PoW) blockchains such as Bitcoin. Instead, on a PoS blockchain, nodes (servers that process transactions) are used to validate transactions and serve as checkpoints. “Validators” are network users who set up nodes, are chosen at random to sign blocks, and are rewarded for doing so.
Yield farming
Yield farming is a way to generate cryptocurrency from your cryptocurrency holdings. It’s been compared to farming because it’s a novel way to “grow your own cryptocurrency.” The procedure entails lending crypto assets for interest to DeFi platforms, which deposit them in a liquidity pool, which is essentially a smart contract for holding funds.
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The liquidity pool funds provide liquidity to a DeFi protocol, which is used to facilitate trading, lending, and borrowing. The platform earns fees by providing liquidity, which are distributed to investors based on their share of the liquidity pool. “Liquidity mining” is another term for yield farming.
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Liquidity pools are critical for automated market makers (AMMs). AMMs provide permissionless and automated trading through liquidity pools rather than a traditional system of sellers and buyers. Liquidity provider tokens, or LP tokens, are issued to liquidity providers to track their individual contributions to the liquidity pool.
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A trader, for example, must pay a fee to exchange Ethereum (ETH) for Dai (DAI). This fee is paid in proportion to the amount of liquidity added to the pool by the liquidity providers. The more capital invested in the liquidity pool, the greater the rewards.
Bottom line
The proof-of-stake model has benefited both cryptocurrencies and cryptocurrency investors. Proof of stake can be used by cryptocurrencies to process a large number of transactions at a low cost. Crypto investors can also generate passive income from their investments.
