Staking Rewards Calculator
Calculate potential staking rewards for ETH, SOL, MATIC, and other PoS tokens
Calculate Staking Rewards
What is Crypto Staking?
Staking is the process of locking up cryptocurrency to support blockchain operations (like validating transactions) in exchange for rewards. It's similar to earning interest in a savings account, but with crypto.
Staking is only possible on blockchains that use Proof of Stake (PoS) or similar consensus mechanisms. Popular stakeable tokens include Ethereum (ETH), Cardano (ADA), Solana (SOL), Polkadot (DOT), and many others.
How Staking Works
Lock Your Tokens
Deposit tokens into a staking contract or validator. Your tokens are locked and cannot be traded.
Validate Transactions
Your staked tokens help secure the network by participating in transaction validation.
Earn Rewards
Receive rewards (new tokens) proportional to your stake. Rewards are paid continuously or at intervals.
Claim & Compound
Claim your rewards to your wallet or re-stake them to compound your returns over time.
Types of Staking
Stake directly on the blockchain (e.g., running your own validator node).
✗ Technical knowledge required
✗ High minimum stake (e.g., 32 ETH)
Stake via protocols like Lido or Rocket Pool, receive liquid staking tokens (stETH, rETH).
✓ Keep liquidity (trade stETH)
~ Small protocol fee (5-10%)
Stake via centralized exchanges like Binance, Coinbase, Kraken.
✓ Low minimums
✗ Not your keys, not your crypto
Stake from a hardware wallet without exposing your private keys.
✓ Full control
~ Supported on select chains
Staking vs Other DeFi Strategies
| Strategy | Returns | Risk | Liquidity | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Staking | 3-20% APR | Low | Locked (7-28 days unbonding) | Long-term holders |
| Yield Farming | 20-500% APY | High | Flexible | Risk-tolerant traders |
| Liquidity Mining | 10-100% APY | Medium | Flexible | Active LPs |
| Lending | 2-10% APY | Low-Medium | Flexible | Stablecoin holders |
| Holding | 0% (+ price appreciation) | Low | Immediate | Everyone (default) |
Staking Risks & Considerations
⚠️ Lock-up Period Risk
Most PoS chains have unbonding periods (7-28 days). You cannot sell during this time, exposing you to price volatility. Solution: Use liquid staking tokens (stETH) for immediate liquidity.
⚠️ Validator Slashing
If your validator misbehaves (double signing, downtime), a portion of staked funds can be slashed (penalized). Choose reputable validators with 99.9%+ uptime or use decentralized protocols like Rocket Pool.
⚠️ Smart Contract Risk
Liquid staking protocols (Lido, Rocket Pool) use smart contracts. Bugs or exploits can lead to loss of funds. Stick to audited, battle-tested protocols with insurance funds.
💡 Inflation Risk
Staking rewards come from token inflation. If everyone stakes, your % of total supply stays the same. Real returns = APR - inflation rate. Check tokenomics before staking.
💡 Opportunity Cost
5% staking APR might be lower than 15% yield farming APY. But yield farming has higher risks. Balance your portfolio between stable staking returns and higher-risk DeFi strategies.
Pro Staking Tips
Compound Your Rewards
Re-stake rewards to benefit from compound interest. A 10% APR becomes 10.47% APY with monthly compounding, and 10.52% with daily compounding.
Diversify Across Validators
Don't put all your stake with one validator. Spread across 3-5 validators to minimize slashing risk and support decentralization.
Consider Tax Implications
In many countries, staking rewards are taxed as income when received. Keep records of all reward claims and their USD value at time of receipt.
Monitor Validator Performance
Use tools like beaconcha.in (Ethereum), Solana Beach (Solana) to track your validator's uptime, commission rate, and performance. Switch if performance drops.
Use Liquid Staking for Flexibility
Liquid staking tokens (stETH, rETH, stMATIC) let you stake AND use your tokens in DeFi. Earn staking rewards + additional yield from lending/LPing.