Staking & yield
Staking explained
Staking is the proof-of-stake equivalent of mining: you lock coins to validate transactions and receive a reward. That yield is not interest but payment for a service with real risks.
Where the yield comes from
Part is new issuance, part is transaction and priority fees. Stakers avoid dilution; non-stakers absorb it.
Always compute real yield: nominal reward minus net network inflation.
Ways to stake
Solo staking gives most control but requires 32 ETH on Ethereum and a reliable node. Delegation is simpler but adds counterparty risk.
Liquid staking gives a tradable receipt, stacking smart contract risk on top of validator risk and reinforcing centralisation.
- Solo: maximum control, highest threshold
- Delegation: easy, counterparty risk
- Liquid staking: liquid, extra contract risk
Risks to understand
Slashing penalises double signing or prolonged downtime. Rare with a reliable operator, but not zero.
Exit queues can take days or weeks while the price keeps moving.
Staking yield calculator
See what staking nets you after commission, compounding and network inflation.
Inputs
Results
Net APR (after commission)
4.50 %
Net APY (compounded)
4.60 %
Real yield (after inflation)
2.55 %
Rewards year 1
46.025 coins
Average per day (year 1)
0.1261 coins
Ending balance
1,144.5273 coins
Value at flat price
€1,144.53
Growth of your stake
Risk
Staking is not a savings account. Slashing, validator downtime, unbonding periods, smart-contract bugs in liquid staking and price drops can all shrink your position. A high APR usually compensates high inflation or high risk. This is not investment advice.
Rounding and assumptions
We assume a constant APR, a flat price and equal periods; real networks vary daily. APY = (1 + net APR / n)^n − 1. Real yield is (1 + APY) / (1 + inflation) − 1. Figures are shown rounded to four decimals (coins) and two decimals (currency) while maths runs unrounded, so small differences with your wallet are normal. Taxes and transaction fees are excluded.
APY = (1 + APR/n)^n − 1
Frequently asked questions
Is staking risk-free income?
No: price risk, slashing risk, counterparty risk and liquidity risk during exit.
What is a normal staking yield?
Roughly two to eight percent per year depending on the network, denominated in the coin itself.
Do I report staking income?
Usually yes; treatment differs per country. See the Belgian and Dutch tax guide.
Read next
Proof-of-work versus proof-of-stake
Two ways to secure a network. What they cost, which attacks they deter and why the debate is rarely about technology.
Mining and tax in Belgium and the Netherlands
How mining and staking income is treated in Belgium and the Netherlands, which records to keep and where professional income begins.
What is crypto mining?
Mining explained without jargon: why networks need computation, what a miner does and where the reward comes from.