Staking ADA

Everything you want to know about staking your ADA and the rewards.

What does it mean to stake ADA?

Staking ADA means committing your ADA to support the operations of the Cardano network. In return for this, delegators (or stakers) receive rewards in the form of additional ADA.

Why should I stake my ADA?

Staking your ADA allows you to earn passive income in the form of staking rewards. Additionally, by staking, you are contributing to the security, stability, and decentralization of the Cardano network.

How do I start staking ADA?

To start staking ADA, you need to choose a staking pool, like Stake with [ROBOT], and delegate your ADA holdings to that pool using a Cardano-compatible wallet.

💡 Refer to [ Step-by-step Staking ] for a detailed how-to guide on staking.

Is my ADA safe when I stake it?

Yes, staking ADA is a secure process. When you delegate your ADA to a staking pool, the ADA remains in your wallet and is not transferred to the pool. This ensures you always have control over your tokens, no one else.

Can I choose the ADA amount to stake?

No, when you stake your ADA, you are actually delegating your entire Cardano address to a stake pool. This means all the ADA in that specific address is staked. If you wish to stake a specific amount, you'd need to transfer that amount to a separate address and then delegate from there.

Is there a minimum ADA amount to start staking?

There isn't a strict minimum amount set by the Cardano protocol itself, but some wallets may have a minimum requirement for staking. Typically, it's a very small amount to ensure that the delegation transaction is valid.

Is my ADA balance spendable while it's staked?

Yes, your ADA balance remains spendable even when it's staked. If you spend a portion of your staked ADA, that portion will simply be deducted from your staked amount.

How much can I earn from staking my ADA?

The amount you can earn from staking ADA varies based on several factors, including the total amount of ADA staked in the network, the performance of your chosen stake pool, and the amount of ADA you stake. Many Cardano wallets and online calculators can provide estimated staking returns.

How are staking rewards calculated?

Staking rewards are determined based on several factors: the amount of ADA you've staked, the performance of your chosen stake pool, and the overall amount of ADA staked in the network. Rewards are typically distributed at the end of each epoch.

When will I start earning rewards?

After delegating your ADA to a stake pool, there's typically a waiting period of 15-20 days (or 3-4 epochs) before you begin receiving rewards. After this initial wait, you should receive rewards at the end of every epoch.

What is an epoch in the context of staking?

An epoch is a fixed period in the Cardano network, lasting five days. At the end of each epoch, staking rewards are calculated and then distributed in the following epoch.

Can I unstake my ADA whenever I want?

Yes, you can undelegate or unstake your ADA at any time. However, note that there might be a short period (usually two epochs) before your staking status is updated and before you can access rewards from previous epochs.

How does unstaking work?

Unstaking (or undelegating) your ADA is a straightforward process. In your Cardano wallet, you can choose to stop delegating to a stake pool, which effectively "unstakes" your ADA. Note that rewards from previous epochs might take some time (usually two epochs) to be accessible after unstaking.

Do I need to claim my ADA rewards?

In most Cardano wallets, staking rewards are automatically added to your total ADA balance. However, some wallets might require you to manually claim your rewards. It's always a good idea to familiarize yourself with the features of your chosen wallet.

What is the difference between a stake pool and a delegator (staker)?

A stake pool is a reliable server node that holds the combined stake of various ADA holders and validates transactions on the Cardano network. A staker (or delegator) is an individual ADA holder who delegates their ADA to a stake pool to earn rewards.