15 Best Crypto Staking Platforms 2023 – How to Stake Crypto

Crypto staking refers to the process of ‘locking’ up your digital tokens for a certain period of time to contribute to the performance and safety of the respective blockchain network. In return, by staking your tokens, you will have the opportunity to earn interest.

In this guide, not only do we review the best crypto staking platforms for 2023 – but you’ll also find a newbie-friendly explanation of how this segment of the blockchain industry works.

Each of the above staking crypto sites offers something for everyone, which we’ll review.

Best Crypto Staking Platforms Reviewed

In our search for the best crypto staking platforms this year, we focused on a specific set of criteria. From an investment perspective, this covered metrics such as the yields on offer, lock-up terms, and the number of supported tokens.

In terms of security, we explored whether each platform holds a regulatory license and what systems are in place to ensure your crypto staking endeavors are conducted in a safe environment.

The findings of our crypto staking platform reviews can be found below.

1. Lucky Block – Overall Best Crypto Staking Platform for 2023

Topping our list of the best crypto staking platforms in 2023 is Lucky Block. The first thing to note about Lucky Block is that it isn’t actually a staking platform – it’s a new blockchain-based casino. However, Lucky Block tops our list due to its unique games and promotions that offer an appealing alternative to ‘traditional’ staking protocols.

Lucky Block’s most appealing characteristic is its colossal gaming selection, which features games from high-quality providers like NetEnt and Pragmatic Play. Like staking platforms, Lucky Block allows users to fund their accounts with ten different cryptos – with full support for BTC, ETH, DOGE, and more.

By playing these games (and participating in the sportsbook), users can generate higher returns than they would with a staking platform. Moreover, Lucky Block is running a promotion that sees new users receive 15% cashback on their net losses for the first seven days. Essentially, this provides a sort of ‘yield’ on losses, acting as a safety net for users.

Like the best Bitcoin gambling sites, Lucky Block has several enticing features – including the new ‘Races’ competition. This enables users to receive up to €1,000 in bonus payments based on their turnover. There are no minimums to participate in Races – meaning users need to play their favourite games as normal to be in with a chance of winning.

Given the uncertainty in the market stemming from FTX’s collapse, alternative platforms like Lucky Block have become more popular. What’s more, Lucky Block requires no KYC checks to sign-up, with the minimum deposit set at just $1. Finally, although Lucky Block is restricted in some countries (e.g. the US and the UK), gamers can bypass this by using a VPN.

2. OKX – Top Crypto Exchange with Staking on Popular Cryptos

OKX is a global crypto exchange with more than 20 million users around the world and more than 340 cryptocurrencies on offer. The platform offers some of the lowest trading fees around, making it a great option to buy many of the top cryptocurrencies for staking.

OKX itself offers crypto staking with rates up to 70% APY. Users can stake popular tokens like Ripple, Shiba Inu, Litecoin, Dogecoin, Polygon, Avalanche, Polkadot, and more. Many coins have multiple staking terms available, ranging from 15 to 120 days. Some coins even have flexible staking options that don’t require users to lock up their tokens. Ethereum 2.0 staking is available at a rate of 4.09% APY.

In addition to DeFi crypto staking, OKX offers crypto savings accounts that offer interest on stablecoins and tokens like Bitcoin. Tether and USD Coin each offer 10% APY, while Bitcoin earns 5% APY. Celsius Network’s token earns 300% APY. Crypto tokens earning interest in savings accounts never have a lock-in period and interest is paid out hourly.

Another neat staking option on OKX is what the platform calls flash deals. These are short-term, temporary offers to earn up to 500% APY for in-demand tokens. These deals are often available for Bitcoin, Ethereum, and emerging cryptocurrencies that traders want to borrow.

OKX doesn’t require a minimum deposit to open an account, although the minimum trade size is $10. The platform accepts credit cards, debit cards, bank transfers, and e-wallets to buy crypto and start staking tokens today.

Cryptoassets are a highly volatile unregulated investment product. 

3. Battle Infinity – Flexible and Locked Staking to Earn up to 25% APY

Battle Infinity is a new crypto project that’s building a multiverse within the metaverse. On the Battle Infinity platform, players can join games like IBAT Premier League or a constantly evolving selection of mini-games created by third-party developers. The experiences for players are highly varied, but they’re all tied together by the IBAT token – the backbone of the gaming economy in Battle Infinity.

The IBAT token is now available on the decentralized exchange Pancakeswap following one of the best crypto presales of the year. Battle Infinity offers staking on IBAT through its own platform, which is available to anyone who holds IBAT. IBAT staking is hosted on the Binance Smart Chain and investors just need to have a Metamask wallet or any wallet supported by Wallet Connect.

Battle Infinity offers several options to stake IBAT with interest rates ranging from 12-25% APY. The base rate comes from flexible staking, which enables investors to withdraw their IBAT at any time or reinvest their rewards at any time. Locked staking periods of 30, 90, 180, or 360 days offer high rates ranging from 14-25%.

Staking IBAT on Battle Infinity is relatively easy and only takes a few minutes. Check out Battle Infinity today to earn up to 25% APY!

Cryptoassets are a highly volatile unregulated investment product. 

4. Origin Dollar – DeFi’s first yield-bearing stablecoin.

Origin Dollar (OUSD) is DeFi’s first yield-bearing stablecoin. Instead of staking Dai, USDC, or USDT directly, investors can participate in cryptocurrency staking passively through OUSD. Origin Dollar is fully collateralized by leading stablecoins, and it uses these stablecoins to earn interest through market-neutral strategies on dapps like Aave and Curve.

Simply hold OUSD and the token increases in your wallet proportionally to the amount of interest earned by its collateral. It’s ideal for users looking to earn yield passively or for users looking to save on gas fees. Since the token grows directly in your wallet, there’s no need to pay gas fees to stake or unstake stablecoins.

Cryptoassets are a highly volatile unregulated investment product. 

5. DeFi Swap – Best Crypto Staking Platform for High Interest

DeFi Swap is a new decentralized cryptocurrency exchange and crypto farming platform. It’s specifically built to facilitate staking using its native DeFi Coin (DEFC). The platform offers 4 staking periods: 30 days, 90 days, 180 days, or 365 days. Depending on how long you’re willing to lock your coins for, you can earn interest rates from 30% to 75% APY.

The easiest way to get DeFi Coin is by using DeFi Swap’s exchange. You can swap from most major cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, BNB, and more. DeFi Swap also lets you purchase DeFi Coin with stablecoins, making it easy to earn a higher yield on tokens like USDC and USDT.

DeFi Swap was just launched, so the platform could offer more staking options and even higher rates as it expands. For now, you’ll be hard-pressed to find better rates for staking on another platform.

Cryptoassets are a highly volatile unregulated investment product. 

6. ZenGo – Popular Crypto Wallet for Lending, Staking and Interest Account

ZenGo is a multi-function crypto wallet, enabling users to buy, stake and swap crypto. Its WalletConnect feature allows users to connect securely to decentralized apps, trade NFTs and earn yields on Dapps. ZenGo can also be the go-to wallet for US residents wishing to convert all or a portion of their salaries into Bitcoin, Ethereum or USDC.

Providing a secure wallet is of the utmost importance to ZenGo, so it has enabled a 3-factor authorisation and uses MPC wallet cryptography. This crypto wallet also provides device protection to optimize safety and makes wallet retrieval easy if a user’s phone is lost or stolen. Users who are put in a compromising position and don’t know what to do can contact 24/7 support.

But the best part about this crypto wallet and what separates it from so many others on the market is it allows users to earn interest. The only thing that’s required is to hold crypto in the wallet, and users can lend their crypto or stake it.

With lending, users lend their crypto to Nexo, a ZenGo partner and a registered financial institution for crypto lending. The other passive income stream to earn interest on crypto is via staking. Tezos is the only staking asset on this platform. A ZenGo Savings account also enables users to earn up to an 8% annual percentage yield (APY). ZenGo offers 3% APY for Bitcoin, 4% APY for Ethereum and up to 8% on USDC, USDT and TUSD.

Cryptoassets are a highly volatile unregulated investment product. 

7. eToro – Popular Crypto Staking Platform with Low Fees

Primarily, eToro is known as an SEC-regulated cryptocurrency broker that offers industry-leading fees and low account minimums. However, eToro has since created a portal that allows you to stake your idle cryptocurrency investments. In fact, what we really like about this platform is that as soon as you buy digital assets at eToro, the respective tokens will automatically be staked on your behalf.

As of writing, eToro offers automated rewards on three of the best staking coins. This includes Ethereum, Cardano, and Tron. In terms of fees, this will depend on your eToro member status and location. For instance, while bronze members and US clients will receive 75% of the monthly staking yield that eToro is able to obtain, diamond and platform+ account holders retain 90%.

eToro is also one of the best crypto staking platforms in 2023 should you wish to engage in a flexible arrangement. By this, we mean that there is no requirement to lock up your crypto tokens for any period of time. On the contrary, you will continue to earn staking rewards on eligible tokens that you hold in your eToro crypto wallet until you decide to cash out. This subsequently prevents the need to transfer staking coins between competing platforms.

In choosing eToro as your go-to staking provider, a full range of other benefits are on offer. For example, you will be staking your crypto assets in a heavily regulated ecosystem, as eToro is licensed by the SEC, FCA, ASIC, and CySEC. Moreover, should you wish to buy crypto at eToro, you can deposit funds with US dollars for free with a debit/credit card, ACH, bank wire, or an e-wallet. And, instead of paying expensive commissions, you only need to cover the spread.

As two of the best crypto staking providers, eToro and Coinbase, making a choice between the plethora of brokers and exchanges can be challenging. We’ve reviewed and analyzed both providers so you can make an informed decision moving forward. Read our eToro vs Coinbase review for more information.

Cryptoassets are a highly volatile unregulated investment product. 

8. Crypto.com – Best Crypto Staking Platform for Flexible Withdrawals

Crypto.com was launched in 2016 and since become one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges – with millions of clients on its books. However, although Crypto.com is primarily known for offering simple and low-cost exchange services across more than 250+ tokens, the platform is also involved in a selection of other crypto-centric products.

In addition to digital asset loans, crypto credit cards and debit cards, and NFT markets, Crypto.com also offers staking services via its Crypto Earn facility. In a nutshell, once you deposit your chosen digital tokens, Crypto.com will allocate the funds to provide loans to account holders that wish to borrow capital. The end-borrower will subsequently repay the funds with interest added on top, which you will receive on a daily basis.

In terms of how much you will be paid, this depends on three core factors. First and foremost, APY rates will vary depending on the respective token. For instance, stablecoins such as USDC and TrueGBP attract an APY of 12%, while in the case of Bitcoin and Ethereum, this stands at 6.5%. Second, specific rates will depend on whether you are happy to lock your tokens up for one or three months, or with no redemption clause at all. For more details read our Crypto.com credit card review.

And finally, if you are able to stake CRO tokens – which is the native digital asset of Crypto.com, you will earn higher APYs. Irrespective of which tokens you decide to stake and on which terms, you must remember that your tokens are able to generate interest because Crypto.com lends the funds out. Nevertheless, in joining Crypto.com, you will also have instant access to a large suite of digital tokens that you can buy with a debit card at just 2.99% – so the platform will suit active traders.

Cryptoassets are a highly volatile unregulated investment product.

9. MyCointainer – Some of the Best Crypto Staking Rewards on the Market

MyCointainer was founded in 2018 and started operating with 20 coins at the time. It obtained a financial license in Estonia and got a permit to trade fiat currencies in the same year. Since then, it has been actively growing both the number of coins provided on the platform and the number of active users (2022 goal is 750k). With a successful seed round at the beginning of 2022 – $6m raised – the platform is looking to launch its own coin and expand the range of services, including DeFi protocols.

MyCointainer is an all-in-one platform offering a variety of ways to earn cryptocurrency. You can generate profit by keeping coins in your wallet, delegating them to MyCointainer nodes directly from your wallet or placing the coins offline. It is aimed at becoming an easy-to-use, universal crypto community where earning cryptocurrencies is no longer an incomprehensible mystery open for the insiders or a full-time job, but a clear and transparent process that doesn’t require 24/7 to get the hang of it.

MyCointainer staking platform offers around 150 crypto assets, from the most well-known altcoins like Polkadot and Cardano to a lot of promising coins you can make a fortune with. It’s a license (No. FVT000255) platform that prioritizes secure transactions and can function as a FIAT currency exchange and a crypto wallet provider. One of the ways to protect one’s assets with MyCointainer is to place the coins in a so-called cold wallet which means storing them offline rather than online. Additionally, the platform applies the SAFU (Secure Asset Fund for Users) that is an emergency insurance fund used to pay back to the investors who lose their assets due to the hack or other kind of frauds.

MyCointainer is a perfect option for beginners – you can buy or exchange coins starting with as little as 1 EUR. However, multiple airdrops and giveaways on the platform give a chance for those who would love to enter the crypto world without putting their investments in risk. As a new user, you will also get a welcome bonus for joining the platform. MyCointainer does have a staking fee on the earned rewards, but they are one of the lowest fees offered on the market. However, with the POWER subscription, you can avoid fees and get access to limited Masternodes.

Cryptoassets are a highly volatile unregulated investment product.

10. Coinbase – Popular Exchange That Also Offers Crypto Staking Services

Coinbase is perhaps the best crypto staking platform to consider if you are a beginner that is also looking to buy and sell digital assets in a secure environment. This is because, in addition to staking services, Coinbase offers a regulated and user-friendly exchange platform. As of writing, Coinbase supports six digital currencies that can be staked.

As of writing, this trusted altcoin exchange supports six digital currencies that can be staked. This is inclusive of Ethereum, Algorand, Cosmos, Tezos, Dai, and USDC. Rates on offer vary from 0.15% APY on USDC to 5% on Cosmos. Support for additional staking coins is expected in the coming months. It is important to note that you do not need to buy crypto on Coinbase to be eligible for staking rewards. On the contrary, you can transfer the tokens you would like to stake from an external wallet.

If you like the sound of Coinbase for your staking requirements, you can open a verified account in less than five minutes by providing some basic personal information and a copy of your government-issued ID. And, if you are yet to hold any staking coins, you can make a purchase with your debit or credit card instantly. You will, however, need to bear in mind that this payment method attracts a fee of nearly 4%.    

Cryptoassets are a highly volatile unregulated investment product.

11. Binance – Great Platform for High Staking Rewards

Binance is one of the best crypto staking platforms for those looking to earn high rewards. This popular exchange platform is able to support nearly 100 different staking coins – which covers a wide range of projects and APYs. Moreover, in terms of how long you wish to lock your tokens up for – Binance offers various options. This typically covers a period of 10,30, 60, or 90 days.

To give you an idea of what’s on offer, Moonbeam (GLMR) is available to stake on the Binance website on a 10-day lock-up period alongside a super-high yield of 239%. You then have the likes of Shiba Inu and Solana, which attract at APY of 8.78% (30 days) and 10.12% (10 days) as of writing. What you will often find at Binance is that the highest yields are paid on shorter lock-up periods.

This is because rates change on a daily basis, so you will rarely be able to lock in promotional APYs for more than a month. Moreover, we should also note that each staking pool has a maximum allocation, so you might find that the best deals sell out quickly.  Once you have facilitated your staking requirements, you might also consider using Binance to trade digital currencies. After all, the platform offers more than 1,000+ markets (60 in the US) at industry-leading fees. 

In fact, the most that you will pay to trade at Binance is 0.10% per slide. This means that for every $1,000 traded, a fee of just $1 is collected. Another top-rated feature offered by Binance is its crypto savings account. In depositing funds, you will be paid a rate of interest on your idle crypto assets. Once again, the specific APY rate that you have access to will depend on the cryptocurrency and lock-up terms. Usually, flexible savings accounts offer the lowest rates.

Cryptoassets are a highly volatile unregulated investment product. 

12. LooksRare – Earn up to 221% APY for Staking LOOKS

LooksRare is a new NFT marketplace that earns crypto rewards every time you buy or sell NFTs. Rewards are distributed in the platform’s own LOOKS token, which is the governance token for the LooksRare DAO currently under development. While the DAO is still being finalized, you can stake your LOOKS tokens on the LooksRare platform and earn interest up to 221% APY.

It’s up to you whether to earn rewards in LOOKS or in a combination of LOOKS and wrapped Ethereum. If you choose Ethereum rewards, the interest rate for staking drops to 130% APY.

LooksRare only supports staking for the LOOKS token, and staking this token isn’t supported by most other crypto staking platforms. So, this is a unique opportunity to offer incredibly high interest rates on a new crypto project.

What is Staking Crypto?

It is important that you understand the ins and outs of how crypto staking works before you embark on your interest-earning journey.

And as such, this section of our guide will explain the basics that you need to know prior to investing any tokens.

How Does Crypto Staking Work?

Crypto staking is the process of locking up some of your digital tokens to help process safe and efficient transactions on a proof-of-stake blockchain.

In doing so, you will earn a rate of interest on the tokens that you decide to stake. This means that instead of keeping idle cryptocurrency investments in a traditional wallet, you can make money with cryptocurrency by earning regular income on your tokens in addition to capital gains.

Before going any further, let’s look at a basic  example of how crypto staking works:

• Let’s say that you wish to stake ADA on the Cardano network
• We’ll say that this yields an APY of 10%
• You decide to stake $5,000 worth of ADA tokens for three months
• Over the course of a year, a $5,000 staking allocation would yield $500 in rewards, so for three months – that’s $125 in passive income

It is important to note that your staking rewards will be paid to you in the respective token. This means that in the example above, your $125 staking rewards would be paid to you in ADA.

Crucially, during the timeframe that you lock your crypto away, you will still benefit from a potential increase in the token’s value. For instance, if ADA was worth $1 at the time you began staking and $1.50 when the lock-up period concludes – you would still see the value of your tokens increase by 50%. This is the beauty of crypto staking – as you can earn rewards on two fronts.

With that said, we should note that originally, staking was only possible by downloading the ledger node of the respective blockchain network to your desktop device. This meant that you would be staking tokens directly with the blockchain ledger via a supported wallet.

However, the staking scene has since evolved – making it far more convenient for beginners and experienced investors alike to earn rewards.

This is because the best crypto staking platforms are now third-party providers that simply require you to deposit your tokens to start earning interest. And, staking rewards are even possible on non-proof-of-stake coins, as leading platforms offer interest-earning opportunities via savings accounts. Did you know that there are some key differences between yield farming vs staking?

Lock-Up Periods

When you stake crypto directly through a blockchain node, a lock-up period is almost always required. This means that you will not be able to withdraw your crypto assets until the lock-up period has concluded.

This is somewhat similar to how traditional bonds work, as you will still receive staking rewards while the tokens are locked up. It’s just that your original principal investment will not be required until the end of the agreement.

Furthermore, the best crypto staking platforms that we came across during our research process even offer flexible programs. This means that while you might receive a less favorable rate of interest, you can withdraw your staking coins at any given time.

Mining vs Staking

There is often a misconception that mining and staking are one of the same things. However, these terms each represented different processes.

• In the case of mining, this is a process used to verify and confirm new transactions for a specific blockchain network.
• In most cases, miners are required to inset expensive hardware into specialist devices, which consume large amounts of electricity.
• But, in return for contributing their resources, miners have the chance to earn rewards when new tokens are minted. Bitcoin, for example, pays successful miners 6.25 BTC every 10 minutes.

Importantly, mining – especially on popular networks like Bitcoin, is highly cost-ineffective. This is why staking is more favorable. For instance, to stake cryptocurrencies online, you are not required to buy any hardware devices, nor do you need to consume vast amounts of electricity.

Instead, it’s just a case of choosing the best crypto staking platform for your requirements, depositing the respective tokens, and then sitting back and enjoying your passively-earned income.

On-Chain vs Off-Chain Staking

Another important aspect to understand about cryptocurrency staking is whether you will be initiating the process on-chain or off-chain. In its most basic form – and as the name suggests, on-chain staking is will see you stake your tokens directly on the respective blockchain network.

As we briefly covered earlier, this will usually require you to download the entire blockchain ledger to your desktop device and then connect to a node through a supported wallet. Although this allows you to engage directly with the blockchain, on-chain staking is best left to those with enhanced knowledge of cryptocurrencies.

On the other hand, if you are a complete beginner that wishes to keep things basic, then you are better off using an off-chain staking provider. All of the best staking platforms that we reviewed today provide off-chain services, which means that you require no prior experience to get started.

This is because your agreement is with the staking platform itself – as opposed to the blockchain network. And as such, once you have decided on the staking platform, cryptocurrency, and desired lock-up period – there is nothing more for you to do.

Benefits of Staking Crypto

Crypto staking won’t be for everyone – especially if you are looking to trade digital currencies actively. With that in mind, to ensure that staking is right for your cryptocurrency investment goals – consider the benefits outlined below.

Earn Interest on Idle Crypto Investments

When you hold traditional stocks in your portfolio, there is every chance that you will receive dividend payments every month.

But, by holding cryptocurrencies in your portfolio, you will only make money if the value of the digital tokens increases and you elect to cash out. Well, not unless you decide to store your long-term crypto investments at a top-rated staking platform.

This is because, for as long as you decide to stake your tokens, you will be paid a rate of interest. This means that you will have the opportunity to grow your crypto wealth on two fronts – as you will still reap the rewards if the respective digital asset rises in value.

Note that crypto staking isn’t the same as earning interest via crypto lending – many companies that offered that service such as Celsius, Voyager, Babel Finance and others filed for bankruptcy in mid 2022 after the ‘crypto winter’ period. However the staking platforms we reviewed on this guide were unaffected.

Compound Interest Strategy

Once again uses traditional equity investments as a great comparison, dividend stocks give you the opportunity to benefit from compound interest.

This is because, on each quarterly payment that you receive, you can instantly reinvest the dividends back into the same stock.

• For example, if you received $150 in dividends from Johnson & Johnson, based on prices as of writing, this would allow you to purchase two additional shares.
• As this process is repeated, you are increasing your interest-earning ability, as dividends are paid on a greater number of stocks.

In the case of staking, the best platforms in this space distribute rewards on a daily basis. And as such, every time you receive staking rewards in the form of new tokens, this increases your overall holdings. Moreover, by reinvesting the tokens back into the staking platform, you will exponentially increase the size of your daily payments.

Hedge Against Falling Crypto Prices

Another great benefit of crypto staking is that you can hedge against the risk of falling crypto prices. For instance, let’s suppose that you are a long-term investor and currently hold $5,000 worth of digital currencies in your portfolio.

If the broader markets go on a prolonged downward spiral, then it can be disheartening to see the value of your portfolio decline.

However, by staking your cryptocurrency tokens, you will still earn rewards irrespective of how the respective digital asset is performing.

Staking Doubles up as a Storage Facility

When using the best crypto staking platforms to earn interest on your idle digital currencies, you will be required to deposit the funds into a wallet that is controlled by the provider.

While at first glance this might sound somewhat risky, this won’t be the case if you are using a regulated entity.

• For instance, we mentioned earlier that eToro is authorized and regulated by a number of reputable financial bodies – including the SEC.
• And as such, you can be sure that your staking tokens are being well looked after.
• Furthermore, in choosing a trusted staking platform, you don’t need to worry about being responsible for safekeeping your private keys.
• Instead, wallet security is the responsibility of your chosen staking site.

With that said, you should avoid making the assumption that all crypto staking platforms are safe. On the contrary, anyone can create a website offering staking services, so be sure to research your chosen provider thoroughly before proceeding.

The 5 Best Crypto Staking Coins

If you’re wondering which crypto to stake, you have countless options to choose from. After all, the best staking platforms in this industry allow you to earn rewards on idle digital currencies even if it’s not a proof-of-stake project.

To help clear the mist, below we discuss the five best crypto staking coins to consider for your portfolio today.

1. DeFi Coin (DEFC) – Overall Best Crypto to Stake

Our number one pick when it comes to the best staking coins is DeFi Coin (DEFC). As we touched on earlier, DeFi Coin is the native token of the brand new DeFi Swap platform, which offers a vast array of helpful trading services. When DeFi Swap made its long-awaited debut earlier this year, the price of DEFC surged by 500% in just a few hours.

However, DEFC is also a great option if you’re looking to generate income through staking. The DeFi Swap platform offers four staking ‘tiers’, each with its own lock-up period and APY. For investors looking to generate the highest returns from their DEFC holdings, the ‘Platinum’ tier offers yields of 75% per year, with a lock-up timescale of 365 days.

DeFi Coin is also one of the best DEX coins since it can be used to swap into other BEP-20 tokens via the DeFi Swap exchange. This opens up a universe of potential tokens that can be staked or used within the exchange’s liquidity pools. Finally, since DEFC has a built-in ‘static rewards’ system, investors will even generate regular income simply by holding the token in their crypto wallets.

Cryptoassets are a highly volatile unregulated investment product. 

2. USDC – Best Stablecoin to Stake

If your main focus when staking crypto is to earn a passive income without the volatility of the broader markets, then a stablecoin like USDC is likely the best option for you.

Although other stablecoins can be staked, USDC is backed by Coinbase, and thus – you can be sure you are investing in a trusted digital asset. Moreover, unlike its fellow stablecoin provider Tether, USDC has had its reserves audited. This means that each and every USDC token in circulation is backed 1:1 with a US dollar.

Crucially, not only does USDC allow you to earn interest without worrying about volatility, but the digital token offers some of the best staking rewards in the market.

3. The Graph – Best Crypto to Stake for Growth Potential

If you’re looking to invest in cryptocurrencies that offer great upside potential, then you might consider The Graph. This cryptocurrency is backed by the Ethereum network and the underlying technology offered by The Graph allows blockchains to index data.

This means that blockchains can automatically move unnecessary data off-chain – which will subsequently free up space to keep the network running at desired efficiency levels. And, The Graph can be staked easily at a number of leading platforms, with some providers offering double-digit APYs.

Check out our guide on how to buy The Graph if you want to stake this crypto.

4. Ethereum – Best Crypto to Stake On-Chain

Although Ethereum is still in the process of migrating from proof-of-work over to proof-of-stake – it is still possible to earn rewards directly on-chain. On the hand one, to become a registered validator, Ethereum requires you to stake a minimum of 32 ETH. Based on prices as of writing, this amounts to a capital outlay of over $85,000.

The good news, however, is that the Ethereum blockchain also allows you to join a staking pool. This simply means that you will join forces with other token holders and thus – you will be able to stake Ethereum with a small amount of money. In terms of the rewards on offer, this ultimately depends on how busy the network is and what transaction fees are collected.

5. BNB – Best Crypto to Stake for ZERO Fees

If you’re put off by the fees that crypto staking platforms charge, then you might consider buying BNB and then earning staking rewards on it. This is because, when staking BNB via the Trust Wallet cryptocurrency app, you won’t pay any fees whatsoever. And as such, any staking rewards generated are 100% yours to keep.

Moreover, in staking BNB tokens via the Trust Wallet app, you will earn an attractive APY of 11%. Your rewards are paid out on a daily basis too – which is great for earning compound interest. Furthermore, Trust Wallet does not require a lock-up period of any sort, so you can withdraw your BNB tokens at any given time.

Is Crypto Staking Taxed?

Taxation in the cryptocurrency arena is very complex and the specifics will not only depend on your residency status but your individual profile. As such, you should seek tax advice from a qualified professional.

With that said, some countries will look to tax staking earnings – albeit, the rules can and will differ depending on the jurisdiction.

Nevertheless, to give you some insight, Coinbase notes that:

“Staking rewards are treated like mining proceeds: taxes are based on the fair market value of your rewards on the day you received them“.

Potential Risks of Crypto Staking

Where there are potential rewards on the table, there will also be certain risks to consider. Staking is not exempt from this sentiment, so be sure to take the following risks into account before proceeding.

Platform Risk

We would argue that the overarching risk of crypto staking is with respect to the third-party platform itself.

• For instance, your chosen provider will initially require you to deposit your crypto tokens into its own wallet so that you can begin the staking process.
• This means that you need to trust that the platform has your best interests at heart. Even if it does, if the staking platform is hacked and funds are stolen – you could be a direct victim of this.
• Moreover, the agreement you have in place is with the staking platform itself and not the respective blockchain network.
• Therefore, when it comes to receiving your rewards or making a withdrawal request – you are trusting that the platform will meet its obligations.

This is why we rate eToro as the best crypto staking platform for 2023 – as the provider is heavily regulated.

Market Value Risk

There is often a misconception that staking offers guaranteed income. Even if your chosen staking platform does keep to its advertised APY and makes each subsequent payment on time – you still need to consider the market value of the respective cryptocurrency.

For example:

• Let’s suppose that you sign up with a staking platform that offers a yield of 50% per year on your chosen crypto asset
• You decide to deposit $1,000 of tokens
• After 1-year of staking, you have earned the crypto-equivalent of 50% – or $500
• However, 1-year after staking, the respective cryptocurrency has gone in value by 80%.
• And as such, even though you earned 50% in addition tokens, your original investment now carries a market value of just $200

Taking the above example into account, it’s probably best that you diversify as much as you can when engaging in crypto staking. In doing so, this will reduce the risk of being overexposed to a specific project.

Latest Crypto Staking Platform News

Since the crypto market is still relatively new compared to ‘traditional’ financial markets, there tend to be frequent updates and news regarding the top crypto staking platforms. With that in mind, presented below are some of the top news items to be aware of for the week beginning January 30th 2023:

• Reports have emerged that the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) had raised concerns about FTX eight months before its collapse. These concerns were related to how FTX was able to get set up in the country by taking over an already-established entity.
• Leaked information from blogger Tiffany Fong has highlighted that Binance was one of five firms to place bids on Celsius Network’s crypto assets. Binance’s offer was reportedly around $15m, yet was thrown out, along with the others.
• Finally, Coinbase is in hot water after the Dutch central bank fined the exchange €3.3m. This fine was levied after Coinbase failed to comply with local regulations related to financial entities.

Conclusion

This in-depth guide has covered the ins and outs of crypto staking. Not only does this include a rundown of the best crypto platforms for 2023 – but which coins you should consider.

We’ve also discussed the benefits and risks of crypto staking, and whether you should opt for an on-chain or off-chain agreement.

Those looking for an alternative to the best staking platforms may wish to consider Lucky Block. This BTC casino offers a range of games and promotions that can rival (or beat) what’s offered through ‘traditional’ staking protocols – all whilst insulating users from any liquidity risks arising from the current crypto market volatility.

FAQs on Crypto Staking