Crypto staking means locking or delegating your coins to help secure a proof-of-stake blockchain, and earning rewards in return. Instead of miners burning electricity, proof-of-stake networks like Solana, Ethereum, Tron and BNB Chain pick validators to confirm transactions based on how many coins are staked with them. When you stake, you add weight to a validator. The network pays that validator new coins and fees, and most of those rewards are passed on to you.
In short: you keep holding the same coins, and over time you get more of them. That's why staking is one of the most popular ways to earn passive income from crypto.
This guide covers how staking works, what you can realistically earn, the risks nobody should skip, and how to start staking from Virtex Wallet.
How staking works, step by step
- You choose a coin that runs on proof of stake (for example SOL, ETH, TRX or BNB).
- You choose a validator (or a staking pool that picks validators for you).
- You delegate or lock your coins. On most networks this is an on-chain transaction signed from your wallet.
- The validator does the work. It runs servers that propose and check blocks.
- The network pays rewards. Rewards come from new coin issuance and transaction fees. The validator keeps a small commission and the rest goes to stakers.
- You unstake when you want out. Most networks have a waiting period (the unbonding or cooldown period) before coins become spendable again.
The important part: with native, non-custodial staking, your coins are not sent to the validator. You delegate voting weight to them. The validator can't spend your coins, and every stake, reward and withdrawal is recorded on a public blockchain where anyone can check it.
Why staking is transparent
Unlike a savings account, where you trust a bank's internal books, staking on a public chain is open by design:
- Your stake is visible on-chain. Look up your address on a block explorer (Solscan, Etherscan, Tronscan, BscScan) and you'll see the stake account or delegation.
- Validator performance is public. Uptime, commission and total stake are all published.
- Rewards are protocol rules, not promises. They're calculated by the network's code, not decided by a company.
This is what people mean when they say staking is decentralized and transparent. You can verify everything yourself instead of taking anyone's word for it.
How much can you earn from staking?
Staking rewards are shown as an APR or APY and they change over time. Rough ranges seen on major networks:
| Coin | Network | Typical reward range* | Unstaking wait |
|---|---|---|---|
| SOL | Solana | mid single digits % | ~1 epoch (about 2–3 days) |
| ETH | Ethereum | low single digits % | Varies with exit queue |
| TRX | Tron | low-to-mid single digits % (voting rewards) | 14 days |
| BNB | BNB Chain | low single digits % | 7 days |
*Rates are set by each network and move with total amount staked, fees and validator commission. Always check the current rate in the app before staking. Past rates don't guarantee future rewards.
Rewards are paid in the coin you stake. If you stake 100 SOL at 7% and the price of SOL halves, you'll have about 107 SOL, but they'll be worth less in dollars. Staking grows your coin balance; it doesn't protect you from price moves. We cover the maths in staking APY vs APR explained.
Is crypto staking safe?
Native staking is one of the lower-risk ways to earn yield in crypto, because your coins stay on-chain and you aren't lending them to a company. But no yield is risk-free. The main risks are:
- Price volatility. The biggest one. Rewards don't offset a large price drop.
- Lock-up and unbonding periods. You can't sell instantly while coins are unstaking.
- Validator risk. A badly run validator may earn lower rewards, and on some networks (like Ethereum and BNB Chain) misbehaving validators can be slashed, losing part of the stake.
- Smart contract risk. Liquid staking tokens and pools rely on extra contracts.
- Custodial risk. If a third party holds your keys, you depend on them.
We go deeper in is crypto staking safe? The real risks.
Native staking vs liquid staking vs exchange staking
- Native staking: delegate directly to validators on the coin's own network. Keys stay with you. Coins are locked while staked.
- Liquid staking: you stake through a protocol and receive a token (like stETH or rETH) that represents your staked coin and can be moved or swapped. Adds smart-contract risk.
- Exchange or custodial staking: a company stakes for you. Easiest, but you're trusting that company with your funds.
Virtex Wallet supports both: on-chain delegation in non-custodial mode, and a pooled staking option in custodial mode. See custodial vs non-custodial staking to pick the right one.
Which coins can you stake in Virtex Wallet?
Virtex Wallet supports staking on:
- Solana (SOL): how to stake Solana
- Ethereum (ETH): how to stake ETH without 32 ETH
- Tron (TRX): how to stake TRX and earn rewards
- BNB Chain (BNB): how to stake BNB
- Other EVM proof-of-stake networks, where available in the app
Bitcoin itself doesn't use proof of stake, so BTC can't be natively staked.
How to start staking in Virtex Wallet
- Install Virtex Wallet from Google Play and create or import a wallet.
- Back up your seed phrase if you're in non-custodial mode. See what is a seed phrase.
- Fund the wallet with the coin you want to stake. Moving coins off an exchange? Follow our transfer guide.
- Open the coin and tap Stake.
- Pick a validator (or the recommended option) and enter an amount. Leave a little of the coin unstaked for network fees.
- Review the estimated rewards, commission and unstaking period, then confirm.
- Track your rewards in the app, or check them yourself on the block explorer.
Common questions
Is staking really passive income? Mostly, yes. Once you've delegated, rewards accrue automatically. Occasionally you may want to check your validator's performance or claim rewards (on Tron, for example, voting rewards are claimed manually).
Can I lose money staking? Yes. Your coin balance grows, but the dollar value can fall if the price drops. Slashing and smart-contract bugs are rarer risks.
Can I unstake at any time? You can start unstaking at any time, but most networks have a waiting period before coins are spendable: about one epoch on Solana, 7 days on BNB Chain and 14 days on Tron.
Do I pay tax on staking rewards? In many countries staking rewards are taxable income when received. Rules differ, so check your local tax guidance.
What's the minimum amount to stake? It depends on the network and method. Delegating SOL, TRX or BNB works with small amounts, and pooled or liquid staking lets you stake ETH without the 32 ETH needed to run your own validator.
Ready to put idle coins to work? Download Virtex Wallet and stake from your own wallet. This article is general information, not financial advice.