Crypto Staking: Locking Up Crypto Holdings To Earn Interest

Published on: 03 May 2023 Last Updated on: 04 November 2024

Staking cryptocurrency is a growing trend since it allows individuals to generate passive income from their existing cryptocurrency holdings.

Making money in the crypto space can be done in several ways. You can join in DeFi and stake your cryptocurrencies, acquire and keep coins with the expectation of price appreciation, or trade on price speculation via crypto CFDs.

In this post, we will define staking and walk you through the steps necessary to begin staking your own coins.

What Is Crypto Staking? How Does Staking In Crypto Work?

By “locking up” assets to maintain the integrity of a cryptocurrency network, “staking” allows users to receive a passive income from their cryptocurrency holdings without ever having to sell their coins. Investing in cryptocurrency through staking is equivalent to putting money into a high-interest savings account.

Staking allows cryptocurrency networks to obtain consensus on the status of transactions via a proof of stake mechanism, with the tokens themselves acting as a kind of internal security rather than the computer power and electricity consumed by the network.

This is demonstrated by the success of proof-of-stake cryptocurrencies like Cardano, Solana, and Polkadot in the cryptocurrency market. These networks are able to process a high volume of transactions with low transaction fees because of the various staking mechanisms they employ.

Blockchain infrastructures benefit from this because they become more adaptable, affordable to users, and eco-friendly. Besides improving cryptocurrency’s safety, scalability, and efficiency, staking lets its owners make passive revenue.

To maximize their returns, many long-term holders are taking advantage of staking rewards. Staking, however, has some negatives, such as a reduced ability to sell assets swiftly in the event of a market downturn.

The network chooses validators according to the number and age of tokens they have staked. Staking more tokens for a longer period of time increases the likelihood of getting chosen as a validator.

Users that have a lesser portion of tokens have a decreased likelihood of contributing to the network’s security and earning incentives as a result of their participation. Because of this, users with a lower stake make use of staking pools so that they can take part in the network.

Staking Pool Definition

To increase their chances of being chosen to validate blocks and receive block rewards, cryptocurrency network users can form staking pools by pooling their funds with other users.

Those who have stakes in the pool receive a proportional share of the block reward based on the sum of stakes they own. Staking pools, therefore, often result in lower payouts than individual staking. In contrast to the reliable and predictable payouts from staking pools, solo staking involves a significant investment in the crypto network.

Operators of staking pools, typically cryptocurrency exchanges, are in charge of maintaining the network’s validator nodes. Participants in the pool are obligated to store their funds at a predetermined public blockchain address. The pool has a nominal price for this convenience.

Other options enable users to stake money from their wallets directly into pools. Cold staking is one method that allows users to participate in pools while still using their hardware wallet.

Users who don’t feel comfortable managing and running their own node but still want to contribute to the security of the cryptocurrency network can do so through staking pools.

Why Is Staking Limited To Some Cryptocurrencies?

Whether or not a cryptocurrency network supports staking depends on the consensus process used.

Many cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin and Litecoin, are not stackable because of the consensus method they employ. The double-spending issue that plagued early attempts with digital currency is resolved by crypto networks thanks to their consensus processes.

These consensus procedures are resilient in the face of opposition because of the careful economics they employ. The economics of the first cryptocurrency networks relied on mining, the mechanism through which nodes competed to solve cryptographic challenges with computational power.

Tokens and transaction fees are awarded to the node that verifies the right set of transactions and solves the cryptographic issue first. Bitcoin mining has come under fire due to concerns over its impact on the world’s energy supply.

Later, in 2012, Peercoin’s developer presented the notion of staking as a solution to the problems with the proof of work consensus mechanism. By risking their tokens, nodes demonstrate their support for the right set of transactions without having to solve complicated cryptographic challenges. Staking is only possible in cryptocurrencies because only they use this particular consensus methodology.

However, in order to attain consensus, several cryptocurrencies use a hybrid approach, combining proof of stake with proof of work. Bitcoin and Litecoin are examples of very straightforward cryptocurrency networks that can function adequately using proof of work.

Moreover, proof of work is notoriously time-consuming and expensive, making it unsuitable for use in cryptocurrency networks like Ethereum.

How Are Crypto Staking Rewards Calculated?

Crypto staking calculators are utilized to determine the value of staking incentives. These calculators provide you with an estimate of the amount of interest you will get after the investment period has passed.

Calculators work with the number of tokens invested, the annual percentage yield, and the length of time the tokens are held. Be sure to do the math on the potential winnings from your bets before you place them so that you can pick the solution that works best with your goals.

What Are The Benefits Of Crypto Staking?

As is the case with all different kinds of investments, there are potential downsides as well as potential upsides. Find out more about the benefits of staking cryptocurrency below:

It validates financial transactions with a little amount of energy consumption.
A cryptocurrency network can have its own internal security without having to rely on third-party hardware.
Provides customers with the ability to generate passive income from their cryptocurrency holdings.
It contributes to increasing the scalability of cryptocurrency networks.
Provides an incentive for users to contribute to the safety of blockchains by reducing the required investment in their tokens.

Is Staking Crypto Safe?

There is some risk involved in staking, despite the fact that it is a revolutionary and relatively simple technique to generate passive income from your crypto holdings. Before staking their coins, investors need to be aware of certain risks, including the following:

Low Liquidity

When staking cryptocurrencies with a lesser market cap than Bitcoin or Ethereum, users frequently run the danger of being unable to sell their tokens once the staking time has ended. Choose a cryptocurrency that has a high level of liquid market activity and one that supports staking in order to reduce the impact of this risk.

Lockup Periods

Users will not be able to access their tokens while they are participating in the staking process since several staking protocols have lockup periods. You will not be able to sell the staked token in order to reduce your losses in the event of a personal financial crisis or if there is a significant reduction in the value of the staked token.

Alternatively, you may have to pay a high price to get at your tokens, reducing the number of tokens you have staked. Staking tokens without lockup periods is one way to deal with this.

Validator Limitation

In order to enhance their likelihood of successfully validating blocks, certain protocols mandate that validators keep their nodes online and operational at all times. In addition, validators need to exercise extreme caution whenever they operate a node.

If validators make a mistake and include invalid transactions by accident or if they default by going offline, they run the risk of having their staked tokens wiped out, which could include the tokens of individuals who are associated with that node.

Protect yourself from this by either becoming a validator by learning how to host a node or by staking your tokens with a trusted staking pool.

Conclusion

If you have cryptocurrency that you may stake and you do not have any immediate plans to trade it, then you should consider staking it. You won’t have to put in any effort at all, but your cryptocurrency holdings will grow as a result.

What happens if you don’t currently possess any cryptocurrency that you can stake? Researching cryptocurrencies that support staking is something you should do because of the potential returns.

There are many platforms that provide this service; nonetheless, it is important to determine whether or not each cryptocurrency represents a sound financial investment. You should only buy a cryptocurrency with the intention of staking it if you are also convinced that it is a suitable long-term investment.

The proof-of-stake system has proved useful, not just for cryptocurrencies but also for investors in crypto assets. Proof of stake is a method that can be utilized by cryptocurrencies to facilitate the processing of a high volume of transactions with a low associated cost.

Since you now have a better understanding of staking, you can begin looking into cryptocurrencies that have this feature.

Read Also:

Abdul Aziz Mondol

Abdul Aziz Mondol is a professional blogger who is having a colossal interest in writing blogs and other jones of calligraphies. In terms of his professional commitments, he loves to share content related to business, finance, technology, and the gaming niche.

View all posts

8 Reasons to Have a Pre-employment Background Check in Facility

It is risky to entrust your business to a total stranger who is seeking a job in your organization. For your business or organization to reap maximum benefits, it is important to make sure that you have a team of employees who you can trust. You don’t have to entirely depend on contract terms as the primary basis for the trust! Make sure that you have background knowledge of the employees before even employing them. 8 Reasons to Have a Pre-employment Background Check in Facility The following are the reasons why you need to have a pre-employment background check facility in your organization. 1. Keep away from criminals: Having criminals in your organization is very risky. They can steal from you, tarnish the name of your organization or cause scandals which can even lead to permanent closure. To make sure that you are not employing criminals, it is important to have a background check before hiring any employee. It is vital to make the job seeker to provide the relevant criminal records or what is commonly referred to as “Certificate of Good Conduct”. By doing this, you will be sure that you are not employing a convict and your organization is safe. 2. Scrutinize documents for authenticity: Some of the people seeking jobs may forge documents to make their resumes look impressive. If the employer is not keen, underqualified staff may be hired! Having underperforming staff has detrimental effects on the organization’s profits and operations. It is important to make sure that the documents provided by the prospective employees are authentic and verifiable. You can call the particular institutions indicated to verify the information. In this modern age, it is possible for a high school drop-out to possess a degree! Go through the paperwork to ensure that every detail provided is correct and true. 3. To ensure the proper social conduct: Many companies or organizations spend a lot of money to brand their image. It is very important that the image is upheld to the highest standards to make sure that it remains trustworthy in the eyes of investors and the public. To safeguard the organization’s image, it is necessary to have a background check of the employees to ensure that their social conduct doesn’t compromise what the organization stands for. You can go through their social media accounts and see what they post. If you find that a particular employment seeker has consistent ideologies that compromise the organization’s image, drop him/her. 4. To employ sober people: Most organizations today carry out pre-employment drug tests. The organizations require sober and productive employees, not drug addicts! Drug users normally underperform their duties and cause many workplace accidents. The accidents not only result in physical harm but also huge losses which become difficult to recover from. Furthermore, the insurance cost increases due to such accidents. Your business or organization does not have to go through such risks if you are able to avoid them. Have the employment seekers to take a drug test for the illegal drugs. You can employ a urine drug test, blood test, hair follicle or even a saliva drug test. 5. To ensure physical and medical fitness: Most jobs require the physical and medical fitness for maximum productivity. Certain medical conditions can only be worsened by the type of work being done. Example, a construction company may avoid people with respiratory conditions like asthma. It is important to ask for a medical report for particular tests to ensure that the employees are fully fit to carry out different tasks without taking medical leaves. 6. To check past employment records and reasons for being laid off: Research has shown that a person’s behavioral character is likely to remain the same under similar authority or conditions. Before offering employment, make sure that you have checked the employment records of the job seeker. You can do so by going through the recommendation letters provided or calling the organizations indicated. You don’t need to employ a person who was fired for coming to work late, stealing or even insubordination. There is a likelihood for your organization to suffer from the same! 7. To make sure that the employee is legally eligible to work in the country: It is against the law to hire illegal immigrants or underage people. To make sure that none of these happen, make sure that you have a proper pre-employment background test facility in your organization. For non-citizens, ask for work visas and all the legal documents. Make sure that you ask for the national identity cards for the citizens. You don’t want your organization to be on the wrong side of the law! 8. To ensure a high level of responsibility: A job seeker might possess the sufficient education and skills for the job but is irresponsible when it comes to filing taxes (tax-noncompliance) or repaying loans. It might seem to be a non-issue until the same predicaments hit your organization. In your background check facility, make sure you inquire about tax certificates and loan statements. You need to employ people who show some degree of responsibility even in the small matters! It is always better to be safe than sorry. Make sure that you have a fully functional pre-employment background test facility in your organization! Read Also: Go For A Better Legal Job In 2018! Things To Look Out For While Hiring Health App Developers

How to Select the Best Investment Plan for Your Child?

As parents, you want many things for your child - happiness, health, and a secure financial future. You also want that your child should excel in his/her career. Just imagine your kiddo becoming a star athlete or a budding biologist or a successful entrepreneur who appears in headlines from time to time. Your joy will know no bounds! However, when you want to provide the best of everything to your child, you will have to move beyond the basic parenting skills and contribute to his/her holistic growth. For that purpose, it is sensible to save money for your child’s future and keep him/her financially secure, even in your absence. A good way to start is to invest in an Online Savings Plan, popularly known as ‘Child Investment Plan’. An online savings plan serves the dual purpose of investment and insurance. Most importantly, it fulfils two major requirements: It secures your child’s future financially It provides financial aid at various stages of your child’s life such as higher education, starting a business, or getting married However, with several child investment plans available in the market today, it can become difficult to choose the plan that best meets your child’s needs. Following tips will help you make an informed decision: Determine the Monetary Value Attached to Your Child’s Dreams As a responsible parent, your first step should be identifying and prioritizing your child’s goals and the monetary value attached to them. The two main goals for which you would need significant financial funding is your child’s education and marriage. As far as education is considered, for the time being, decide your child’s goal on behalf him/her and know for sure when the cash is required. Reach a decision, for instance - "I am saving for my son’s engineering degree in 2025, and I may require 20 lakhs for the same". Along these lines, calculate the required funds while taking into consideration the year of the requirement for the respective milestones. Also, with respect to your child’s education, don’t just consider funds for primary and higher education, but also plan for extracurricular activities. In short, make estimates of the amount you intend to spend on your child’s education or marriage. Doing so will help you choose the premium amount and the policy term for the best child investment plan. Go for Equity-linked Online Saving Plans If you have a higher risk appetite for equities and a considerable investment time frame (more than 10 years), you can consider opting for an online savings plan. It is essentially a unit-linked child investment plan that offers you investment as well as insurance feature in a single product. Further, this plan provides multiple investment options like equity, debt and balanced funds. So, if you have a longer investment timeframe, you can go for equity funds as investing in equities for longer duration gives the best returns. On the other hand, if you have a lower appetite, you can go for an online savings plan that offers a balanced mix of growth and debt funds. Remember that just choosing to invest for your child is not enough. Selecting the right investment plan is most important! Therefore, while making your investment decision consider the amount you can spare for investment, your income, cost of higher education, time in hand, and the level of risk. Look for Premium Waiver Benefit Almost all insurers, including Max Life Insurance, offer child plans with premium waiver benefit as a key feature of the base plan. This benefit acts as the most vital feature in case of demise of the parent. In such a situation, the child plan pays a lump sum amount to the nominee. Further, the insurer waives off all future premium, and the plan continues to be active until the entire policy term. This ensures that the maturity benefit remains intact as planned. Check for Provision of Partial Withdrawals Online saving plans also allow partial withdrawals on fixed intervals. The idea behind such partial withdrawals is to allow parents to meet the financial needs of their kids at the key milestones in their life such as admissions for extracurricular activities, admissions in educational institutions, or marriage. This option is also helpful for meeting unplanned expenses in case of medical emergencies. Other Factors to Consider for Child Investment Planning Start investing early. It will help achieve your investment target easily. Also, ‘Power of Compounding’ will play an important role when it comes to investing for your child’s future Know the different premium payment modes. You can opt to pay premiums on monthly, quarterly, half-yearly or annual basis Invest in a plan that offers a well-balanced mix of equity and debt funds Track your investment at regular intervals and make appropriate changes if required Select a tax-efficient investment option Concluding Today many insurers have come up with attractive child investment plans. However, you need to be judicious about what plan you want to opt for. Also, while making your decision don’t forget to consider criteria like time horizon and age of your child. We hope that this guide will help you choose the right plan for your child and make his or her dreams a reality! Read Also: Investing And Trading 101: Investment Ideas For Newbies How Digital Advisors Have Transformed The Investment Sector Pros And Cons Of Oil And Gas Investment

5 Examples Of Passive Income You Need To Learn Now

Passive income is the lifeblood of any investor's portfolio. It provides you with a reliable and consistent stream of income while you take some time away from work. Having a passive income stream is a great way to supplement your existing income or build a retirement fund. As tax season approaches, now is the time to evaluate your current situation and determine if you are taking advantage of this amazing opportunity. Checkout Five Prime Ways Of Passive Income You Need To Learn Now Here are a few examples of passive income sources you should explore now: 1. Real Estate Investments Real estate investments can be a great way to generate passive income. Most real estate investments are done through rental properties. You buy a property and then rent it out for a monthly fee. Property owners may be able to collect enough rent to cover their mortgage payments, leaving them with a steady stream of income. Real estate investors may also want to consider buying pre-construction developments and flipping houses. With pre-construction development, you can purchase a property before it's built and then sell it for a profit when it's done. Flipping houses involves buying a home and making improvements to it before reselling it for a higher price. Both pre-construction developments and house flips can yield considerable profits in a short amount of time. Real estate investors should also look into commercial real estate investments. This type of real estate involves investing in multifamily, industrial, and retail properties. Owning commercial real estate can be a great way to generate income as well as appreciation when done right. Investors may also want to consider investing in REITs, or real estate investment trusts. REITs are investments that pool a variety of real estate assets and offer investors exposure to the real estate market without owning physical properties. Real estate investments come with the potential for great rewards but also come with their own unique set of risks. Investors should consider consulting a financial professional before pursuing a real estate investment. 2. Dividend Investing Dividend investing is another popular way to generate passive income. When you invest in a company through a stock, you become a shareholder and may receive regular dividend payments from them. Dividend payments can vary from company to company and are a great way to make a reliable income without having to actively manage any assets. Dividend payments are usually paid quarterly, but some companies can pay them more or less often. The amount of the dividend payment you receive is dependent on the number of shares you own, the type of stock you purchase, and the amount of capital growth the company's assets have achieved. In addition, dividends are also paid in proportion to how long you've owned the stock. Dividend investing can help to diversify your income stream and reduce the volatility of your investments. Dividend investing also has tax advantages and can be used to help you reach your financial goals. 3. Investing in Index Funds Index funds are a type of mutual fund that tracks a particular market index. By investing in these funds, you’re basically buying an entire portfolio of stocks without having to actively pick and choose which ones to invest in. Index funds offer a great way to get passive income while diversifying your portfolio. Index funds also typically have lower management fees than actively managed funds, which helps reduce the overall expense of your investments. The main benefit of investing in index funds is to get exposure to the broader stock market without having to pick individual stocks. By following an index, you benefit from its diversification and protection against individual stock risk. Additionally, indexes often have a good return on investment and tend to outperform actively-managed mutual funds over time. 4. Peer-to-Peer Lending Peer-to-peer lending is a type of lending that takes place between two individuals. It involves lending a certain amount of money to someone else and then receiving regular payments in return. Peer-to-peer lending is a great way to generate passive income without putting your money at unnecessary risk. It is often used to finance investments and small businesses. As the lender, you can decide how much to loan, the repayment terms, and the interest rate. Peer-to-peer lending helps to diversify your investments and can provide you with returns and future income. 5. Online Businesses Finally, starting an online business can be a great way to generate passive income. Whether it’s an e-commerce store, a blog, or a subscription service, an online business can be scaled up to generate a significant amount of income. Plus, it can be done from the comfort of your own home. An online business can be a great way to create a passive income stream, as it can be scaled up over time to generate more revenue. With an online business, you have the potential to reach a wider audience from all over the world, as the internet doesn’t have any geographical restrictions. You’re also able to work from the comfort of your own home, set your own hours, and have the flexibility to work when and where you want. Depending on the type of business you set up, some possible revenue streams include selling products, offering services, advertising, membership fees, and affiliate marketing. Setting up an online business takes time, dedication and effort, and a solid business plan. It’s also important to have a clear understanding of local and international laws, taxes, and regulations so you remain compliant. No matter which type of passive income you choose to pursue, make sure you understand the ins and outs of government regulations around the area. During tax season, it is important to ensure you complete all the required paperwork and pay taxes on any income you might generate. It is also important to ensure that any sources of passive income are reported on your paystub, otherwise, you could end up owing a lot of money in unexpected taxes. By learning what passive income sources are available, you can start to build a reliable and consistent stream of income quickly and easily. Explore the different options outlined above and determine what works best for you and your financial situation. The rewards can be great and you'll thank yourself in the long run. Read Also: How To Choose A Great Managed Fund 4 Fun Jobs After Retirement That Offer You a Monthly Income A Beginners Guide to Investing: Getting Started in 8 Simple Steps

Crypto Staking: Locking Up Crypto Holdings To Earn Interest

What Is Crypto Staking? How Does Staking In Crypto Work?

Staking Pool Definition

Why Is Staking Limited To Some Cryptocurrencies?

How Are Crypto Staking Rewards Calculated?

What Are The Benefits Of Crypto Staking?