What are the different ways to stake crypto?
On Ethereum you can run your own validator, pay a service to run one for you, join a pool, or stake through an exchange.1 Each step away from running your own adds a company, a contract or a custodian that you have to trust.1,2
Four ways, side by side
ethereum.org compares the main ways to stake ETH.1
| Way | Who holds the keys | Who pays you | Minimum |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home staking | You hold both the signing and the withdrawal keys1 | The protocol, directly1 | 32 ETH1 |
| Delegated staking | Usually you keep the withdrawal keys; the operator holds the signing keys1 | The protocol pays your validator; the operator takes a fee1 | 32 ETH1 |
| Liquid and pooled staking | The pool's contracts and operators; you hold a receipt token1 | The staking protocol's smart contracts1 | Any amount; some take 0.01 ETH1 |
| Centralised exchanges | The exchange has custody of your ETH1 | The exchange, under its terms1 | Any amount1 |
Signing keys let a validator vote and propose blocks. Withdrawal keys control the withdrawal address, the only place the staked ETH can be sent.2,3
Home staking
Home stakers receive 100% of protocol rewards, paid directly while their validator is online.4 They also do all the work. As a rough guide, ethereum.org suggests a 4 TB fast drive and 64 GB of memory, and expects new stakers to practise on a test network first.4
Keeping the keys safe is your job alone. Module 8 covers self-custody.4
Delegated staking (staking as a service)
Here you deposit your own 32 ETH, but a third-party operator runs the validator for you.2 You give the operator your signing keys. Misused, they can get your validator penalised or slashed, but they can't be used to withdraw or spend your ETH.2
The question that matters is who holds the withdrawal address. ethereum.org puts it bluntly: if it points to the provider's address, "you hold a promise, not a stake".2 Since an upgrade called Pectra, the holder of the withdrawal address can exit the validator without the operator's help.1
Services charge a flat monthly fee or a percentage of rewards.2
Pools
A pool lets many people combine smaller amounts of ETH. Many pools give you a receipt token, called a liquid staking token, that stands for your share.5,1 Rewards reach you after the pool's fee.5 Lesson 4 looks at these tokens and their extra risks.
Exchanges and "earn" products
With an exchange, you never handle any keys. What you hold is a balance on the exchange, not a validator.2 ethereum.org lists what that means.2
- Your ETH is exposed to the exchange's solvency, security and regulatory situation.2
- If the exchange fails or freezes withdrawals, you have no independent way to get your ETH out.2
ethereum.org also warns that not every product marketed as "staking" is staking. Under the hood, the yield may come from lending, trading or other activities, and you usually have no way to check.5
How SEC staff describe it
In May 2025, SEC staff described three forms of protocol staking: staking your own coins yourself, granting a third-party operator the right to validate while you keep your keys, and "custodial" staking, where a custodian holds and stakes your coins for you.6 Lesson 6 covers what they said about the law.
- Ethereum staking: How does it work?. ethereum.org (read 24 October 2026).
- Delegated staking (staking as a service). ethereum.org (read 24 October 2026; page last updated 17 August 2026).
- Staking withdrawals. ethereum.org (read 24 October 2026; page last updated 17 August 2026).
- Home stake your ETH. ethereum.org (read 24 October 2026; page last updated 17 August 2026).
- Liquid & pooled staking. ethereum.org (read 24 October 2026; page last updated 17 August 2026).
- Statement on Certain Protocol Staking Activities (staff statement). US Securities and Exchange Commission, Division of Corporation Finance, 29 May 2025.
General education built from the publicly available sources listed above. Not financial, legal, tax or investment advice. Naming a company, project or regulator is not an endorsement either way. Last checked 2026-10-24. Terms and disclaimer.