Staking
ZIL staking. Network participation.
Explore participation in Zilliqa’s decentralized Proof-of-Stake network. Understand validators, delegation, rewards and access to your ZIL before choosing an arrangement.
The fundamentals
Understanding ZIL staking.
Proof-of-Stake gives validators a role in agreeing on the network's shared record. Committing ZIL as stake connects that participation to an economic commitment: validators help maintain consensus, while their stake is subject to the protocol's rules.
Running a validator involves operating and maintaining network infrastructure. Delegating is different: a holder commits ZIL through a staking pool associated with validator participation, without taking on the day-to-day operation of a validator. The pool's contracts determine how the delegated position is recorded, how rewards are handled and how withdrawals work.
Participation may result in rewards, but it also involves financial and operational considerations. Your ZIL remains exposed to market movements, access to committed assets may be restricted, and the validator and contract you choose matter. Understanding those conditions comes before deciding whether to participate.
Validators & delegation
How delegation works, step by step.
Four stages to understand, from choosing an arrangement to accessing your ZIL again.
From validator selection to withdrawal.
Research
Understand who and what you are trusting.
Start with Zilliqa documentation, then examine the validator or staking provider. Reliability, operational history, communication and the commission structure all matter. Understand which staking contract is used and how it manages your delegated position.
Check the contract information, reward rules, withdrawal conditions and relevant risks before choosing an arrangement.
Delegate
Review the commitment before you sign.
Delegation commits ZIL through the selected staking arrangement without requiring you to operate a validator yourself. Use its verified interface and review the receiving contract, the network, the amount and the transaction fee. Confirm that the transaction matches your intention.
A familiar name or logo is not proof of authenticity. Verify the interface and contract through project resources.
Participate
A delegated position needs ongoing attention.
Your delegated stake contributes to the pool associated with validator participation. Rewards may accrue under the pool's rules, but validator performance, commission and network conditions affect the outcome. Depending on the model, rewards may be claimable in ZIL or reflected in the value of a liquid staking token.
Monitor validator performance and changes to the arrangement. An advertised rate is not a promise of future rewards.
Withdraw
Know the exit conditions before entering.
Unstaking requests the release of your delegated position. An unbonding period may separate the request from the point when ZIL becomes available. Liquid staking can involve redeeming a token for underlying ZIL; selling that token is a different action, subject to market liquidity and price.
There is no universal withdrawal timetable. Verify the specific contract's process, waiting periods and availability.
Two staking models
Non-liquid and liquid staking.
Zilliqa's reference staking infrastructure documents two delegated staking models. Both connect a participant to underlying staked ZIL; they differ in how a position and its rewards are represented. Individual pools may use different implementations — do not assume that every provider offers both.
Non-liquid staking
A delegated position stays within the staking arrangement. Under the documented model, rewards can be claimed in ZIL without unstaking principal, or staked again. Access to principal remains subject to the pool's withdrawal rules.
Liquid staking
A token represents a share of the pool. In the documented non-rebasing model, accrued rewards increase the value represented by the token. Transferability can open other uses, but adds market, liquidity and application considerations.
| Consideration | Non-liquid | Liquid |
|---|---|---|
| What you hold | A recorded delegated position in a staking pool, rather than a freely transferable representation of that position. | A liquid staking token (LST) representing your share of the pool's underlying staked ZIL. |
| How rewards are represented | In the documented non-liquid model, rewards can be claimed in ZIL without unstaking principal, or staked again. | In the documented non-rebasing model, rewards increase the value represented by each token rather than its balance. |
| Access to liquidity | Committed ZIL is subject to the arrangement's unstaking and withdrawal process. | A token may be transferable or usable in compatible applications. A liquid market or integration is not guaranteed. |
| Withdrawal conditions | Principal withdrawal follows the contract's unstaking and unbonding rules; claiming rewards is a separate action. | Redemption exchanges the token for underlying ZIL under the pool's rules. Selling on a market is not the same as redemption. |
| Additional risk factors | Validator performance, pool implementation, contract risk and exposure to the price of ZIL. | Those same underlying risks, plus token market price, available liquidity and any applications in which the token is used. |
| Complexity | Evaluate the validator, reward-claiming process, commission and withdrawal conditions. | Also understand the token's share value, redemption mechanism, market liquidity and any additional contracts. |
| Before participating | Read the specific pool's terms and decide whether limited access to committed ZIL fits your needs. | Check what the token represents, how it can be redeemed and whether any intended use is actually supported. |
Neither model is universally safer or better. Evaluate the specific pool, contract and withdrawal terms, not just the model's name.
Technical reference Zilliqa 2.0 staking documentation
Rewards & responsibility
Rewards are variable by design.
Staking rewards follow the network's reward mechanism and the conditions of the chosen pool. They are not a fixed return on a deposit. Network participation, protocol parameters and validator performance can change the rewards available for distribution.
Validator commission and the arrangement's rules determine how much of those rewards reaches a participant and how it is represented. A historical rate or an estimate cannot establish what your delegated position will earn in the future.
Evaluate rewards alongside access to your assets, contract dependencies and market exposure. Receiving more tokens does not guarantee an increase in the market value of your holdings.
Participation is a decision.
Rewards are not a promise.
A practical safety guide
Before you stake.
Participation begins with understanding the arrangement, the network and the validator — and protecting the recovery information that controls your wallet.
Start with verified resources.
Reach staking information and interfaces through Zilliqa resources. Avoid links in advertisements, unsolicited messages or search results that only imitate a trusted provider.
Verify the validator and contract.
Cross-check the provider, validator and receiving contract against verified documentation. Read the transaction details before signing; a display name alone is not enough.
Understand fees and unbonding.
Review commission, network fees and the process for claiming or withdrawing. Know when your ZIL may be unavailable and what steps are needed to access it again.
Keep ZIL available for fees.
Do not commit all your available ZIL without considering future transactions. Keep sufficient unstaked ZIL for the network fees required by your intended actions.
Question guaranteed-return claims.
Rewards are variable. Treat fixed-profit promises, unusually high returns, pressure to act quickly and requests for an activation payment as warning signs.
Keep recovery information private.
Never disclose your recovery phrase or private keys to a staking provider, support agent or website. Staking does not require handing another person control of your wallet.
Frequently asked questions
Staking, clearly explained.
Straight answers about the wallet, rewards and access to staked ZIL.