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Staking

How locked-up ether secures a network and earns rewards.

4 minChecked 4 October 20266 sources

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At least 32 ETH eachLocked as a deposit, the stake
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Step 1 of 5

Validators lock a deposit

Ethereum is secured by validators. Each one locks up at least 32 ETH as a deposit, called a stake.

  1. At least 32 ETH eachLocked as a deposit, the stake

    Step 1 of 5

    Validators lock a deposit

    Ethereum is secured by validators. Each one locks up at least 32 ETH as a deposit, called a stake.

  2. FinalTwo thirds of staked ether voted, in two rounds

    Step 2 of 5

    They vote on blocks

    Validators propose and vote on new blocks. Once validators holding two thirds of the staked ether have voted for it in two rounds of checkpoints, a block is final, about 15 minutes after it was added.

  3. About 2.6% a yearRewards, as of 4 Oct 2026
    About 43.7 million ETH stakedA little over a third of all ether

    Step 3 of 5

    Honest work earns rewards

    Validators that do their job earn rewards, about 2.6% a year as of 4 October 2026. About 43.7 million ETH was staked then, a little over a third of all ether.

  4. SlashedPart of its deposit is destroyed

    Step 4 of 5

    Breaking the rules costs the deposit

    A validator that breaks the rules, for example by voting for two conflicting blocks, is slashed: part of its deposit is destroyed and it is removed. Try it below.

    Try it

    This validator

    It is slashed: part of its deposit is destroyed and it is removed.

  5. Leaving takes timeExit queue about 14 days on 4 Oct 2026, payout a week more

    Step 5 of 5

    What can go wrong

    Staked ether is not instantly available. On 4 October 2026 the queue to leave took about 14 days, and payout can take a week more. Rewards change over time. Staking through a provider such as Lido means its node operators run the validators, and it keeps 10% of the rewards.

Quick check

Did it stick?

2 questions. Get them right to complete the lesson.

Question 1

Question 1 of 2

How much must a validator lock up, at least?

Question 2

Question 2 of 2

What happens to a validator that breaks the rules?

Or skip ahead to lesson 9: Lending and borrowing.

Sources

Checked 4 October 2026
  1. Proof-of-stakeethereum.org
    • Ethereum is secured by validators, each of which locks up a deposit called a stake.
    • Validators propose and vote on new blocks.
    • Once validators holding at least two thirds of the staked ether have voted for it in two rounds of checkpoints, a block is final, about 15 minutes after it was added.
  2. Pectraethereum.org
    • Each validator locks up at least 32 ETH.
  3. Ethereum validator queuevalidatorqueue.com
    • Validators that do their job earned about 2.6% a year as of 4 October 2026.
    • About 43.7 million ETH was staked on 4 October 2026, a little over a third of all ether.
    • On 4 October 2026 the queue to leave took about 14 days.
  4. Ethereum stakingethereum.org
    • A validator that signs two conflicting blocks is slashed: part of its deposit is destroyed and it is removed.
  5. Proof-of-stake rewards and penaltiesethereum.org
    • Rewards change over time: they fall as more ether is staked.
  6. Lido documentationLido
    • Staking through a provider such as Lido means its node operators run the validators and it keeps 10% of the rewards.

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