What a bank would do — and what you do instead
Banks have no real equivalent to staking. The closest analogy is a share of the fees for keeping the payment system running. On proof-of-stake chains you can take part in securing the network and receive new coins and fees in return — but you are paid in the same volatile asset you stake, and providers keep a commission. Think of staking as a way to avoid dilution on a coin you already intend to hold, not as savings.
Where staking rewards come from
The three routes
| Route | Who holds the coins | Example (as of late September 2026, variable) |
|---|---|---|
| Exchange staking | The exchange | Coinbase retail ETH ~1.69% after a 35% standard commission |
| Liquid staking | A smart contract; you hold a receipt token | Lido stETH ~2.27% after a 10% fee |
| Native staking | You (or a validator you delegate to) | Ethereum base consensus yield ~2.7% before costs |
How to choose
- Exchange if you want the simplest path and accept custodial risk and a higher fee.
- Liquid staking if you want lower fees, self-custody of the receipt token and the option to use it elsewhere.
- Native if you have the technical skill and the minimum stake (32 ETH for an Ethereum validator).
There is also a fourth route in the US: staking ETFs from issuers such as Grayscale and BlackRock pass staking rewards to shareholders inside a brokerage account.
Liquid staking rates
| Details | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lido | Ethereum | STETH | 2.26% | — | 2.26% | 10% | $23.50B | Pool on DefiLlama (opens in new tab) |
| Binance wBETH | Ethereum | WBETH | 2.24% | — | 2.24% | varies | $8.58B | Pool on DefiLlama (opens in new tab) |
| Rocket Pool | Ethereum | RETH | 2.11% | — | 2.11% | ~14% | $1.27B | Pool on DefiLlama (opens in new tab) |
| Jito | Solana | JITOSOL | 4.57% | — | 4.57% | ~4% | $1.10B | Pool on DefiLlama (opens in new tab) |
| Binance wBETH | BSC | WBETH | 2.24% | — | 2.24% | varies | $515M | Pool on DefiLlama (opens in new tab) |
| Coinbase cbETH | Ethereum | CBETH | 2.31% | — | 2.31% | 25% | $473M | Pool on DefiLlama (opens in new tab) |
| Marinade | Solana | MSOL | 4.88% | — | 4.88% | ~6% | $237M | Pool on DefiLlama (opens in new tab) |
APY shown is after the protocol fee as reported by DefiLlama. Fee column is approximate and taken from protocol docs; it is charged on rewards, not principal.
Education only, not financial advice. Rates change and are not guaranteed. CoinPayBank is not a bank.
SourcesFrequently asked questions
Is staking the same as lending?
No. Lending yield is paid by borrowers. Staking rewards are paid by the network for securing it.
Can I lose money staking?
Yes — mainly through the coin’s price falling, but also through slashing, smart-contract failures or a custodian failing.
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