Ethereum Staking: Complete Guide to Stake ETH and Maximize Your Rewards (2026)

📋 En bref (TL;DR)

Ethereum staking allows you to generate passive income by locking your ETH to secure the network, with current yields of 2.5 to 4% APY depending on the method chosen.
Four main methods: solo staking (32 ETH minimum), staking-as-a-service, liquid staking (Lido, Rocket Pool), or through centralized exchanges (Coinbase, Binance).
Liquid staking dominates with over 35% of staked ETH via protocols like Lido (stETH) and Rocket Pool (rETH), offering liquidity and DeFi access.
Yields vary: solo staking ~3.5% APY, Lido ~3.2% APY, Rocket Pool ~3.0% APY, Coinbase ~2.5% APY (after fees).
Risks include slashing (ETH loss for validator faults), smart contract risk, and ETH price volatility.
Getting started is simple: just a few clicks on Lido or Coinbase, no technical knowledge required for liquid staking.
Over 34 million ETH are currently staked, representing about 28% of the total supply, securing a network worth over $400 billion.

Ethereum staking represents one of the most attractive opportunities for generating passive income in the crypto ecosystem today. Since the transition to Proof of Stake (The Merge) in September 2022, Ethereum allows anyone holding ETH to participate in securing the network and earn rewards for doing so. With yields ranging between 2.5% and 4% APY depending on the chosen method, ETH staking attracts both retail investors and institutions. But where should you stake your ETH? How much can you actually earn? And how do you get started step by step? This complete guide answers all your questions and walks you through your first Ethereum staking experience.

What is Ethereum Staking? Definition and How It Works

Ethereum staking involves locking ETH to participate in the Proof of Stake (PoS) consensus mechanism of the network. In exchange for this participation in securing the blockchain, stakers receive rewards in the form of additional ETH.

How Ethereum’s Proof of Stake Works

Since The Merge in September 2022, Ethereum no longer uses mining (Proof of Work) but Proof of Stake. This mechanism randomly selects validators to propose and attest to new blocks. To become a validator, you must deposit 32 ETH as collateral (stake). If the validator acts honestly, they receive rewards. If they attempt to cheat or remain offline too long, part of their stake can be confiscated (slashing).

This system offers several major advantages:

Energy efficiency: 99.95% reduction in energy consumption compared to mining
Decentralization: over 1 million active validators
Economic security: attacking the network would cost billions of dollars

Why Stake Your ETH?

Ethereum staking offers several concrete benefits:

Passive income: generate 2.5 to 4% annual returns on your ETH
Network participation: contribute to Ethereum’s security
Price appreciation exposure: your staked ETH also benefits from price increases
Compound rewards: some platforms allow automatic reinvestment

Ethereum Staking Returns: How Much Can You Earn in 2026?

ETH staking yield (APY – Annual Percentage Yield) varies based on several factors: the chosen staking method, the total number of validators on the network, and on-chain activity.

Current Ethereum Staking APY by Platform

Here are the average yields observed in February 2026:

Platform	Gross APY	Fees	Net APY	Minimum
Solo Staking	3.5%	0%	3.5%	32 ETH
Lido (stETH)	3.2%	10%	2.9%	None
Rocket Pool (rETH)	3.0%	14%	2.6%	0.01 ETH
Coinbase (cbETH)	2.8%	25%	2.1%	None
Binance	2.5%	Variable	~2.3%	0.001 ETH
Kraken	2.7%	15%	2.3%	None

Factors Affecting Yields

Ethereum staking rewards depend mainly on:

Total number of validators: the more validators there are, the more diluted the rewards
Network activity: transaction fees (tips) increase validator income
Validator performance: uptime and response time impact rewards
MEV (Maximal Extractable Value): additional income via MEV-Boost

2026-2027 projection: with the continued increase in validator count, APY should stabilize between 2.5% and 3.5% for decentralized methods.

The 4 Methods to Stake ETH: Complete Comparison

There are four main categories of Ethereum staking, each with its advantages and disadvantages. Here’s a detailed comparison to help you choose the method best suited to your situation.

1. Solo Staking: The Original Method (32 ETH Minimum)

Solo staking involves running your own validator node. It’s the most decentralized method and offers the best returns.

Advantages:

Maximum yield (no platform fees)
Full control of your keys and validator
Maximum contribution to decentralization
Eligible for MEV income via MEV-Boost

Disadvantages:

Minimum of 32 ETH required (~$80,000 in February 2026)
Requires a dedicated computer running 24/7
Technical skills required
Risk of slashing if misconfigured

For whom? Technical users with 32+ ETH who want to maximize their contribution to the network.

2. Liquid Staking: Lido, Rocket Pool, and LSTs

Liquid staking allows you to stake any amount of ETH and receive a token representing your stake (LST – Liquid Staking Token) in exchange. These tokens can be used in DeFi while continuing to generate staking rewards.

Lido Finance (stETH)

Lido is the leader in liquid staking with over 9 million ETH staked (about 28% of all staked ETH). When you deposit ETH on Lido, you receive stETH at a 1:1 ratio.

APY: ~2.9% net
Fees: 10% of rewards
Minimum: none
Token: stETH (automatic rebase)
Liquidity: excellent (Curve, Uniswap pools)

Rocket Pool (rETH)

Rocket Pool positions itself as the decentralized alternative to Lido. The protocol uses a network of permissionless node operators, enhancing decentralization.

APY: ~2.6% net
Fees: 14% of rewards
Minimum: 0.01 ETH
Token: rETH (appreciation model)
Advantage: more decentralized than Lido

3. Staking via Centralized Exchanges (CEX)

Centralized exchanges like Coinbase, Binance, or Kraken offer integrated staking services. This is the simplest method for beginners.

Coinbase (cbETH)

APY: ~2.1% net
Fees: 25% of rewards
Advantage: ultra-simple interface, regulated in the USA
Disadvantage: lowest yield, counterparty risk

Binance (BETH/WBETH)

APY: ~2.3% net
Fees: variable
Advantage: largest global liquidity
Disadvantage: uncertain regulation in Europe

Kraken

APY: ~2.3% net
Fees: 15% of rewards
Advantage: reputable exchange, good customer service
Note: service suspended in the USA following SEC action

4. Staking-as-a-Service

Staking-as-a-service is a compromise between solo staking and liquid staking. You provide 32 ETH and a service manages the technical infrastructure for you.

Examples: Kiln, Allnodes, BloxStaking

APY: ~3.2% net
Fees: 5-15% of rewards
Minimum: 32 ETH
Advantage: you keep your withdrawal keys
Disadvantage: high capital cost

Liquid Staking vs Native Staking: Which to Choose?

The fundamental difference between these two approaches deserves detailed explanation to help you make the right choice.

Native Staking (Solo or Validator-as-a-Service)

Native staking involves locking 32 ETH directly in Ethereum’s deposit contract. Your ETH is locked until you initiate a withdrawal (a process that can take several days depending on the queue).

Characteristics:

Your ETH is staked “natively” on the Beacon Chain
No intermediate token
Maximum yield (no LST protocol fees)
Illiquidity: cannot sell or use your ETH while staking

Liquid Staking (Lido, Rocket Pool, etc.)

Liquid staking gives you a substitute token (stETH, rETH, cbETH) representing your staked ETH plus accumulated rewards.

Characteristics:

Immediate liquidity: sell or trade your LST at any time
Usable in DeFi: collateral on Aave, farming on Curve, etc.
Protocol fees: 10-25% of rewards
Additional smart contract risk

Liquid vs Native Staking Comparison Table

Criterion	Native Staking	Liquid Staking
Liquidity	❌ Locked	✅ Instant
Minimum	32 ETH	None
Yield	~3.5% APY	~2.5-3% APY
Complexity	High	Low
Smart Contract Risk	Minimal	Present
DeFi Usage	❌ No	✅ Yes
Decentralization	✅ Maximum	⚠️ Variable

How to Stake ETH on Lido: Step-by-Step Guide

Lido is the most popular liquid staking platform. Here’s how to stake your ETH in just a few minutes.

Prerequisites

An Ethereum wallet (MetaMask, Ledger, WalletConnect compatible)
ETH to stake
Some ETH for gas fees (~$5-20)

Steps to Stake on Lido

Step 1: Connect Your Wallet

Go to stake.lido.fi
Click “Connect wallet”
Select your wallet (MetaMask, WalletConnect, Ledger, etc.)
Approve the connection in your wallet

Step 2: Deposit Your ETH

Enter the amount of ETH to stake
Check the amount of stETH you’ll receive (ratio ~1:1)
Click “Submit”
Confirm the transaction in your wallet
Wait for confirmation (usually 1-3 minutes)

Step 3: Verify Your stETH

Your stETH will automatically appear in your wallet
The balance increases daily with rewards (rebase)
You can check your rewards at stake.lido.fi/rewards

Withdrawing Your ETH from Lido

Two options are available to recover your ETH:

Option 1: Direct Withdrawal (Recommended)

Go to stake.lido.fi/withdrawals
Request a stETH withdrawal
Timeframe: 1-5 days depending on the queue
Ratio: 1 stETH = 1 ETH (no fees)

Option 2: Swap on DEX (Instant)

Exchange stETH for ETH on Curve, Uniswap, or 1inch
Instant but slight slippage possible (~0.1%)

How to Stake ETH on Coinbase: Beginner’s Guide

For those who prefer the simplicity of a regulated exchange, Coinbase offers a turnkey solution.

Steps to Stake on Coinbase

Create a Coinbase account (if not already done) and complete KYC verification
Buy or transfer ETH to your Coinbase account
Access the Staking section: Portfolio → ETH → “Stake”
Choose the amount to stake
Confirm and receive your cbETH

Important note: Coinbase takes 25% of staking rewards, making it the most expensive option. Net yield is about 2.1% APY compared to 2.9% on Lido.

Ethereum Staking Risks You Should Know

Before staking your ETH, it’s crucial to understand the risks associated with each method.

1. Slashing Risk

Slashing is a penalty imposed on validators who act maliciously or fail to perform. Part of the stake (up to 100%) can be confiscated.

Causes of slashing:

Double signing (signing two different blocks for the same slot)
Contradictory attestations
Proposing an invalid block

Who is affected? Primarily solo stakers. Liquid staking protocols mutualize this risk and have insurance.

2. Smart Contract Risk

Liquid staking protocols (Lido, Rocket Pool) rely on smart contracts. A security flaw could result in loss of funds.

Mitigation:

Lido and Rocket Pool have been audited by dozens of firms
Bug bounties worth millions of dollars
Track record without major incidents since 2020

3. Counterparty Risk (CEX)

When staking on a centralized exchange, you entrust your funds to a third party. The exchange’s bankruptcy (cf. FTX) would result in the loss of your ETH.

Recommendation: prefer non-custodial staking (Lido, Rocket Pool) if you hold significant amounts.

4. Liquidity Risk (LST)

Liquid staking tokens can temporarily depeg from their theoretical value. Example: stETH briefly traded at 0.93 ETH in June 2022.

Current risk: low. Ethereum’s withdrawal mechanisms (enabled in April 2023) now maintain the peg close to 1:1.

5. ETH Volatility Risk

The percentage yield doesn’t guarantee a profit in dollars. If ETH’s price drops 30%, your 3% rewards won’t compensate for the loss.

Ethereum Staking and US/UK Taxation

Staking rewards are subject to taxation in most jurisdictions. Here’s what you need to know.

Taxation of Staking Rewards

In most countries, staking rewards are typically considered taxable income at the time of receipt, valued at fair market value.

Common tax treatment:

USA: Staking rewards are ordinary income at receipt, subject to income tax. Later gains/losses when sold are capital gains.
UK: Rewards may be treated as miscellaneous income or trading income, depending on activity level.

When taxed: In most jurisdictions, staking rewards are taxed upon receipt as income, then again as capital gains when sold.

Capital Gains Calculation

For staking rewards, the cost basis is typically the fair market value at the time of receipt. Any appreciation from that point is subject to capital gains tax when sold.

Example: You receive 1 ETH in staking rewards worth $2,500. You later sell it for $3,000. Income tax applies to the initial $2,500, and capital gains tax applies to the $500 appreciation.

Optimizing Your Ethereum Staking: Advanced Strategies

Beyond simple deposits, several strategies can help you optimize your returns.

1. Restaking with EigenLayer

EigenLayer allows you to “restake” your ETH or LST to secure other protocols and earn additional rewards.

Additional yield: 2-5% depending on AVS (Actively Validated Services)
Risk: additional slashing possible
Compatible with: stETH, rETH, cbETH

2. Leveraged Staking (Advanced)

Some advanced DeFi users use their stETH as collateral to borrow ETH, which they then restake. This strategy multiplies returns but also risks.

⚠️ Warning: risky strategy, reserved for DeFi experts.

3. Protocol Diversification

To reduce smart contract risk, spread your staked ETH across multiple protocols:

50% on Lido (leader, maximum liquidity)
30% on Rocket Pool (more decentralized)
20% on a regulated exchange (simplicity)

The Future of Ethereum Staking: Upcoming Developments

Ethereum staking continues to evolve with several planned updates.

Verkle Trees and Single Slot Finality

These technical improvements will reduce transaction finality time and lighten hardware requirements for validators.

Distributed Validator Technology (DVT)

DVT technology will allow multiple operators to share validator management, reducing slashing and centralization risks.

Yield Evolution

With the increasing number of validators, yields should stabilize around 2.5-3% APY long-term. MEV revenues and transaction tips will remain important variables.

📚 Glossary

APY (Annual Percentage Yield) : Annual return rate including compound interest. For ETH staking, APY varies from 2.5% to 4% depending on the method.
Beacon Chain : Ethereum’s consensus chain that manages the validator registry and Proof of Stake mechanism since December 2020.
Slashing : Penalty imposed on malicious or failing validators, potentially confiscating the entire stake (32 ETH).
LST (Liquid Staking Token) : Token representing staked ETH (e.g., stETH, rETH, cbETH). Allows maintaining liquidity while earning rewards.
Validator : Ethereum network node that proposes and attests to blocks. Requires 32 ETH stake and near 100% uptime.
The Merge : Ethereum’s transition from Proof of Work to Proof of Stake on September 15, 2022, reducing energy consumption by 99.95%.
MEV (Maximal Extractable Value) : Additional income validators can extract by reordering transactions in a block.
Rebase : Mechanism in some LSTs (like stETH) where the balance automatically increases to reflect accumulated rewards.
stETH : Lido Finance’s Liquid Staking Token. 1 stETH represents 1 staked ETH plus accumulated rewards.
rETH : Rocket Pool’s Liquid Staking Token. Its value increases relative to ETH rather than through rebase.
Withdrawal Queue : Queue for withdrawing staked ETH from the Ethereum protocol. Delay varies from hours to several days.
Proof of Stake (PoS) : Consensus mechanism where validators are selected proportionally to their stake to propose blocks.
Attestation : A validator’s vote confirming the validity of a proposed block. Correct attestations generate rewards.
EigenLayer : Restaking protocol allowing reuse of staked ETH to secure other decentralized services.
DVT (Distributed Validator Technology) : Technology enabling distribution of validator management across multiple operators for greater resilience.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Ethereum staking yield in 2026?

Ethereum staking yields between 2.5% and 3.5% APY in 2026, depending on the chosen method. Solo staking offers the best returns (~3.5%), followed by liquid staking via Lido (~2.9%) and Rocket Pool (~2.6%). Centralized exchanges like Coinbase offer about 2.1% after their 25% fees. These rates vary based on the total number of network validators and on-chain activity.

What is the minimum to stake Ethereum?

The minimum depends on the method: solo staking requires 32 ETH (~$80,000), but liquid staking solutions like Lido have no minimum. You can stake as little as 0.01 ETH on Rocket Pool or even fractions of ETH on Coinbase and Binance. Liquid staking has democratized access to staking yields for all investors.

Is Ethereum staking risky?

Ethereum staking carries several risks: slashing (penalties for failing validators), smart contract risk for liquid staking, counterparty risk on centralized exchanges, and ETH price volatility. However, for liquid staking via established protocols like Lido or Rocket Pool, risk is considered relatively low thanks to multiple audits and a track record without major incidents.

Can you withdraw staked ETH at any time?

Since the Shanghai upgrade in April 2023, yes. Staked ETH can be withdrawn via the official queue (1 to 5 day delay depending on volume). For liquid staking, you have two options: direct withdrawal via the protocol or instant exchange of your LST (stETH, rETH) for ETH on a DEX like Curve or Uniswap.

What is the difference between stETH and rETH?

stETH (Lido) and rETH (Rocket Pool) are both Liquid Staking Tokens but work differently. stETH uses a rebase mechanism: your balance increases daily with rewards. rETH uses an appreciation model: the number of tokens stays fixed but their ETH value increases. Both approaches are equivalent in terms of yield, but rETH is often preferred for DeFi because its constant balance simplifies accounting.

Is Lido safe for Ethereum staking?

Lido is considered one of the safest staking protocols, with over 9 million ETH staked and no major security incidents since its 2020 launch. The protocol has been audited by more than 10 security firms (Trail of Bits, Quantstamp, MixBytes, etc.) and has a multi-million dollar bug bounty. However, like any smart contract, residual risk exists. Diversification across multiple protocols is recommended for large amounts.

How are staking rewards taxed in the US?

In the US, staking rewards are generally treated as ordinary income at the time of receipt, valued at fair market value. This means you owe income tax on the rewards when received. If you later sell the staked ETH, any gains from the cost basis (fair market value at receipt) are subject to capital gains tax. Consult a tax professional for your specific situation.

Should I stake on Lido or Coinbase?

Lido offers better returns (2.9% vs 2.1% on Coinbase) and more flexibility through stETH’s use in DeFi. Coinbase is simpler to use and suits beginners wanting a turnkey solution without managing a wallet. To maximize your gains, Lido is preferable. For simplicity and if you’re already on Coinbase, their solution may suffice for small amounts. The yield difference on $10,000 represents about $80/year.

📰 Sources

This article is based on the following sources:

Comment citer cet article : Fibo Crypto. (2026). Ethereum Staking: Complete Guide to Stake ETH and Maximize Your Rewards (2026). Consulté le 24 February 2026 sur https://fibo-crypto.fr/en/blog/ethereum-staking-guide