Staking yields and other ways to earn on SOL
Find the best SOL staking option on Compare DeFi among 39 offers on 18 platforms
SOL
Toobit
APY 60.00%
SOL
Gate
APY 3.17%
SOL
Upbit
APY 4.61%
| Token | Rate | Term | Platform | Platform reliability | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SOL For new users | 200.00% | 1 day |  Mexc | 10 / 10 | |
SOL Small limit | 100.00% |  Htx | 6 / 10 | ||
SOL | 60.00% | 3 days | Toobit | 9 / 10 | |
SOL | 15.00% |  Bitmart | 5 / 10 | ||
SOL | 10.60% |  Xt | 7 / 10 | ||
SOL | 7.80% | Xt | 7 / 10 | ||
SOL | 6.80% | Xt | 7 / 10 | ||
SOL | 6.60% |  Phemex | 8 / 10 | ||
SOL | 6.00% | Mexc | 10 / 10 | ||
SOL | 4.83% |  Okx | 10 / 10 | ||
SOL | 4.80% | 30 days | Toobit | 9 / 10 | |
SOL | 4.75% | Htx | 6 / 10 | ||
SOL | 4.67% | Htx | 6 / 10 | ||
SOL | 4.64% |  Binance | 10 / 10 | ||
SOL | 4.61% | Upbit | 8 / 10 | ||
SOL | 4.50% | 90 days |  Kucoin | 9 / 10 | |
SOL | 4.38% |  Bybit | 9 / 10 | ||
SOL | 4.30% | 60 days | Binance | 10 / 10 | |
SOL | 4.10% | 90 days | Binance | 10 / 10 | |
SOL | 4.00% | Kucoin | 9 / 10 | ||
SOL | 3.78% | 7 days | Binance | 10 / 10 | |
SOL | 3.51% | 7 days | Binance | 10 / 10 | |
SOL | 3.20% | 30 days | Xt | 7 / 10 | |
SOL | 3.17% | 7 days | Gate | 10 / 10 | |
SOL | 3.17% | 14 days | Gate | 10 / 10 | |
SOL | 3.17% | 30 days | Gate | 10 / 10 | |
SOL Small limit | 3.00% | Toobit | 9 / 10 | ||
SOL | 2.80% |  Bitget | 10 / 10 | ||
SOL | 2.60% | Bitget | 10 / 10 | ||
SOL | 2.60% |  Bitunix | 9 / 10 | ||
SOL | 2.41% | Binance | 10 / 10 | ||
SOL | 2.25% | 14 days | Bitget | 10 / 10 |
How Does Solana Staking Work?
Solana staking can involve delegating SOL to a validator or operating validator infrastructure yourself.
Delegating to a Validator
By delegating SOL to a validator, users may earn rewards. Reward amounts depend on the delegated balance, while annualized yield also varies with:
- Solana's inflation schedule;
- total active stake;
- validator performance;
- the validator's commission.
Delegation can be native or liquid:
Native Staking
You delegate SOL directly to a validator. Native staking generally involves fewer protocol layers than liquid staking.
Liquid Staking
You deposit SOL into a protocol and receive a liquid staking token (LST) that can be used in DeFi. This introduces additional protocol and smart-contract risks.
Running Your Own Validator
Running a validator is not the same as staking SOL and leaving a computer switched on. It is an infrastructure operation that requires a powerful server with large amounts of fast RAM, high-capacity, high-speed storage, and a reliable high-bandwidth internet connection. The full technical requirements are available here.
Validator economics depend heavily on delegated stake: all else being equal, more delegated SOL can generate more validator commission revenue. Using only your own SOL may not cover server rental and other operating costs, so the validator may run at a loss.
Illustrative Calculation
Suppose 100,000 SOL is delegated to a validator, the assumed staking yield is 6% per year, and the validator commission is 5%. The estimated gross validator commission from staking rewards would be:
100,000 × 6% × 5% = 300 SOL per year
This excludes changes in yield during the year and any validator-specific commission rules.
Validator data is available here.
SOL Yield Products on Centralized Exchanges (CEXs)
The site also lists other ways to earn yield on SOL, including:
- Native staking through an exchange: the exchange handles staking on the user's behalf.
- Flexible earn products: SOL is allocated to an exchange product and may earn yield under its terms. Flexible products typically allow redemption at any time, subject to platform terms, although their quoted yield may be lower than on fixed-term products.
- Fixed-term products: SOL is committed for a specified period. These products may offer a higher quoted yield than flexible products, but access may be restricted during the term.
- Promotional offers: some exchanges offer elevated promotional rates. These offers often have short terms, low caps, and eligibility restrictions. On Compare DeFi, they are labeled “For new users.”
How to Compare SOL Yield Options on Compare DeFi
The page brings together SOL yield options with different terms, limits, and risk profiles. Users can review the available information in light of their budget and decide how to allocate funds. Spreading assets across multiple platforms can reduce concentration risk, but it does not remove platform or market risk. Promotional offers may display higher yields, but they usually have lower caps and shorter terms. Some relevant risks are outlined below. The choice of strategy and allocation remains with the user.
Risks of Staking and CEX Yield Products
Native staking risks include:
SOL Price Volatility
SOL is highly volatile: its price can rise or fall sharply. Price movements may outweigh staking rewards and affect the value of the position.
Validator Risk
Validator performance and behavior can affect rewards and delegated stake. Relevant risks include:
- validator server downtime, which can reduce rewards;
- missed votes or prolonged voting inactivity, which can reduce rewards;
- slashing — the destruction of a portion of delegated SOL in response to malicious validator behavior. Solana has no automatic in-protocol slashing; penalties may be applied during a network restart if an attacker causes the network to halt.
Validator reliability is therefore an important part of delegation risk.
Unstaking Is Not Instant
Staked SOL can be withdrawn only after deactivation completes at an epoch boundary. An epoch typically lasts about two days. Depending on when the request is submitted, deactivation may complete within hours or at the next epoch boundary; it can take additional epochs when network-wide limits apply.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Available approaches include:
- Native staking by delegating SOL to a validator.
- Operating a Solana validator — an infrastructure-intensive option with higher technical requirements.
- Flexible and fixed-term earn products on centralized exchanges (CEXs).
- CEX promotional offers, which often have small caps and short terms but may display higher advertised annualized yields.
- Lending in DeFi protocols.
Native staking: SOL is delegated to a validator, or a user operates a validator, and may earn rewards for helping secure the network. Funds remain locked in staking until the unstaking process completes.
Liquid staking: a liquid staking token (LST) is issued in exchange for locked SOL. It can be used in DeFi, while the ability to exchange it depends on available market liquidity.
Useful factors include the validator's commission, score or rating, ecosystem activity, and voting participation. StakeWiz can be used as an additional source of validator data.
- Native staking: losing access to wallet keys can result in losing control of SOL, while a decline in SOL's price can reduce the market value of the position.
- Liquid staking: adds smart-contract and protocol risks, including hacks, exploits, and an LST price deviation from SOL.
This is not an exhaustive list of risks and is not investment advice.
The process usually involves comparing offers on Compare DeFi and then visiting the selected platform's website. Before depositing funds, users commonly review the yield type, APR or APY, fees, term, withdrawal conditions, and risks. They then connect a wallet or sign in to an exchange account and follow the platform's instructions.