Liquid Staking Platforms

Discover the top liquid staking platforms enabling users to unlock liquidity from their staked assets while earning rewards in the rapidly evolving DeFi ecosystem.

Liquid Staking Platforms

As liquid staking continues gaining traction, an array of platforms have emerged to facilitate this innovative process. These liquid stakers serve as gateways, allowing users to unlock liquidity from their staked assets while continuing to earn rewards and participate in decentralized finance (DeFi).

In this overview, we'll explore some of the leading liquid staking platforms, their key features, and the value they provide to the ecosystem.

Eigenlayer

Eigenlayer is a liquid staking protocol aiming to bring scalable liquid staking to Ethereum and other blockchains. It utilizes distributed validator technology and enables liquid derivatives like eiETH.

Key Features:

  • Decentralized liquid staking architecture
  • Scalable through elastic validator sets
  • Support for Ethereum with plans for multi-chain expansion

Lido

One of the pioneers in liquid staking, Lido is a decentralized liquid staking solution initially focused on Ethereum. By depositing ETH, users receive stETH tokens representing their staked Ether plus rewards. stETH can then be freely utilized across DeFi while continuing to earn staking yields.

Key Features:

  • Decentralized governance and operation
  • Distributed validator node setup
  • Support for Ethereum, Terra, Kusama, and more

Tangle

Tangle is a decentralized network providing modular restaking infrastructure. Its key pillars include:

  • Decentralized liquid staking architecture across multiple blockchains
  • Modular infrastructure for deploying and monetizing restaking services
  • Advanced cryptography and zero-knowledge for network security
  • Support for secure enclaves and distributed validator operations
  • Multi-chain

Tangle's networked infrastructure allows developers to create and monetize services that can be deployed on the network.

Rocket Pool

Rocket Pool is a decentralized Ethereum staking pool that allows individual stakers to earn rewards without running their own node. It mints rETH tokens to represent staked ETH, enabling liquidity while accruing rewards.

Key Features:

  • Decentralized architecture with smart node operators
  • Allows staking with small amounts of ETH
  • Native integration with DeFi platforms

StakeWise

StakeWise is building a liquid staking solution focused on scalability and cross-chain support. Its liquid staking tokens like sETH2 can be deployed across multiple blockchains, fostering greater interoperability.

Key Features:

  • Multi-chain liquid staking for Ethereum, Cosmos, Polkadot, and more
  • Robust scalability through optimistic rollup architecture
  • Decentralized with DAO governance

Symbiotic Finance

Symbiotic is a cross-chain liquid staking platform that creates wrapped liquidity tokens representing staked assets. These synthetic tokens like stkAAVE and stkATOM can be utilized across DeFi.

Key Features:

  • Supports liquid staking for 20+ chains like Ethereum, Avalanche, Cosmos
  • Integration with major DeFi protocols
  • Permissionless listing of synths through Sybil resistance

Ankr Staking

Ankr's liquid staking solution allows users to earn rewards on their staked assets across multiple chains like Ethereum, Avalanche, and Polygon. Stakers receive liquid derivatives like aETHc that can be used in DeFi.

Key Features:

  • Multi-chain support with low fees
  • Easy integration with wallets and DeFi platforms
  • Institutional-grade staking infrastructure

BounceBit

BounceBit is a decentralized liquid staking protocol focused on offering a seamless and low-cost liquid staking experience. Its key features include:

  • Multi-chain support for Ethereum, Polygon, BNB Chain, and more
  • Gasless, low-fee liquid staking powered by decentralized sequencers
  • Non-custodial architecture with no centralized honeypot
  • Native integration with major DeFi protocols like Aave and Curve

BounceBit aims to make liquid staking accessible to a wider user base by minimizing barriers like high gas costs and complex UX.

Byzantine

Byzantine is a liquid staking platform built around secure validator management and robust decentralization. Key aspects include:

  • Decentralized liquid staking with no central party controlling keys
  • Leverages distributed validators and sharding for scalability
  • Advanced slashing protection and validator redundancy
  • Support for proof-of-stake networks like Ethereum, Polkadot, Cosmos

Byzantine prioritizes institutional-grade security and decentralization for liquid staking to drive sustainable ecosystem growth.

Pendle

Pendle is a DeFi platform that has expanded into offering liquid staking services. Its liquid staking solution features:

  • Support for liquid staking Ethereum, with plans for multi-chain rollout
  • Yield tokenization to create synthetic assets representing staked positions
  • Integration of liquid staking yields into Pendle's yield management strategies
  • Decentralized governance and community-driven development

Pendle aims to provide composable building blocks for yield optimization, with liquid staking as a key part in that vision.

These platforms showcase the diverse approaches and priorities within the rapidly evolving liquid staking ecosystem, catering to different user profiles and needs and seamlessly bridging the worlds of staking and DeFi to create new opportunities for crypto holders.