Staking allows you to earn rewards on certain crypto assets without selling them. When you stake crypto, your crypto helps validate transactions and supports network security. In return, you earn rewards.
Types of staking
Liquid staking
Liquid staking lets you access your funds while they’re staked. If you stake through a protocol like Lido or Rocket Pool, you’ll receive a tradable token such as stETH or rETH that represents your staked assets and continues to earn rewards.
How liquid staking appears in CoinTracker
You’ll see:
- A transfer out for the original token, such as ETH.
- A transfer in of the liquid staking token, such as stETH.
- Rewards accrue as incoming transactions in the same liquid token, increasing your balance. For example, stETH yields more stETH.
Illiquid staking
Illiquid staking involves locking tokens, where they can’t be traded or moved until they’re unstaked.
How illiquid staking appears in CoinTracker
This currently depends on where and how assets are staked:
- Through a supported exchange, staking positions appear on the Wallets page, such as Staked ETH.
- Through a self-custody wallet or dapp, support varies by blockchain. When supported, staking positions appear on the Portfolio page, with the respective staking transaction categorized as Stake on the Transactions page.
If staking isn’t supported for a wallet, exchange, or dapp:
- The token send transaction will be categorized as Stake, with no staked balance on the Portfolio page.
- When unstaking, the original token will be received and categorized as Unstake, with any rewards categorized as Staking rewards or Other income.
Categorizing staking transactions
CoinTracker automatically categorizes staking activity and detects whether transactions involve liquid or illiquid staking. You can manually adjust the transaction's category if needed:
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- Stake: When assets are deposited into a staking contract.
- Unstake: When staked assets are redeemed or withdrawn.