- Ethereum recently changed its protocol from a proof-of-work to a proof-of-stake model.
- Industry analysts predict that this upgrade could triple current Ethereum staking yields.
- Here’s how staking will change in light of Ethereum’s consolidation — and what that means for returns.
- This article is part of “Master Your Crypto,” a series of insiders that help investors improve their skills and knowledge in cryptocurrencies.
of ethereum The long awaited merger on Thursday, September 15 — where blockchain transformed its protocol from a proof-of-work to a much more energy-efficient proof-of-stake consensus model — will surely be immortalized as one of the most important events in crypto history. It represents the next evolution of digital assets and future growth in the space, according to Thomas Perfumo, head of strategy at Kraken, which currently Fourth largest cryptocurrency exchange In this world.
The merger was so important, Parfumo told Insider — ultimately, it would single-handedly increase the total market cap of staked crypto assets from 25% to 30% to more than 50%.
For context, proof-of-work protocols like Bitcoin verify blockchain transactions by having miners solve computational puzzles, while proof-of-stake systems like those employed by Solana, Cardano, and Polkadot randomly select validators who have staked — or locked up — stake. Their crypto assets — above two to three weeks. Although validators are randomly selected, they are more likely to be selected if they have a larger stake and hold their stake for a longer period of time than others.
How investors make money from staking
Similar to holding a dividend stock, investors who share their cryptocurrency can theoretically benefit in two ways — from appreciation in the value of the underlying asset, and from additional rewards each time they verify a transaction, known as the annual percentage rate, or APR.
Because Ethereum validators also earn Gas fee, high transaction volume means a high yield. And since each block only has a fixed number of rewards, the reward rate decreases as the total number of valid and staked cryptos competing for those rewards increases.
Because issuers take risk through exposure to their underlying assets, investors shouldn’t buy crypto just for the potential APR, Perfumo said. “But if you have a strong belief in Ethereum over your time horizon and you think that stocking gives you a way to increase the reward on the asset while you hold it, it seems like a good idea,” he added.
Prior to the merger, Ethereum holders were able to participate in its beacon chain, with one major caveat – they were unable to withdraw their assets, meaning that the percentage of Ethereum stock only increased over time. Parfumo estimates that the withdrawal should be allowed once the Shanghai fork of the merger is completed in the next six to nine months.
Although in theory, every crypto holder can bet by themselves Unlike staking on an exchange, in practice, solo staking is much more difficult because validators have to constantly monitor the software or risk paying an inactivity penalty. Ethereum also requires all single validators Hold at least 32 ethers Before they can bet, and node and server costs can add up quickly, Perfumo said.
On the other hand, the exchange of ideas the kraken And the lido — which charges a fee on yield — allows users to contribute as much as they like, and can also reduce fines through redundancy mechanisms. Because Lido gives users a derivative ETH token for every Ether they own, users are even able to unstake their coins by trading the two currencies back. But since these exchanges effectively manage the custody of a user’s assets, Parfumo emphasizes choosing a trusted exchange to minimize counterparty risk.
Lido currently lists its Ethereum APR as 3.8%, while Kraken advertises its Ethereum annual reward rate as between 4% and 7% due to variability between transaction demand and verifier supply, Parfumo explained. He added that rewards differ between blockchain protocols because newer ones can offer a higher base yield for circulating the coin supply, while more mature networks with large validation networks like Ethereum offer a smaller percentage of new tokens compared to the total supply.
Stackers will now earn all rewards after a merge
One of the biggest takeaways post-merge is that the reward pool for validators has now grown substantially, said AD, a pseudonym used by Lido’s head of marketing and community.
“Yields are expected to increase because the fees that used to flow to miners will now flow to stakes,” he explained to Insider. “You’re going from a yield that’s currently about 3.8% – it varies quite a bit – but our modeling shows it’s going to potentially double or even triple.” Lido’s estimates are in line with estimates made by other crypto analysts earlier this year that post-merger staking yields could swell by 7% per 15%.
However, Parfumo says it’s difficult to accurately predict post-merge reward rates, especially since Ether becomes more liquid within months.
“If people are allowed to unstake, then the reward rate is going to be more variable, in the sense that it can go up and down depending on how many people are staking. It’s possible that over time, the reward rate could become skewed. Downside Because the fluidity of being able to postpone encourages people to participate,” he explained.
In addition, platforms may lower reward rates to compensate for the fact that mining power costs far more than staking. “You don’t have to have such a big incentive model to encourage validators to work on the platform,” Perfumo said.
As he believes Ethereum rewards may not necessarily increase after consolidation, Perfumo emphasized that investors should still keep their personal time horizons in mind when it comes to Ethereum staking and should only consider staking if they have locked down their assets. Feel comfortable doing at least another six months.
This article is intended to provide general information designed to educate a broad segment of the public; It does not provide personalized investment, legal, or other business and professional advice. Before taking any action, you should consult your own financial, legal, tax, investment or other professional for advice on matters affecting you and/or your business.
