Cryptocurrency has revolutionized the financial landscape, introducing new concepts and technologies that go beyond traditional banking systems. One such innovative feature is «staking,» a process that allows cryptocurrency holders to actively participate in network operations and earn passive income in return.
Staking is a mechanism employed by many blockchain networks to secure and validate transactions on the network. Unlike traditional Proof-of-Work (PoW) consensus algorithms, which rely on miners solving complex mathematical puzzles to validate transactions, Proof-of-Stake (PoS) and other staking-based systems use a different approach.
In a staking system, validators (participants who lock up a certain amount of cryptocurrency as collateral) are chosen to create new blocks and validate transactions based on the amount of cryptocurrency they have staked. Essentially, the more coins a participant holds and locks up in the network, the higher the chances they have of being chosen to validate transactions.
To participate in staking, individuals must first acquire the specific cryptocurrency used by the blockchain employing a staking mechanism. Popular staking coins include Tezos (XTZ), Cardano (ADA), and Polkadot (DOT).
Staked cryptocurrencies are typically stored in a specific staking wallet. Users need to set up a wallet compatible with the chosen cryptocurrency and transfer their holdings to this wallet.