10 Best Crypto Staking Platforms For 2025

Let’s take a closer look with an in-depth review of the best cryptocurrency staking services. Together, we’ll break them down into the features, pros, cons, and why each makes the list.

We’ve rigorously evaluated and ranked the top crypto staking platforms based on a meticulous methodology. Our expert team scrutinized each one, focusing on key criteria like reputation, security, staking rewards (APYs), variety of coins offered, and user-friendliness, ensuring our recommendations are safe, reliable, and easy to use for everyone.

Below, you’ll find choices for newbies just starting their journey to advanced DeFi options with eye-catching rewards. 

Binance is one of the biggest and most popular places to stake cryptocurrency and earn rewards. Since it’s a centralized exchange (CEX), everything is handled through their platform, which makes the process simple even for beginners. 

Binance gives you different ways to stake, such as Locked Staking, Flexible Staking, DeFi Staking, and even ETH 2.0 Staking.

Coinbase is also another leading CEX based in the U.S, offering crypto staking. The user-friendly platform allows you to stake over 130 crypto on Proof-of-Stake (PoS) blockchains to earn passive income. 

It takes care of all the technical stuff like running validator nodes, so staking is easy to set up, even if you’re brand new to crypto. That said, Coinbase fees are higher compared to exchanges like Binance, and it currently offers an APY of 1-13%.

Bybit, a CEX focused on derivatives, is also one of the best staking platforms offering flexible and fixed staking with no fees.

However, withdrawal fees vary by coin, and the platform is ideal for traders seeking high APYs, which range from 1% to 60%.

eToro, a multi-asset centralized trading platform (CEX) since 2007,  is best known for its social trading tools like CopyTrader™ and Smart Portfolios. It added staking in 2020, which lets you earn passive income just by holding certain PoS coins, with an APY of 5-7%.

Staking on eToro is completely automated, and you don’t need to set up or manage anything.  Everything runs smoothly within its simple and user-friendly platform.

Kraken, a U.S.-based CEX, offers flexible and bonded staking for over 25 proof-of-stake assets

As one of the best crypto platforms for staking rewards, it allows you to stake a variety of cryptocurrencies through both on-chain and off-chain staking. 

You can earn potential rewards ranging from 3% to 20% APY. Kraken is popular for its strong security, focus on compliance, and easy-to-use design.

KuCoin is a crypto exchange based in Seychelles that offers staking through its KuCoin Earn platform. You can choose between flexible staking and fixed staking. 

KuCoin also has soft staking, which lets your coins stay liquid while still earning rewards, and liquid staking for ETH (through ksETH). It is one of the best crypto staking platforms of 2025, supporting over 40 different coins, with rewards ranging from 1% to 20% APY. 

Most coins don’t have a minimum requirement, and rewards are paid out daily. This makes it easier for you to start earning right away.

Gemini, a U.S.-based CEX, was founded in 2014 by the Winklevoss twins. It offers two staking options: Basic Staking (no minimum required) and Staking Pro, which is designed for advanced users and requires at least 32 ETH.

You can stake popular coins like Ethereum (ETH) and Solana (SOL), with rewards typically ranging from 2% to 6% APY. Gemini puts a strong focus on security, with SOC 1 and SOC 2 compliance, and even covers users for any slashing losses that might occur.

Crypto.com is a Malta-based exchange (CEX) that offers several ways to stake crypto. It offers you on-chain staking, soft staking, and liquid staking. You can stake over 40 different coins, such as CRO, ETH, SOL, and DOT, with both flexible terms (no lock-up) and fixed terms (1-6 months) for higher rewards.

Crypto.com’s flexible staking lets you withdraw anytime, while locked staking gives better APYs. With liquid staking, you get tokens like CDCETH or CDCSOL, which you can trade while still earning rewards.

CRO staking is especially rewarding on the crypto staking platform, offering up to 20% APY.

Bake is a Singapore-based exchange (CEX), previously known as Cake DeFi, that offers flexible staking for 11 Proof-of-Stake (PoS) coins. Most assets have no lock-up period (except Polkadot/DOT), so you can unstake whenever you want.

Positioning itself as one of the top crypto staking platforms, Bake uses a new unit-based staking system. Meaning, staked coins are converted into units, whose value grows over time. You only realize the rewards when you unstake, making it more tax-efficient in some cases.

The platform also takes care of running validator nodes for you, making staking simple. You can earn up to 12% APY depending on the coin you stake.

Lido Finance is one of the largest decentralized exchanges (DEX), rising as one of the top liquid staking platforms. As of August 2025, it holds over $40 billion in total value locked (TVL), according to DefiLlama.  making it the leading platform for Ethereum staking.

When you stake ETH on Lido, you receive stETH in return. This token earns 2% – 3.5% APY, and rewards are added daily. You can also use it across other DeFi apps and protocols while still earning staking rewards.

Crypto staking platforms provide opportunities for you to earn rewards by locking up your cryptocurrency to help run PoS blockchains. By staking your coins, you help keep the network secure and validate transactions. 

In return, you earn rewards, which, depending on the platform and coin, can range anywhere from an APY of 0.25% up to 100%.

There are different types of staking platforms: Centralized Exchanges (CEXs) like Binance and Crypto.com, Decentralized Exchanges (DEXs) like Lido Finance, and Hybrid platforms like Bake, which combine centralized tools with DeFi-style transparency. We have covered this in detail in the next section.

Common Types of Staking

Platforms offer various staking models, including:

• Flexible Staking: No lock-up, you can withdraw anytime, like in the case of Coinbase and Bake
• Locked Staking: Your coins are locked for a fixed period, but you usually earn higher rewards. (e.g., Binance’s 120 days, Crypto.com’s 6 months)
• Liquid Staking: You get a tradable token (e.g stETH from Lido or CDCETH from Crypto.com) that still earns rewards but can also be used in DeFi apps.
• Soft Staking: Earn smaller rewards on idle balances without committing to a lock-up. (e.g., Crypto.com’s 0.25%–2% APY for CRO)

Generally, crypto staking platforms are categorized into 3 categories: Centralized Exchanges (CEXs), Decentralized Exchanges (DEXs), and Hybrid Platforms. 

Each comes with its own style, benefits, and trade-offs, allowing you to make money with crypto.

Centralized Exchanges (CEXs)

CEXs are custodial platforms managing user funds, offering user-friendly interfaces and integrated staking services. They handle validator operations and reward distribution, simplifying the process for users. 

The best crypto exchanges include Binance, Gemini, Kucoin and Coinbase, among others discussed in this article. 

Pros: Centralized platforms make staking easy for beginners with user-friendly interfaces and dedicated customer support. They offer a wide variety of coins to stake and even flexible options with no lock-up periods. Some platforms, like Crypto.com, also provide extra benefits like Visa card rewards.

Cons: A major drawback is the custodial risk, as you don’t control your private keys, making your funds vulnerable to hacks or platform failure.

High trading fees can cut into your profits, and you also face the risk of slashing penalties if the platform’s validators fail. Additionally, staking options may be limited by regional regulations.

Decentralized Exchanges (DEXs)

DEXs are non-custodial platforms that allow you to stake your crypto using personal wallets. This happens directly on the blockchain through smart contracts, and they include Lido Finance, Aave. 

DEXs are best for you if you want decentralization, DeFi integration, and are comfortable managing your own wallets.

Pros: Staking on decentralized exchanges (DEXs) gives you complete control over your crypto, as your funds remain in your personal wallet. This eliminates custodial risk and the need for identity verification (KYC).

Your staked tokens can also be used in other DeFi applications to earn even more rewards, and the entire process is transparent thanks to public, auditable smart contracts.

Cons: The main risks involve a higher barrier to entry for beginners, who need to be comfortable with managing their own private keys and interacting with smart contracts. There’s also the danger of losing funds due to bugs in smart contracts.

Unlike centralized platforms, DEXs typically offer no customer support, and you may face high transaction (gas) fees and the risk of penalties (slashing) if validators fail.

Hybrid Platforms

Hybrid platforms are a mix of both centralized and decentralized systems. They work like a regular exchange, offering user accounts and customer support, but also include decentralized features such as on-chain staking and transparent reward tracking. 

Bake is a good example of such crypto staking platforms. Although Bake doesn’t offer a wide range of DeFi services, it focuses mainly on staking. 

Pros: This model offers the best of both worlds by combining the user-friendliness and customer support of a centralized exchange (CEX) with the transparency of a decentralized one (DEX).

It features flexible, no-lock-up staking options and a tax-efficient reward system. You can easily track your holdings on the blockchain, which adds a layer of trust.

Cons: A significant drawback is the custodial risk, as the platform holds your funds, making them vulnerable to hacks. Unlike pure DEXs, there are no additional DeFi features like lending or liquidity pools, limiting your opportunities.

The commission fees for staking are also higher than what many decentralized platforms charge, and the regulatory future for such a hybrid model remains uncertain.

Once you scratch the surface, choosing the best platform can become a little confusing. But don’t worry; next, we’ll break down the key factors to consider in your selection:

Security

Security is paramount in all things crypto. After all, it doesn’t matter how your staking rewards are if your funds are hacked and stolen. Start by assessing the security protocols and history of a platform. Centralized crypto exchanges should have well well-known trusted reputations with clear policies on storage and encryption.

Decentralized platforms have an inherent risk of smart contracts containing vulnerabilities or bugs. New projects should be approached with caution until they have been rigorously tested by the DeFi community. 

Rewards

We’re all here to make our crypto work a little bit harder. So, the next step is understanding how much you can earn and finding the highest APY cryptos. Platforms will offer either a guaranteed or projected annual percentage yield (APY). Guaranteed rates tend to be lower and require strict locked staking periods.

At the same time, more projected rates fluctuate with market conditions but can be higher with short periods and flexible parameters. Reward structures also vary between assets. So, research which assets and platforms are offering the most attractive rates for your crypto portfolio. 

Fees

None of this comes for free, although you should never pay anything upfront. Instead, platforms take a percentage of rewards you earn as payment. Depending on the platform, these can vary from 10% up to 45%. Anything around 15% is considered a good deal.

DeFi projects often have lower fees, while more sophisticated ‘beginner’ friendly exchanges can get expensive. For example, eToro is easy to use but can charge 45% fees for some staking program, while Lido finance comes in at 10%.

User experience

A critical point if you are new to the staking game. Things can get complicated quickly, particularly if you’re required to execute technical procedures directly on the blockchain. The best staking crypto platforms all have an easy-to-use interface that makes staking your coins super easy.

Beginner-friendly platforms like Binance enable you to stake in a couple of clicks. Crypto.com has one of the best crypto staking apps to use on phone. While eToro has an automatic feature that’s easy to use.

Supported Digital Assets

If you hold a particular cryptocurrency, like Ethereum or Solana, then it’s key to check that a platform supports the crypto you hold. For example, if you are holding Solana for a long-term investment, you want to avoid having to trade it for another asset to access staking functions.

Supporting staking assets should be clearly listed. Plus, you should note that not all assets can be staked. For example, the Bitcoin blockchain doesn’t have proof-of-stake functionality, so you can’t directly stake Bitcoin. However, other passive income methods have been developed in this situation.

Before you’re let loose on the staking world, there are a couple of risks to consider.

Yield isn’t always guaranteed. You’ll get an indicator of what you can expect to earn, but market conditions along with any efficient or slow validation, can add risk to these types of investment.

Misbehaving validators may be penalized and lead to something called slashing. More commonly, yields can change based on the network demand and staked supply, so nothing is set in concrete.

Liquidity can be tricky. Often, there’s a ‘cool down’ period once the staking period has finished. This is a window in which your crypto cannot be traded. So, if you want to move quickly in the market, then staking is likely to slow you down.

Custody of your coins is also often relinquished during staking, creating security risks. Particularly if you’re using a centralized exchange you’ll need to trust the platform with your funds.

So you won’t be able to keep them safely in cold storage. That could leave you open to problems like hacks, fraud, or company insolvency – not impossible in the cryptoverse.

Crypto staking sites are an important part of the blockchain ecosystem. It is integral to the way many of them are built with proof-of-stake protocols used to validate and secure transactions. This is exciting for investors who can leverage a robust way to earn crypto rewards on their long-term crypto holdings. 

There’s a lot to understand as the industry continues to innovate and develop new ideas. Choosing a strong staking platform is particularly important for newbies to make sure they are working in a secure, trusted environment. Plus, a broad range of rewards and asset classes will be useful as the journey continues.

Major exchanges like Binance and Coinbase offer quick access to staking, while Kraken delivers add options for institutions, and Bake opens up steps into DeFi. Careful selection of the right platform helps to optimize returns while playing a crucial role in the growth and security of blockchain technology.