Top 5 Stacking Platforms of 2025: A Comprehensive Review
Looking for the down-and-dirty on crypto staking? Here's the lowdown on the best crypto staking platforms in 2025!
Crypto staking is the lifeblood of every Proof-of-Stake (PoS) blockchain. Besides securing blockchains, staking serves as an incentive for validators to play fair, risking their staked tokens if they act dishonestly or fail to perform their duties.
Staking keeps blockchain ecosystems in check, providing a rewards system for users contributing to the network's health and functionality. In this article, we delve into top crypto staking platforms, evaluating their features, and supported assets.
What is DeFi Staking?
Staking is the process of locking up your crypto assets in a wallet to support a blockchain's security and sustainability. In PoS-based blockchains, users typically earn additional crypto rewards in exchange for staking their tokens. By staking, you help secure the network, validate transactions, and participate in creating new blocks.
In summary, staking incentivizes honest behavior, giving users rewards for supporting the network's operation, while punishing malicious or irresponsible validators with potential token losses.
Benefits of Crypto Staking
Staking offers a slew of benefits for both users and blockchain networks, including:
Passive Income Generation
Staking allows you to earn rewards without selling your crypto, creating a consistent passive income source. If the earned rewards are restaked, compound interest could spike your total earnings.
High Returns
Annual percentage yields (APY) can vary from single-digit percentages to over 20%, depending on the blockchain and market conditions. These returns can rival traditional financial instruments.
Increased Accessibility and Network Support
Staking lowers the barrier to entry for participating in blockchain networks, enabling more users to support their security and growth. PoS blockchains, unlike Proof-of-Work (PoW) chains, don't require expensive hardware and energy. Instead, they allow users to stake a certain amount of tokens, making participation accessible to a broader audience.
Additionally, by locking tokens, validators on the blockchain protect against threats like 51% attacks and ensure long-term stability. Thus, stakers contribute to the network's security and are rewarded.
Liquidity Options
Liquidity staking derivatives (such as Lido's stETH or Rocket Pool's rETH) let staked assets be used on DeFi platforms, allowing users to continue earning staking rewards while also engaging in additional trading or lending activities.
Re-staking (Restaking)
Some protocols like EigenLayer enable previously staked tokens to be re-staked, making them eligible for use as collateral or in other staking systems. This not only increases yields but also encourages deeper participation in the DeFi ecosystem. However, re-staking is more complex and requires more technical knowledge.
Top Crypto Staking Platforms in 2025
Below, we've analyzed the top staking platforms based on their features, supported assets, and other relevant information.
Jito: The Largest Liquid Staking Platform on Solana
Jito, the largest liquid staking platform on the Solana blockchain, enables SOL stakers to receive JitoSOL in return. This serves as a liquid staking token (LST) that can be used in Solana-based DeFi projects, even if the staked assets remain locked. This allows users to generate additional income by utilizing tokenized versions of their staked assets in different DeFi projects.
Key Features of Jito
- Liquid Stake (JitoSOL): Stake SOL and receive JitoSOL in return, allowing users to use the tokenized versions of their locked assets in DeFi projects while continuing to earn staking rewards.
- MEV Integration: Optimizes transaction ordering to redistribute MEV rewards to JitoSOL holders and boost overall staking yields.
- Decentralized Governance: JTO holders have voting rights on platform delegation strategies, treasury management, and protocol upgrades, ensuring a community-driven control mechanism.
- Security and Transparency: Rely on audited smart contracts and delegates staked SOL to recognized validators within the Solana ecosystem, improving platform security and transparency.
Supported Assets
Currently, Jito only supports SOL tokens, as it is integrated solely with the Solana blockchain.
EigenLayer: The King of Restaking
EigenLayer, a middleware protocol built on Ethereum, introduces restaking by allowing users to reinvest previously staked ETH (such as stETH) into a liquidity pool. These staked assets are then allocated to various decentralized applications (dApps), Active Validation Services (AVS), oracles, Layer 2 networks, data availability layers, and cross-chain bridges.
Key Features of EigenLayer
- Restaking Marketplace: A platform that allows validators and protocols to negotiate shared security for a specific cost. Protocols can buy staked tokens or stETH to bolster an additional security layer, while validators can choose which protocols to secure, balancing risk and reward.
- Flexible Staking Options: Permit individual (solo) staking, staking via third parties, dual staking (staking ETH and a local token simultaneously), and tailored staking strategies to cater to different types of users and capital allocation within the EigenLayer ecosystem.
- Programmability: Allows developers to create custom validation rules and security parameters for EigenLayer-based applications, fostering innovative security mechanisms like multi-token staking for specific risk profiles.
- Modular Security: Enables staked assets to be secured for storage, DeFi applications, or cross-chain bridges, adaptable to various security needs for different projects.
Supported Assets
EigenLayer currently supports assets like ETH, ERC-20 tokens, and liquid staking tokens (such as Lido's stETH and Rocketpool's rETH).
Lido Staking: The Leader in Liquid Staking
Lido, one of the largest platforms in the decentralized liquid staking space, provides users with the opportunity to earn staking rewards without the need to unlock their staked assets. Lido generates tokenized staking assets like stETH, enabling users to employ stETH in different DeFi projects on Ethereum.
Key Features of Lido
- Liquid Staking: Stake with Lido and receive a 1:1 derivative token (e.g., stETH). Staking assets with Lido offers flexibility, allowing users to value their funds in a liquid way, participate in DeFi projects, and earn rewards.
- Validator Distribution: Staked tokens are distributed among professional validators selected by the Lido DAO, reducing the risk of validator errors or penalties.
- Open Source and Audited System: Lido's smart contracts are open-source and regularly audited, ensuring the platform's integrity.
- Fee Structure: Lido charges a 10% commission on staking rewards, with the fee being split between node operators and the Lido DAO treasury.
Supported Assets
Lido supports a variety of cryptocurrencies, including Ethereum, Polygon (MATIC), Kusama (KSM), and Polkadot (DOT). However, Solana (SOL) staking has been discontinued due to community votes and an unsustainable long-term fee structure.
Binance Earn: Passive Income from Your Crypto Assets
Binance Earn is an income platform within the Binance ecosystem designed for passive income. It offers various staking and savings options suitable for beginners and experienced investors alike.
Key Features of Binance Earn
- DeFi and Liquid Staking: Users can earn higher annual yields (APY) by connecting to DeFi protocols, engaging in liquid staking, or maintaining their assets in the flexible savings product. However, the involvements carry the risks associated with decentralized platforms.
- Savings Products:
- Flexible Savings: Funds can be withdrawn at any time, though interest rates are lower.
- Locked Savings: Higher yields are available for locking assets for a specified period.
- Dual Investment: A product tailored for advanced investors, seeking high yields by leveraging two different cryptocurrencies and market conditions.
- BNB Vault: A specialized investment pool for BNB holders, combining staking, savings, and liquidity mining to maximize BNB yields.
Supported Assets
Binance Earn supports over 180 crypto assets, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, Cardano, and various stablecoins.
Ethena: Stablecoin Yielding Crypto-Collateralized Returns
Ethena (USDe) is a synthetic stablecoin built on Ethereum, backed by crypto collateral, and maintains a 1:1 dollar peg through delta-neutral risk management.
Gaining sUSDe
Users can earn the yield-generating token sUSDe by staking USDe. sUSDe reflects yields from derivative funding rates and Ethereum staking rewards, increasing in value over time.
Key Features of Ethena
- USDe - Delta-Neutral Stablecoin: USDe has no need for fiat reserves or centralized storage due to its delta-neutral stablecoin mechanism.
- Crypto Collateral: All USDe supply is backed by crypto assets on the blockchain, including Ethereum, staked Ethereum (stETH), Bitcoin, and other stablecoins.
Supported Assets and Staking
Users can earn sUSDe by staking USDe, allowing them to stake their assets and benefit from staking rewards and increased token value.
Ethena aims to craft a novel approach in decentralized stablecoin systems, offering a secure and yield-generating stablecoin model.
- In the future landscape of 2025, Bitcoin will play a significant role in finance integrations with other PoS-based blockchains, as staking mechanisms will become more prevalent in users' lifestyles and technology use.
- As education-and-self-development opportunities grow, more individuals will learn about crypto staking, particularly DeFi staking, understanding the processes and benefits associated with staking profiles.
- With top staking platforms such as Lido, Binance Earn, Jito, EigenLayer, and Ethena providing liquid and restaking options, users will be incentivized to participate in entertainment and DeFi activities while securing blockchain networks and earning passive income.
- As the demand for crypto staking increases, blockchain ecosystems will continue to refine their staking mechanisms, aiming to provide higher returns and more accessible ways for users to contribute to the network's security and functionality.
- In 2025, the lines between finance, technology, lifestyle, and entertainment will continue to blur as crypto staking becomes an integral part of daily life for many, redefining the way blockchain networks operate and reward users for their contributions.
