> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://yieldxyz.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Staking

> Delegate to a validator, pool, or liquid-staking protocol through one enter, exit, and manage flow.

A staking yield delegates a network's staking token to a validator, a pool, or a liquid-staking protocol, and earns that network's staking reward. Native and pooled staking yields have `mechanics.type: staking`; liquid staking yields have `liquid_staking`. Every staking integration follows the same Stake It model as the rest of Earn: discover the yield, read its mechanics, select a validator when the yield asks for one, then request `enter`, `exit`, or `manage`.

Coverage spans EVM networks, led by Ethereum, and non-EVM networks, led by Solana. The [EVM](/documentation/earn/staking/evm/index) and [non-EVM](/documentation/earn/staking/non-evm/index) lists enumerate every live integration.

## Staking models at a glance

| Model | What you get | Validator involvement |
| - | - | - |
| Native | Nothing transferable; a delegation record against the network | You often choose a validator directly |
| Pooled | Nothing transferable; funds are routed through a vault, a nomination pool, or the provider's own validator set | You don't pick validators (Polkadot, Kusama, and TON pool yields take the pool's address) |
| Liquid staking | A transferable receipt token (e.g. `stETH`, `mSOL`) | Abstracted behind the protocol |

See [Staking types](/documentation/earn/staking/types) for how each model behaves on enter, exit, and balances. The liquid staking model is explained on Staking types; protocol integrations for liquid staking and restaking are documented under [Earn › DeFi](/documentation/earn/defi/liquid-staking/index), and staking pages list them as one row each.

## The Stake It flow

A staking integration follows five stages:

1. **Discover** the staking and liquid staking yields enabled for your project ([Discover yields](/documentation/earn/core-concepts/discover)).
2. **Review and select a validator** when the yield asks for one. `mechanics.requiresValidatorSelection` says whether it does; yield.xyz flags [preferred validators](/documentation/earn/staking/validators/preferred-validators) to choose from.
3. **Enter** by requesting an `enter` action, which returns ordered unsigned transactions ([Actions](/documentation/earn/core-concepts/actions)).
4. **Sign** each transaction with your own wallet or custody flow, then submit it for yield.xyz to broadcast, or broadcast it yourself and report the hash.
5. **Track** the action to a terminal status and read the resulting position ([Balances and positions](/documentation/earn/core-concepts/balances-positions)).

For the request-level walkthrough, see the [staking guide](/guides/earn/staking/stake) and [validator selection](/guides/earn/staking/validator-selection).

## Validator selection

Validator selection is per yield, not universal. `mechanics.requiresValidatorSelection` tells you whether a yield delegates to validators you choose; the action's argument schema (`mechanics.arguments.enter`, `.exit`, `.manage`) is authoritative for what you must send.

| Situation | What you send | Examples |
| - | - | - |
| Validator required on enter and exit | `validatorAddress`, or `validatorAddresses` where the schema asks for a list | Solana native, Cosmos SDK chains, Sui, Aptos, NEAR, BNB Chain, POL and GRT delegation, Polkadot and Kusama pools and TON pool yields (the pool's address); `validatorAddresses` on Tron and on Polkadot and Kusama validator staking. Cardano needs a validator on enter only. |
| Validator assigned by the provider | No validator on enter; the exit request names the validator to exit | Ethereum native staking through Figment, P2P, Luganodes, and Validation Cloud |
| Not applicable | No validator argument | Pooled staking such as StakeWise vaults and Marinade Native, and most liquid staking |

In current integrations a validator argument is either required or not accepted on a given action: none treat it as optional, and none fall back to a default validator when it is missing.

`GET /v1/yields/{yieldId}/validators` returns the validators you can delegate to for that yield; `preferred=true` narrows the list to the validators yield.xyz flags as preferred. See [Preferred validators](/documentation/earn/staking/validators/preferred-validators) and [Bring your own node](/documentation/earn/staking/validators/bring-your-own-node) for running your own validator instead.

## Coverage

<Columns cols={2}>
  <Card title="Coverage" icon="list-check" href="/documentation/earn/staking/coverage/index">
    Where staking is live, grouped by network family.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Networks" icon="globe" href="/documentation/earn/networks/index">
    The full list of networks yield.xyz supports.
  </Card>
</Columns>

## Next steps

<Columns cols={2}>
  <Card title="Staking types" icon="layer-group" href="/documentation/earn/staking/types">
    Compare native, pooled, and liquid staking in detail.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Liquid staking" icon="droplet" href="/documentation/earn/defi/liquid-staking/index">
    Protocol-specific liquid staking integrations, owned by DeFi.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Actions" icon="bolt" href="/documentation/earn/core-concepts/actions">
    Full detail on requesting, signing, and tracking enter, exit, and manage.
  </Card>

  <Card title="API reference" icon="book" href="/api-reference/YieldsController_getYields">
    Request and response schemas for the yields and actions endpoints.
  </Card>
</Columns>


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