Crypto staking is one of the most popular ways to earn passive income from coins you already own. But finding the best crypto staking coins is not as simple as picking the biggest annual percentage yield (APY). You want networks that balance reward with real risk and security, with clear exit options, so you can adjust when the market changes.
Spread your capital across several chains, choose reputable validators, and reinvest rewards. With a plan like this, staking can shift from a short-term bet to a steady passive income strategy.
In this article, we highlight the best crypto staking coins for 2025 and explain crypto staking in simple terms.
What Is Crypto Staking and How Does It Work?
Crypto staking is a simple idea. You lock coins like Ethereum, Solana, or Polkadot on a Proof of Stake (PoS) network so it can verify transactions and stay secure. In return, you receive rewards, typically expressed as an APY. It feels more like earning interest than running mining machines, and it uses far less energy.
A quick example makes it clear. If you stake a coin worth 1,000 USD at an APY of 4% for one year, you would earn about 40 USD in token rewards on top of your original stake. The real number can be higher or lower depending on the network, validator fees, and uptime.
There are two common roles:
• Validators run nodes, stake larger amounts, and process transactions directly. On Ethereum, for example, you need 32 ETH to run your own validator.
• Delegators are most of us. You delegate your coin to a reputable validator through a wallet or an exchange and share the rewards without running hardware.
In short, staking lets your asset work while you hold it. You help the network and you earn passive income, especially if you restake the rewards so they compound over time.
What Are the 7 Best Tokens to Stake in 2025?
Now that the basics are clear, let’s pick the best crypto staking coins for steady passive crypto income. We choose the biggest staking coins with the best reputation, real usage and good liquidity.
For conservative investors who prefer stability over high yields, staking stablecoins like DAI, USDC, and USDT provides predictable income streams without price volatility concerns.
While these won't deliver the explosive returns of volatile cryptocurrencies, they offer predictable income streams that can outpace traditional savings accounts without the stress of watching price charts. Every coin brings different advantages to liquid staking options.
Before we get to the coins, note that you can earn passive income the easy way with BingX Earn on our Website using coins such as ETH, BNB, SOL, and ADA.
1. Ethereum (ETH)
ETH/USDT Price Chart | BingX
Ethereum switched to PoS during The Merge, making ETH staking a trusted, liquid option. As the base layer for DeFi and NFTs, it has the largest developer community and strong institutional interest.
Yield and Real Return
• APY (current): ~3 to 4% from base rewards; MEV tips can add ~1 to 2%.
• Inflation: low issuance; fee burns can exceed issuance during busy periods.
• Real yield: often ~3 to 6%, depending on activity and validator performance.
Pros and Key Risks of Ethereum (ETH) Staking
Ethereum (ETH) staking benefits from a mature, security-focused PoS design. Liquidity is deep, support across major exchanges and wallets is broad, and there are plenty of liquid staking options. The developer base is strong and institutions show clear interest.
On the risk side, solo validation requires 32 ETH, setup and withdrawals can be technical, yields are typically lower than on smaller chains, and running your own validator needs ongoing monitoring and maintenance.
Who it suits
Long-term investors
2. Binance Coin (BNB)
BNB/USDT Price Chart | BingX
BNB is the native coin of BNB Smart Chain. It pays network fees and powers many Binance services, which keeps demand steady. Regular quarterly burns permanently remove coins from circulation and support scarcity over time.
Yield and Real Return
• APY (current): typically 4 to 7%, depending on your staking route and validator.
• Deflation effect: burns have removed roughly a small share of supply each year; that tailwind can lift effective returns, but price moves and fees still matter.
• Real yield: rates change with participation and can move without notice.
Pros and Key Risks of Binance Coin (BNB) Staking
Binance Coin (BNB) staking benefits from everyday utility across the Binance ecosystem, deep liquidity with easy market access, and multiple ways to stake, both on chain and through major exchanges.
On the risk side, there are ongoing governance and centralization questions, continued regulatory pressure around Binance, yields that often trail newer and riskier projects, and overall performance that remains closely tied to Binance’s business.
Who it suits
People who already use Binance products and want straightforward staking exposure to BNB Smart Chain while staying inside the core ecosystem.
3. Solana (SOL)
SOL/USDT Price Chart | BingX
Solana is built for speed and low fees, which keeps activity high for consumer apps and DeFi. Staking SOL means delegating your coin to validators that operate the network. The ecosystem has recovered well and continues to attract builders.
Yield and Real Return
• APY (current): usually 6 to 8%, depending on validator commission and overall participation. Many validators auto-compound rewards.
• Inflation: started higher and decays each year toward a long-run rate near 1.5 %. Currently around 5 to 6 %.
• Real yield: often 0 to 3 % after inflation, with timing, validator fees, and price action making the difference.
Pros and Key Risks of Solana (SOL) Staking
Solana (SOL) staking benefits from very high throughput and low fees, which makes the network feel fast and inexpensive to use. The ecosystem has a steady flow of consumer apps and DeFi projects, liquid staking options are available, and developer momentum remains strong with frequent releases.
On the risk side, Solana has a track record of stability incidents that are worth monitoring. Inflation is still higher today than the long-run target, validator concentration is something to watch, and the regulatory outlook for parts of the ecosystem remains mixed.
Who it suits
Tech-forward users who value performance and can accept higher risk in pursuit of passive income. Fits a diversified list of the best crypto staking coins when you want speed and an active builder base.
4. Tron (TRX)
TRX/USDT Price Chart | BingX
Tron is a high-throughput chain with very low fees and a strong tilt toward payments, entertainment, and content apps. Staking TRX works via voting: you delegate your coin and vote for Super Representatives (SRs) who produce blocks and share rewards. Steady on-chain activity helps keep payouts consistent.
You can vote to stake on TronScan with TronLink by selecting Super Representatives, or use exchange staking on other platforms.
Yield and Real Return
• APY (current): typically 4 to 6 %, depending on which SRs you choose and their payout policy.
• Inflation: roughly 1 to 2 % per year from block rewards.
• Real yield: often about 2 to 5 % after inflation, with price moves and SR performance still decisive.
Pros and Key Risks of Tron (TRX) Staking
Tron (TRX) staking is easy to start thanks to its simple “vote to stake” model. Fees are extremely low, so using the network feels fast and cheap. Rewards arrive frequently, in many cases daily, and most wallets and major exchanges support it.
On the risk side, governance can be concentrated among a few powerful validators, and the ecosystem beyond payments and entertainment is uneven. Payouts depend on each Super Representative’s policy, and price swings can quickly erase headline yields.
Who it suits
People who want low-fee, simple staking with frequent payouts and are comfortable with Tron's governance model.
Learn more about how to buy TRON tokens in our comprehensive guide.
5. Cardano (ADA)
ADA/USDT Price Chart | BingX
Cardano follows a research-driven roadmap with peer-reviewed upgrades and a focus on sustainability. Staking ADA uses delegation, so you keep custody while a stake pool operates the validator and shares rewards.
Yield and Real Return
• APY (current): typically 4 to 5 % via stake-pool delegation.
• Inflation: around 2 to 3 % per year to fund the Treasury and rewards.
• Real yield: often 1 to 3 % after inflation, still influenced by price and pool performance.
Pros and Key Risks of Cardano (ADA) Staking
Cardano (ADA) staking lets you keep full custody of your coin. There is no lock-up and no slashing, and the protocol is built on formal methods with a strong academic foundation. Participation is broad across many stake pools, and governance is active.
On the risk side, development can feel slow compared with faster-moving chains. The DeFi footprint is smaller than major competitors, yields are lower than some alternatives, and the academic process can delay feature delivery.
Who it suits
Conservative holders who value security, custody control, and steady staking returns over chasing the highest APY.
6. Polkadot (DOT)
DOT/USDT Price Chart | BingX
Polkadot connects many chains via a relay chain and parachains so they can share security and pass data. DOT staking means nominating validators who help secure the network and finalize blocks across this multi-chain setup.
For the simplest DOT staking, use Polkadot Cloud Staking's official dashboard, Nova Wallet or Ledger Live for self-custody.
Yield and Real Return
• APY (current): typically 10 to 14%, depending on participation and validator selection.
• Inflation: about 8 to 10 % today, adjusting with how much DOT is staked.
• Real yield: usually 0 to 6 % after inflation, still shaped by price moves and validator performance.
Pros and Key Risks of Polkadot (DOT) Staking
Polkadot (DOT) staking benefits from an interoperability focus that keeps network activity steady. The validator marketplace is mature with transparent metrics, the parachain ecosystem and use cases are expanding, and once you are set up the nomination workflow is clear.
On the risk side, the roughly 28-day unbonding period reduces flexibility, validator nomination and ongoing upkeep can be complex, higher inflation can dilute returns, and there is slashing risk if a nominated validator misbehaves.
Who it suits
Investors who buy into the multi-chain vision, can commit funds for several weeks, and want staking rewards with moderate risk while learning a more advanced delegation model.
7. Polygon (POL)
POL/USDT Price Chart | BingX
Polygon is a leading Ethereum scaling network. POL secures the PoS chain, pays fees, and enables governance. For shortlists of the best crypto staking coins, Polygon stays relevant thanks to strong usage and developer traction.
Use the Polygon staking dashboard to stake and delegate to validators. Alternatively, use liquid staking with Lido or Stader.
Yield and Real Return
• APY (current): typically 5 to 7%, depending on validator and participation.
• Inflation: about 3 to 5 % per year to fund rewards and growth.
• Real yield: usually 2 to 4 % after inflation, still influenced by price and validator fees.
Pros and Key Risks of Polygon (POL) Staking
Polygon (POL) staking benefits from a clear role as an Ethereum scaling solution with steady on-chain activity. The network has active DeFi and NFT ecosystems, growing enterprise interest, and multiple ways to stake, including on chain, through exchanges, and via liquid staking.
On the risk side, Polygon remains dependent on Ethereum’s long-term momentum. It faces competition from other L2 and L3 solutions, some validator centralization concerns persist, and the price often moves with the broader crypto market.
Who it suits
Ethereum supporters seeking higher yields than ETH staking while staying close to the Ethereum stack. Solid fit for a crypto staking mix aimed at steady passive income.
Conclusion
Staking pays when you keep it simple. Do not chase the biggest APY. Pick strong networks with real usage, good liquidity, and validators you trust. Watch inflation and know how to exit before you enter.
A small mix of tokens like ETH, SOL, ADA, DOT, POL, TRX, and BNB can turn rewards into steady passive income, especially if you restake over time. Start small, review your positions, and let compounding do the heavy lifting.
