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How to stake SOL, step by step: native and liquid staking, explained simply

Staking means putting your SOL behind a validator that helps run Solana, in return for rewards. You can stake straight from your wallet, or swap SOL for a liquid staking token such as JitoSOL or JupSOL. Here is how each one works, step by step.

  • 5 min read
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  • By StonkBuilder Community

In short

  • Staking delegates your SOL to a validator. The SOL stays yours, and it earns rewards.
  • Native staking starts earning at the next epoch, about two days, and takes about as long to unstake.
  • Liquid staking gives you a token such as JitoSOL or JupSOL that earns while you can still trade it.
  • Rewards change over time, validators keep a commission, and liquid tokens add smart-contract risk.

Words you'll meet

Validator
A computer that helps run Solana. Stakers back validators and share their rewards.
Delegate
To put your SOL behind a validator without handing the SOL over.
Epoch
A period of about two days. Native stake starts and stops at epoch boundaries.
Liquid staking token
A token you get for staked SOL, worth a little more SOL over time.
Commission
The share of rewards a validator keeps for its work.

More words, explained plainly: the StonkBuilder Learn glossary

Staking in plain words

Solana runs on validators, computers that check transactions. The more SOL is staked with a validator, the more work it does and the more rewards it earns. When you stake, you delegate your SOL to a validator and share in those rewards.[1] You don't hand the SOL over: it sits in a stake account that stays under your control.

Validators keep a commission. The Jupiter validator, for example, takes 5% of inflation rewards and 0% of MEV rewards, the extra tips traders pay.[2]

Two ways to stake

Native staking and liquid staking compared
Native stakingLiquid staking
What you holdA stake account with your SOL in itA token, such as JitoSOL, JupSOL, mSOL or INF
When it starts earningAt the next epoch, about two daysRight away: the token grows in value
Getting outUnstake, wait for the epoch to end, then withdrawSwap back to SOL at any time, or redeem
Use it elsewhereNo, it stays in the stake accountYes, in many Solana apps
Extra riskA weaker validator earns you lessSmart-contract risk, and the token's price can drift

Option 1: native staking from your wallet

  1. Open your wallet and choose SOL

    Wallets such as Phantom and Solflare have staking built in: look for Stake or Earn next to your SOL.

  2. Pick a validator

    Look at its commission and its track record. Spreading stake beyond the very largest validators also helps keep Solana decentralized.[1]

  3. Enter an amount

    Leave some SOL unstaked for fees. Some apps set a minimum: Jupiter's native staking needs at least 1 SOL.[2]

  4. Confirm in your wallet

    Your wallet creates the stake account and delegates it. It shows as activating, then active once the next epoch starts, about two days later.[2]

  5. Watch it earn

    Rewards are added to the stake account each epoch. Your wallet shows the balance growing.

  6. To stop, unstake, then withdraw

    Unstaking deactivates the stake at the end of the epoch. Once it is inactive, withdraw the SOL back to your wallet balance.

Option 2: liquid staking

  1. Choose a liquid staking token

    Well-known ones include JitoSOL from Jito,[3] JupSOL from Jupiter, mSOL from Marinade[4] and INF from Sanctum.[5]

  2. Open the official app

    Use the provider's own site, or swap SOL for the token in a swap app. On Jupiter's Ultra mode, swapping SOL into JupSOL carries no Jupiter fee.[6]

  3. Enter the SOL amount and confirm

    Keep some SOL for fees, and check the token's contract address before you approve.

  4. Expect fewer tokens than SOL

    Each token is worth a little more than 1 SOL, and its rate keeps rising, so 1 SOL buys less than one token. That is expected.[7]

  5. To stop, swap or redeem

    Swap the token back to SOL at the market price, or redeem it with the provider. JupSOL can be redeemed for SOL at any time.[7]

What it costs

  • Commission. The validator keeps a share of rewards, shown before you stake.
  • Network fees. Tiny, in SOL, for each transaction.
  • Swap fees. Only if you swap into or out of a liquid staking token, and only on some pairs.
  • Time. Native stake takes about an epoch to start and to stop.

The risks, honestly

  • Rewards change. They depend on the network and your validator. Any rate you see is an estimate, not a promise.
  • Validators vary. One that goes offline earns less for its stakers.
  • Liquid tokens add risk. They rely on the provider's smart contracts, and in a rush to sell, their market price can dip below the SOL they represent.
  • Taxes. In many countries, staking rewards and swaps can be taxable. Keep records.

Our Jupiter hub has a short Stake SOL with Jupiter tutorial, and StonkBuilder Learn compares staking and lending .

Questions people ask

How much can I earn by staking SOL?

It changes over time and depends on your validator. Wallets and staking apps show an estimated rate. Be wary of anyone promising a fixed or unusually high return.

Can I lose my SOL by staking?

Native staking keeps your SOL in a stake account you control: the main costs are the commission and the days it takes to unstake. Liquid staking adds smart-contract risk and the chance that the token trades below its value for a while.

How long does unstaking take?

Native stake becomes withdrawable after the current epoch ends, usually within about two days. A liquid staking token can be swapped back to SOL at any time at the market price.

What is an epoch?

A period of about two days on Solana. Staking changes take effect at the boundary between epochs.

Go deeper in our project communities

Sources

  1. Solana: What is staking? solana.com/learn/what-is-staking
  2. Jupiter docs: Native staking docs.jup.ag/user-docs/earn/stake-sol/native-staking
  3. Jito www.jito.network/
  4. Marinade marinade.finance/
  5. Sanctum sanctum.so/
  6. Jupiter docs: Ultra Mode docs.jup.ag/user-docs/trade/spot/ultra-mode
  7. Jupiter docs: JupSOL docs.jup.ag/user-docs/earn/stake-sol/jupsol

Checked on 29 Sep 2026. Projects change their fees and features; the linked pages are the source of truth.

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