With native staking, you delegate SOL directly to a validator on the Solana network. Your SOL is held in a stake account, stays under your control, and isn't converted into another token or routed through a smart contract. Rewards are paid in SOL to your stake account. This is different from liquid staking with Phantom Staked SOL (PSOL), where your SOL is pooled and you receive a token in return.
Risks to consider
Native staking is generally safe, but there are a few things to be aware of:
- Validator performance. If your validator goes offline or behaves poorly, you could miss out on rewards. In rare cases, a malicious validator could cause your rewards to be slashed.
- Lock-up period. Staked SOL is locked for a minimum of one epoch (2–3 days). You won't be able to use or sell it during this time.
- Smart contract risk. If you stake through a third-party interface rather than Phantom directly, there is a small risk of contract bugs.
To reduce risk, consider the following: choose a reputable validator with strong uptime, only stake through trusted interfaces, and stay informed about Solana network updates.
Choose a validator
When you stake SOL natively, you choose a validator to delegate to. Validators process transactions and help secure the Solana network. Your choice can affect your staking rewards and the overall decentralization of the network.
Use these tools to compare validators:
- validators.app: View metrics such as APY, commission, vote performance, and skip rate.
- topvalidators.app: Ranks validators by performance, trust signals, and user activity.
When reviewing your options, consider commission rate, uptime, vote performance consistency, and whether the validator contributes to network decentralization. Avoid staking only with the largest validators. Spreading stake across the network helps keep Solana decentralized.
Stake SOL
- Select Solana in your portfolio.
- Select More → Stake SOL.
- Select Native Staking.
- Select a validator.
- Enter the amount of SOL you want to stake.
- Select Stake.
Your SOL moves into a stake account and begins activating. Once available, you can find it on the Solana token page under Your Stake. Rewards begin after 2–3 days, once the stake account becomes active.
Track your rewards
- Select Solana in your portfolio.
- Select Your Stake → Other.
- Select a stake account.
- Under Last Reward, review the most recent reward for that account.
To view your full reward history by epoch, use solanabeach.io:
- Go to solanabeach.io in your browser.
- Enter your Solana address. To find it in Phantom, select Receive and copy your Solana address.
- Select Stake Accounts.
- Select a stake account.
- Select Stake Rewards to view rewards by epoch. To download your reward history, select Download CSV.
Unstake SOL
You can unstake at any time. The Solana network uses epochs, which typically last two to three days. After you unstake, you can withdraw your SOL once the stake account becomes inactive.
- Select Solana in your portfolio.
- Select Your Stake → Other.
- Select the stake account you want to unstake from.
- Select Unstake.
Withdraw SOL after unstaking
Unstaking doesn't automatically return SOL to your wallet. Once the stake account becomes inactive, you need to withdraw manually.
- Select Solana in your portfolio.
- Select Your Stake → Other.
- Select the inactive stake account you want to withdraw from.
- Select Withdraw Stake.
Your SOL returns to your wallet balance within a few seconds and the stake account closes automatically.
Stake account lifecycle
Your stake account moves through four states:
| State | What it means |
|---|---|
| Activating | Delegated to a validator, not yet earning rewards. Becomes active at the next epoch. |
| Active | Earning staking rewards. |
| Deactivating | Unstaking in progress. Locked until the current epoch ends. |
| Inactive | No longer staked. Ready to withdraw to your wallet. |
You can track the current epoch progress at solanabeach.io or explorer.solana.com.
Common issues
Stake isn't showing up
It can take a few seconds for new stake accounts to appear in your wallet. Refresh the token page and check the Your Stake section again.
Stake is still activating or deactivating
Solana uses epochs to manage stake timing. Changes take effect at the start of an epoch, which typically lasts 2–3 days. If your stake is activating, it becomes active at the start of the next epoch. If it's deactivating, it becomes inactive at the start of the next epoch. You can check epoch progress at solanabeach.io or explorer.solana.com.
I unstaked but my SOL isn't in my wallet
Unstaking doesn't automatically return SOL to your wallet. Once the stake account becomes inactive, you need to withdraw manually. Follow the steps in Withdraw SOL after unstaking.
FAQ
Can I add more SOL to my existing stake?
No. After a stake account is created, you can't add more SOL to it. You have two options:
Create a new stake account
- Select Solana in your portfolio.
- Select Your Stake → Other.
- Select the plus button in the upper right.
- Select Native Staking.
- Select the same validator, enter an amount, then select Stake.
Unstake and restake with a higher amount
- Unstake your current stake account.
- Wait for the stake to become inactive.
- Withdraw SOL back to your wallet.
- Stake again with the new total amount.