Staking your SOL with a validator on Solana is generally safe, but there are some risks to consider—especially with native staking.
Risks to consider
- Validator performance: If your validator behaves poorly or goes offline, you could miss out on rewards. In rare cases, if the validator acts maliciously, some of your rewards could be slashed (penalized).
- Lock-up period: Native staking locks your SOL for a minimum of one epoch (2–3 days). You won’t be able to use or sell your SOL during this time.
- Smart contract risk: Some staking interfaces use smart contracts to manage stake. If you’re staking through a third party, there’s always a small risk of contract bugs.
- Network or regulatory changes: Solana or your local government could change how staking works or how it’s regulated.
How to reduce your risk
- Choose a reputable validator with strong performance and uptime history.
- Make sure you understand how long your SOL will be locked and when it becomes withdrawable.
- Only stake through trusted apps or directly through Phantom’s built-in interface.
- Stay informed about updates to the Solana network and validator behavior.