Key fact: Kraken offers staking for 20+ assets with rewards paid twice weekly. Non-US users get the full catalog. US users lost the "staking-as-a-service" program after Kraken's 2023 SEC settlement but still have access to on-chain staking for major assets like ETH, SOL, and DOT.
Rates vary by network conditions and are estimates. Kraken displays live rates on the staking page before you commit.
| Asset | Est. APY | Rewards Paid | Unstaking Period | US Available |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ethereum (ETH) | 3–4% | 2×/week | Days–weeks (ETH queue) | ✓ Yes |
| Solana (SOL) | 5–7% | 2×/week | ~3 days | ✓ Yes |
| Polkadot (DOT) | 8–12% | 2×/week | ~28 days | ✓ Yes |
| Cardano (ADA) | 3–5% | 2×/week | 1–2 epochs (~5 days) | ~ Varies |
| Cosmos (ATOM) | 10–15% | 2×/week | ~21 days | ~ Varies |
| Polygon (POL/MATIC) | 4–6% | 2×/week | ~3–5 days | ~ Varies |
| Tezos (XTZ) | 4–6% | 2×/week | ~13 days | ✗ No |
| Kusama (KSM) | 6–10% | 2×/week | ~7 days | ✗ No |
| Kava (KAVA) | 8–12% | 2×/week | ~14 days | ✗ No |
| Flow (FLOW) | 6–9% | 2×/week | ~Flexible | ✗ No |
APY ranges are estimates based on historical network data. Check Kraken's live staking page for current rates. Rates fluctuate daily.
Kraken's 2023 settlement with the SEC changed the staking landscape for US customers. Here's what you need to know.
US Staking Update: In February 2023, Kraken settled with the SEC and agreed to wind down its staking-as-a-service program for US customers. This affected the "Kraken Earn" flexible staking product. However, Kraken still offers on-chain staking (direct network participation) for certain assets to US users. The situation continues to evolve — check Kraken directly for the latest US availability.
| Feature | US Users | Non-US Users |
|---|---|---|
| ETH on-chain staking | ✓ Available | ✓ Available |
| SOL, DOT, ADA staking | ~ Selected assets | ✓ Full catalog |
| Off-chain/flexible staking (Kraken Earn) | ✗ Suspended | ✓ Available |
| 20+ asset staking catalog | ✗ Limited | ✓ Full access |
| Rewards paid 2×/week | ~ Where available | ✓ Yes |
Kraken offers two main staking mechanisms with different risk profiles and flexibility levels.
⛓️ On-Chain Staking
Your assets are delegated directly to a validator on the blockchain. Kraken acts as a staking provider but the rewards come directly from the network. Assets like ETH, SOL, and DOT use this model. More transparent, but usually has an unstaking lockup period.
💧 Off-Chain / Flexible (non-US)
Kraken internally manages funds and pays a fixed yield. More like a savings product. Available only to non-US users after the SEC settlement. Typically offers instant liquidity but slightly lower yields than on-chain staking.
The full setup process — from creating an account to receiving your first rewards.
Create and verify your Kraken account
Sign up at kraken.com. Complete KYC identity verification — you'll need a government ID. This takes anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours depending on your region. US users must be Intermediate-verified to access staking.
Deposit or buy the asset you want to stake
Transfer your crypto from an external wallet, or buy it directly on Kraken using bank transfer or card. We recommend depositing from an external wallet to avoid Instant Buy fees. Make sure you have more than the staking minimum for your chosen asset.
Navigate to "Earn" in your Kraken dashboard
Go to your account dashboard and click "Earn" in the navigation. You'll see a list of all stakeable assets, current APY rates, and minimum amounts. US users will see a filtered list showing only available options.
Select your asset and staking amount
Click on the asset you want to stake, review the APY, unbonding period, and minimum amount. Enter how much you want to stake. You don't need to stake your full balance — unstaked funds remain liquid and available to trade.
Confirm the staking terms
Kraken will show you the unbonding period clearly before you confirm. Read it carefully — some assets like DOT have 28-day unbonding, meaning you can't access those funds for 4 weeks after requesting to unstake. Click "Stake" to confirm.
Receive rewards twice weekly
Most assets pay rewards every Monday and Thursday. Rewards are deposited directly to your Kraken spot account as the staked asset. You can reinvest them by staking additional amounts, or sell them — the choice is yours.
✓ What We Like
Twice-weekly payouts — most platforms pay monthly
20+ supported assets for non-US users
Transparent on-chain staking for ETH, SOL, DOT
No staking fee charged to users (Kraken takes a cut from rewards)
Easy to use — no wallet management needed
Proven track record since 2014 with no major hacks
✗ Limitations
US users have limited access due to SEC settlement
Long unbonding on DOT (28 days) locks your funds
ETH unstaking queue can be unpredictable
You don't control keys — custodial staking has counterparty risk
Rates vary and may be lower than self-staking
Compound manually: Kraken doesn't auto-compound. Every week or two, stake your accumulated rewards to earn yield on yield.
Watch unbonding periods: If you might need liquidity soon, stick to assets with short unbonding like SOL (~3 days) rather than DOT (28 days).
Compare yields: ATOM and DOT offer higher APY but have longer lockups. ETH offers lower APY but is the most liquid staking option on the network.
Don't stake your full balance: Keep some unstaked for trading opportunities or unexpected withdrawals.
Consider self-custody staking for large amounts: For significant ETH positions, consider solo staking or a non-custodial solution to avoid counterparty risk.
Is Kraken staking available in the US?
Kraken settled with the SEC in 2023 and suspended its staking-as-a-service program for US customers. However, US users still have access to on-chain staking for certain assets like ETH, SOL, and DOT. The situation is evolving — check Kraken's website for the latest US availability.
How much can I earn staking on Kraken?
It depends on the asset. ETH typically earns 3–4% APY, SOL 5–7%, DOT 8–12%, and ATOM 10–15%. Rates fluctuate with network conditions. Kraken shows live rates before you commit to staking.
Is there a minimum amount to stake?
Minimums vary by asset. Most are quite low — ETH requires a minimum of 0.001 ETH, for example. You'll see the minimum clearly displayed when you select an asset to stake on the Earn page.
When are staking rewards paid?
Kraken pays staking rewards twice per week — typically on Mondays and Thursdays. Rewards are deposited directly to your Kraken account balance for the staked asset. Some assets may have slightly different schedules based on network reward timing.
Can I unstake at any time?
You can request to unstake at any time, but the funds won't be immediately available. Unbonding periods vary: SOL takes ~3 days, ADA about 5 days, DOT about 28 days, and ETH depends on the network queue which can range from days to weeks. Kraken shows the unbonding period before you stake.
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