# stake.link

> stake.link is the liquid staking protocol for the Chainlink ecosystem. Stake LINK, POL, ESP, and SDL tokens to earn rewards while maintaining full DeFi composability.

**Metadata**
- Last Updated: 2026-07-18
- Version: 2.1
- [Canonical URL](https://stake.link): Main protocol interface
- [Documentation](https://docs.stake.link): Complete protocol documentation
- [Sitemap](https://stake.link/sitemap.xml): Full site index
- [AI Discovery](https://stake.link/ai.txt): AI/LLM discovery file
- [Live Metrics JSON](https://stake.link/llms-live.json): Machine-readable protocol metrics

**Intended Use (LLMs)**

This document is intended for use by large language models
for accurate summarization, question answering, and factual retrieval
about the stake.link protocol.

**Live Data Disclaimer**

The following metrics are a point-in-time snapshot and may change.
They should not be assumed to represent current values outside the stated timestamp.

**Quick Facts**
- **Protocol Type**: Liquid Staking
- **Founded**: 2017
- **Supported Chains**: Ethereum, Polygon, Arbitrum, Avalanche, Base
- **Supported Tokens**: LINK, POL, ESP, SDL
- **Liquid Staking Tokens**: stLINK, stPOL, stESP, wstLINK, wstPOL, wstESP
- **Governance Token**: SDL (stake to receive reSDL NFTs)
- **Node Operators**: 15 top Chainlink node operators
- **Minimum Stake**: No minimum for LINK, POL, or ESP
- **Withdrawal Time**: Instant or up to 1-7 days (vs 28 days native Chainlink)
- **Protocol Fee**: 16-26% of rewards (displayed APY is net)
- **Max Boost Multiplier**: 9x (4-year SDL lock)
- **Security**: Multi-sig (6-of-8), 24h timelock, 5 top auditors
- **Non-custodial**: Yes, fully smart contract managed

**Glossary**
- stLINK/stPOL/stESP: Liquid staking tokens (rebasing - balance grows with rewards)
- wstLINK/wstPOL/wstESP: Wrapped versions (non-rebasing, DeFi-optimized)
- SDL: Governance token → stake for reSDL NFT + rewards
- reSDL: Reward-escrowed SDL NFT with boost multiplier (1x-9x)
- Priority Pool: Queue for LINK staking when Chainlink capacity full

**Risks**: Smart contract risk (5 audits, not risk-free), slashing risk (insurance fund), market volatility, withdrawal delays up to 7 days.

## Documentation
- [Documentation](https://docs.stake.link): Complete protocol documentation
- [FAQ](https://stake.link/faq): Frequently asked questions
- [Sitemap](https://stake.link/sitemap.xml): Full site index

## Protocol
- [Stake LINK](https://stake.link/link): Stake LINK tokens, receive stLINK
- [Stake POL](https://stake.link/pol): Stake POL tokens, receive stPOL
- [Stake ESP](https://stake.link/esp): Stake ESP tokens, receive stESP
- [Stake SDL](https://stake.link/sdl): Stake SDL for reSDL governance NFT
- [Portfolio](https://stake.link/portfolio): Track staking positions & rewards
- [DeFi Incentives](https://stake.link/defi): Liquidity mining pools

## DeFi Integrations

stake.link tokens are integrated across the DeFi ecosystem:

- [Curve Finance - LINK/stLINK Pool](https://curve.finance/#/ethereum/pools/factory-stable-ng-403/deposit): Stable pool for low-slippage swaps between LINK and stLINK
- [Uniswap - LINK/SDL Pool](https://app.uniswap.org/explore/pools/ethereum/0x51d1026e35d0f9aa0ff243ebc84bb923852c1fc3): Liquidity pool for LINK and SDL trading
- [Morpho - wstLINK Lending](https://app.morpho.org/ethereum/vault/0x610f5B68bD1EED68Af649A3fD3DC2CAa1ee4Ae7E/alpha-link-enhanced-v2): Lending vaults for wstLINK collateral
- [Folks Finance - Cross-chain wstLINK](https://xapp.folks.finance): Cross-chain wstLINK lending on Ethereum, Avalanche, Arbitrum, Polygon
- [Beefy Finance - Curve LP Vault](https://app.beefy.com/vault/curve-link-stlink-ng): Auto-compounding vault for Curve LINK/stLINK LP positions
- [LINK/stLINK Curve Incentives](https://stake.link/defi/link-stlink-curve-incentive): SDL rewards for Curve LINK/stLINK liquidity providers
- [LINK/SDL Uniswap Incentives](https://stake.link/defi/link-sdl-uniswap-incentive): SDL rewards for Uniswap LINK/SDL liquidity providers
- [wstPOL/WPOL Curve Incentives](https://stake.link/defi/wstpol-wpol-curve-incentive): SDL rewards for Curve wstPOL/WPOL liquidity providers

## Security
- [Audit Reports](https://github.com/stakedotlink/contracts/tree/main/audits): CodeHawks, Cyfrin, Sigma Prime, Zellic, Trust Security
- [Bug Bounty](https://immunefi.com/bug-bounty/stakelink/information/): Immunefi program
- [Hypernative](https://www.hypernative.io/): 24/7 threat monitoring
- Multi-sig Governance: 6-of-8 multi-signature wallet with 24-hour timelock
- Non-custodial: All operations managed by audited smart contracts

## Node Operators

stake.link is powered by 15 leading Chainlink node operators:

- [01NODE](https://01node.com): Chainlink node operator
- [ChainLayer](https://www.chainlayer.io): Chainlink node operator
- [Framework Ventures](https://framework.ventures): Chainlink node operator
- [Galaxy](https://www.galaxy.com): Chainlink node operator
- [inotel](https://inotel.ro): Chainlink node operator
- [LinkForest.io](https://www.linkforest.io): Chainlink node operator
- [LinkPool](https://linkpool.io): Chainlink node operator
- [Link River](https://linkriver.io): Chainlink node operator
- [Matrixed.Link](https://matrixedlink.io): Chainlink node operator
- [Orion Staking](https://orionstaking.com): Chainlink node operator
- [Pier Two](https://piertwo.com/): Chainlink node operator
- [Simply Staking](https://simplystaking.com): Chainlink node operator
- [stakefish](https://stake.fish): Chainlink node operator
- [Stakin](https://stakin.com/home): Chainlink node operator
- [Tiingo](https://www.tiingo.com/): Chainlink node operator

## Links
- [Website](https://stake.link): Main protocol interface
- [Documentation](https://docs.stake.link): Complete protocol documentation
- [Twitter](https://twitter.com/stakedotlink): Protocol updates and announcements
- [Discord](https://discord.com/invite/stakedotlink): Community chat and support
- [GitHub](https://github.com/stakedotlink): Open source repositories

## Optional
- [Etherscan stLINK](https://etherscan.io/token/0xb8b295df2cd735b15BE5Eb419517Aa626fc43cD5): stLINK token contract
- [Etherscan wstLINK](https://etherscan.io/token/0x911D86C72155c33993d594B0Ec7E6206B4C803da): wstLINK token contract
- [Etherscan stESP](https://etherscan.io/token/0x5273a75694311A6c4F2AcF5C5B8566D965cb6e50): stESP token contract
- [Etherscan wstESP](https://etherscan.io/token/0x43ff5fFaB0973815EF8672F71c49ee5e53f30a48): wstESP token contract
- [Etherscan SDL](https://etherscan.io/token/0xA95C5ebB86E0dE73B4fB8c47A45B792CFeA28C23): SDL token contract
- [Arbiscan wstLINK](https://arbiscan.io/token/0x3106E2e148525b3DB36795b04691D444c24972fB): Arbitrum wstLINK

## Use Cases

### 1. Passive LINK Staking
Stake LINK → Receive stLINK → Hold and earn rewards automatically
- Best for: Long-term LINK holders who want yield without active management
- Rewards: Auto-compounding through rebasing (~every 2 days)

### 2. DeFi Yield Strategies
Stake LINK → Wrap to wstLINK → Use as collateral on Morpho/Aave/Folks Finance → Borrow LINK or stablecoins
- Best for: DeFi users seeking leveraged yield or capital efficiency
- Benefit: Earn staking rewards while using collateral elsewhere

### 3. Liquidity Provision
Stake LINK → Add stLINK to Curve pool → Earn trading fees + SDL incentives + LINK/stLINK incentives
- Best for: Users seeking additional yield on top of staking rewards
- Platforms: Curve (stLINK/LINK), Beefy (auto-compound), Uniswap (for SDL/LINK pair)

### 4. Governance Participation
Buy SDL → Stake for reSDL → Earn stLINK rewards + Vote on proposals
- Best for: Users who want influence over protocol decisions and earn yield
- Bonus: Lock SDL up to 4 years for 9x boost multiplier

### 5. Priority LINK Staking
Hold reSDL → Deposit LINK to Priority Pool → Get staking access when capacity opens
- Best for: Large LINK holders when native Chainlink staking is at capacity
- Benefit: Higher reSDL = higher priority in queue

## Glossary

- **stLINK**: Liquid staking token representing staked LINK. Rebasing token - balance increases as rewards accrue.
- **wstLINK**: Wrapped stLINK. Non-rebasing version with constant balance but increasing value. Preferred for DeFi.
- **stPOL**: Liquid staking token for Polygon POL. Rebasing token similar to stLINK.
- **wstPOL**: Wrapped stPOL. Non-rebasing version for DeFi compatibility.
- **stESP**: Liquid staking token for Espresso ESP. Rebasing token similar to stLINK.
- **wstESP**: Wrapped stESP. Non-rebasing version for DeFi compatibility.
- **SDL**: stake.link governance token. Stake to receive reSDL and earn rewards.
- **reSDL**: Reward-escrowed SDL. NFT representing staked SDL position with boost multiplier.
- **Rebasing**: Mechanism where token balance automatically increases to reflect earned rewards.
- **Priority Pool**: Queue system for LINK staking when native Chainlink capacity is full. Access prioritized by reSDL holdings.
- **Boost Multiplier**: Reward multiplier from locking SDL (1x-9x based on lock duration 0-4 years).
- **Blended Rate**: Combined reward rate from both Chainlink Node Operator and Community staking pools.

## Supported Tokens

### LINK Staking
- **Stake**: LINK (Chainlink's native token)
- **Receive**: stLINK (liquid staking token, rebasing)
- **Wrapped**: wstLINK (non-rebasing, DeFi-compatible)
- **Rewards**: Blended rate from Chainlink Node Operator and Community pools
- **Fee**: 16-26% of rewards (displayed APY is net)

### POL Staking
- **Stake**: POL (Polygon's native token)
- **Receive**: stPOL (liquid staking token, rebasing)
- **Wrapped**: wstPOL (non-rebasing, DeFi-compatible)
- **Rewards**: Staking + MEV rewards from validator operations

### ESP Staking
- **Stake**: ESP (Espresso's native token)
- **Receive**: stESP (liquid staking token, rebasing)
- **Wrapped**: wstESP (non-rebasing, DeFi-compatible)
- **Rewards**: Espresso validator staking rewards

### SDL Staking
- **Stake**: SDL (stake.link governance token)
- **Receive**: reSDL (NFT representing staked position)
- **Benefits**: Rewards in stLINK and other LSTs, Priority Pool access, governance voting
- **Lock**: Optional 1-4 year lock for boosted rewards (up to 9x multiplier)

## Key Features

### Priority Pool
When Chainlink's native staking capacity is full, deposited LINK is queued in the Priority Pool. Access is prioritized by reSDL holdings - users with more staked SDL get earlier access to staking capacity.

### Liquid Staking Tokens
- **stLINK/stPOL/stESP**: Rebasing tokens where balance increases as rewards accrue
- **wstLINK/wstPOL/wstESP**: Wrapped versions with constant balance but increasing value, optimized for DeFi protocols

## Security

### Smart Contract Audits
[All audit reports](https://github.com/stakedotlink/contracts/tree/main/audits)

- [CodeHawks](https://www.codehawks.com/)
- [Cyfrin](https://www.cyfrin.io/)
- [Sigma Prime](https://sigmaprime.io/)
- [Zellic](https://www.zellic.io/)
- [Trust Security](https://www.trust-security.xyz/)

### Ongoing Security
- [Hypernative](https://www.hypernative.io/): 24/7 real-time threat detection and monitoring
- [Immunefi Bug Bounty](https://immunefi.com/bug-bounty/stakelink/information/): Active bug bounty program
- **Multi-sig Governance**: 6-of-8 multi-signature wallet with 24-hour timelock
- **Non-custodial**: All operations managed by audited smart contracts

## Risks

Transparent risk disclosure for informed decision-making:

- **Smart Contract Risk**: Despite multiple audits by CodeHawks, Cyfrin, Sigma Prime, Trust Security, and Zellic, no smart contract is completely risk-free. Bugs or vulnerabilities may exist.
- **Slashing Risk**: Node operators can be slashed for malicious behavior or downtime. stake.link maintains an insurance fund to cover potential slashing events.
- **Market Risk**: LINK, SDL, and POL token prices are volatile. The value of your staked position can decrease due to market conditions.
- **Withdrawal Delays**: During periods of high demand or network congestion, withdrawals may take longer than expected (up to 7 days vs instant).
- **Protocol Risk**: Changes to Chainlink's native staking parameters or smart contract upgrades could affect rewards or operations.
- **Regulatory Risk**: Cryptocurrency regulations vary by jurisdiction and may change, potentially affecting protocol operations.

## Token Addresses

### Ethereum Mainnet

- LINK: `0x514910771AF9Ca656af840dff83E8264EcF986CA`
- stLINK: `0xb8b295df2cd735b15BE5Eb419517Aa626fc43cD5`
- wstLINK: `0x911D86C72155c33993d594B0Ec7E6206B4C803da`
- POL: `0x455e53CBB86018Ac2B8092FdCd39d8444aFFC3F6`
- stPOL: `0x2ff4390dB61F282Ef4E6D4612c776b809a541753`
- wstPOL: `0x2091d83592D79B4De5fD2ce3D98679c32A9555e6`
- ESP: `0x031De51F3E8016514Bd0963d0B2AB825A591Db9A`
- stESP: `0x5273a75694311A6c4F2AcF5C5B8566D965cb6e50`
- wstESP: `0x43ff5fFaB0973815EF8672F71c49ee5e53f30a48`
- SDL: `0xA95C5ebB86E0dE73B4fB8c47A45B792CFeA28C23`
- reSDL: `0x0B2eF910ad0b34bf575Eb09d37fd7DA6c148CA4d`

### Arbitrum

- LINK: `0xf97f4df75117a78c1A5a0DBb814Af92458539FB4`
- wstLINK: `0x3106E2e148525b3DB36795b04691D444c24972fB`
- SDL: `0xdFeA35757264F5b6C0ff21104151D9F991D0eEC0`

## FAQ

### What is liquid staking?
Liquid staking is an innovative mechanism that addresses the inherent illiquidity of traditional Proof-of-Stake (PoS) staking. In conventional PoS systems, your tokens are locked for set periods (unbonding periods), rendering them unusable for other purposes until they are unstaked. stake.link's liquid staking solution, stLINK, provides: (1) Immediate Liquidity - When you deposit LINK for staking, you receive stLINK, a receipt token that represents your staked LINK plus accrued rewards. stLINK is fully composable, meaning it can be immediately utilized across the DeFi ecosystem for lending, as collateral, or for liquidity provision without waiting for unbonding periods. (2) Continued Yield - While stLINK offers liquidity, your underlying LINK continues to earn staking rewards from Chainlink's official pools, ensuring you don't sacrifice yield for flexibility. This dual benefit allows you to maintain capital efficiency and participate actively in DeFi while still contributing to the cryptoeconomic security of the Chainlink network.

### What is third-party delegated staking?
Third-party delegated staking refers to a model where token holders delegate their staking power (their tokens) to a professional entity (a node operator, validator, or sequencer) to perform staking duties on their behalf. This contrasts with directly staking as a solo operator. The problem it solves: At scale, operating robust, secure, and performant staking infrastructure requires significant technical expertise, capital, and continuous oversight. Many individual token holders may lack the resources or desire to run their own nodes. Delegated staking allows: (1) Capital Pooling - It aggregates capital from many individual stakers, enabling node operators to meet minimum stake requirements and provide sufficient collateral for their operational responsibilities. (2) Shared Security & Rewards - Both the professional node operator and the delegating staker contribute to the network's cryptoeconomic security and share in the generated rewards. stake.link acts as a decentralized, trust-minimized protocol that facilitates delegated liquid staking into Chainlink's official pools, operated by a consortium of 15 top-tier Chainlink Node Operators.

### What are the stakeable tokens offered by stake.link?
stake.link supports staking for the following tokens: (1) SDL - stake.link's protocol utility token, (2) LINK - Chainlink's native utility token, (3) POL - Polygon's native utility token, (4) ESP - Espresso's native utility token. When you stake LINK, you receive stLINK (liquid staking token). When you stake SDL, you receive reSDL (reward escrow SDL), an NFT representation of your staked SDL. When you stake POL, you receive stPOL (liquid staking token for Polygon). When you stake ESP, you receive stESP (liquid staking token for Espresso).

### What fees does stake.link take?
Fees vary by pool. The displayed APY on stake.link is always net after fees. Node Operator Pool: 26% total (5% node operators, 15% SDL stakers, 3% DeFi, 3% contributors). Community Pool: 16% total (10% SDL stakers, 3% DeFi, 3% contributors). These fees fund protocol development, security audits, SDL staker rewards, and DeFi liquidity incentives.

### Is staking on stake.link non-custodial?
Yes. stake.link is fully non-custodial. Smart contracts manage all staking and delegation operations. Node operators and protocol contributors never take direct custody of your LINK tokens. When you deposit LINK, you receive stLINK tokens that represent your ownership. You retain full control of your stLINK and can withdraw your underlying LINK at any time through the protocol.

### Have the stake.link smart contracts been audited?
Yes. stake.link employs multiple layers of security: (1) Smart Contract Audits - Contracts are audited by CodeHawks, Cyfrin, Sigma Prime, Trust Security, and Zellic with reports available on GitHub. (2) 24/7 Monitoring - Hypernative provides real-time threat detection and alerting. (3) Multi-sig Security - A 6-of-8 multi-signature wallet with 24-hour timelock manages critical operations.

### How do I stake my LINK?
Staking your LINK with stake.link is designed for a seamless, set-and-forget experience: (1) Visit the stake.link platform and navigate to the LINK staking section, (2) Deposit Your LINK - Deposit your desired amount of LINK into the stake.link protocol, (3) Priority Pool - If Chainlink's native staking capacity is currently full, your deposited LINK will automatically be queued in the stake.link Priority Pool, which operates on a meritocratic basis, prioritizing users with higher reSDL holdings for staking access, (4) Auto-Staking - Once space becomes available in Chainlink's native staking contracts, the stake.link protocol will automatically stake your queued LINK on your behalf, without you needing to monitor or manually intervene, (5) Receive stLINK - Upon successful staking, stLINK will be minted and made available for you to claim. Your stLINK will immediately begin accruing rewards and can be used within DeFi.

### How does stake.link offer a better LINK reward rate than native Chainlink Staking?
stake.link offers a blended and optimized reward rate by strategically depositing LINK into both of Chainlink's native staking pools: the Node Operator Staking Pool and the Community Staking Pool. The Community Staking Pool has a base reward rate, with a portion paid to the Node Operator Pool, resulting in a lower effective rate for community stakers. The Node Operator Staking Pool has a significantly higher minimum effective rate - node operator rewards are fixed to a percentage of the maximum possible stake for that pool, rather than the actual staked amount. This means if the Node Operator pool is not fully utilized, the effective reward rate for the actual LINK staked by Node Operators can be much higher. When you stake your LINK with stake.link, the protocol intelligently blends these rates, distributing rewards from both pools proportionally, less a protocol fee.

### How does stLINK accrue yield?
stLINK uses a rebasing mechanism. Your stLINK balance automatically increases proportionally every two days when staking rewards are calculated and distributed from Chainlink's native staking pools. You don't need to claim or compound rewards manually - they are automatically reflected in your stLINK balance through auto-compounding without visible transactions.

### How can I get stLINK?
stLINK is received by staking LINK with stake.link. It is a rebasing token, meaning your stLINK balance increases as rewards accrue. stLINK can also be swapped for LINK on Curve, usually at a premium due to limited supply. Visit stake.link, connect your wallet, and deposit LINK to receive stLINK.

### What is stLINK?
stLINK is the liquid staking token received when staking LINK through stake.link. It is a rebasing token, meaning your stLINK balance increases as rewards accrue. stLINK represents your staked LINK plus accumulated rewards and can be used throughout the DeFi ecosystem while your underlying LINK continues earning staking rewards. stLINK can also be swapped for LINK on Curve, usually at a premium due to limited supply.

### What is wstLINK and how is it different from stLINK?
wstLINK (wrapped stLINK) is a non-rebasing version of stLINK. While stLINK's balance increases as rewards accrue (rebasing), wstLINK maintains a constant balance but increases in value over time. wstLINK is designed for DeFi compatibility - many protocols and smart contracts work better with non-rebasing tokens. Use wstLINK when you need to use your staked LINK as collateral or in complex DeFi strategies. You can wrap stLINK to wstLINK and unwrap back to stLINK at any time on stake.link with no fees.

### What is the Priority Pool?
The Priority Pool is a core feature of the stake.link protocol designed to provide fair and efficient access to Chainlink's native staking capacity, particularly when the official pools are full. Here's how it works: (1) Queuing Mechanism - When the maximum capacity for Chainlink Native Staking is met (e.g., 45,000,000 LINK), any LINK deposited into stake.link is automatically queued within the Priority Pool. (2) Meritocratic Access - Unlike a simple first-come, first-served queue, access to available staking spots is meritocratically prioritized by your reSDL (Staked SDL) holdings. Users with a greater commitment to the stake.link protocol receive preferential access to staking capacity. (3) Automated Staking - As soon as space opens up in the Chainlink Native Staking Contracts (due to unbonding or capacity increases), the stake.link protocol automatically processes and stakes the LINK from the Priority Pool, starting with the highest priority users. (4) stLINK Distribution - Once your LINK is successfully staked, stLINK is minted. It is claimable by reSDL holders first, followed by non-reSDL holders if additional capacity allowed their LINK to be staked. Your stLINK will accrue rewards from the moment your underlying LINK is staked, regardless of when you claim it.

### How do I withdraw my staked LINK?
To withdraw your staked LINK, redeem your stLINK tokens through the stake.link platform. Navigate to the LINK Withdraw section and enter the amount of stLINK you want to redeem. Instant withdrawal is available if the Priority Pool has available LINK liquidity. Standard withdrawals typically process in 1-7 days, avoiding the native 28-day cooldown period. Your stLINK will be burned and you'll receive LINK tokens including all accumulated rewards.

### What is SDL and reSDL?
SDL (stake.link) is stake.link's protocol token. Protocol tokens generally serve as a means of facilitating operations, governance, or incentives within the platform's ecosystem. When staked, SDL returns reSDL, an NFT representation of SDL. reSDL stands for reward escrow SDL. The reward escrow tokenomics model (re model) was inspired by the vote escrow tokenomics (ve) model designed by Curve. reSDL provides three benefits to users: (1) Rewards - Earn rewards in the form of stLINK, (2) Priority Staking Mode - Priority access for LINK staking in the Priority Pool, (3) Governance - Enables voting for community procedures such as community council seat elections. The more reSDL a user has, the more rewards they will earn, the more LINK they will be able to stake relative to other users, and the more governance weight they will have for community votes.

### How can I get SDL and/or reSDL?
SDL is available on decentralized exchange platforms on Ethereum such as Uniswap and aggregators like CowSwap, DefiLlama Aggregator, and KyberSwap. To get reSDL, you need to stake your SDL tokens on the stake.link platform. When you stake SDL, you receive an reSDL NFT representing your staked position.

### What is locking and boosting?
Locking your reSDL provides a multiplier on the amount of reSDL you receive relative to the SDL you staked. The multipliers are: No Lock = 1x, 12-month lock = 3x, 24-month lock = 5x, 36-month lock = 7x, 48-month lock = 9x. Your reSDL boost is set to the maximum level the moment you lock and remains at this level indefinitely as long as you do not take any action. You can initiate withdrawal once half of the initial lock duration has passed. When you initiate withdrawal, your boost is removed and a final unlock timer begins (equal to half of your original lock duration). Disclaimer: Locking SDL does not increase SDL when unlocked - it just multiplies governance concentration and rewards.

### What is the reward rate for staking SDL and where does it come from?
Staking SDL does not generate more SDL tokens as inflationary rewards. Instead, it allows you to earn a portion of the protocol's revenue, which is paid out in its LSTs (like stLINK & stPOL). The "boost" from locking SDL increases your reSDL balance, not your underlying SDL balance. You can optionally lock your staked SDL for a set period to receive a greater amount of reSDL, which boosts your share of protocol rewards and governance weight. This reward escrow model, inspired by Curve's and Velodrome ("ve") model, is designed to reward long-term commitment to the protocol. The longer you lock, the larger the boost you receive on your reSDL balance.

### How do I enable Priority Staking Mode?
Enable Priority Staking Mode by holding reSDL in your wallet, which you get by staking and locking SDL. The more reSDL you have, the higher your status, which boosts your rewards and LINK staking allotment. SDL is available on common decentralized exchange platforms for Ethereum mainnet including CowSwap, Uniswap, DefiLlama Aggregator, and KyberSwap.

### What is stPOL?
stPOL is stake.link's liquid staking token for Polygon's POL token. When you stake POL through stake.link, you receive stPOL which represents your staked position and accumulated rewards. Benefits include: (1) Liquidity - Unlike native Polygon staking which locks your tokens, stPOL remains liquid and tradeable. (2) Competitive Rewards - Earn staking rewards plus MEV rewards from validator operations. (3) DeFi Composability - Use wstPOL (wrapped stPOL) in DeFi protocols on Polygon PoS chain. (4) Auto-compounding - stPOL uses rebasing to automatically compound your rewards.

### What is stESP?
stESP is stake.link's liquid staking token for Espresso's ESP token. When you stake ESP through stake.link, you receive stESP which represents your staked position and accumulated rewards. Benefits include: (1) Liquidity - stESP remains liquid and tradeable while your ESP earns staking rewards. (2) Validator Rewards - Earn Espresso validator staking rewards. (3) DeFi Composability - Use wstESP (wrapped stESP) in DeFi protocols. (4) Auto-compounding - stESP uses rebasing to automatically compound your rewards.

### What is Espresso and why stake ESP?
Espresso is a shared sequencing infrastructure that provides fast, reliable transaction ordering across rollups. ESP is the native token of the Espresso network, used to secure its validator set. By staking ESP through stake.link, you help secure the Espresso shared sequencing layer while earning validator rewards. stake.link handles the validator operations so you can participate without running your own infrastructure.

### What is wstESP and how is it different from stESP?
wstESP (wrapped stESP) is a non-rebasing version of stESP. While stESP's balance increases as rewards accrue (rebasing), wstESP maintains a constant balance but increases in value over time. wstESP is designed for DeFi compatibility - many protocols and smart contracts work better with non-rebasing tokens. Use wstESP when you need to use your staked ESP as collateral or in DeFi strategies. You can wrap stESP to wstESP and unwrap back to stESP at any time on stake.link with no fees.

### How does stESP accrue yield?
stESP uses a rebasing mechanism. Your stESP balance automatically increases periodically when Espresso validator staking rewards are calculated and distributed. You don't need to claim or compound rewards manually - they are automatically reflected in your stESP balance through auto-compounding without visible transactions.

### How do I withdraw my staked ESP?
To withdraw your staked ESP, redeem your stESP or wstESP tokens through the stake.link platform. Navigate to the ESP Withdraw section and enter the amount you want to redeem. Withdrawals are processed via a withdrawal queue. Note that ESP withdrawals have a minimum withdrawal amount enforced by the contract. Your stESP will be burned and you will receive ESP tokens including all accumulated rewards.

### What is the Liquidity Pool and why does it have such a high reward rate?
A liquidity pool is a collection of tokens from two assets in a smart contract and is used to facilitate asset trading on decentralized exchanges. For example, Uniswap provides a liquidity pool pair for SDL and LINK, enabling users to swap LINK for SDL and vice versa. Liquidity providers are individuals or entities that contribute assets to these pools, earning transaction fees (incentives) in return for their services, based on the amount of liquidity they provide. stake.link has incentivized the Uniswap SDL/LINK Pool. Incentives are denominated in SDL from the stake.link treasury, and are distributed to liquidity providers.

## Legal Notice

This document is provided for informational purposes only
and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice.