Delegate to a validator
Delegating is one transaction. You keep no coins on the site and hand none to the validator: the stake goes to the staking contract, and what you get back is your share of that validator's pool.
Pick a validator first
The list on the front page gives you the four things worth comparing before you open the form. Delegate and rewards explains why each one matters; this is where to read them off.
| On the row | What to look at |
|---|---|
| Status | Only Active validators earn. Stake behind Inactive or Jailed earns nothing |
| Total staked | The bar is that validator's share of the whole set. A very large share is centralisation, a very small one is a validator that may drop out of the set |
| Commission | What the validator keeps of your rewards |
| Name | Select it to open the profile, where the self-delegation, the website and the delegation history are |
Opening the form
Delegate on any row opens it, and so does the button on a validator's own profile page. The form opens with the validator you chose at the top, so you can see one last time who you are backing and what they charge.
The amount
Type it in, or use the slider: the stops are 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 percent of your balance.
100% is not your whole balance. The site keeps 0.01 L2P back so the transaction has something to pay its fee with, and says so under the slider when you go all the way. Delegating literally everything would leave the transaction unable to pay for itself.
Your available balance is shown under the field. The site refuses an amount that is not smaller than your balance, for the same reason.
Delegate vote power
The switch under the amount, on by default. It lets the validator vote with your stake in on-chain governance, which is how staked coins keep a voice in Governance. Turn it off if you would rather your stake did not vote.
What happens next
The form spells out the two things that catch people out, and they are both worth reading twice:
- Rewards start at the next UTC midnight. Delegating at 23:50 and delegating at 00:10 are almost a full day apart in when they begin earning.
- Undelegating takes seven days. Once you delegate, getting the coins back is not immediate. See Manage your stake.
Signing
Delegate sends one transaction to the staking contract with your amount attached. Your wallet asks you to approve it; when it goes through the form closes, the site confirms it with a link to the transaction, and the validator's total updates.
From then on your position lives on the My Staking page.