Solo Staking: How to Earn Crypto Rewards Without a Pool

When you stake crypto on your own—without joining a pool—you’re doing solo staking, the process of locking up your cryptocurrency to support a blockchain network and earn rewards directly from your personal wallet. Also known as self-staking, it gives you full control over your assets and rewards, unlike centralized staking services that take a cut or hold your keys. This method is especially popular with Ethereum, Cardano, and other proof-of-stake networks where holding tokens helps secure the network and earns you passive income.

Solo staking requires more responsibility than using a third-party service. You need to run your own validator node, keep your software updated, and protect your private keys. If you mess up, you could lose rewards—or even your stake—through slashing penalties. But the upside? You keep 100% of the earnings, and you’re not trusting anyone else with your crypto. This is why many serious holders choose solo staking: it’s the purest form of participating in blockchain governance. Related concepts like proof of stake, a consensus mechanism where validators are chosen based on how much crypto they hold and are willing to lock up make solo staking possible. And tools like hardware wallets, physical devices designed to securely store crypto private keys offline are essential for keeping your stake safe from hackers and phishing attacks.

Not everyone can solo stake. Ethereum, for example, requires 32 ETH to run a validator. That’s a big barrier for most people. But smaller chains like Polygon, Cosmos, or Solana let you stake with much less. Some even let you delegate your stake to a trusted node without giving up custody of your coins—this hybrid approach is sometimes called "delegated solo staking." It’s not full solo staking, but it’s closer than using an exchange. The posts below cover real cases: how people set up their nodes, what went wrong, how they recovered from mistakes, and which wallets and tools actually work in 2025. You’ll find guides on securing your keys, understanding slashing risks, calculating potential returns, and choosing the right blockchain for your budget. Whether you’re holding a few hundred dollars or a few thousand, there’s a path here for you.