Staking Rewards Calculator
Estimate staking rewards on any principal at a given APY and compounding frequency. Shows total rewards earned and the final balance.
How to use this calculator
Enter the amount you'll stake, the protocol's advertised APY, how often rewards compound back into your stake, and how long you plan to stake. The calculator returns your final balance, the total rewards earned, and the effective APY (which differs slightly from the stated rate due to compounding).
Stated rate versus effective yield
A "10% APY" advertised on a staking dashboard usually refers to the stated annual rate — the input to the compound formula. Compounded daily, the actual effective yield over one year is about 10.52%. The effective figure is what you can fairly compare across protocols with different compound frequencies.
What changes the real number
Three things drive your actual return: the protocol's yield policy (which can change with governance votes or as more capital enters the pool), validator uptime (downtime means missed rewards; severe failures can be slashed), and lock-up terms (some protocols penalise early withdrawal). The calculator assumes the rate holds constant and ignores slashing — treat the result as a clean upper bound, not a forecast.
Common compound frequencies in crypto staking
Daily — Ethereum (post-merge), Cosmos, Polkadot, and most liquid-staking protocols rebase or auto-compound at roughly daily cadence. Per-epoch (closer to yearly compounding for smaller stakers) — older proof-of-stake networks. Manual — some chains require you to claim and re-stake, in which case your effective compound frequency is however often you do that.
Token-denominated, not dollar-denominated
All numbers here are in units of the token you're staking. A 10% APY in ETH means 10% more ETH at year end — your dollar return depends entirely on what ETH is worth then. In a bull market your real return is much higher; in a bear market you can absolutely earn rewards while losing money. Pair this calculator with the crypto profit/loss tool for a dollar view.
Frequently asked questions
How are staking rewards calculated?▾
The calculator uses the standard compound-interest formula: A = P × (1 + r/n)^(n×t), where P is your principal, r is the stated annual rate (APY), n is the number of compounding periods per year, and t is the duration in years. Continuous compounding uses A = P × e^(r×t). Total rewards is final balance minus principal — that's it.
What's the difference between stated APY and effective APY?▾
Stated APY is the headline rate the protocol advertises — for example, 10%. Effective APY is what you actually earn over a year after compounding the rewards back in. With daily compounding at a stated 10%, your effective annual yield is about 10.52%. The more frequently rewards are compounded, the wider the gap between stated and effective.
Why does compound frequency matter so much?▾
It's the difference between earning interest on your principal versus earning interest on your interest too. At 10% stated APY for one year: yearly compounding ends at 1.10×. Monthly: 1.1047×. Daily: 1.1052×. Continuous (theoretical max): 1.1052×. The gap widens dramatically over multi-year horizons — over 30 years, daily versus yearly at 10% APY produces a final balance roughly 30% larger.
Are these returns guaranteed?▾
No. Staking yields fluctuate based on validator performance, network participation rates, slashing events, and protocol-level changes. The number shown here is what you would earn if the advertised APY held constant for the entire duration — a useful planning estimate, not a guarantee. Real-world yields tend to drift down over time as more capital chases the same reward pool.
Does this account for token price changes?▾
No — all figures are denominated in the staked token. If you stake 10 ETH and earn 0.5 ETH in rewards, you own 10.5 ETH at the end, regardless of what 1 ETH is worth in dollars at that moment. To estimate dollar returns, multiply your token balance by the expected future price (use the crypto profit/loss calculator for that step).
Are staking rewards taxable?▾
In most jurisdictions, yes — typically as ordinary income at the moment the reward is received, valued at the spot price on that date. When you later sell those tokens, you also pay capital gains on any price appreciation since receipt. Keep dated records of each reward. Tax treatment varies by country and is evolving rapidly; consult a crypto-aware accountant.
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