Top 9 staking platforms of September 2025

Staking is the system of earning rewards and interest by the process of holding or investing cryptocurrencies. It uses the Proof of Stake (PoS) consensus mechanism, a process by which some blockchains validate transactions and add new blocks and secure the network. PoS depends on the validators selected based on how much crypto they have staked and how long they have held it.

There are 2 general types of staking: CeFi (Centralized Finance) platform staking, and DeFi (Decentralised Finance) platform staking. In CeFi staking, users deposit their crypto in centralized exchanges, and the platform stakes their crypto, and they can earn rewards passively. On the other hand, in DeFi staking, users can connect their wallet to a DeFi protocol and stake directly in a smart contract or a pool, they can earn staking tokens that represent the staked assets, and can be further traded or used. Here is a list of the top crypto staking platforms in the market:

1. Aave

Aave is a decentralized platform that allows users to borrow, lend, and earn interest on crypto assets. It was initially built on Ethereum but now operates its Layer 1 and Layer 2 networks on Avalanche, Optimism, Arbitrum, and Polygon.

AAVE holders on the platform can stake their tokens in the Safety Module, which is a built-in insurance mechanism that is created to protect against shortfall events. By staking their tokens, users can get stkAAVE tokens that represent their staked balance and give them a chance to earn rewards.