Ways to stake ETH compared: solo staking, Rocket Pool, liquid staking and exchanges
By AVADO team · Published
The four common ETH staking options are solo staking with your own validator, running a Rocket Pool node, buying a liquid staking token, and staking on an exchange. They differ in how much ETH you need, who controls your keys and how much of the reward you keep. Solo staking gives you the most control and all the rewards, but needs 32 ETH and a computer that runs all the time. An exchange is the easiest, but the exchange holds your ETH.
How do the options compare?
The main differences are the ETH you need, who holds the keys, your share of the rewards and the risks:
| Solo staking | Rocket Pool node | Liquid staking | Exchange | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ETH you need | 32 ETH per validator | 4 ETH bond per validator (since February 2026) | Any amount | Any amount |
| Who holds the keys | You | You run the validator; Rocket Pool’s smart contracts hold the deposit | The protocol and its node operators | The exchange |
| Your rewards | All consensus and execution rewards | Rewards on your bond, plus a commission on the pool’s ETH | Rewards minus the protocol’s fee | Rewards minus the exchange’s fee |
| Hardware | A computer running around the clock | A computer running around the clock | None | None |
| Main risk | Your own mistakes, such as running keys twice | Your mistakes, plus smart contract risk | Smart contract and operator risk | The exchange fails, freezes withdrawals or is hacked |
| Helps decentralise Ethereum | Most | A lot | Depends on the protocol | Least |
What is solo staking?
Solo staking means you run your own validator with 32 ETH. You deposit through the official staking launchpad, your validator keys stay on your own machine, and every reward goes to you. Ethereum.org calls it the gold standard of staking. Since the Pectra upgrade in May 2025, one validator can hold up to 2,048 ETH, so if you have more than 32 ETH you don’t need to run many separate validators. See how Pectra improved staking.
The cost is the hardware and the responsibility: the machine has to stay online and up to date. The computer needs at least 32 GB of RAM and a 4 TB SSD, according to EthStaker; see Ethereum staking hardware requirements. Going offline costs little, and slashing is rare and avoidable: see what can go wrong.
How does a Rocket Pool node work?
Rocket Pool is a staking protocol that lets you run a validator with less of your own ETH. You put up a bond and the protocol matches it with ETH from people who hold its liquid staking token, rETH. You earn rewards on your bond and a commission on the matched ETH. With the Saturn 1 upgrade on 18 February 2026, the minimum bond fell from 8 ETH to 4 ETH per validator, and “megapools” replaced separate minipool contracts. Staking RPL tokens is now optional.
Note for AVADO owners: existing minipools keep working, but the AVADO Rocket Pool package hasn’t been updated for megapools yet. Contact support@ava.do before starting a new Rocket Pool setup. The AVADO documentation has the current status.
What is liquid staking?
Liquid staking means depositing any amount of ETH into a protocol and getting a token back, such as stETH or rETH, that represents your staked ETH and its rewards. You can trade or use the token while your ETH is staked. You don’t run anything yourself, but you rely on the protocol’s smart contracts and on the node operators it chooses, and the protocol keeps part of the rewards as a fee.
Is staking on an exchange safe?
Staking on an exchange is the simplest option, but you give up control. The exchange holds your ETH and keys, sets its own fee and decides when you can withdraw. If the exchange is hacked, goes bankrupt or freezes withdrawals, your ETH is at risk. “Not your keys, not your coins” applies to staking too.
Which option is right for me?
- You have 32 ETH or more and want full control: solo staking.
- You have less than 32 ETH and want to run a node: Rocket Pool (on AVADO, contact support first; see the note above), or save up for a solo validator.
- You don’t want to run hardware: liquid staking, after reading how the protocol works and what it charges.
- You want the least effort and accept the counterparty risk: an exchange.
If you choose to run your own node, AVADO is hardware that comes ready for it: you install the clients from the DappStore without the command line, and your keys stay on your box.