Proof of stake is a consensus mechanism that uses economic collateral to validate transactions. A validator deposits a fixed amount of the network's native coin and runs validator software. The protocol picks a validator at random for each block. A larger stake raises the odds of selection. The chosen validator proposes the block, and other validators attest to it. Once enough attestations arrive, the block becomes final. Ethereum requires 32 ETH per validator. Cardano lets holders delegate any amount of ADA to a stake pool. Solana validators vote on every block with their staked SOL.

Stakers earn a yield in the network's native coin. The yield comes from two sources: newly issued coins and transaction fees. The total reward rate depends on how many coins the network has staked and how busy the chain is. Networks with low staking ratios pay a higher annual rate. Networks with high on-chain activity collect more fees, which lifts validator rewards. Users who do not want to run a validator can delegate their stake to a pool and receive a share of the rewards. CEX.IO does not currently offer a public staking service, so users who want to stake directly can hold the coins in a compatible non-custodial wallet.

CEX.IO supports a wide range of proof of stake assets, including Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL), Cardano (ADA), BNB (BNB), Avalanche (AVAX), Polkadot (DOT), Cosmos (ATOM), and TON (TON). Eligible users can buy these coins through Instant Buy with a credit/debit card, SEPA, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Skrill, or another supported payment method. Each verified user receives a free crypto wallet. Spot Trading offers multiple trading pairs, including ETH-USD, SOL-EUR, and ADA-USDT, and the Crypto Converter handles broader swaps between supported assets.

PoW uses energy and hardware. PoS uses locked-up capital. A PoW miner pays for electricity and equipment to earn block rewards. A PoS validator deposits native coins to earn rewards by confirming blocks. PoW issuance follows mining schedules and halvings. PoS issuance follows a staking yield set by the protocol. PoS chains use far less energy than PoW chains.

Ethereum (ETH), Cardano (ADA), Solana (SOL), BNB (BNB), Avalanche (AVAX), Polkadot (DOT), Cosmos (ATOM), TON (TON), Aptos (APT), and Tezos (XTZ) all use a form of proof of stake. Each chain has its own validator design and reward schedule. Eligible users can buy ETH, SOL, ADA, and many other PoS coins on CEX.IO.

CEX.IO does not currently run a public staking program for retail users. Users who want to stake directly can withdraw the coin to a compatible non-custodial wallet and delegate it to a validator or a stake pool. CEX.IO supports buying, trading, and storing PoS coins through Instant Buy, Spot Trading, and the platform wallet.

Eligible users can buy proof of stake coins on both centralized and decentralized exchanges. Centralized exchanges, such as CEX.IO, support fiat payments, offer a clean user interface, and provide several trading pairs. Decentralized exchanges allow direct on-chain swaps but require an external wallet and self-custody.

Users can hold PoS coins in custodial or non-custodial wallets. Non-custodial wallets put the private keys on the user's own device. CEX.IO provides a free custodial wallet to every verified user. The wallet supports a wide range of PoS assets, including ETH, SOL, ADA, and DOT, within a single interface.