![STC.png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmQBVp8fEzDC9r6cky794tf5wvPn17Fa87QYYp6RFGPidt/STC.png) One of the most widely used yet misunderstood terms is crypto staking. Many see this new trend as a simple and easy way to earn extra crypto with the supply you already own. But what’s actually going on? Is it free? Is there risk? You have to know it before you stake. In this article, I will cover what crypto staking is and also cover how you can start staking cryptocurrencies by yourself

First the Background

Decentralized cryptocurrencies have given people the opportunity to send money without a central authority. The blockchain is a publicly distributed ledger that allows anyone to see the flow of bitcoin and which accounts own what. In simple terms, you could think of a blockchain ledger as an all-knowing excel sheet with every transaction listed since the inception of the currency.

What Is Crypto Staking?

Staking is an activity where a user locks or holds his funds in a cryptocurrency wallet to participate in maintaining the operations of a proof-of-stake (PoS)-based blockchain system. It is similar to crypto mining in the sense that it helps a network achieve consensus while rewarding users who participate. In staking, the right to validate transactions is baked into how many coins are “locked” inside a wallet. However, just like mining on a PoW platform, stakers are incentivized to find a new block or add a transaction on a blockchain. Apart from incentives, PoS blockchain platforms are scalable and have high transaction speeds. In short, staking is storing and entrusting your funds to be managed by the system, this is similar to deposits in conventional Banks.

Staking Options

The two most popular methods of staking your own cryptocurrency has been through crypto exchanges as well as crypto staking pools. Each have their own pros and cons, with exchanges being the easiest solution and the drawback of fees. On the other hand, crypto staking pools are groups of people who stake together but are often the “wild west” of staking and require significant research to know what you’re doing.

How to Stake Crypto Yourself

There are countless options when it comes to staking your own crypto. It’s critical to due your own research to find a match that aligns with your goals. Some fundamental questions you should be asking yourself are: * How much time and research am I willing to commit to? * How do I feel about security and privacy? * Am I being robbed by fees? * Can I gain better staking rewards elsewhere? * Is my crypto safe during the staking process? For these reasons, I personally have chosen one of the fastest growing 3rd staking paltform. I chose SnapBots since it has established itself as Staking As Service. With SnapBots, all of your crypto is safely held offline in cold storage. They have some of the lowest fees in the market, and their staking rewards are top notch. If you have cryptocurrency that’s just sitting around in an exchange, stop that. Place your crypto into an platform that you trust, and let your crypto work for you using the benefits of crypto staking today! If you want to use my invitation code, I am very grateful and you can register [here](https://app.snapbots.io/#/pages/register?ref_code=SNAPBOTS_ID) For more information, please visit: SnapBots- https://snapbots.io Join community- https://t.me/SnapB