Stader

Our assessment

Stader runs liquid staking across six chains with $203m locked, two audits and reports linked. Operating the same product across multiple proof-of-stake networks is harder than it sounds, and it is what distinguishes this protocol from single-chain competitors.

Each chain is a different problem

Staking mechanics differ fundamentally between networks: unbonding periods, slashing conditions, validator selection and reward distribution all vary. A protocol supporting six of them maintains six separate risk models and six sets of operator relationships. That is engineering breadth, and it also means the security of your position depends on which chain you staked on.

Permissionless operators, with bonds

Node operators post a bond and can join without a whitelist, which widens the validator set rather than curating a short list. Bonding aligns incentives: an operator who behaves badly loses their own capital first. It is the same reasoning behind Rocket Pool's design and a meaningful decentralisation improvement over closed operator sets.

Evidence and scale

Two audits with linked reports is the strongest indicator available pre-deployment. At $203m it is far smaller than the leaders, which our market-quality pillar records at 15% weight — smaller derivatives have thinner secondary liquidity, so exiting quickly may cost more than the headline yield.

Who it suits

Stader fits stakers on chains beyond Ethereum who want one protocol across their positions. Ethereum-only stakers wanting maximum derivative liquidity should use Lido or Rocket Pool.