Staking ONE is straightforward. You delegate to a validator, the network pays rewards, you keep custody of your keys. Harmony runs on Effective Proof-of-Stake (EPoS), which spreads stake more evenly and reduces validator concentration. 

Quick facts (read this first)

  • Minimum to delegate: 100 ONE. 
  • Unbonding time: 7 epochs before unstaked ONE becomes transferable. One epoch ≈ 18.2 hours, so unbonding is ~5.3 days in normal conditions. 
  • Typical rewards: APR floats with network conditions; trackers show ~9–11% lately. Treat it as variable, not a promise. 
  • Redelegation: you can move stake between validators without serving the full unbonding wait. Handy when your validator goes offline or raises fees. 

How Harmony staking works (in one minute)

You don’t need to run hardware. Most holders delegate through the Harmony Staking Dashboard using MetaMask or a Ledger device. Validators earn block rewards; delegators receive a pro-rata cut after the validator’s commission. EPoS caps “effective” stake, nudging delegation toward smaller validators and keeping the set more decentralized. Clean. Efficient. Scalable. 

Step-by-step: stake your ONE

  1. Pick your wallet setup
    • MetaMask (recommended) or Ledger + MetaMask for hardware security. The Staking Dashboard recognizes both. If a browser extension gives you trouble, the Ledger-via-MetaMask route is the most reliable. 
  2. Open the Harmony Staking Dashboard Log in with your wallet, then go to Validators. You’ll see commission %, uptime, stake, and election status. 
  3. Choose a validator like you mean it Look for:
    • Elected status consistently
    • Uptime near 100%
    • Commission that’s fair (low isn’t always better if ops are shaky)
    • A stake size that isn’t oversized (EPoS reduces outsized advantage anyway) 
  4. Delegate Leave a little ONE for gas—don’t stake 100%. Even 1 ONE covers a lot of transactions. Confirm and sign. 
  5. Compound when you care to Claiming adds rewards to your available balance; redelegating compounds. Some wallets let you do both in a few clicks. No magic here—just repetition.
  6. Unstake (when needed) Hit Undelegate. Your tokens serve a 7-epoch timeout before they’re liquid again. Want to switch validators faster? Use Redelegate to move stake without waiting out the full lock. 

Rewards, risks, and expectations

Staking APR moves with validator performance and network conditions; aggregator sites show a ballpark near 10% today, but it drifts. Slashing isn’t common on Harmony, yet downtime or misbehavior can reduce rewards. Spread your stake if you hold a lot. And always keep your seed phrase offline. Always. 

Liquid staking on Harmony — the current reality

You may remember Tranquil Finance’s stONE. It issued a liquid token for staked ONE and plugged into DeFi. That story changed. Tranquil shut down its frontend, and community notes describe redeem-only mode and unresolved fallout. If you’re still holding stONE, check community threads and official channels before taking action—and treat any new “liquid staking for ONE” claims with caution. For most users in 2025, native delegation via the Staking Dashboard is the sane path. 

Bridges & moving funds

Want to bridge assets around? Double-check routes and contract addresses; the Horizon bridge exploit (~$100M, June 2022) reshaped cross-chain liquidity for Harmony. If you don’t truly need to bridge, don’t. If you must, use reputable, audited routes only. 

FAQ refresh

What’s the minimum to delegate?

100 ONE. Small, but leave a bit for gas. 

How long is unbonding?

Seven epochs. With ~18.2-hour epochs, that’s roughly 5–6 days, depending on block time. 

Can I change validators without waiting?

Yes—redelegation lets you shift stake to another validator without serving the full unbonding. 

Which wallets work today?

MetaMask and Ledger are the smoothest combo. Some users report issues with legacy extensions; if a plugin isn’t detected, connect Ledger through MetaMask and proceed. 

Validator checklist you can copy into your notes

  • Elected in recent epochs
  • Uptime near 100%
  • Reasonable commission (not rock-bottom, not gouging)
  • Healthy, not oversized stake (EPoS caps “effective” weight)
  • Clear comms (website/Discord/Twitter isn’t a ghost town) 

Final word

Stake natively. Keep keys safe. Don’t chase weird APR screenshots. If a tool or site feels sketchy—back out. Harmony’s staking flow is simple enough that you don’t need bells, whistles, or risky wrappers to earn. 

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