What is Staking?

Staking is the process through which a blockchain network user 'stakes' or locks their cryptocurrency assets on a network as part of the consensus mechanism, thus ensuring the security and functionality of the chain. Staked assets are usually held in a validator node or crypto wallet, and in order to encourage staking most projects reward the holders of staked tokens/coins with annualized financial returns, which are typically paid out on a regular basis. Staking is a core feature of Proof-of-Stake (PoS) blockchain protocols, and each blockchain project which incorporates a staking feature has its own policies for staking requirements and withdrawal restrictions.