What is Delegation?

Delegation is how ordinary holders take part in staking without running their own validator. You point your tokens at a validator you trust, and it uses that combined stake to help secure the network. You keep ownership, and you share in the rewards the validator earns, minus its commission.

This matters because running validator hardware is technical and often needs a large minimum stake. Delegation lowers the barrier, letting you earn staking rewards with a few clicks in a wallet you control.

Example: a network requires 32 tokens to run a validator, but you only have 5; by delegating your 5 tokens to a shared validator, you still earn a proportional reward.

Safety note: on most networks, delegation is non-custodial, meaning the validator can earn rewards for you but cannot withdraw or steal your principal. Even so, your stake can be exposed to slashing if the validator misbehaves, and there is usually an unbonding period before you can move your tokens. Choose validators carefully. Related terms include validator, staking, slashing, and unbonding.