Ethereum has scaled, but it no longer feels like one system.

Today, activity is spread across multiple Layer 2 networks. This makes transactions cheaper and faster, but it also fragments liquidity and complicates user experience. Moving assets between chains often requires extra steps, and applications don’t interact as easily as they should.

The Ethereum Economic Zone (EEZ) is an attempt to fix that.

So, what is an EEZ? First, EEZ is not a new chain. It is an effort to make Ethereum and its Layer 2s work together more seamlessly.

The goal is simple: to allow users and applications to interact across networks without needing to think about which chain they are on.

If successful, actions that today require multiple steps could happen in a more direct way, closer to how a single system behaves.

Ethereum’s main challenge is no longer scaling. It is coordination.

As more activity moves to Layer 2s, the system becomes harder to navigate. Liquidity is split, and the experience becomes more complex.

EEZ reflects a shift in focus:
not just scaling the network, but keeping it connected.

The Ethereum Foundation Role is supporting EEZ, which signals that this is a meaningful direction for the ecosystem.

Rather than moving back to a single chain, the goal is to improve how multiple chains work together.

The question is, why does it matter? If EEZ works, Ethereum could move toward:

• shared liquidity across networks
• simpler user experience
• applications that interact across chains more easily

It will not remove complexity entirely, but it can make it less visible.

Who Is Involved

EEZ is not being built by a single team.

It is supported by an alliance of projects across the Ethereum ecosystem, including infrastructure providers, DeFi protocols, and builders such as Aave, Flashbots, Nethermind, Safe, CoW Swap, and Centrifuge, among others.

This mix is important because it brings together three critical layers:

• Liquidity and financial applications
• Core infrastructure and execution
• Tokenization and real-world asset platforms

Non-custodial Staking | DragonStake

Ethereum Economic Zone (EEZ).What It Is and Why It Matters was originally published in DragonStake | Blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Making AI Able to Act, Not Just Think

Artificial intelligence is advancing quickly. It can generate content, analyze data, and support decision-making. But there is still a fundamental limitation:

AI cannot act reliably and in a trustless way on its own.

It cannot move assets, execute transactions across systems, or operate independently in an open economy without relying on centralized platforms or manual user input. This is the problem NEAR Protocol is trying to solve.

From Decisions to Execution

Today’s AI is powerful, but mostly advisory.

If an AI wants to rebalance a portfolio, pay for a service, or move assets across chains, it still depends on fragmented infrastructure and human intervention. At the same time, the blockchain ecosystem remains complex. Assets are spread across networks, liquidity is siloed, and users often need to navigate multiple steps just to complete a single action.

NEAR is working at the intersection of these two challenges by connecting decision-making (AI) with execution (blockchain).

A Simpler Way to Interact: Intents

NEAR introduces a new way to interact with blockchains through what it calls intents.

Instead of telling the system how to perform a transaction step by step, users or applications simply express the desired outcome.

For example, rather than bridging assets, swapping tokens, and confirming multiple transactions, a user can simply request: “Get me USDC at the best price.”

From there, the network handles execution. Different participants compete to fulfill the request, and the best result is settled on-chain. The process becomes simpler, faster, and more efficient.

Where AI Fits In

This is where AI becomes more than a tool.

AI agents can generate these intents, decide when to act, and execute strategies automatically. An AI could manage a portfolio, optimize trades across chains, or handle payments without constant user input.

What NEAR provides is the missing layer: a way to execute those actions securely and verify them on-chain.

In simple terms, AI decides what to do, and NEAR ensures it gets done.

Building the Foundation for an AI Economy

NEAR is not just improving user experience. It is building infrastructure for a different type of digital economy.

In this model, users, applications, and AI agents can interact more seamlessly. Value can move across systems without friction, and complex operations can be reduced to simple requests.

This shifts the focus from interacting with blockchains to interacting with outcomes.

Stake NEAR with DragonStake

If you hold NEAR and want to support the network, you can participate by staking.

Staking helps secure the infrastructure that makes this new model of coordination and execution possible.

Staking on Near (NEAR) - DragonStake

What NEAR Is Building for AI: From Decision-Making to On-Chain Execution was originally published in DragonStake | Blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

The Ethereum Foundation Staking 72,000 ETH with DVT-lite Signals a New Direction for Institutional Staking

Recently, Vitalik Buterin shared that the Ethereum Foundation is staking 72,000 ETH using DVT-lite, a distributed validator approach designed to make staking infrastructure easier to deploy while improving decentralization.

The initiative is part of a broader treasury strategy and reflects a long-term goal: enabling institutions that hold ETH to participate directly in staking while keeping validator authority distributed.

For the Ethereum ecosystem, this marks an important step forward.

The Ethereum Foundation’s Treasury Staking Initiative

Earlier this year, the Ethereum Foundation announced it would begin staking part of its treasury ETH rather than holding it passively.

The plan is to stake around 70,000 ETH, beginning with an initial validator deposit of 2,016 ETH. Staking rewards will flow back into the Foundation’s treasury to support research, ecosystem development, and grants.

This initiative follows the Ethereum Foundation’s treasury policy introduced in 2025, which aims to generate sustainable funding while maintaining long-term alignment with the Ethereum network.

By staking its treasury ETH, the Foundation is also participating directly in Ethereum’s Proof-of-Stake consensus while contributing to network security.

Building a Resilient Validator Architecture

The Ethereum Foundation’s staking setup prioritizes resilience and decentralization.

Instead of relying on a single infrastructure stack, the validator architecture distributes operations across multiple components and environments. Nodes run across different geographic regions and jurisdictions using a mix of self-managed hardware and hosted infrastructure.

The Foundation also emphasizes client diversity, intentionally running minority execution and consensus clients. This helps reduce systemic risk, since a bug in a dominant client would impact fewer validators across the network.

This architecture reflects best practices for large-scale institutional staking.

What Distributed Validator Technology Means for Ethereum Staking

Running an Ethereum validator requires reliable infrastructure, monitoring, and operational expertise. Because of this complexity, many institutions that hold large amounts of ETH have historically relied on a single staking provider or operator to run their validators.

While this model simplifies operations, it can concentrate validator control and infrastructure in a small number of providers.

Distributed Validator Technology, or DVT, introduces a different model.

Instead of a validator key being controlled by a single machine or operator, DVT allows validator responsibilities to be shared across multiple independent nodes operated by different participants.

In practice, this means:

• No single operator controls the validator
• Infrastructure can be distributed across multiple operators and locations
• Validators can continue operating even if one node fails

This architecture improves resilience while strengthening Ethereum’s decentralization.

Lowering the Barrier to Distributed Staking

In his recent post, Vitalik Buterin emphasized that running staking infrastructure should not be limited to a small group of large providers.

The goal is to make distributed validator setups easier to deploy and operate. Nodes should run from standardized environments, automatically coordinate with each other, perform distributed key generation, and begin staking with minimal configuration.

Lowering this operational barrier makes it possible for more operators to participate in validator infrastructure.

Rather than relying on a single large staking provider, institutions could run validators across multiple independent operators, improving decentralization while maintaining professional infrastructure.

A New Opportunity for Validator Operators

As distributed validator frameworks mature, staking infrastructure is evolving from single-operator validators toward multi-operator validator clusters.

This model allows institutions to participate in staking while distributing validator operations across several independent infrastructure providers.

For validator operators, this opens the door to a more decentralized ecosystem where multiple participants contribute to securing the network rather than a small set of dominant providers.

The Ethereum Foundation staking a portion of its treasury using DVT-lite highlights how this architecture is beginning to move from experimentation into real-world deployments.

As the tooling and coordination frameworks continue to improve, distributed validator networks may become a standard architecture for institutional Ethereum staking.

DragonStake and the Future of Distributed Validators

At DragonStake, we have supported DVT (Distributed Validator Technology) from the early stages.

DVT represents an important evolution in validator infrastructure. It strengthens resilience, distributes operational authority, and aligns staking infrastructure with Ethereum’s decentralization principles.

The Ethereum Foundation's experimentation with DVT-lite highlights how distributed validator models are moving from theory into real-world staking deployments.

Stake ETH with DragonStake

Staking helps secure the Ethereum network while aligning incentives between validators and long-term participants.

If you are interested in staking ETH with infrastructure focused on reliability and decentralization, learn more about DragonStake.

Stake ETH with DragonStake:

Non-custodial Staking | DragonStake

The Ethereum Foundation Staking 72,000 ETH with DVT was originally published in DragonStake | Blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Governance in Web3. Why It Exists, Why Security Matters, and How Story Gets It Right

Most people don’t think about governance first when discussing blockchains. Still, it’s one of the most important parts of Web3. Governance shapes how protocols change, how upgrades are made, and how emergencies are managed.

In decentralized systems, there is no company, no admin account, and no help desk. Governance replaces those structures with on-chain processes that anyone can verify.

Why Governance Exists in Web3

In traditional organizations, decisions are made by executives or boards. If something breaks, systems can be paused or rolled back. Legal agreements and trusted intermediaries fill the gaps.

Blockchains operate differently. Once a transaction happens, it’s final. Smart contracts run on their own, and there’s no central operator. Even so, protocols still need to change, bugs must be fixed, settings adjusted, and new features added.

Governance is what lets these changes happen in a transparent and collective way. It swaps informal trust for clear, on-chain rules that everyone can see and verify.

Without governance, a protocol is either frozen forever or controlled behind the scenes by a small group with unchecked power.

Why Governance Security Is Critical

Many big problems in protocols haven’t come from bad smart contracts, but from weak governance.

Common issues include poorly protected upgrade keys, multisig signers approving transactions they did not fully understand, or emergency powers that were too broad or poorly monitored.

When governance fails, the impact is often irreversible. Contracts can be upgraded incorrectly, funds can be locked, or protocol rules can be changed permanently. Because blockchains are immutable, mistakes cannot simply be undone.

This is why governance security must be treated as first-class infrastructure, not as an afterthought.

What Is a Multisig Wallet

A multisig wallet is a wallet that requires multiple approvals before a transaction can be executed. Instead of one person having full control, authority is distributed across several independent parties.

Typical multisig setups look like this:

• 3 of 5 signers must approve a transaction
• 5 of 9 signers must approve a transaction

Multisigs are commonly used for protocol upgrades, treasury management, and governance execution. They reduce single points of failure and enforce collective decision-making.

However, multisigs alone are not enough. Without strong processes and clear verification, they can still fail.

How Story Secures Its Governance

Story treats governance as an operational system that must be designed carefully from day one.

First, governance responsibilities are clearly separated. Routine governance actions are handled by a governance multisig, while an independent security council multisig provides oversight and emergency response capabilities. This separation reduces risk and prevents any single group from having unchecked authority.

Second, Story uses a structured upgrade process. Smart contract upgrades go through internal review, external audits, and extensive testnet testing before being executed on mainnet. Technical safeguards are in place to prevent state corruption during upgrades, one of the most common and dangerous failure modes.

Third, governance actions are designed to be verifiable. Instead of asking signers to approve opaque transactions, governance actions are prepared in a way that clearly shows what contract is being called, what function is executed, and what parameters change. This reduces the risk of blind signing and makes governance decisions easier to audit.

Finally, the security council acts as an independent check. It can review scheduled actions, intervene if something looks wrong, and respond quickly during incidents. Importantly, the security council itself operates through a multisig, preserving decentralization while enabling fast response.

The Role of the Story Foundation

The Story Foundation supports governance by executing approved decisions, establishing security processes, and helping the protocol decentralize over time.

The Foundation is not meant to be a permanent centralized authority. Its role is to provide structure and safety while governance matures and responsibility is progressively shared with the broader community.

Where Staking Fits In

Staking connects economic security with governance. Validators stake tokens to secure the network and participate in consensus. This aligns incentives between those maintaining the network and those making governance decisions.

As governance evolves, staking helps ensure that participants with long-term economic exposure are also responsible for protocol security and stability.

Why This Matters

Governance is invisible when it works well. When it fails, the damage is immediate and permanent.

Story’s approach highlights several important lessons for Web3:

• Governance must be intentionally designed
• Multisigs require strong verification processes
• Separation of roles reduces systemic risk
• Governance security is as critical as smart contract security

As Web3 protocols mature, governance will increasingly determine which systems can scale safely. Story shows what governance looks like when it is treated as core infrastructure rather than a secondary concern.

Stake IP with DragonStake

Staking helps secure the Story network and align incentives across validators and token holders.

Staking on Story (IP) - DragonStake

Getting Ready for the Future: Why Ethereum’s Focus on Post-Quantum Security Is Important

Cryptography is what keeps blockchains secure. It protects your wallet, makes sure your transactions are real, and keeps your assets safe. But what if a new type of computer could break the cryptography we use today?

Less than a month in 2026 has passed, and the Ethereum Foundation announced a major strategic shift: post‑quantum security is now a top priority, backed by a dedicated engineering and research team and $2 million in funding.

So, what does this actually mean?

What Is Post-Quantum Security?

Blockchains like Ethereum and Bitcoin use cryptography based on mathematical problems that are very hard for regular computers to solve. Examples include elliptic-curve digital signatures and discrete logarithms.

Quantum computers work differently. Instead of using bits that are just 0 or 1, they use qubits, which can be both at the same time. This means they could solve some problems, especially those used in modern cryptography, much faster than today’s computers.

For example, a future quantum computer could theoretically run Shor’s algorithm, a method that can break widely used cryptographic schemes such as ECDSA (the signature method used to secure most blockchain wallets) far more quickly than classical computers ever could.

This is why post-quantum cryptography matters. It means using cryptographic systems that would stay secure even if powerful quantum computers existed. These new methods use math problems that are tough for both regular and quantum computers.

In other words: post‑quantum cryptography is about future‑proofing the digital security that protects blockchains today.

Why Post-Quantum Security Matters for Blockchain

Quantum threats might sound like science fiction. Right now, we don’t have large quantum computers that can break today’s cryptography.

But there are two key reasons to start preparing now:

1. Long Lead Times:

Transitioning an entire blockchain network, especially one as large and decentralized as Ethereum, to new cryptographic standards takes time. Research, implementation, testing, consensus, and deployment can take years of coordinated effort. Waiting until quantum computers are “ready” would be too late.

2. Harvest Now, Decrypt Later:

Even if quantum computers capable of breaking cryptography are still a decade away, attackers could record encrypted traffic now and decrypt it later once quantum computers become available. This threat model is known in cryptography as “harvest now, decrypt later.”

In both of these cases, early preparation is the best defense.

What the Ethereum Foundation Is Doing

The Ethereum Foundation elevated post‑quantum security from long‑term research to a central strategic priority.

Here’s what that involves:

• Dedicated Team and Leadership: A new Post‑Quantum (PQ) team has been formed under the leadership of cryptographic engineer Thomas Coratger, with support from scholars and engineers experienced in quantum‑resistant crypto.
• Funding Research and Innovation: The Foundation has committed $2 million in targeted funding that includes prize competitions to accelerate research into quantum‑resistant algorithms. One example is the Poseidon Prize aimed at strengthening key cryptographic primitives.
• Active Development and Testnets: The team is moving beyond theory into implementation with post‑quantum developer networks and testnets that explore how quantum‑resistant signatures and transactions could work in practice.
• Cross‑Community Coordination: Biweekly developer calls and workshops are starting to tackle developer tooling, signature aggregation, and user‑facing post‑quantum transaction formats.

The goal is clear: Ethereum wants to remain secure for decades to come, even in the face of future quantum computing advances.

How This Benefits the Ethereum Community

For users, developers, and institutions, this strategic push has concrete long‑term benefits:

Stronger Long-Term Security: By preparing now, Ethereum aims to ensure that signatures, wallets, and transactions remain safe even as technology evolves.

Network Resilience: Proactively designing post‑quantum safeguards helps maintain decentralization and trust, even if future computing power challenges existing cryptographic assumptions.

Industry Leadership: Ethereum’s public commitment helps set a standard for other blockchains, encouraging industry‑wide focus on future security rather than reactive patching.

Innovation Pathways: The development of new, quantum‑resistant primitives could unlock fresh research, tooling, and cryptographic sophistication across Web3.

Preparing Today for Tomorrow: The Ethereum Foundation’s post‑quantum initiative is a forward‑looking investment in the security of a network that supports trillions in value and millions of users worldwide.

More than a research project, this work reflects a philosophy that blockchains must evolve ahead of technological threats, not in response to them.

If decentralized networks are to serve future generations securely, preparing for the quantum era now is not optional; it’s essential.

At DragonStake, we believe that long-term security, decentralization, and proactive innovation are critical to the future of blockchain networks. As Ethereum continues to evolve and prepare for the next generation of challenges, we are proud to support the ecosystem as a trusted, non-custodial validator.

Stake with confidence.

Non-custodial Staking | DragonStake

Why Ethereum’s Focus on Post-Quantum Security Is Important was originally published in DragonStake | Blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Ethereum just took another big step forward. With the Fusaka upgrade now live, the network is better equipped to scale, reduce fees, and make life easier for users, developers, and validators.

If you have ever paid high fees to use an Ethereum app or struggled with network congestion, this upgrade is designed to help. And if you stake ETH or run a validator, you will likely feel the difference too.

What Is Fusaka and Why Does It Matter?
Until now, every Ethereum node had to store large amounts of data generated by Layer 2 rollups. This limited how much data could be handled, slowed down the network, and made running infrastructure expensive.

Fusaka introduces something called PeerDAS — short for Peer Data Availability Sampling. This allows nodes to store only small random pieces of rollup data rather than full data blobs. In simple terms, it’s like switching from everyone carrying every file to splitting the load across the network.

This change allows Ethereum to increase its data capacity significantly, which supports more rollups, more transactions, and lower fees — all without overwhelming validators.

What’s Changing in Practice

• Higher throughput with less effort. Ethereum’s capacity for rollup data increases up to 8 times, meaning more apps, games, and services can grow without slowing the network.
• Lower fees on Layer 2. If you use apps on Arbitrum, Optimism, Base, or other rollups, transactions will become cheaper over time as they take advantage of the extra space.
• Better conditions for node operators and validators. With less data to store and move, operating infrastructure becomes more efficient. This helps keep the network decentralized and secure.
• New space for innovation. With these limitations removed, developers can build more complex and high-volume applications — including DeFi tools, social platforms, and even AI services.

Everyday Examples

• Sending money to a friend on a rollup may cost a few cents instead of a few dollars.
• Staking ETH now supports a network that handles more users and fewer bottlenecks.
• Running a node does not require as much storage or bandwidth, which makes it more accessible to new validators.

Fusaka is more than a technical upgrade. It is a long-term solution to Ethereum’s scaling challenges. It improves performance, lowers costs, and strengthens the foundation for everything built on top of the network.

Read the full announcement here:

Fulu-Osaka (Fusaka) | ethereum.org

Support Ethereum’s growth by staking with a trusted validator.

Non-custodial Staking | DragonStake

We live in a world increasingly shaped by AI, but with power comes responsibility. Every day we trust AI with our secrets, our health, our data. What if AI could be as private as our thoughts? What if we could chat, ask, and explore without leaving a trace? That’s the vision behind NEAR AI Cloud and Private Chat.

What is NEAR AI Cloud (and why does it matter)?
Imagine a highly secure vault inside a computer, not just locked, but sealed in a way that nobody, not even the cloud provider, can peek inside. That’s what NEAR AI Cloud does. When you send a request (a question, a medical note, a confidential article), it enters a hardware‑backed secure enclave. The AI inside works on your data, processes it, and returns the result, all while keeping the content invisible to the outside world. You also receive a cryptographic certificate that proves the work was done correctly.

Now add a friendly chat interface — that’s NEAR Private Chat. You interact with the AI just like any chatbot, but with privacy you can trust.

Why this matters for everyday people (and not just developers)

• Want to ask personal questions, about health, legal advice, finance , without worrying it gets logged or sold? You can.
• Doing research using sensitive data — medical, corporate, policy research — but don’t want leaks? The confidentiality is built in.
• Working with private documents, identity info, or regulated data. This gives peace of mind that your data remains yours.

In a time when data is a commodity, privacy becomes a fundamental human right. NEAR AI Cloud offers privacy plus trust.

Why it matters for NEAR, and by extension, for stakers & network participants
This is more than a product. It shows NEAR evolving from a blockchain to a full‑blown infrastructure platform. If AI workloads scale, demand for private compute will grow, leading to greater usage and increased demand for NEAR’s network and token. It’s a step toward building an ecosystem where utility matters.

NEAR AI Cloud and Private Chat are not future fantasies — they are live now. They mark a shift in how we interact with AI: private, secure, and user‑owned. As blockchain helps redefine ownership of assets and data, NEAR is bridging the gap between AI and trust.

Read the full official announcement here:

Introducing NEAR AI Cloud & Private Chat

Want to support this future?
Stake your $NEAR with DragonStake.

Staking on Near (NEAR) - DragonStake

Blockchains often launch with bold ideas, but to endure, they need more than just vision. They need clarity, sustainability, and systems that can grow with their communities. With the v3 upgrade, AtomOne is making that transition — from concept to real infrastructure.

From Constitution to Implementation

AtomOne was launched with a community-first model. The constitution and token system were designed to encourage decentralization, open governance, and secure staking. With v3 now live, the network is putting that model into action.

Two Tokens, Two Purposes

AtomOne now uses a dual-token system:

• ATONE is for staking and voting on proposals
• PHOTON is for fees and day-to-day transactions

This separation makes things more efficient and easier to manage. It’s like using one card to vote in your city council and another to pay for groceries. Each token has a job, and they no longer compete for the same use.

Smarter Governance and Cleaner Treasury

Governance just got an upgrade. Proposal deposits will adjust based on how active the community is. If the network is flooded with proposals, the cost to submit one goes up. If it’s quiet, the barrier lowers. That helps filter out spam and keeps focus on valuable ideas.

Also, ATONE in the treasury has been converted into PHOTON. This ensures the community pool and treasury can function without constantly creating more ATONE, which would risk long-term inflation.

Adaptive Fees and Better Network Health

AtomOne now adjusts transaction fees based on network traffic. When traffic is high, fees rise slightly to help defend against spam. When things are calm, fees drop to stay accessible. This keeps the network stable and fair under any conditions.

Why It Matters

If you are staking ATONE or considering it, this upgrade means a stronger and more transparent system. Governance becomes more responsive. Inflation is under control. And the entire chain is more resilient for the future.

Read the full update here:
https://atom.one/blog/atomone-v3-a-roadmap-in-motion/

Stake your ATONE with DragonStake
We’ve supported AtomOne since launch, and we’re here for the long haul.

https://www.dragonstake.io/portfolio/atomOne

The crypto world often gets caught up in price action and rewards. But inside the Cosmos Hub community, a bigger conversation is happening. With the launch of the ATOM Tokenomics Research Kickoff, Cosmos is asking: how do we build a sustainable economy for ATOM, one that runs on real usage instead of endless token emissions?

What’s Changing
Imagine a city that funds itself not by printing more money, but by collecting tolls and service fees. That’s the idea behind the new tokenomics research. Cosmos wants ATOM to move away from a model that depends heavily on inflation, and toward one where its value comes from actual demand and use across the ecosystem.

Why It Matters for ATOM Holders and Stakers

• More stability, less dilution. Moving away from high inflation protects long-term token value.
• Real use equals real impact. If ATOM powers apps, chains, and services across Cosmos, its utility increases naturally.
• Better rewards for committed stakers. The new model could favor users who support the network long-term.
• The community is in the driver’s seat. The research process is public, with open proposals, feedback, and governance votes.

What’s Next
Research teams will propose and model different economic frameworks. The best option will be voted on by the community and eventually implemented on-chain. This is a rare opportunity to redesign the core economics of a blockchain with full transparency.

You can read the full kickoff post here:

https://forum.cosmos.network/t/atom-tokenomics-research-kickoff/16462

At DragonStake, we believe staking is about more than just rewards. It’s about participating in the networks we want to see succeed.

Stake your ATOM with DragonStake. We’ve been part of Cosmos since the beginning and remain committed to its long-term health.

Staking on Cosmos (ATOM) - DragonStake

Why the ATOM Tokenomics Research Kickoff Matters and What It Means for Stakers was originally published in DragonStake | Blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Story Protocol is a Layer‑1 blockchain built around the idea of programmable intellectual property (IP), letting creators embed rules, licensing, royalties, and access control into their digital assets.

Staking IP plays a key role: it helps secure the network, support validator nodes, and align incentives between creators, users, and infrastructure providers. This guide walks you through staking your IP step by step.

Step‑by‑Step: How to Stake IP on Story

Below is a clear, simplified process you can follow to stake IP tokens with a validator like DragonStake.

1. Go to staking dashboard

Transfer IP to your wallet (e.g. MetaMask or any Story‑compatible wallet), then visit the Story Staking Dashboard. Ensure your wallet is set up for interacting with Story’s network.

https://staking.story.foundation/

2. Connect your wallet

On the dashboard, click “Connect Wallet” and approve using your wallet extension. Make sure you use a wallet that supports IP staking.

3. Pick a validator

Browse the list of validators. Look at uptime, commission, reputation. Choose “DragonStake” or another you trust. Validators typically compete on performance and reliability.

4. Enter amount & staking period

Input how many IP you want to stake (minimum is 1,024 IP), and select one of the staking durations (flexible or fixed).

5. Confirm & stake

Review the transaction, then confirm it in your wallet. After confirming, your tokens will be delegated to the validator.

6. Monitor & check status

Use the staking dashboard to see your delegation, rewards, validator status, etc.

Things You Should Know

Minimum stake requirement: 1,024 IP required to stake, delegate, or redelegate.

Locked vs unlocked tokens: You can stake both. Locked (vested) tokens earn half the reward rate compared to unlocked ones, although voting power is the same.

Multiplier for longer staking: Commitment to fixed periods gives reward multipliers (e.g. up to 2×).

Unbonding period: When you unstake, there’s a 14-day unbonding period during which tokens are locked and not earning rewards.

Slashing risk: Validators that are offline too often or double-sign may be penalized. Delegators to those validators can also lose part of their stake.

Reward distribution: Rewards accrue per block and are shared between validator and delegators based on share weight and commission.

How to Unstake

When you decide to stop staking:

1. Initiate an unstake / undelegate request via the staking dashboard (select the validator and amount).
2. Wait for the 14-day unbonding period. During that time, your tokens remain locked and do not earn rewards.
3. After unbonding, you can withdraw your tokens to your wallet. Partial unstaking is permitted; if any remainder falls below 1,024 IP, it may auto-unstake.
4. If the validator was slashed during the unbonding period, you may lose a portion of your tokens.

By staking your NIP tokens, you’re not only earning passive rewards but also supporting the growth and security of the Story ecosystem.

Ready to stake with DragonStake? Access your wallet and start staking today!

Staking on Story (IP) - DragonStake

Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. Cryptocurrency investments are subject to high market risk. DragonStake is not responsible for any direct, indirect, or consequential loss as a result of the process of setting up your wallet. Always conduct your own research before making financial decisions.