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Overview of Bitcoin Staking on Kraken

Last updated: March 26, 2026

Bitcoin Staking is not yet available for all clients and in all regions. If you meet the eligibility requirements below, but do not yet see it available, the feature will be coming soon.

Bitcoin Staking, powered by Babylon, allows you to stake your Bitcoin (BTC) to help secure Bitcoin Supercharged Networks (BSNs) while earning rewards, all without moving your BTC off the Bitcoin blockchain. Clients now have the ability to stake Bitcoin (BTC) on Kraken. BSNs are blockchains or decentralised applications that leverage native BTC staking through the Babylon protocol.

By staking through Babylon’s protocol, you delegate your BTC to participate in securing the Babylon Genesis blockchain (and its connected Bitcoin Supercharged Networks). In return, you earn rewards in Babylon’s native token BABY, without requiring you to send your Bitcoin to a third party or bridge it to another blockchain. Kraken offers BTC staking in bonded, flexible and auto earn strategies

When using bonded staking, your Bitcoin is held in a self-custodial, time-locked output on the Bitcoin blockchain, until the unbonding period ends. To find out more about Bitcoin staking, how it works, and the risks, read our complete guide to crypto staking.

To allocate your Bitcoin to Staking, simply follow the steps in the section below. After which you will earn rewards and improve the security of other blockchains without leaving the safety of the Bitcoin network.

Bitcoin Staking will generate rewards paid out in Babylon’s native token, BABY, for securing the Babylon Genesis blockchain.

The reward rates (or Annual Percentage Rate (APY)) for Bitcoin Staking is variable. Kraken will display an estimated overall APY for Bitcoin Staking. This figure is an estimate of the annualized return and it can fluctuate over time.

Reward Asset: reward tokens from any system that access Bitcoin staking security and liquidity via Babylon Genesis.

Note:

Rates are variable and subject to change.

You will start generating rewards once your stake is active, accrue rewards daily, and get paid out to your spot wallet in reward assets on a weekly basis.

Auto Earn & Flexible Staking

When participating in Auto Earn, or Flexible Staking, there is no bonding or unbonding period.

With Auto Earn, your BTC is always available for trading or withdrawal. When using Flexible Staking, there is no bonding or unbonding period. Your BTC will be immediately staked and unstaked.

Bonded Staking

Bitcoin Staking is bonded, meaning you have to wait a specific amount of time before your funds are unlocked. This wait time is a Babylon protocol requirement, and is typically around 7 days.

During the unbonding period:

  • •

    Your BTC cannot be traded or withdrawn until the period ends.

  • •

    After the unbonding period expires, your BTC will be returned to your Spot balance (at which point it’s free to withdraw or trade).

  • •

    You do not earn rewards on the unstaking BTC during the unbonding period.

Method

BTC Limit

Auto Earn

50 BTC

Flexible Staking

Unlimited

Bonded Staking

Unlimited

  • •

    Babylon BTC staking is only available in the United States (excluding - Maine and New York), the United Kingdom, Australia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

  • •

    You need to have BTC in your spot or staked balance.

If Bitcoin Staking is not showing as an option in your account, you may not be eligible.

How do I enable Bitcoin Staking?

  1. 1

    Sign in to your Kraken account.

  2. 2

    Click on ‘Earn’ in the left-hand side bar.

  3. 3

    Click either the ‘Allocate to earn’ icon or “Stake” in the ‘Earn opportunities’ section.

  4. 4

    Enter the amount of BTC to stake then click ‘Review’.

  5. 5

    Click ‘Confirm’ after reviewing on the Confirmation screen.

  6. 6

    Once confirmed, the Success screen will appear. Your Bitcoin has been staked and will earn weekly rewards!

  1. 1

    Sign in to your Kraken account.

  2. 2

    Click on ‘Earn’ in the left-side panel.

  3. 3

    While holding Bitcoin, click ‘Stake’ on the ‘Staking Bonded’ row for BTC in the ‘Your eligible assets’ section.

  4. 4

    Enter the amount of BTC to stake then select ‘Review’.

  5. 5

    Click ‘Confirm’ after reviewing on the Confirmation screen.

  6. 6

    Once confirmed, the Success screen will appear. Your Bitcoin has been staked and will earn weekly rewards!

  1. 1

    Open the Kraken mobile app and tap the 'Portfolio' tab at the bottom of the screen. Then, tap 'Bonded Earn' under the Portfolio value section. If you don’t see it right away, swipe right on the rewards carousel to find the Bonded Earn card.

  2. 2

    Select “Stake BTC”.

  3. 3

    Enter the amount of BTC then select "Review".

  4. 4

    Click ‘Confirm’ after reviewing on the Confirmation screen.

  5. 5

    Once confirmed, the Success screen will appear. Your Bitcoin has been staked and will earn weekly rewards!

  1. 1

    Open the Kraken Pro mobile app and tap on the ‘Portfolio’ tab.

  2. 2

    Tap the ‘Earn’ button.

  3. 3

    Select Bitcoin (BTC)’ from the list.

  4. 4

    Choose “Bonded Staking” from the product selector, enter the amount, and tap ‘Review’.

  5. 5

    'Swipe to confirm’ after reviewing on the Confirmation screen.

  6. 6

    Once confirmed, the Success screen will appear. Your Bitcoin has been staked and will earn weekly rewards!

Staking your Bitcoin through Auto Earn is very easy! Simply hold BTC in your spot wallet, and ensure Auto Earn is enabled in your account settings. 

For instructions on how to enable Auto Earn, or to check whether you have Auto Earn already enabled, see this article here.

To unstake your staked Bitcoin, follow these guides:

Additional information

There are currently no transaction fees for Bitcoin staking or unstaking. Kraken takes a commission based on the rewards you receive from the network. 

 

The reward rates shown are an estimate of the rewards you could earn on the assets you hold, before our commission, and are based on the average staking rewards accrued over the past period.

Commissions for Bitcoin Staking are based on current Bitcoin balances staked, ranging from 10-26%. More details can be found in the Fees section here.


For additional information, please refer to our Terms of Service.

Participating in the staking process is not a risk-free endeavour. Individuals should be aware of the following risks.

  • •

    If you elect to unstake assets subject to an unbonding/escrow period, your assets will not be unstaked and able to be withdrawn or traded until that unbonding/escrow period expires, and you will not continue to accrue rewards during that unbonding period. The market price of staked assets could significantly change by the time the unbonding/escrow period expires and your assets are unstaked, including due to new minting, a hack of the blockchain protocol, or market volatility.

  • •

    Staking services could be vulnerable to hacks, a payment could default, or an event known as “slashing” can be triggered by malicious actions or technical errors, resulting in a loss of staked funds and subsequent rewards.

  • •

    We do not guarantee you will earn any reward. Changes to blockchain protocols and network behavior may impact rewards. Future rewards may be less than historical rewards, or even drop to zero.

We will compensate you for any slashing penalty and non-payment of applicable restaking rewards, unless this results from your actions, network maintenance or a bug, a hack, and in certain other situations. For a full list of circumstances where we won’t compensate you for slashing penalties, please refer to our Terms of Service. 

You retain ownership of staked assets, staked assets remain your property while staked, and title to your staked assets remains with you at all times and doesn’t transfer to us.

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