What is Moonbeam (GLMR)?
Moonbeam is a new Polkadot smart contract platform that makes it easy to build natively interoperable blockchain applications. Moonbeam is a parachain that promises cross-chain interoperability between the Ethereum and Polkadot blockchains. The token that powers the Moonbeam network is GLMR and it is exclusively used for trading, staking, delegating, paying transaction fees, and governance votes on the network. This tutorial will show you how to stake your GLMR tokens on the Moonbeam network.
TL;DR
- View the current Moonbeam staking APR here
- Use the Moonbeam Staking Calculator to estimate your rewards
- Lockup: 7 days
- Minimum amount required for staking: 50 GLMR
- Estimated time needed to stake your GLMR in your wallet: 3 minutes
- Recommended Moonbeam staking wallets: Ledger, Subwallet, Metamask, Talisman Wallet
- Steps to stake:
- Go to the Moonbeam Staking Dashboard and ensure you have your GLMR on your wallet.
- Scroll down to the Staking section and click on ‘Manage delegations’.
- Click on ‘Select a collator’ and choose a collator from the active pool. Check our FAQ on how to choose a collator if you are unsure who to delegate to.
- Enter the amount of GLMR you want to stake, click ‘Delegate’, and sign the transaction.
Prerequisites
Where to buy Moonbeam (GLMR)
You can get GLMR tokens at a cryptocurrency exchange or within select wallets. You should always do your own research when selecting a reputable cryptocurrency exchange. For best security, it is not recommended to leave your tokens on an exchange, but transfer them to your non-custodial or cold/hardware wallet after procuring them. You can buy GLMR here:
Moonbeam (GLMR) wallets
Moonbeam has a variety of non-custodial wallets for you to choose from. We recommend that you use a hardware wallet such as Ledger otherwise we suggest using Talisman wallet because it has the best UX and is well respected in the Moonbeam and Kusama community. Compatible wallets include:
How to connect Moonbeam (GLMR) to Metamask wallet
When setting up your Metamask wallet, you will need to add the Moonbeam network to the wallet. To do som follow the steps below:
- Once you have an account, you can add Moonbeam as a network and connect to it by clicking on the network dropdown and selecting “Add Network”.
- To add Moonbeam, you can enter Moonbeam’s network configurations:
- Network Name: Moonbeam
- RPC URL: https://rpc.api.moonbeam.network
- Chain ID: 1284 (hex: 0x504)
- Symbol (optional): GLMR
- Block Explorer (optional): https://moonscan.io/
Then click “Save” to automatically connect to Moonbeam.
How do I choose Moonbeam collators?
Please refer to the FAQ section titled ‘How do I choose Moonbeam collators’ on this page when selecting Moonbeam pools. Also, you may want to utilize our criteria for verifying providers through the Staking Rewards Verified Staking Provider (VSP) Program.
How Staking Rewards for Moonbeam (GLMR) are Generated
Learn how rewards are generated in the FAQ section titled ‘How are the staking rewards generated?’ here.
How to stake Moonbeam (GLMR)
Step 1: Make sure you have a Metamask wallet
As a popular wallet in the Moonbeam ecosystem, Moonbeam offers users the ability to stake tokens, access blockchain apps, and manage multiple tokens in one wallet. Simply connect your Ledger to Metamask wallet or use Metamask wallet directly to stake GLMR. Install the Metamask browser extension and deposit your tokens into this wallet before continuing onto step 2.
Step 2: Go to the Moonbeam staking portal and choose a collator
Navigate to the Moonbeam staking dashboard and connect your wallet. We will use Metamask in this tutorial:
- Scroll down to the Staking section and click on ‘Manage delegations’.
- Click on ‘Select a collator’ and choose a collator from the active pool. Check our FAQ on how to choose a collator if you are unsure who to delegate to.
- To join a pool, navigate to the ‘Pools’ tab and click ‘+ Join.’
Please Note:
- Secondly, rewards can be auto-compounded. The staking dApp has an option to toggle auto-compounding your delegation. If you want to get the most out of your staking journey, you should consider this option. By using our Moonbeam staking calculator, you can simulate your staking returns for GLMR.
- The minimum bond for each collator tends to increase over time, so if your delegation is close to the minimum, there is a higher chance you might fall below the minimum and not receive rewards
Step 3: Finalize the transaction
Enter the amount of GLMR you want to stake, press confirm and approve the transaction.
- Enter the amount of GLMR you want to stake, click ‘Delegate’, and sign the transaction.
- After the transaction is completed, go to the Overview section to get a birds eye view of your staking position.
Congratulations! You have now staked your GLMR tokens and will start earning those juicy staking rewards.
Step 4: Track your staking portfolio
- Track your Moonbeam staking rewards on the Moonbeam staking dashboard
- Monitor governance proposals on Moonbeam network that may impact the staking mechanism
- Track the current and historical reward rates, validator count, number of unique Moonbeam staking wallets, and staking ratio of the Moonbeam network by visiting the Moonbeam asset page. To make better staking decisions, it’s essential to understand these relevant data points. To learn how these data points could impact your staking rewards, please read more in the FAQ sections named ‘How do I choose Moonbeam pooled’ and ‘How are the rewards generated’ on the Moonbeam asset page.
Step 5: How to unstake Moonbeam (GLMR)?
To unstake your GLMR tokens, follow the steps below:
- Click the ‘Minus’ sign under the ‘Staking Delegations’ tab.
- Enter the amount of GLMR you want to unbond
Please note that it takes 7 days to unstake GLMR .
Maximizing Staked GLMR
Now that you have staked your GLMR, you have four options which can be used to change your position. These options appear on the Moonbeam Staking Portal. The options are:
Stake more
You can increase your stake by adding more to the same or a different collator. You can do this by clicking the ‘Plus’ sign in the ‘Staking Delegations’ tab or selecting a new collator.
Restake reward
You can compound your rewards by toggling that feature on the staking portal.
Claim reward
Rewards are automatically paid into your wallet, if you are not auto-compounding it then you will need to manually restake it.
Unbond
You can unstake your entire position or just a portion of it by clicking the ‘Minus’ sign under the ‘Staking delegations’ tab.
Conclusion
Staking is essential to Proof-of-Stake blockchains and comes with many benefits for investors and the network:
- Investors earn yield from token emissions and/or transaction fees.
- Stakers become eligible for airdrops as many networks prioritize granting these benefits to them.
- Staking helps to secure the network
- Staking from multiple participants helps decentralize the network
- Stakers can participate in governance, as many PoS networks allocate governance rights based on the amount of tokens staked.
Congratulations! You are now not only getting the most out of your investment with compounded returns. YOU are also (in-)directly contributing to the decentralization, and the network security of Moonbeam and thus contributing to the long-term success of your investment! Moonbeam needs active stakers like you to become successful long-term.
Now share the tutorial with your friends so they can get to start staking as well!
Lastly, don’t forget to check out the Moonbeam (GLMR) asset page for more insights into staking GLMR, and drop us a message if you found this tutorial useful. Happy staking!