How to stake LAVA (Lava Network)

Overview

About the Lava Network

The Lava Network (LAVA) is a marketplace of infrastructure providers who collectively enable users and developers to interact with blockchains, through infrastructure like RPC and APIs. This allows users to access blockchain data (like prices, transactions, and more) by leveraging a network of decentralized providers, ensuring transparency, reliability, and data accuracy without relying on centralized sources.

• Think of it like Uber for infrastructure providers (also called node providers).

By incentivizing data providers to serve accurate information and penalizing those who provide incorrect data, LAVA aims to solve the problem of unreliable and centralized data in blockchain applications. To learn more about Lava Network and how it works, check out our most recent blogpost here or our comprehensive deep dive found here.

How to Stake

1. Install the Keplr Wallet Extension

For the focus of this guide, we recommend using the Keplr wallet. While Leap is usable, this guide will be walking through a demonstration with Keplr.

However, if you would like to use Leap wallet and stake directly to the Chorus One validator via w3coins, you can reference the quick guide below:

Click on Install Keplr for Chrome if you are using a Chrome browser or Brave if you are using the Brave browser and follow the installation instructions.

2. Create/Import an Account

Click on the extension in the Chrome/Brave toolbar and the following page will open up.

• It is recommended to pin it to your browser toolbar by clicking on the jigsaw piece 🧩 icon and then the pin 📌 icon.

If you choose to create a new wallet you will be shown 12 words as your mnemonic seed.

• Optional: You can select the 24 words option for a more secure mnemonic.

Next, enter an account name and a passphrase to lock and unlock your wallet. You will be asked for the mnemonic again.

• Enter the 12 or 24 words in order and case sensitive (all lower case).

• This is to make sure you remember the mnemonic and confirm that you wrote it down correctly.

After verifying your 12 or 24 word phrase, you will be prompted to select any other Cosmos Hub networks you'd like to add to your wallet.

• In this case, we will be adding Lava (LAVA), so please be sure to select that from the list or use the search bar to find it.

Once you selected the relevant networks you want to use, click 'Save' and you'll be all set to go.

3. Log in to your Keplr wallet

Regardless of whether you already have an wallet or if you just created it, you can now click on the Keplr extension to view your address or visit https://wallet.keplr.app/?tab=overview to see your full Keplr dashboard.

4. Stake your LAVA

If you don't already have LAVA in your wallet, you can fund it with some tokens. You may use an exchange to transfer the tokens to your address or get it from a trusted third party that already holds some.

If you want to stake from the browser extension wallet, you can either navigate to the Keplr dashboard (shown below) or scroll down on the wallet screen and select LAVA.

Next, you will be prompted to stake.

Once you are on the Keplr dashboard, to stake click on the 'Stake' tab in the left hand side of the dashboard.

Once there, you will see three steps highlighted in the pink box in the screenshot below.

1. Select Chain

2. Select Validator

3. Stake

Scroll or through the list or search for the chain you want, in this case LAVA.

• Then, repeat the same steps to find the Chorus One validator.

Once you've chosen the Chorus One validator, select how much LAVA you wish to stake, then click the 'Stake' button at the bottom of the screen.

Clicking on Stake will take you to Keplr wallet for approval. Approve the transaction and you will be able to see your stake.

• Note: If you are using a Ledger hardware wallet, you will need to have the wallet connected, unlocked, and approve the transaction there.

5. Claiming Rewards

After some time you will see rewards accumulating in your wallet.

• This can be easiest to view from the Keplr dashboard.

6. Unstaking your LAVA

If you wish to unstake your LAVA, you can do so from the same interface in Keplr that you used to stake.

• Either go to the Keplr dashboard or manage your asset directly from the browser extension window.

Simply click on the validator you wish to unstake from and you will be prompted with the following screen.

To proceed, click on 'Unstake' and follow the prompts to select the amount of LAVA you wish to unstake. Then confirm and sign the transaction in your wallet.

How to Restake LAVA

1. Restaking your LAVA

LAVA can be restaked to a provider of your choosing to earn extra rewards. This can be done if you are already staking to Chorus One or any other validator, or have not staked LAVA at all.

Redelegating LAVA

If you already have staked your LAVA to a validator (and even restaked it) worry not, it is possible to redelegate your native staking or restaking position without going through the 21 day unbonding period. Here's how you can redelegate an existing LAVA stake or restaking position.

To redelegate your LAVA staking or restaking positions, please navigate to the Staking Rewards Terminal and connect your compatible wallet, such as Keplr.

• Please be sure the LAVA network is selected in the upper-right corner of the page once your wallet is connected.

From there, you should see an overview of your LAVA delegations. Next be sure to click on the tab labelled 'Native Restaking' as shown in the screenshot below.

• Please be sure to select the validator or provider you are currently staking/restaking to that you wish to redelegate from.

Once you've clicked on the box where you can faintly see 'Redelegate' by clicking the 3 dot menu of the validator or provider, you will be prompted with the following screen to choose which validator or provider to redelegate to.

In this case you can search for Chorus One to redelegate to the Chorus One validator if you are redelegating a staked position, or choose a provider of your choice if you are redelegating a restaked position.

Go ahead and select Chorus One from the list then click on 'Continue'.

Next you will see a confirmation screen showing the validator you are redelegating from and the validator you are going to be delegating to. (In this example below, from HashKey Cloud to Chorus One).

• By default you will be set to redelegate the entire amount, however, you can choose a custom amount if you wish.

If this all looks good go ahead and click on 'Redelegate'. You will see a final confirmation screen to process the transaction. Continue on from there and approve the transaction in your wallet and you will be all set!

Restaking your LAVA

There are 3 main interfaces to do this from as seen from https://www.lavanet.xyz/stakers:

1. Staking Rewards

2. Ping.pub

3. Directly from Leap wallet (if using the Leap wallet)

Let's explore how to use each interface.

Restake using Staking Rewards

First, navigate to Staking Rewards and connect with your supported wallet (Keplr or Leap)

You may see a provider pair selected already -- If so, you can edit it by clicking on the section labelled 'Provider Pair' and selecting a new pair. If one is not already selected, you can select a new pair to restake with.

If you click on 'Provider Pair' you can add a new pair as shown below.

Next select the RPC provider of your choosing.

Next, select a validator.

You can then select how much LAVA you wish to restake with one or multiple provider pairs by entering the amount, then click on 'Continue to stake'.

Go ahead and approve the transaction and you're all set!

Restake using Ping.pub

First, navigate to Ping.pub and connect your wallet. (Keplr or Leap are supported)

Then click on 'Delegate & Restake' in the bottom-right hand corner.

You'll be prompted to make multiple selections from the dropdown lists such as the validator, which you can scroll through to find Chorus One, the chain, select LAVA mainnet, and the provider, which you can select any of your choosing.

• Finally, enter the amount of LAVA you wish to stake and restake with the pair, and click on 'Send'.

And that's it! You've successfully delegated and restaked your LAVA!

Restake using Leap wallet

To restake using Leap wallet, please see the full guide provided by Leap wallet here:

• https://www.leapwallet.io/blog/restake-your-lava-for-maximum-rewards

2. Claiming Rewards on Restaked LAVA

Some of the best interfaces to claim your restaked and regular staking rewards are:

• https://lava-explorer.mellifera.network/lava

• https://www.stakingrewards.com/terminal/dashboard

• https://lava-explorer.w3coins.io/Lava

Choose whichever interface you prefer and connect your compatible wallet.

From there, you will be able to select to withdraw any pending LAVA rewards you have earned.

3. Unstaking Restaked LAVA

You won't have to worry about unstaking restaked LAVA. If you wish to unstake your restaked positions, all you have to do is unstake your underlying LAVA.

For a guide on how to do this, please see the following section: Unstaking your LAVA

If you have a restaked LAVA position you wish to redelegate, please see: Redelegating your LAVA

• You can also use Ping.pub to quickly redelegate your restaked positions.

  • https://lava-explorer.mellifera.network/lava

A Note to Institutional Investors

If you are an institutional investor looking to stake Lava Network (LAVA) with Chorus One, please reach out to us via our staking request form.