Binance holds the largest trade volume for any exchange on the cryptocurrency market. Due to its ambitions for growth, the exchange is now accompanied by its native dual blockchain network.
Binance Chain (BC) was launched in 2019 and was developed for the decentralised high-volume exchange of cryptocurrency assets. Binance Smart Chain (BSC), which launched in 2020, runs in parallel with BC but allows for smart contract functionality and integration with the Ethereum network.
Binance Coin, or BNB, which started as an ERC-20 (Ethereum-based) utility token for the exchange in 2017, migrated to the BC network and now powers the native blockchains. The increased usage of the exchange and increased development on the native blockchain networks is why BNB is currently one of the most valuable coins on the market.
The BNB token is used to pay trading and transaction fees, earn rewards through Binance Earn and stake in the BSC network.
Outside of the Binance ecosystem, holders can earn interest on BNB through lending services, utilise yield farming opportunities and even use it for real-world purchases, such as booking flights on Travala.
This guide will explore the various ways you can use BNB tokens to earn rewards.
Disclaimer: This information should not be interpreted as an endorsement of cryptocurrency or any specific
provider, service or offering. It is not a recommendation to trade.
Staking is the process of locking up cryptocurrency tokens to help secure and run a blockchain network.
Funds that are deposited are used to help operate and secure the network, ensuring efficient transactions and economic viability. Users that stake cryptocurrencies typically accrue additional tokens to incentivise locking their assets. The BNB token can be staked on the Binance Smart Chain blockchain in return for rewards.
The BSC blockchain uses a proof-of-staked-authority (PoSA) consensus mechanism. Unlike Bitcoin, which uses a proof-of-work model to validate transactions, the BSC is updated and operated by 21 validators. The validators process transactions in the chain by locking up (staking) BNB tokens. However, the validators must also be elected every 24 hours by delegators. Delegators are all other members that have staked BNB tokens.
When it comes to staking BNB, there are two ways to earn rewards: as a validator or as a delegator.
Validators on the BSC network power the blockchain through processing transactions. Validators then receive BNB tokens as a reward. While this sounds appealing, becoming a validator is difficult as it requires both capital and technical expertise. It is often best performed by users with larger BNB holdings and advanced technological expertise.
A validator on the BNB network needs to do the following:
Operate a full BSC node
Stake a minimum of 10,000 BNB
Be elected every 24 hours through being a top 21 candidate in terms of voting power.
As you can see, BNB staking as a validator is a pretty daunting task. Luckily, for the passive cryptocurrency investor looking to stake BNB tokens, becoming a delegator is an easier option.
Delegators offer validators their BNB tokens via a supported wallet or crypto exchange. By offering BNB tokens, they help their chosen validator become elected as one of the top 21 candidates. Once a validator enters the top 21, they can start contributing to the operation of the BSC. Staking rewards are then distributed to validators and then proportionally redistributed among delegators, depending on the number of tokens invested in the validator.
How to stake Binance Coin
Staking on an exchange
Staking on an exchange makes the process very simple. The exchange will operate as the validator and will complete all of the technical work for you. This means you don't have to worry about researching and selecting a suitable validator. The Binance exchange charges no staking fees, which is a bonus.
Though it makes sense to stake BNB on the native Binance exchange, there are other exchanges where you can stake Binance Coin, including PancakeSwap.
Staking Binance Coin on the Binance exchange is very straightforward:
Binance. Head over to the and create a Binance account.
Deposit. Deposit BNB tokens into the Binance wallet or purchase BNB tokens via fiat or crypto exchange.
Binance Earn. Navigate to the Binance Earn page. This can be accessed via the dropdown menu: Finance > Binance Earn.
Search BNB. Search for BNB in the coin search box (though it will likely be at the very top of the list).
Product selection. Look for the "Staking" product in the available list and click "Stake" at the end of the row.
Locking period. Choose your locking period (30, 60 or 90 days) and the amount you would like to stake. The minimum is 0.0001 BNB and the maximum is 50,000 BNB.
Confirm. Once you have accepted the staking agreement, you will then need to confirm your transaction. That's it! You will now start passively earning Binance Coin rewards. At the time of writing, the estimated annual percentage yield (APY) for BNB is 7.72%, but this changes on a daily basis.
Staked BNB can be withdrawn or traded at any time by clicking "Redeem earlier" after navigating to your staked orders. This can be accessed via Wallet > Earn.
Staking through a cryptocurrency wallet
Staking BNB through a cryptocurrency wallet is a relatively easy process and is supported by a number of platforms, including Trust Wallet or Binance Chain Wallet.
Though a little more complex and expensive than staking through an exchange, it offers more flexibility to the user in terms of security and validator selection.
The minimum number of BNB tokens that can be staked varies from wallet to wallet, but it is usually at least 1. Withdrawing BNB from a wallet will take 7 days.
How to stake BNB with Trust Wallet:
Download Trust Wallet. Download the most recent version of Trust Wallet from the Google Play Store or the iOS App Store.
Create an account. Install Trust Wallet and create an account.
Seed phrase backup. Back up your wallet and securely store the randomised 12-word recovery phrase.
Create an exchange account. Set up an account on a cryptocurrency exchange like Binance or Coinbase to purchase BNB.
Send BNB to your wallet. Purchase the desired amount of BNB and send it to your Trust Wallet address. You must have at least 1 BNB to begin staking.
Staking menu. Access the BNB staking menu by clicking on the coin and then clicking "More…".
Stake. Press Stake and type in the number of tokens you wish to lock and the duration of this period.
Choose validator. Select a validator from a list provided. You can access staking data for BNB on the Binance website.
Confirm. Submit the transaction and begin to passively earn staking rewards!
You can unstake at any time by going into Binance Coin's menu in the digital wallet and selecting "unstake".
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Platforms that offer staking
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Other ways of earning money on Binance Coin (BNB) holdings
Centralised Lending Services
Outside of staking, BNB token holders can earn interest on their investments through a centralised lending service such as Crypto.com or Nexo. These platforms will pay interest on coins stored in their framework. Getting started is again relatively easy. Create an account with the desired service provider and deposit the minimum required BNB. Before long, you could be earning an impressive annual percentage yield (APY) on your otherwise idle BNB assets.
DeFi yield farming
Users can earn BNB rewards by providing liquidity to certain DeFi protocols, such as the PancakeSwap decentralised exchange (DEX).
A DEX utilises an automated market maker (algorithm) alongside user-deposited liquidity to provide instant trades between cryptocurrencies. To incentivise the provision of liquidity, PancakeSwap offers liquidity providers rewards in the form of additional tokens and a share of transaction fees.
The amount of interest users receive on staking Binance Coin depends on a number of factors:
The amount of BNB staked by a validator
The supply and demand of BNB staked on a network (if there is less supply, the rewards will be raised to incentivise extra staking)
Length of locking period
Number of BNB tokens delegated
Commission fees charged by a validator
Delegators that stake BNB can expect to earn approximately 9-11% APY (excluding commission and gas fees) based on Binance's Fixed Staking option. In comparison, returns from yield farming can vary wildly, ranging from less than 1% to over 100%. Remember though that all these returns are variable, and yield farming is especially volatile and carries additional risks.
Real-world earnings will ultimately depend on the market value of the BNB token. If the price of BNB rises, rewards will increase proportionally. If the price of BNB drops, it could eat into profits.
Is staking Binance Coin safe?
Staking BNB is a relatively simple and safe process. However, like any investment, there are certain risks that must be assessed before locking your money in a wallet or exchange.
Slashing. Validators that misbehave and ignore regulations can be penalised, which can result in delegators losing all of their tokens.
Exchanges. Staking through an online exchange leaves users more vulnerable to hacks and exploits. Additionally, when users stake through an exchange, they lose the right to select a validator that will distribute rewards in a way they agree with.
Illiquidity. When retrieving your staked BNB from a wallet, there is usually a one-week period before they are tradeable. This means you can't trade, sell or withdraw your BNB assets instantly. If there is a significant downturn in the market, a user might lose profits (and enter a drawdown) as they are unable to react to market movements.
Trusted. Binance Coin is one of the most used cryptocurrency assets associated with one of the most popular exchanges.
Low barrier to entry. Staking BNB is a simple and effective means of earning passive income on assets that would otherwise sit idle.
Supports the Binance ecosystem. Token stakers contribute to the efficient and secure running of the BSC network.
Options to earn interest. DEXs like PancakeSwap are built on the BSC protocol, giving BNB holders numerous options on earning interest.
Cons
Lose asset control. Staking BNB requires users to give up control of their digital assets.
Slashing. Users can lose their entire staked assets if a validator misbehaves and deposited holdings are slashed.
Accessibility. In some cases, it takes up to 7 days to unlock staked BNB. Tokens are locked in the network and can't be used to react to changing market conditions without losing accrued interest.
Market dependent. The value of returns is dependent on the market value of BNB.
Accountable. If you lose access to your wallet's details, you will be unable to reclaim your staked BNB coins.
Disclaimer: Cryptocurrencies are speculative, complex and involve significant risks – they are highly
volatile and sensitive to secondary activity. Performance is unpredictable and past performance is no guarantee of
future performance. Consider your own circumstances, and obtain your own advice, before relying on this information.
You should also verify the nature of any product or service (including its legal status and relevant regulatory
requirements) and consult the relevant Regulators' websites before making any decision. Finder, or the author, may
have holdings in the cryptocurrencies discussed.
James Edwards is the global cryptocurrency editor at Finder. He coordinates a distributed team of journalists to help further Finder's mission of helping people make better financial decisions.
He has been using Bitcoin since 2013 and began working in the industry in 2017. He takes pride in boiling down complex topics into language his parents can understand.
His expertise has seen him called on to report at events such as TechCrunch Disrupt, CoinDesk Consensus and IBM Think and has coordinated a vast number of high-profile interviews with the industry's brightest minds.
He is a regular contributor to Nasdaq, The Street and is frequently called upon for market commentary in Australia and abroad.
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