Lido

Lido is a simple way to stake your crypto without locking it up for months. Normally, if you stake something like Ethereum, your tokens get stuck — you can’t trade them or use them until the network lets you withdraw. Lido changes that by giving you liquid tokens in return, like stETH when you stake ETH. These tokens still earn rewards, but you can use them in DeFi apps, swap them, or just hold them like regular assets.

It launched in late 2020, starting with Ethereum, and now works with other blockchains like Solana, Polygon, and Polkadot. That makes it one of the most flexible liquid staking platforms out there. What’s cool is that Lido is run by a DAO — so people who hold LDO tokens can actually vote on how the project is managed.

Behind the scenes, it uses a network of validators to keep everything decentralized and secure. And yes, they’ve done smart contract audits and built in safety checks to help protect users. If you want to stake your crypto but still have access to it — to trade, lend, or earn yield elsewhere — Lido is a solid option that does most of the heavy lifting for you.