It’s now mid-2025, and Decentralized Finance (DeFi) staking platforms have changed the entire cryptocurrency economic landscape. They offer users new ways to generate passive income. Lido still sits atop the leaderboard with more than $30 billion in total value locked (TVL). This remarkable milestone further solidifies its position as the leading DeFi staking platform for Ethereum and other top tokens. Platforms like Convex, Jito, Tonstakers, Pendle, and Yearn are building important primitives. They offer users unique experiences and value, as well as notable APY with annual percentage yields. These platforms display a glimpse into what DeFi staking has become and could eventually be, as many protocols today provide APYs upward of 80%.
Lido has cemented its status as the premier DeFi staking platform, managing an impressive $30 billion in TVL as of mid-2025. This dominance further highlights Lido’s importance in the DeFi ecosystem, especially as the main controller of staked Ethereum. Additionally, Lido now supports Ethereum, Solana, and Polygon networks, giving users more staking options than ever.
The platform oozes with creativity, inspiration, and engagement largely due to its easy-to-use platform. Its high level of security has attracted the largest and most diverse user base of any cryptocurrency. Lido is designed to scale efficiently, managing billions of dollars worth of staked assets in a decentralized manner. This unique capability cements its place as a trusted, community-backed leader in the DeFi space. This further cements Lido as a keystone in the larger DeFi movement, continuing to fuel innovation and adoption.
Convex has a competitive advantage by allowing users to stake their CRV tokens to earn boosted rewards. Yield on the platform starts from an average APY of 25%, depending on market conditions and demand for tokens. Convex presents a compelling opportunity to yield maximizers. It’s centrally important, but shines especially bright on Curve Finance, a top decentralized exchange for stablecoins.
Convex’s method means taking your CRV tokens and using them to boost rewards for Convex users. This mechanism increases liquidity but it makes the Curve ecosystem more stable and benefits the stakers. The platform’s rapid expansion and adoption speaks to its value in offering some of the best yields available while bringing ease and accessibility to the staking process.
In the current moment, Jito has emerged as the industry leader as the de facto largest staking platform on the Solana network. Known for its high performance and rigorous security audits, Jito has become a trusted choice for Solana users looking to stake their tokens. The platform’s architecture maximizes the opportunity for staking rewards. By doing so, it reduces risks involved, positioning it as a more trustworthy choice amid the rapid DeFi landscape.
Aside from Jito’s ongoing dedication to security, we are focused on deep audit processes that further secure user funds. The platform’s powerful infrastructure further enables high transaction throughput, which is critical to keeping the platform running smoothly on the Solana network. The Jito staking provider, founded by the project’s original architect, is in a great position to stay at the forefront of the booming Solana ecosystem.
Tonstakers has quickly emerged as the top staking platform in The Open Network (TON). It now controls about 80% of all TON tokens that are staked. This very high market share underlines the communicative power Tonstakers have as leaders of the TON ecosystem. The platform provides users with a simple and intuitive interface to stake their TON tokens and help secure the network through the consensus mechanism.
Tonstakers’ overwhelming success is due in no small part to its simplicity and an active community rallying behind the effort. The platform offers comprehensive analytics and educational resources to empower users to make smart, informed decisions about their staking strategies. The Open Network is still developing, but quickly. Tonstakers will be immensely important for fostering its growth and decentralization.
Pendle stands out from the crowd by providing users with more control over their staking income. The platform currently supports a range of crypto assets, offering attractive yields of up to 15% in some instances. Pendle's unique approach involves splitting yield into two separate tokens: the base token and the yield token.
As the first powered by our Model E protocol — An innovative, user-friendly mechanism that gives users greater control over how they trade and manage yield. Pendle separates the principal and yield components of a token. Flexible and responsive, this approach fits any investment strategy, whether investors seek safe, steady returns or higher, riskier yields. The platform’s advanced financial tools and highly customizable options are part of what makes it so popular with experienced DeFi users.
Yearn is one of the first DeFi yield aggregators. It provides some of the best returns on the market, between 4% and 30% returns depending on which vault you select and each token. This AI-driven platform drastically removes the manual processes associated with seeking and optimizing yield opportunities across hundreds of diverse DeFi protocols. Yearn’s vaults use complicated strategies to earn the highest possible yields with the lowest possible risk.
Yearn’s careful and considered approach throughout its history in the DeFi space has earned it a reputation for reliability and innovation. The platform focuses heavily on the use of automation and optimization. This user-centric focus has been key to its popularity among long-time and new DeFi users alike. Yearn is ever changing and adapting to the fast paced world of DeFi. Most importantly, it guarantees that users will get the highest, most stable, and most competitive yields.
Fast forward to 2025, and the DeFi staking scene is humming with life and excitement. Innovative blockchain protocols are causing APYs to spike as high as 80%, providing investors with thrilling risk-adjusted expected returns. Thankfully, these lofty yields are a symptom of the growing sophistication of DeFi strategies and an increased demand for staking services. Along with their potential advantages, they carry risks of their own, such as smart contract vulnerabilities and market volatility.
DeFi staking platforms are ever–changing, building in innovative developments, technology and practices to better protect users and build a more seamless experience. Advanced analytics and risk management tools are gaining traction. Through this, they are empowering their users to make more informed decisions about their overall staking activities. As the DeFi space matures, these platforms are expected to play an even greater role in the broader financial ecosystem.
The growth of DeFi staking is driving innovation in blockchain technology, with new protocols and platforms emerging to address specific needs and challenges. This improved competition spurs a more vibrant, diverse, and competitive market. In turn, users benefit from more choice and the opportunity for greater returns. Beyond the sensational headlines, it highlights the need for due diligence and thoughtful evaluation in selecting a staking platform.
The regulatory landscape for DeFi staking remains murky at best. Governments and regulatory agencies around the globe are struggling to figure out how to handle this new, dynamic technology. While innovation is important, clear and consistent regulatory frameworks are necessary to encourage the sustainable development of these technologies and protect customers from unforeseen risks. As regulations continue to develop, DeFi staking platforms specifically have to pivot and comply to realize sustained long-term success.
