Uniswap
est. 2018
The largest decentralised exchange — the foundational swap layer of Ethereum DeFi.
DeFi
dexethereum
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DeFi
Fact-checked 2026-08-14
Lido
Established 2020
The dominant liquid-staking protocol — stake ETH, keep it liquid as stETH.
Lido lets you stake ETH without the 32-ETH minimum or hardware hassles of solo staking: deposit any amount, receive stETH tokens that earn staking rewards and remain usable across DeFi. It's the single largest protocol in crypto by TVL.
Quick facts
Founded
2020
Category
DeFi
Platforms
Web
Key facts
Non-custodial, Liquid staking, stETH
Pros
- Stake any amount, stay liquid
- stETH is deeply integrated across DeFi
- No lockup — exit via DEX or redemption queue
Cons
- ~10% protocol fee on rewards
- Centralisation concerns: a few node operators dominate
- stETH has occasionally de-pegged in stress events
Best for
ETH holders who want staking yield without lockups
Fees
10% of staking rewards to the protocol, 5% to node operators.
Security notes
Non-custodial with extensive audits. The main debate is centralisation of operators — weigh that against the convenience.
stakingethereumliquid
Frequently asked questions
What is Lido?
Lido is The dominant liquid-staking protocol — stake ETH, keep it liquid as stETH. Lido lets you stake ETH without the 32-ETH minimum or hardware hassles of solo staking: deposit any amount, receive stETH tokens that earn staking rewards and remain usable across DeFi. It's the single largest protocol in crypto by TVL.
Is Lido safe to use?
Non-custodial with extensive audits. The main debate is centralisation of operators — weigh that against the convenience. As always, verify details on the official site before trusting funds to any service.
How much does Lido cost?
10% of staking rewards to the protocol, 5% to node operators. Figures change — confirm current pricing on the official site before deciding.
