What is stETH?
stETH is a liquid staking token that lets you earn ETH staking rewards while using your staked ETH across DeFi.
stETH Lifecycle
stETH vs wstETH
Your balance changes daily. 10 stETH becomes ~10.35 stETH after a year.
Your balance stays constant, but each token is worth more ETH over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is stETH?
stETH (staked ETH) is a liquid staking token issued by Lido Finance. When you deposit ETH into Lido, you receive stETH 1:1, representing your staked ETH plus accumulated staking rewards.
How does stETH earn rewards?
stETH balances rebase daily. The Lido oracle reports beacon chain rewards, and your stETH balance automatically increases to reflect your share of staking rewards (~3-4% APR).
What is the difference between stETH and wstETH?
stETH rebases — your balance changes daily. wstETH (wrapped stETH) has a fixed balance but increases in value over time. wstETH is preferred for DeFi protocols that don't support rebasing tokens.
Can I unstake stETH back to ETH?
Yes. You can use Lido's withdrawal queue to unstake stETH back to ETH (takes 1-5 days), or swap stETH for ETH instantly on DEXs like Curve with minimal slippage.
Is stETH safe?
stETH is backed by real staked ETH across dozens of professional node operators. Lido's smart contracts are audited and governed by the Lido DAO. However, smart contract risk and slashing risk always exist.