10 Options! What to Do With Your DOT, after the First Crowdloan Unlock?
Polkadot Second Crowdloan Unlock will soon unlock over 30 million DOT. What can you do with DOT tokens right now? We’ve compiled the top 10 options for you! Check out the article, nominate from our list of validators (at the end of this article). Stake over 1K DOT to participate in contest and 10K DOT to get guarantied valuable prize. Stake for more than 3 month with all the validators listed below (you can nominate up to 16 validators when staking) or in our Pool #161 “Pool for Friends and Supporters.” and expect valuable NFT from our team.
Sell DOT
The most unreasonable option is to sell DOT when it’s at local lows. After the Polkadot crowdloans unlock, there will be maximum downward pressure on the price. Selling at the market’s bottom after two years of waiting is, to put it mildly, unwise.
If you still decide to sell, use decentralized infrastructure like Bifrost (use this link to get more rewards for vDOT staking) or HydraDX (use this link to get 10% cashback for your commissions.
Worst option. Rating: 1/10. Average Annual Percentage Yield (APY) — 0%
Hold on a centralized exchange or service.
Storing your DOTs on centralized exchanges like Binance, Kraken, Huobi, Gate.io, and others comes with significant risks. As the saying goes, “not your keys, not your crypto.” Legislative restrictions can be introduced, exchanges can be closed, or hacked. The example of MtGox, which was hacked and closed in 2014 and still hasn’t returned assets while paying lawyers and liquidators, is a perfect example. Stay away from platforms where you don’t control the keys and access to your assets, and where decisions are made centrally. You can stake through liquid staking or in a Polkadot pool, earning more than on centralized platforms and controlling your assets yourself.
Poor option. Rating: 2/10. Average Annual Percentage Yield (APY) — 10–12%
Easiest and most profitable staking on Polkadot and Kusama with #TrustedValidators
The easiest way of staking is https://www.trustedvalidators.xyz/ . Connect your favorite wallet. Choose the amount of KSM or DOT you want to nominate and sign the extrinsic, it nominates Pool or the list of TrustedValidators. Follow us on Twitter and Telegram not to miss OPPORTUNITIES we provide to our STAKERS!
Excellent option: 8/10. Average Annual Percentage Yield (APY) — 15–18%S take from 1 DOT via https://www.trustedvalidators.xyz/
The optimal option for both beginners and professionals is to use the primary staking portal at https://staking.polkadot.network/.
There’s an excellent article on the Polkadot Wiki explaining how to use it —
as well as a video tutorial:
Here is the detailed article about staking with step-by-step illustrations https://alexpromoteam.medium.com/how-to-stake-polkadot-dot-via-the-portal-staking-polkadot-network-e597364a8036
Note: through the portal, there are two types of staking — through a validator (from 600 DOT) and through a pool (from 1 DOT). It’s crucial to select the validator or pool list correctly.
Recommended validators and pools, as well as contest conditions with valuable prizes for stakers, are at the end of this article.
If you have less than 600 DOT and nominate a validator from our list, your stake may rarely become active and not generate the expected income. A pool collects small stakes (from 1 DOT) and stakes them as one large stake, then distributes the reward. Pay attention to this; it’s very important.
If you’re a long-term DOT holder and plan to stake the token for over a year, this is your option.
Here’s an in-depth article on how to stake via https://staking.polkadot.network/ and how to select validators.
If you have over 10,000 DOT, we can personally advise you on staking opportunities and the optimal set of validators. Schedule a 15-minute personal call with Alex PromoTeam — https://calendly.com/alexpromoteam/
The only downside to staking through the native portal is that some may find it challenging to install the Polkadot.js extension on their browser, but those who have used Metamask will not face difficulties. It’s even easier to stake through a mobile wallet.
Excellent option: 8/10. Average Annual Percentage Yield (APY) — 10–15%
Stake from 1 to 600 DOT through a Polkadot pool
The only difference between a pool and native staking is that in a pool, you don’t choose validators; the pool owner selects them. In terms of APY and security, it’s equally reliable as native staking.
If you have 1 to 600 DOT, use the staking guide for pools:
and use this article
Here is the detailed article about Pool staking with step-by-step illustrations https://alexpromoteam.medium.com/how-to-stake-polkadot-dot-via-the-portal-staking-polkadot-network-e597364a8036
Don’t forget to nominate our pool #161, “$Pool for Friends and Supporters.” It will enhance your efficiency and support our activity.
Excellent option: 8/10. Average Annual Percentage Yield (APY) — 10–15%
Staking with a cold wallets — 2 best options: Polkadot Vault (formerly Parity Signer) and Ledger.
An excellent choice for long-term and secure storage. The most significant issue with cold wallets is waiting for software updates. Ledger and Polkadot Vault (formerly Parity Signer) are the quickest to update. Let’s look at these two wallets and determine how to work with them. We’ll also list validators worthy of nomination and providing optimal APY growth in the long term.
Here’s a video on Ledger:
and on Polkadot Vault:
Cons — sometimes you may need to wait for wallet updates. For those who are active users or validators of Polkadot, the cold wallet option may not be suitable. But for most people, it’s one of the best options.
Excellent option: 8/10. Average Annual Percentage Yield (APY) — 10–15%
Liquid Staking — Bifrost and Polkadot Unlock Harvest.
Liquid staking allows you to receive rewards for staking and also obtain a synthesized token, vDOT, which can be used for liquidity or sold. You provide your DOT to the platform for a certain period and can get your DOT back by exchanging the synthesized tokens for the native ones. This method is suitable for those who want more flexibility and options for their capital.
ADDITIONAL REWARDS FOR the first 100 vDOT stakers from OUR COMMUNITY
Bifrost (use this link to get more rewards for vDOT staking) or HydraDX (use this link to get 10% cashback for your commissions.
IDEA: you can mint vDOT on Bifrost and Provide Liquidity on HydraDX, getting 3X rewards — Polkadot x Bifrost x HydraDX!
Here’s a video on Bifrost’s liquid staking:
This method is for advanced users and will provide an additional 3–5% APY on top of the base 10–15% staking.
Downsides: There are risks associated with transferring tokens to a decentralized platform, risks related to exchange rates, and risks of attacks and hacks. This option is for those who want to dive into DeFi; not everyone may want or be able to do this. It’s more for professionals than beginners.
Good option: 7/10. Average Annual Percentage Yield (APY) — 10–15% staking + 3–30% for providing liquidity + Benefits of Polkadot Unlock Harvest program! The best option you have: you can mint vDOT on Bifrost and Provide Liquidity on HydraDX, getting 3X rewards — Polkadot x Bifrost x HydraDX!
Providing liquidity . Best options Bifrost and HydraDX
You can provide liquidity for not only wrapped DOT tokens, but native DOT tokens also. Decentralized platforms reward those who provide liquidity either in the platform’s token or in the native token. This is a good option for those who want to explore the world of DeFi. It’s worth mentioning HydraDX, one of the most advanced trading platforms in the Polkadot ecosystem. It provides the ability to trade from the OmniPool, where all tokens are in one pool rather than pairs, and offers many innovative trading tools. Receiving Hydra tokens could be one of the goals in this option.
Bifrost (use this link to get more rewards for vDOT staking) or HydraDX (use this link to get 10% cashback for your commissions.
Here’s a video on providing liquidity in Bifrost:
And in HydraDX :
Downsides: Risks associated with the platforms where the assets are placed, and receiving profits in project tokens doesn’t guarantee long-term gains. You need to be a specialist to understand all the nuances of the offers.
Best option: 9/10. Average Annual Percentage Yield (APY may not only be in DOT but also in native tokens) — 20–65% The best option you have: you can mint vDOT on Bifrost and Provide Liquidity on HydraDX, getting 3X rewards — Polkadot x Bifrost x HydraDX!
Running your own validator if you have over 5,000 DOT.
If you have more than 5,000 DOT, you can set up your own validator. This is a full-fledged business with its own challenges and risks. Our team can advise you on how to manage it. The advantage is a potentially significant, but not guaranteed, APY. Running your own validator is a substantial commitment to the future, especially if you believe in the Web3 concept.
Downsides: This is not for everyone, as it has a high entry barrier, no profit guarantee, and requires a team.
If you want to start your own validator, we can assist with the technical aspects and obtaining nominations. Fill out the form here — https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdI6z8m0WA0E_C5h74yeVH_e90TKh_M9A-vqQCaNTSvEns7sw/viewform
And schedule a personal 15-minute call with Alex PromoTeam here — https://calendly.com/alexpromoteam/
Downsides: This is a business, and there’s no guaranteed APY. You need to work, have a team, and manage servers. In the long term, this can offer much higher returns than staking.
Good option: 7/10. Average Annual Percentage Yield (APY) — up to 60–80%
List of trustworthy Polkadot validators and Pool.
Why you better stake with #TrustedValidators:
- Low fees from 0% up to 5%
- Professional DevOps , with 20+ years of experience
- Best servers equipment, real decentralization and unique locations
- We all independent validators, but we are all care about Networks we validate and Community we respect.
- Special Offers, contests , NFT , presents — there are a lot of surprises ahead!
1. Stake over 1K DOT to participate in contest and 10K DOT to get guarantied valuable prize. Stake for more than 3 month with all the validators listed below (you can nominate up to 16 validators when staking) or in our Pool #161 “Pool for Friends and Supporters.” and expect valuable NFT from our team.
2. Register on Twitter and Telegram — https://twitter.com/PromoTeamPD and https://t.me/ParachainNews to stay updated on the contest.
Polkadot Validators (note: if you don’t see a validator among the active ones, check the waiting list)
PromoTeam | Web3 Uzbekistan 12BkPLskXyXrHhktrinLxVFkPzzvCzCyVCaqHkUEoxMwSzeq
Activator | Serbia 12WNzfWXzogo8N27yNuE9T1xXC2VyJYmTqRDuePp2CNJLgPk
Ruby-Node💎 13mjnUDrHwYGATFB1FkFkZ1U3kYFsAQfHYTdcc8p3HP1xzZA
StakeCraft 13ogHzWQksuwuw4dv6jph1GHGBxjSP8qzwRJzT69dhnhYEv2
Novy 16SSTPeD2UW3hhnuRBS6HjpxhzRFBrRf2Wupxf1iJgMkhBSD
Oracle 16ZkdRYne6geWLkhaMgraDkXXiKHwSSQkCtQ2pPJPtoroURn
👾SPACE_INVADER👾 15u9KTyZzjVQJaCVmAPhFNjwyyS7aHjb6m5Exa22fRXQpTp6
F5 14iv55u5DvgqKSSTvcRjP3ySEeUcQTjvGY3zFdA9JeHXqyb3
TheGuild 16HvKyV9B61hsop3ZY6pWYeV537S29kd9pb9FMrPzx49ym5X
Anvel 12pHJra8Wm8TKmUhVjDJgcWbYQm5q7BPtzm7mmZGaJHBcf7u
General-Beck/Sgr A 15zcvgPw9redZ359tZYfTLzCkCdLXcR1broanT7XBfcNc1j6
GENERAL-BECK/LANIAKEA 15MUBwP6dyVw5CXF9PjSSv7SdXQuDSwjX86v1kBodCSWVR7c
DEUTSCHE TELEKOM 13dVcF8BjzUpYujj5HxumDLPwpHzMPwzPZAZHJQEbKRJuNgT
Polkadotters 16A4n4UQqgxw5ndeehPjUAobDNmuX2bBoPXVKj4xTe16ktRN
KUS VALIDATION 13zRKESAgaKG4xyYrZnAA4Qdu1iVVMsrdiAnhnnnd4CB6TpU
Polkadot Pool #161 “$Pool for Friends and Supporters.” The validators in this pool are handpicked contributors to the ecosystem with good profits. If you have less than 600 DOT, it makes sense to stake through a pool. Choose our pool from the list and stake from 1 DOT.This article is continually updated! More options coming soon! Save the link!
Additional in-depth articles on the topic:
5 Mistakes in Polkadot Staking! How to Choose the Right Validator List for Polkadot? How to Increase Your APY in Polkadot Staking?
List of Trusted Polkadot Validators and Pool. Information about the contest among nominators of the list.
How to Stake Polkadot (DOT) via the Portal — Staking.Polkadot.Network
About PromoTeam and the author of the article:
PromoTeam is an international team of Web3 concept enthusiasts with extensive experience and expertise in cryptocurrencies and blockchain, investment, community development, business communications, promotion, strategic planning, advertising, entrepreneurship, programming, blockchain project validation, and other fields. Our primary goal is to increase the value of Web3.
Alex PromoTeam is a blockchain and crypto activist and expert, entrepreneur, ambassador for the Polkadot project, and leader of the PromoTeam.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexpromoteam/
Telegram: @AlexPromoTeam
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Alex_PromoTeam
