Stake Kusama
with Simply Staking

Kusama is a decentralized, experimental blockchain network that serves as a testing ground for Polkadot. It allows developers to test new features and projects in a real-world environment before deploying them on Polkadot. Kusama is known for its fast-paced development and governance model.

Kusama is often referred to as Polkadot’s "canary network," meaning it’s a more experimental and flexible version of Polkadot. While both networks share similar architecture, Kusama has looser governance parameters, allowing for faster upgrades and innovation, making it ideal for early-stage projects.

KSM is the native token of the Kusama Network. It is used for staking, governance, and bonding parachains to the network. KSM holders can participate in network decisions, such as protocol upgrades and validator selection, and earn rewards by staking their tokens.

You can stake KSM tokens directly via Simply Staking by clicking the "Stake" button above. This allows you to delegate your tokens to a validator, contributing to the network’s security and governance while earning staking rewards.

For direct staking (nominating) on Kusama, the protocol minimum may vary, but documentation shows as low as 0.1 KSM for many wallets. For pool staking, some clients accept amounts as low as ~0.00166 KSM.

The unstaking or unbonding period on the Kusama network is approximately 7 days. During this period your tokens are locked and will not earn rewards.

Yes. When you stake your KSM (either by nominating or via a pool), you retain the ability to participate in governance: voting on referenda, electing council members, and so forth.

Risks include validator mis-behaviour (which can lead to slashing), selecting a validator that doesn’t perform well (leading to lower rewards), and the fact that staked tokens are locked through the unbonding period (so you cannot immediately access or transfer them).

While the tokens are staked (bonded), they cannot be transferred or used for other purposes (they are locked). Once you trigger unstaking, you must complete the unbonding period (around 7 days) before you regain full control.

The reward rate (APR) varies with network conditions, total stake, and validator performance. Some services quote rates in the range of ~12-15% or higher for KSM at certain times.