The primary use case for staking blockchains is staking. That is their raison d’être, and thousands of cryptocurrency holders have utilized this provision to increase their holdings by earning staking rewards. As the total amount of staked tokens trends towards 80% for some blockchains, however, it raises questions as to what other utility these chains provide.
Also read: The Fallout From Onecoin’s Ponzi Scheme Continues to Impact Investors
Two Thirds of All Staking Coins Are Locked Up
The total market cap of all Proof of Stake (PoS) coins stands at $12.6 billion, of which $8 billion is locked up in staking wallets. Much of this occurs imperceptibly to cryptocurrency holders due to exchanges managing staking on their behalf. Store tezos on Binance, for example, and you will automatically be eligible for staking rewards. The top five staking networks by market cap have the majority of their circulating supply locked up: Tezos (77%), Cosmos (73%), Decred (51%), Synthetix (81%), and Waves (53%).
Just as masternode coins were so-named because running a node was their defining feature, many staking coins now exist primarily to disburse staking rewards. It’s healthy to have coins distributed as widely as possible, and through locking up tokens, holders have a vested interest in seeing the network flourish. If the only users are stakers, however, not only will everyone’s staking rewards be diluted, but the network will wither away after failing to attract the developers, dapp users, and businesses that are its lifeblood.
Build First, Stake Later
Tellingly, the PoS chains that have achieved wide adoption were slow to add staking
