Want to mine Solana? It doesn't quite work like that! But you may want to try staking
Can you mine Solana coins?
No, as a proof of stake coin Solana cannot be mined, no matter how powerful your hardware or deep your pockets.
However Solana does offer two key ways you can help out the network in exchange for rewards:
Staking , where you can stake Solana you already own with a validator to earn rewards. Much as a bank pays interest on your deposits - in exchange for using your savings to fund mortgages and other investments - a Validator in the Solana network will pay your rewards of roughly 8% for allowing your coins to be staked to help confirm transactions on the network.
Validation, where you run a highly powered server in a datacenter that works to confirm transactions on the Solana network. As a validator you can earn a commission on all the rewards generated by people who 'stake' their coins with you, however the startup costs can be prohibitive for many.
How profitable can it be? Do you have a calculator?
For staking you can assume a return of about 8% on the coins you stake. You may wish to check our Solana staking profit calculator to play with some numbers.
On the flip side becoming a validator is an altogether different undertaking. You'll need considerable linux devops skills, access to an expensive server (roughly $30k per year), and either an impressive stash of your own SOL (50,000 would be ideal) or the diamond hands to spend 100s of SOL yourself on voting fees while you grow your own validator's share of stake. Check our article on how much validators make for more.
What kind of hardware do you need to be a validator?
The faster the better, but expect to need :
- A 12+ core CPU, ideally with a high clock speed (eg old Xeons may be too slow)
- 128GB RAM minimum
- 1TB NvME SSD or more
- Some also recommend a modern GPU
- 1 gbps unmetered connection
What's the difficulty like?
To be a Solana staker - easy! You can get started in as little as 3 clicks.
To be a validator .. lets be honest, the learning curve is pretty steep!
In that case.. can you recommend a Solana staking pool?
In the world of Solana staking we call them 'Validators', and you can find our guide to choosing the best solana validators here. You can also explore our list of the top validators to find some great smaller validators with excellent APY returns. By staking with a smaller validator you help secure and decentralize the Solana network, as well as often beating the returns in APY of the larger validators.
We also run a small Solana validator ourselves that has great hardware, low active stake, high APY, and is located in a less crowded datacenter. If you decide to stake with us you not only will get a great APY return, but you'll be doing your bit to help decentralize Solana and protect your investment in the long term. And you'll also help us build more guides and tools to help the ecosystem - win-win! 🤝
An alternative to staking directly with a validator is to use a Solana staking pool, where your stake will be automatically split and distributed amongst multiple validators.
I'm well-versed in Solana and its unique consensus mechanism, proof of stake (PoS), which distinguishes it from traditional proof of work (PoW) coins like Bitcoin that rely on mining. In Solana's case, mining isn't how new coins are created or transactions are confirmed. Instead, the network relies on validators to confirm transactions and secure the blockchain. Validators are rewarded for their efforts, and stakeholders can earn rewards by staking their SOL with these validators.
Staking in Solana involves pledging your coins to a validator, allowing them to use your tokens to confirm transactions. This process is akin to earning interest on your holdings, with stakers typically receiving around 8% in rewards annually. Validators, on the other hand, run high-powered servers to confirm transactions and earn commissions on the rewards generated by stakers who delegate their coins to them. However, becoming a validator requires significant technical expertise, substantial initial investment in hardware (including high-end CPUs, RAM, SSD storage, and a fast internet connection), and a considerable amount of SOL to kickstart the validator.
Choosing to stake or become a validator comes with its complexities and considerations. While staking can be relatively straightforward, becoming a validator involves a steep learning curve and substantial investment. Staking pools offer an alternative, automatically distributing stakes among multiple validators, providing a more accessible option for those not ready to commit to a single validator.
When selecting a validator or staking pool, it's crucial to consider factors such as hardware quality, location, commission rates, and the overall return on investment (ROI). Opting for smaller validators can aid in decentralizing the network and often offers competitive returns in annual percentage yield (APY).
If you're interested in staking SOL, you might want to explore various validators and pools. There's a guide available to help in choosing the best validators, highlighting factors like hardware quality, active stake, and APY returns. Additionally, some smaller validators, including the one I run, offer attractive APY returns, help decentralize the network, and contribute to its growth by developing guides and tools for the ecosystem.
Ultimately, whether you choose to stake directly with a validator or use a staking pool, the goal remains the same: to contribute to the security and decentralization of the Solana network while earning rewards on your investment.
