Staking Rewards
This guide explains how staking rewards are calculated and distributed on Monolythium.
Reward Sources
Stakers earn from two sources:
| Source | Description | Distribution |
|---|---|---|
| Inflation | Newly minted LYTH | Proportional to stake weight |
| Transaction Fees | 10% of all fees | To block proposer (via quadratic selection) |
Combined, these form the total staking yield.
Inflation Rewards
Monolythium uses a fixed 8% annual inflation rate from genesis. New LYTH is minted each block and distributed to stakers:
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Inflation rate | 8% annually |
| Annual mint (at 514M supply) | ~41,120,000 LYTH |
| Per-block mint (2s blocks) | ~2.61 LYTH |
Inflation rewards are distributed proportionally by stake weight — standard Cosmos SDK distribution.
Per-Block Calculation
Block Reward = (Annual Inflation × Total Supply) / Blocks Per Year
At 2-second blocks (15,768,000 blocks/year):
- ~2.61 LYTH per block at 514M supply
Fee Rewards
Transaction fees are split by the x/mono module:
- 90% burned (deflationary)
- 10% sent directly to the block proposer
Fee rewards are distributed to whoever proposes the block. Thanks to LythiumBFT's quadratic proposer selection, block proposals are spread more equitably — a validator with 4x the stake only proposes 2x as often, meaning smaller validators receive a proportionally larger share of fee rewards.
Reward Distribution
Validator vs Delegator
Block Reward
│
└── To Validator (proportional to stake weight)
│
├── Commission (e.g., 10%)
│ └── Kept by validator
│
└── Remainder (e.g., 90%)
└── Distributed to delegators
If you delegate 1,000 LYTH to a validator with 10% commission:
- Your share of rewards is calculated proportionally
- Validator takes 10% commission
- You receive remaining 90%
Commission Impact
| Validator Commission | Your Effective Yield |
|---|---|
| 0% | Full staking APY |
| 5% | 95% of staking APY |
| 10% | 90% of staking APY |
| 20% | 80% of staking APY |
Calculating Your Rewards
Estimated APY
Your APY ≈ (Inflation Rate / Stake Ratio) × (1 - Validator Commission)
Rough estimates (8% inflation):
| Scenario | Approximate APR |
|---|---|
| 50% staked, 10% commission | ~14.4% |
| 70% staked, 10% commission | ~10.3% |
| 50% staked, 5% commission | ~15.2% |
Actual returns vary based on network conditions and fee revenue.
Query Your Rewards
# Check accumulated rewards
monod query distribution rewards <your-address> <validator-address>
# Check all rewards across validators
monod query distribution rewards <your-address>
Claiming Rewards
Rewards accumulate and must be claimed manually:
# Claim from one validator
monod tx distribution withdraw-rewards <validator-address> \
--from <your-key> \
--chain-id <chain-id>
# Claim from all validators
monod tx distribution withdraw-all-rewards \
--from <your-key> \
--chain-id <chain-id>
!!! tip "Gas Costs" Claiming from multiple validators in one transaction is more gas-efficient than separate claims.
Compounding
Rewards don't automatically compound. To maximize returns:
- Claim rewards periodically
- Re-delegate claimed rewards
- Repeat
Compounding Frequency
More frequent compounding = higher effective APY, but:
- Each claim costs gas
- Balance claim frequency with gas costs
- Monthly or weekly claiming is typical
Reward Timing
| Event | Timing |
|---|---|
| Reward accrual | Every block (~2 seconds) |
| Available to claim | Immediately |
| Auto-compound | Not supported (manual claim required) |
Slashing Impact on Rewards
If your validator is slashed:
- Your delegated stake is reduced
- Future rewards are based on reduced stake
- Accumulated unclaimed rewards are NOT slashed
Tax Considerations
!!! warning "Consult a Tax Professional" Staking rewards may be taxable income in your jurisdiction. Keep records of:
- Claim transactions
- Reward amounts
- Claim dates
- Token prices at claim time
FAQ
When do rewards start?
Inflation rewards start from genesis (block 0). There is no delay — 8% inflation is active from the first block.
Why aren't my rewards showing?
Rewards must accumulate. Check after several blocks, and ensure you're delegated to an active validator.
Can I lose unclaimed rewards?
No. Unclaimed rewards remain available indefinitely. However, if you undelegate, claim rewards first.
Do inactive validators earn rewards?
No. Only validators in the active set (top 53 by stake) earn block rewards.
What's the difference between APY and APR?
- APR: Simple annual return without compounding
- APY: Effective return with compounding
Displayed rates typically show APR. Your actual APY depends on compounding frequency.
Related
- Staking Overview - Staking fundamentals
- Consensus - How quadratic proposer selection works
- Validator Economics - Validator perspective