Chapter · Master Solana
SOL and staking
SOL is Solana's native token. You use it to pay fees, and you can stake it to help secure the network. Validators, the computers that run Solana, lock up SOL as a security deposit under Proof of Stake. If you do not want to run a validator yourself, you can delegate your SOL to one and share in the rewards. This is how regular holders take part.
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What this lesson covers
Remember the risk
Staking rewards are not free money. The SOL price can fall while your coins are staked, and delegated SOL is usually locked for a short period before you can move it. If your validator misbehaves or goes offline, you can earn less. Staking helps the network and can pay you, but it is not a guaranteed profit and is never financial advice.
What you get asked
What are two main jobs of the SOL token?
SOL pays for transactions and can be staked. Staking backs the validators that keep the network running, so the token is tied directly to security.
If you do not run a validator, you can ___ your SOL to one and earn a share of the staking rewards.
Delegating means pointing your SOL at a chosen validator without handing over ownership. You keep your coins and share in the rewards they earn.
Where do Solana staking rewards mainly come from?
The network issues new SOL and hands it to stakers, along with some transaction fees. No central payer promises the yield, the protocol itself funds it.
Match each staking term to what it means
Validators run Solana, stake is the deposit that keeps them honest, delegating lets you join in, and rewards are the payout for helping secure the chain.
The rest of this chapter
A plain-English deep dive into how Solana reaches high speed and low fees, plus the real risks around outages and memecoins.