It is essential for users to stake their PoS tokens with dependable and highly performant validators, which is why we have rolled out our Staking Rewards Verified Staking Provider (VSP) Program in June 2022. Through this program, we thoroughly scrutinize potential validators, evaluating security measures, their on-chain reliability, provider setup, and value-added services for the whole ecosystem.

There are many metrics to consider when selecting a validator to delegate to:

Commission Rates: The commission rate a validator charges is the % of your reward that the validator keeps for themselves. A high commission rate means your rewards will be lower, whilst a low commission rate could mean that the validator is not profitable and could cause issues for them in the future. Keep in mind that validators can adjust their commission rates up or down over time. 

Number of Users: A high number of delegators could indicate positive sentiment towards a validator. 

Validators Self-Staked Balance: A provider with a high amount of staked tokens likely has more incentive to continue operating their services as they have more to lose than those with low self-staked balances. This metric has some limitations as Validators can choose to delegate to their own validator from another wallet, which is done to increase the security of their funds. 

Current Status: To check if a validator is currently active, go to the Stride Validator Dashboard on Mintscan. The default view on this page is for “Active” validators, but you can also filter to view inactive validators in the top right corner of the page. Keep in mind that only the top 100 validators on Stride, ranked by balance, receive rewards.

Network Share: You typically don’t want to choose a validator with the highest or a low network share. Delegating to the most popular validators increases centralization risks within the network as those validators will have more say in governance and produce a larger share of the blocks. A validator with a low network share might not be profitable, increasing the risk of discontinuing their services. If a validator drops out of the eligible set, they also stop earning rewards. However, if you are willing to put more time in, then delegating to a smaller validator helps support the decentralization of the network. You would just have to make sure to check regularly if the provider is still active and operating. 

Performance: Make sure you pick a validator with the highest possible performance. Further, please check individual validators’ uptime, and our recommendation is only to pick those with a >=99% uptime and a long history of not getting slashed.

Andromeda's rewards pool is a module account designed to receive rewards from any address, though it will primarily receive contributions from the community pool to incentivize stakers and validators on the Andromeda Chain. The Rewards Pool then distributes these rewards, along with other fees, to validators based on their voting power.

Reward tokens are dripped out of the rewards account to the standard distribution module and participants in the staking program. If that rewards account drips all the rewards and is empty, then rewards to validators will also stop and require revisiting via additional governance proposals.

The DAO will vote to fund the Rewards Account/Pool, which is also managed and controlled by the DAO. This ensures a budgeted amount of tokens is allocated to "drip" or pay validators on a block-by-block basis.

We strive to make staking as safe and transparent as possible, however, it's important to consider factors that may influence whether a particular staking option is appropriate for you.

Unbonding Risk: When staking ANDR tokens, there is a lockup period of 21 days. This means that investors will not be able to sell their tokens immediately, but instead need to wait 21 days after initiating unbonding before they can be traded again. This is something to keep in mind when deciding to stake, as crypto markets are highly volatile. Consider keeping funds liquid if you do not intend to hold ANDR long-term. 

Security Risks: There is an inherent risk that the protocol could contain unknown bugs, this risk applies not only to staking but also to the investment in ANDR.

Please note that this is not an exhaustive list of all the risks related to staking.

ADO (Andromeda Digital Object) is a smart contract that uses a modular design to interoperate with other ADOs. Complex systems of ADOs can be composed using drag and drop and/or command line interface (CLI). Inputs and outputs are pre-defined with type enforcement.

ANDR token is a multi-utility token used as a medium of exchange among participants on the Andromeda OS in a decentralized manner. It serves two main purposes: securing the Andromeda Blockchain and powering the aOS. The primary utility of ANDR arises from its deployment and usage across various blockchains via the aOS. While the Andromeda Blockchain facilitates this deployment, it is not essential for aOS functionality on other blockchains. Technically, ANDR leverages the CosmosSDK with minor adaptations, ensuring standard L-1 integration without significant technical debt.

The ANDR token supply is fixed at 1 billion, making Andromeda non-inflationary. Validator rewards are pre-minted and gradually replaced by network fees. Initially, drawdown exceeds replenishment, but the system is designed to become sustainable. The DAO has allocated a six-year supply of rewards to ensure sustainability.

ANDR Token Allocation:

• DAO - 46.7%
• Rrivate Strategic Sale - 17.8%
• Core Contributors - 14.0%
• Public Sale - 11.5%
• Labs - 10.0%