Ontology Staking

• Staking rewards need to be manually claimed by Stakers on a per-block basis.
• If confirmation occurs in round 'T', the staking will become active in the subsequent round 'T+1', at which point the generation of ONG rewards begins. Prior to the activation of staking, users have the option to withdraw the portion of their ONT assets that has not yet become effective. Consensus nodes are subject to an additional full round lock period, whereas candidate nodes have a lock period that lasts until the end of the current consensus round.
• Users must verify that they have enough ONG in their wallet to cover a 0.05 ONG transaction fee, which is required for both confirming the stake and canceling the stake.

Staking rewards for ONT are composed of:

Transaction fees: In a consensus round, the consensus nodes as a group are awarded 50% of the total network fees accumulated, while the candidate nodes as a group receive the remaining 50%. Within their respective groups, both consensus nodes and candidate nodes distribute these fees among themselves following certain predefined rules.

Inflation (ONG): Ontology is set to allocate 1 ONG every second into the released ONG incentive pool. This incentive will follow the same guidelines and calculation procedures as those used for the network fee incentives. It will be distributed together with the network fees at the start of each consensus round.

You are welcome to play around with our ONT Staking Calculator to get a better feel of how these metrics can influence your rewards.

To earn a yield on your ONT, you can either lend them out to custodial providers or via a Defi lending protocol, run your own node or delegate your tokens to node operators of your choice.

We recommend using a Ledger Hardware Wallet to keep full control over your funds. To delegate your tokens, you should ensure you have your ONT and ONG on your ONTO Wallet and follow the steps below:

To engage in Ontology Node Staking, both ONT and ONG tokens are required. ONT is staked to accumulate ONG rewards, while ONG is utilized for covering the transaction fees associated with staking.

Step 1: Go to the ONT Staking Dashboard and connect your ONTO Wallet.

Step 2: Click on "Node Staking" to view the list of nodes. If you are unsure which node to delegate to, refer to our FAQ on choosing a validator for guidance.

Step 3: Once you have chosen a node and inputted the number of tokens you would like to stake, click ‘Stake Now’ and sign the transaction.

View a detailed step-by-step ONT staking tutorial.

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.

Protocol security risks: There is an inherent risk that the protocol could contain unknown bugs, this risk applies not only to staking but also the investment in ONT.

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

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 factors such as security measures, their on-chain reliability, their provider setup, and value-added services for the whole ecosystem.

Our VSP documentation contains further details about the program, Staking Providers that are part of the VSP will have a blue checkmark displayed next to their names here.

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

Strong ecosystem contributors: Value-Added Services are extra offerings provided by Staking Providers to improve the staking experience and benefit the community beyond network security. Consider delegating to validators that support protocol development, open-source staking tools, marketing initiatives, and customer support. By offering these services, staking providers can contribute to the growth and development of the broader staking ecosystem.

Fee Sharing Ratio: This percentage represents the portion of transaction fees and ONG yield, derived from both the node's initial stake and the aggregate stake of its users, that the node plans to distribute to its stakers in the upcoming consensus round. The first percentage indicates the amount of rewards generated from the node's own initial stake that is shared with stakers. A higher value is generally more favorable. However, if the node hasn't achieved its full staking capacity, the size of its initial stake becomes significant. The second percentage pertains to the share of ONG distribution that you receive. It's recommended to avoid staking with a node that offers less than 90% in this regard.

Ontology is an enterprise-grade blockchain project that provides secure and unique client chains, designed to protect data and systems. The platform is considered a ‘private room’ in a public blockchain, with the aim of bringing the distributed ledger to big business in usable form.

ONT (Ontology Cryptocurrency) gives holders governance rights (e.g. a vote on Ontology network decisions like upgrades or changes) as well as the opportunity to earn ONG passive income.

ONT is the native token of the Ontology network that is used to carry out the key functions of the platform as detailed below:

Token Utilities:

• Governance: ONT is used to vote on governance proposals on the network. Only staked tokens are eligible to be used for governance voting. The amount of voting power is measured in terms of stake. Node operators inherit the voting weight of their stakers and vote on matters of governance on their behalf.
• Staking: Users can stake ONT to contribute to the security of the Ontology network.
• Storage and Value: The ONT token serves as the primary means of both storage and transfer of value on the Ontology network.
• Gas token: Transaction fees on the Ontology network, including actions like deploying smart contracts, are paid with ONG tokens, ensuring stable costs for users and developers.

The Ontology Consensus Engine (OCE) primarily utilizes the Verifiable Byzantine Fault Tolerance (VBFT) as its central consensus mechanism. VBFT is a composite algorithm, integrating elements of Proof of Stake (PoS), Verifiable Random Function (VRF), and Byzantine Fault Tolerance (BFT). This algorithm allows for the expansion of the consensus group, with the VRF ensuring randomness and fairness within the group, and facilitating the rapid achievement of a final consensus.

ONT began as an NEP-5 token on the NEO blockchain. In June 2018, with the launch of the Ontology mainnet, these NEP-5 ONT tokens were exchanged for ONT coins native to the mainnet. Instead of conducting an Initial Coin Offering (ICO), the Ontology team distributed free ONT coins through an airdrop to NEO holders and those who subscribed to their email list, offering 1 ONT for every 5 NEO held.

Two types of nodes exist: consensus nodes and candidate nodes. Detailed information and rankings of these nodes can be found at node.ont.io. The key distinctions from the perspective of an ONT staker are:

1. Consensus nodes (rank in the top 15): These require a lock period spanning the current round plus one full round, offer lower rewards, and infrequently alter their reward distribution ratio.
2. Candidate nodes (rank 16 and above): They have a lock period for the current round only, provide higher rewards, and have the flexibility to change their reward distribution ratio more frequently.

For the majority of stakers, opting for candidate nodes is advantageous due to their higher rewards and the shorter lock period required after cancelling a stake.