Staking Calculator
Staking Rewards Compound — But How Often Matters
An advertised APY on a staking product describes the annualized rate, but the actual payout depends heavily on how often rewards are compounded back into the stake. Daily compounding and annual compounding at the same headline APY do not produce the same final balance, because compounding lets earlier rewards start earning their own rewards sooner. This calculator applies the standard compound interest formula to a staked amount, using the stated APY, compounding frequency, and staking duration.
The Formula
Rewards = FV − P
P is the staked amount, r is the APY as a decimal, n is the number of compounding periods per year, and t is the staking duration in years.
Why Compounding Frequency Changes the Outcome
Staking a fixed $1,000 at a 10% APY for one year, the effective yield rises as compounding gets more frequent, even though the stated rate never changes:
| Compounding | Periods/Year | Final Value | Effective Yield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annually | 1 | $1,100.00 | 10.0000% |
| Quarterly | 4 | $1,103.81 | 10.3813% |
| Monthly | 12 | $1,104.71 | 10.4713% |
| Weekly | 52 | $1,105.06 | 10.5065% |
| Daily | 365 | $1,105.16 | 10.5156% |
The gap between annual and daily compounding narrows as it approaches the mathematical limit of continuous compounding, but it never fully closes.
Where This Calculation Matters
- Comparing staking products — two protocols advertising the same APY can produce different actual returns if one compounds daily and the other compounds monthly or quarterly.
- Auto-compounding vaults — many DeFi platforms auto-restake rewards; this shows the practical value of that automation versus manually claiming rewards less often.
- Planning a lock-up period — estimating the token balance at the end of a fixed staking term before committing funds.
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter the staked amount in tokens.
- Enter the annual percentage yield (APY).
- Choose the compounding frequency — daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, or annually.
- Enter the staking duration in days.
- Select Calculate to see the tokens earned and the total balance at the end of the period.
Related Calculations
Once a staking position is closed out, measure the overall outcome with the Crypto ROI Calculator, or check how portfolio weight has shifted with the Crypto Portfolio Allocation Calculator.