Single sided staking (SST) makes it possible to earn yield by contributing only one type of digital asset to a liquidity pool.



SST pools that support only stablecoins may also serve to defend the system&#x27;s solvency. The stable assets that they accumulate can be used to repay debts in case the pool gets liquidated.



How does single sided staking work in general and why is it so important for the DeFi ecosystem? Read on to find out.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading tablecontent">Single-Sided Staking Platforms</h2>



Several protocols now offer live single-sided staking. Their mechanics, yields, and risk profiles differ in ways that matter before you commit capital.






👉 Quick takeaway: GalaxyOne offers the highest disclosed yield at up to 6.50% with 0% platform commission on SOL. Bonzo Finance issues xBONZO as a liquid receipt token for retained on-chain access. Tenderize lets users pick a specific validator through tTokens with 1:1 backing. HeliSwap yield is reward-based and pool-size dependent.

<div style="overflow-x:auto;margin:0 0 24px 0">
 <table style="width:100%;border-collapse:collapse;font-size:16px;line-height:1.5;min-width:1000px;border:1px solid #e5e7eb"><thead><tr style="background-color:#f8fafc;text-align:left"><th style="padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e5e7eb">Platform</th><th style="padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e5e7eb">Asset</th><th style="padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e5e7eb">Yield (Indicative)</th><th style="padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e5e7eb">Receipt Token</th><th style="padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e5e7eb">Key Risk</th><th style="padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e5e7eb">Best For</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td style="padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e5e7eb">GalaxyOne Staking</td><td style="padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e5e7eb"><code style="background-color:#f1f5f9;padding:2px 6px;border-radius:4px;font-size:15px">SOL</code></td><td style="padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e5e7eb">
 🟢 Up to 6.50% variable 
 0% platform commission (June 2026) 
 🏆 Highest disclosed yield at 0% commission
 </td><td style="padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e5e7eb">
 ⚠️ No explicit receipt token noted
 </td><td style="padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e5e7eb">
 ⚠️ Validator downtime, slashing
 </td><td style="padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e5e7eb">
 SOL holders wanting institutional-grade infrastructure 
 🏆 Best for institutional SOL staking
 </td></tr><tr style="background-color:#fcfcfd"><td style="padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e5e7eb">Bonzo Finance</td><td style="padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e5e7eb"><code style="background-color:#f1f5f9;padding:2px 6px;border-radius:4px;font-size:15px">BONZO</code></td><td style="padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e5e7eb">
 ⚠️ Variable; protocol-set
 </td><td style="padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e5e7eb">
 <code style="background-color:#f1f5f9;padding:2px 6px;border-radius:4px;font-size:15px">xBONZO</code> (1:1 at current rate) 
 🏆 Liquid receipt token for on-chain use
 </td><td style="padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e5e7eb">
 ⚠️ Protocol changes, liquidity on unstake
 </td><td style="padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e5e7eb">
 BONZO holders who need to retain on-chain liquidity 
 🏆 Best for liquid staking with receipt token access
 </td></tr><tr><td style="padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e5e7eb">HeliSwap (Phase 2)</td><td style="padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e5e7eb"><code style="background-color:#f1f5f9;padding:2px 6px;border-radius:4px;font-size:15px">HELI</code></td><td style="padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e5e7eb">
 ⚠️ HELI rewards; variable
 </td><td style="padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e5e7eb">
 ⚠️ Not specified in docs
 </td><td style="padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e5e7eb">
 ⚠️ Pool-size constraints, reward dilution
 </td><td style="padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e5e7eb">HELI ecosystem participants</td></tr><tr style="background-color:#fcfcfd"><td style="padding:14px 16px">Tenderize (tTokens)</td><td style="padding:14px 16px">Multi-asset</td><td style="padding:14px 16px">
 ⚠️ Validator-dependent
 </td><td style="padding:14px 16px">
 <code style="background-color:#f1f5f9;padding:2px 6px;border-radius:4px;font-size:15px">tTokens</code> (1:1 per validator) 
 🏆 Most validator-specific receipt token model
 </td><td style="padding:14px 16px">
 ⚠️ Single-validator concentration risk
 </td><td style="padding:14px 16px">
 Users who want to pick a specific validator 
 🏆 Best for validator-specific staking control
 </td></tr></tbody></table>
</div>




Yield figures are variable and not guaranteed. Always verify current rates on each platform before depositing.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading tablecontent">How to Choose a Single-Sided Staking Platform</h2>



Not every SST protocol suits every user. Work through these four questions before depositing.



<ol class="wp-block-list">
<li>What asset do you already hold? SST pools are asset-specific. GalaxyOne serves SOL holders. Bonzo Finance serves BONZO holders. Start with what you own rather than buying a new token to stake.</li>



<li>Do you need your capital to stay liquid? If yes, <a href="https://docs.bonzo.finance/hub/staking-nfts-and-points/single-sided-staking" data-type="link" data-id="https://docs.bonzo.finance/hub/staking-nfts-and-points/single-sided-staking">choose a protocol that issues a receipt token</a> (xBONZO, tToken). You can use that token in other DeFi applications while your stake earns. If liquidity is not a concern, simpler pool-based models work fine.</li>



<li>How comfortable are you with validator risk? Validator-based products (GalaxyOne, Tenderize) expose you to slashing and downtime. Protocol-based pools (Bonzo Finance, HeliSwap) carry governance and tokenomic risk instead. Neither is risk-free. Pick the risk type you understand better.</li>



<li>What is the unstaking period? Some protocols enforce a cooldown before you can withdraw. If you may need funds quickly, confirm the unbonding window before committing. A 21-day unbonding period on a volatile asset is a meaningful constraint.</li>
</ol>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading tablecontent">What are Liquidity Pools?</h2>



In the crypto industry, liquidity pools are smart contracts that accumulate large amounts of digital assets that traders can use to perform transactions. They may support their native tokens as well as any other popular cryptocurrencies such as ETH.



Combined with blockchain transparency and immutability, these contracts resolve the largest pain of the DeFi markets, i.e. the lack of liquidity. At this, they are beneficial to all participants of the process:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>DEXes get the liquidity that they need to operate properly.</li>



<li>Traders get the possibility to execute transactions without having to entrust their funds to centralized entities.</li>



<li>Liquidity providers put their assets at work as they get passive income from the transaction fees that traders pay for their deals.</li>
</ul>



The advantages of liquidity pools are indisputable. Yet, there is a certain fly in the ointment.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading tablecontent">What is Single Sided Staking?</h2>



Single sided staking is a mechanism that enables cryptocurrency holders to earn yield by staking only one token. At this, it stands in contrast to commonly used pair-based staking that automated market makers (AMMs) usually rely on.



In order to earn yield by staking in a traditional way, AMMs usually have to submit two different assets to a pool with their value standing at a 1:1 ratio. 



This doubles their capital requirements as they have to obtain two different tokens for a single task. Besides, it doubles their risk in the case of volatile tokens. At this, the impermanent losses may be really high when both of these assets decrease in price.



Single sided staking reduces these risks as it is designed for concentrating liquidity of a single asset.



Moreover, those SST pools that support only stablecoins totally eliminate the risk of impermanent loss.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading tablecontent">How Does Single Sided Staking Work?</h2>



The next logical question that one may ask is how do such pools work at all? Where do they take the pricing data of the supported asses and how do they manage to balance it?



The answer is not that complicated.



Single sided staking pools rely on algorithms that calculate the value of a single asset and pair it with other assets in the pool.



To achieve that, they connect with oracles or automated market makers that determine the prices of the assets with respect to external data. After that, the algorithms calculate the values of all the assets in the pool.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">How Receipt Tokens Work</h3>



Many modern SST protocols issue a receipt token when you deposit. This token represents your staked position and accrues value as rewards accumulate.



Bonzo Finance mints xBONZO at a 1:1 ratio based on the current exchange rate when you stake BONZO. As the protocol earns yield, the xBONZO-to-BONZO rate rises. When you unstake, you redeem xBONZO for more BONZO than you originally deposited.



Tenderize takes a similar approach with tTokens, one per validator. Stake with a specific validator, receive a tToken representing that exact exposure. The 1:1 peg holds at deposit; value accrues through validator rewards over time.



Why does this matter? Receipt tokens let you retain on-chain liquidity. You can transfer, lend, or use your xBONZO or tToken in other DeFi protocols while your underlying stake keeps earning. Older SST designs locked your position entirely. The receipt-token model fixes that.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading tablecontent">How to Make Money via Single Sided Staking?</h2>



The core process is straightforward. Six steps cover most SST protocols.



<ol class="wp-block-list">
<li>Pick a platform that supports the asset you already hold. Use the comparison table above to narrow your options.</li>



<li>Connect a non-custodial wallet. Never use a platform that takes custody of your private keys.</li>



<li>Enter the amount you want to stake. Start with a small test deposit if the protocol is new to you.</li>



<li>Confirm the transaction in your wallet. Gas fees apply on most chains.</li>



<li>Receive your receipt token if the protocol issues one (for example, xBONZO on Bonzo Finance or a tToken on Tenderize). Store this token safely. It represents your staked position and accrues value over time.</li>



<li>Track your position. Receipt tokens appreciate against the underlying asset as rewards accumulate. On validator-based products like GalaxyOne, check your dashboard for current APY, which was advertised at up to 6.50% for SOL as of June 2026.</li>
</ol>



One practical note: pool-based SST rewards can vary with trading volume. Validator-based products pay out based on block attestation performance instead. Know which model you are using.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading tablecontent">Single Sided Staking Pro and Cons</h2>



Just like any other phenomenon, single sided staking, also called “Single Sided Liquidity Pool”, has both upsides and downsides.



At this, automated market makers can enjoy the following benefits:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Lower risks of impermanent losses</li>



<li>Lower capital requirements</li>



<li>More predictable rewards</li>



<li>Higher liquidity of your positions</li>



<li>Simpler process of staking</li>



<li>Smaller number of transactions required to participate in the staking process, and therefore, higher efficiency</li>
</ul>



Not everything is perfect, though. There are a few disadvantages as well:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Slashing: If a validator misbehaves or goes offline, the protocol may penalize stakers by reducing their balance. This applies directly to validator-based SST products like GalaxyOne and Tenderize tTokens.</li>



<li>Validator downtime: A validator that misses block attestations earns fewer rewards. Your yield drops proportionally during downtime windows.</li>



<li>Liquidity constraints on unstake: Many SST protocols enforce an unbonding or cooldown period. You cannot access your capital instantly. GalaxyOne&#x27;s risk disclosures flag this explicitly.</li>



<li>Protocol and tokenomic changes: Governance votes or contract upgrades can alter reward rates or unstaking conditions. xBONZO holders, for example, are exposed to Bonzo Finance governance decisions.</li>



<li>Oracle dependence: AMM-style SST pools still rely on external price feeds. A manipulated or stale oracle can distort pool balances.</li>



<li>Impermanent loss (residual): Staking a volatile single asset in an AMM-adjacent pool does not fully eliminate impermanent loss. It reduces it compared to two-token LP positions.</li>
</ul>



Yet, despite all these negative aspects, this type of earning passive income has proved to be the most reliable in the conditions of a highly volatile <a data-wpil-monitor-id="561" href="https://www.thecoinzone.com/wealth-building/buy-the-rumor-sell-the-news/">cryptocurrency market</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading tablecontent">Closing Thoughts</h2>



Single-sided staking has moved from experimental to production. Multiple protocols across Solana, Hedera, and other chains now offer live SST products with documented mechanics, risk disclosures, and receipt-token liquidity.



The core appeal holds: stake one asset, earn yield, avoid the capital drag of paired liquidity positions. The tradeoffs are real too. Slashing, validator downtime, and unbonding delays are not abstract risks. They appear in the official documentation of every major SST product available today.



Use the comparison table and decision framework above to find the product that fits your asset, your risk tolerance, and your liquidity needs. Then verify current rates directly on each platform before depositing.

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What Is Single-Sided Staking? How It Works and How It Differs from LP Staking

Single-sided staking lets you earn yield on one token with no impermanent loss risk. Learn how it works, how it differs from LP staking, and which protocols offer it.