$1.62

Rocket Pool is a decentralized Ethereum staking pool that offers an annual return of up to 4.33% for ETH2 staking. Users can either join the network through its decentralized node operators or run their own nodes with just 16 ETH, earning commissions and extra RPL rewards from collateral, potentially reaching 6.36% APR on ETH plus additional RPL. It provides liquid staking, where rewards increase the exchange rate rather than adding to the principal, avoiding taxable events. Smart nodes software allows anyone to operate a node, and losses from underperforming nodes are shared across the network, reducing individual risk. The pool's open-source, audited smart contracts ensure non-custodial staking and high decentralization.

Rocket Pool was created by David Rugendyke, a senior developer with a computer science background who began designing the protocol in late 2016. He is joined by General Manager Darren Langley, who has over 18 years of experience in commercial management, team leadership, application architecture, and delivering digital products for government and financial sectors. The team also includes three blockchain and Solidity engineers who collectively bring 40 years of expertise to the project.

Rocket Pool allows anyone to participate in ETH2 staking regardless of their investment size or technical expertise. Its core idea is to enable trustless staking through a network of decentralized nodes backed by RPL collateral. It complements staking-as-a-service providers, who can maximize returns by running nodes and earning ETH and RPL rewards. The rETH token represents staked ETH, letting users stake from 0.01 ETH up to 32 ETH. rETH automatically accrues rewards based on network performance, and its value is safeguarded against slashing via insurance mechanisms where node operators stake RPL as collateral. This design supports both small and large stakers.

RPL uses a 5% annual inflation model rather than a fixed supply. The protocol argues that value-generating systems need to reward participants, and a fixed supply would shift that value away from users. New RPL tokens are distributed as follows: 70% to node operators staking RPL as insurance, 15% to Oracle DAO members for providing data, and 15% to the Protocol DAO Treasury for development. This incentivizes key stakeholders and supports decentralized growth. Oracle DAO members are node operators who ensure accurate reporting, while the Protocol DAO manages the treasury. At the time of writing, the RPL supply is just over 10 million tokens.

RPL is an ERC-20 token on Ethereum. The protocol has been audited by three independent firms: Sigma Prime, Consensys Diligence, and Trail of Bits, and it runs a bug bounty program to enhance security. Governance is split between the Protocol DAO and Oracle DAO. The Protocol DAO manages settings like inflation, rewards, auctions, staking requirements, commissions, and deposits. The Oracle DAO connects smart contracts between the Beacon Chain and the ETH1 mainnet. Its members include major ETH2 staking clients such as Lighthouse, Nimbus, Prysm, ConsenSys Codefi, Blockchain Capital, and Bankless.

RPL can be purchased on various exchanges, including Uniswap (V3), Hoo, BKEX, XT.COM, Hotbit, and Bvnex. For more information on how to start buying cryptocurrencies, you can refer to our guide.