IOTA staking remains steady with a median APY of 11% and 50.3% of the total supply staked. However, total staked dropped slightly by 0.20% this week, reflecting a net outflow of funds. The IOTA price also slipped 2.81% to $0.0550, trimming USD-denominated returns.

Key metrics

The median APY remains the most reliable measure for expected returns, as the average is skewed by outliers. The Nakamoto Coefficient of 7 indicates a reasonably decentralized network, but the 43.4% stake concentration in the top 10 validators is something to monitor.

What changed

Total staked dropped by 0.20% week-over-week, with a net outflow of 333,012.793 IOTA during the latest epoch. This decline is modest but suggests some stakers are pulling out, possibly due to the recent price dip or to rebalance portfolios. The median APY ticked up slightly by 0.02%, but expect yields to compress if staking participation rebounds.

Top validators

These validators rank highest based on a balanced score of APY, commission, decentralization, and reliability:

1. starfish-one: 12.1% APY, 0% commission, 1.0% voting power
2. Klever: 11.8% APY, 2% commission, 0.8% voting power
3. LinkPool: 11.8% APY, 2% commission, 1.0% voting power
4. jednaosma.pl: 11.7% APY, 3% commission, 1.2% voting power
5. Spectrum Staking: 11.4% APY, 5% commission, 0.4% voting power

starfish-one leads the pack with the highest APY and no commission, making it an attractive option for stakers. However, its relatively small voting power (1.0%) means it doesn't dominate the network, which is a good sign for decentralization.

Next steps

• Use the APY Calculator to estimate your potential returns at the current 11% median APY.
• Check out the Staking Tracker to monitor validator performance and make informed decisions.
• Consider diversifying your stake across multiple validators to reduce risk and support decentralization.

Data is based on the latest epoch and subject to change. Always verify metrics before making staking decisions.