WalletConnect & liquid staking
·
9 min. read
Staking vs Liquid Staking
Staking supports a proof-of-stake network in return for variable protocol rewards. Withdrawal rules differ by network and service. Unitywallet’s current staking screen is the appropriate place to check which assets and options are available.
Liquid staking issues a transferable token representing a staked position. You can trade or use that token where supported while the underlying assets remain staked. This does not guarantee an immediate exit at full value: market liquidity, withdrawal queues, validator penalties and smart-contract risks still apply.
WalletConnect connects Unitywallet to supported dApps. A successful connection does not establish that every network, asset or transaction type in a dApp is supported, and it does not make the dApp safe. Review its current requirements and each wallet request before approving.
This article is really a primer on the many options available to you via WalletConnect if you want to leverage your assets to get some passive rewards on the boil (or simmer depending on the asset).
WalletConnect & Liquid Staking
WalletConnect can link a compatible wallet to a staking app. It handles the connection; the app, contracts and network determine the staking terms. Review both the connection permissions and the transaction you are asked to sign.
Liquid staking platforms may offer WalletConnect as one connection method. It carries requests between a dApp and your wallet; it does not assess the protocol or remove the need to understand transaction permissions, withdrawal conditions and risks.
Aave and Stader illustrate different DeFi activities: Aave provides lending and borrowing markets, while Stader provides liquid staking services. Supplying an asset to Aave is not the same as staking it with a validator.
What is AAVE?
Aave is a decentralized liquidity protocol where users can supply supported crypto assets to earn variable interest or borrow against eligible collateral. Some markets support liquid staking tokens, but supplying those tokens to Aave is a separate activity from creating them through staking. Aave operates across multiple networks; a network name is not a list of supported deposit assets.
Aave also supports flash loans: an uncollateralized flash loan must be repaid, with any required fee, within the same transaction or the transaction reverts. These are developer tools rather than ordinary loans that can remain unpaid after the transaction.
AAVE is the protocol’s governance token. Holding it does not automatically increase borrowing limits or guarantee a fee discount; borrowing capacity and applicable fees depend on the market, collateral and protocol rules.
Open Aave through its official website and choose a connection method supported by both the application and your wallet. If using WalletConnect, follow the current pairing flow and verify the requested network, account and permissions before approving. The location and labels of wallet controls may differ from the March 2024 interface.
Stader
Stader is a non-custodial, smart contract-powered staking platform. It simplifies the discovery and use of staking solutions. As a crucial staking middleware infrastructure, it serves various Proof-of-Stake (PoS) networks. This includes retail cryptocurrency users, exchanges, and custodians.
Do not rely on the original Stader network list. Its Fantom service entered a sunset process in December 2023, and Stader announced the sunset of BNBx in January 2026. Do not use the old network list as a current deposit guide; check Stader’s documentation and active interface.
Start with Stader’s official website and documentation to find currently supported services and any withdrawal instructions:
Stader website: https://www.staderlabs.com/
Stader documentation: https://www.staderlabs.com/docs/
BNBx sunset notice: https://www.staderlabs.com/blogs/sunsetting-bnbx-focusing-stader-on-high-impact-ecosystems/
On the service’s official page, choose a compatible wallet connection method and follow the current instructions. Check that the pairing request names the expected application and network before approving it.
Wait! Wait! There’s more
The original March 2024 article mentioned the following staking and DeFi services. These are examples to research, not a current list of supported Unitywallet integrations or an endorsement. Liquid staking, yield vaults and governance-token lockers are different products.
Rocket Pool: liquid staking protocol for Ethereum
Marinade Finance: Solana stake automation platform
Yield Yak: autocompounding pools for Avalanche
Service availability can change: verify the current interface, supported network and withdrawal process before sending assets.
JPool: liquid staking for Solana
Stakewise: liquid staking for Ethereum
Stake DAO: DeFi strategies and liquid lockers for governance tokens; these differ from proof-of-stake liquid staking.
Ankr: staking infrastructure and liquid staking services; check its current supported networks and product status.
Connection methods differ by service and network. Use WalletConnect only where both the dApp and your wallet support it; do not assume every service listed above supports the same connection flow.
Use the project’s official documentation to verify any service you discover. Search advertisements and familiar-looking domains are not proof of authenticity.
These examples are not endorsements. Verify the current domain, product status and contract details before connecting, and never share your recovery phrase or private keys with a dApp or support agent.
REMEMBER: ABD (Always Be Diligent)
A connection can succeed while a position remains risky. Check staking-token liquidity, validator penalties, withdrawal queues and contract permissions, as well as wallet compatibility.
Always quadruple check that the website and publisher name match-up as there are plenty of traps being set for eager users. However smart you might be, those seeking to rob you of your assets are way smarter and more devious. Never forget it.
Conclusion
WalletConnect can make supported dApps easier to access, but the economics and risks come from the protocol you use. Liquid staking tokens can improve flexibility without guaranteeing liquidity, principal protection or rewards. Check compatibility, permissions and exit conditions before committing assets.
Update, October 26, 2026: Since this article’s March 2024 publication, Lido on Polygon stopped accepting new deposits in December 2024 and ended frontend withdrawal support in June 2025. Stader announced the sunset of BNBx in January 2026. Follow the providers’ current documentation and sunset instructions.
Sources: Aave overview; Lido Polygon sunset; Stader BNBx sunset; Stader Fantom sunset
