Skip to main content

Join a Pool

A nomination pool bonds its members' ORB together and nominates validators on their behalf. You stake from 1 ORB, the pool's operator chooses the validators, and the pool's rewards are shared among members by stake. Your funds never leave your account: they are held there as a delegation to the pool.

What you need
  • At least 1 ORB plus a little for fees.
  • An account that does not stake directly (nominate or validate): an account takes one role at a time, and a pool member belongs to one pool.

1. Browse pools​

In the app, open Staking → Pools and connect your wallet. Browse pools lists every pool with its state, members, stake and commission; search by name and filter by Open, Blocked or Destroying. Only Open pools take new members.

The Browse pools tab: a table of pools with state, members, stake and commission

2. Check the pool​

Open a pool to see who runs it, what it backs and what it charges:

A pool's page: state, stake, members and commission, its roles, and the validators it backs
Look atWhy
Commission, its Maximum and Change rateThe pool takes its commission from the rewards before members share them. Without a maximum or change rate, the pool's root can raise it — to 100 % — in one step
RolesDepositor (created it), Root (manages it), Nominator (chooses validators), Bouncer (opens and blocks it)
Validators it backsThe pool's rewards and slashes come from them
Pending slashesA slash already decided against a validator the pool backs reaches members who join before it applies

3. Join​

Press Join, enter the amount, and read the terms the dialog shows — commission, maximum, change rate, the four roles, and any warning about commission changes or pending slashes — then Join.

The Join pool dialog with the amount, the pool's commission terms, its roles and the Join button

Your stake counts from the pool's next election, like any nomination.

4. Your stake in the pool​

Your pool shows your membership: staked, pending rewards, unlocking and withdrawable.

Your stake in the pool: staked amount, pending rewards, and the Claim rewards, Restake rewards, Bond more, Unbond and Withdraw buttons

Claim your rewards​

Pool rewards are not paid to members automatically. The chain pays the pool; your share then waits as Pending rewards until it is claimed:

  • Claim rewards — pays it to your free balance.
  • Restake rewards — adds it to your stake in the pool.

Pending rewards do not expire.

Who can handle your rewards​

You can let anyone claim or restake your rewards for you — useful for services that compound on your behalf. By default anyone can pay them out to you.

Who can handle your rewards: Only me, Anyone can restake them, Anyone can pay them out, Anyone can do either

Rewards only ever go to you; the permission decides who may trigger it.

5. Bond more, unbond, withdraw​

  • Bond more adds free balance to your stake.
  • Unbond starts a 28-era (about 28 days) unbonding of part of your stake; the dialog shows what comes back. Funds unbonding can still be slashed.
  • Withdraw returns unlocked funds to your free balance.

To leave the pool, unbond everything and withdraw it.

Risks​

  • Commission can rise, within the pool's maximum and change rate if it set them.
  • Slashing: if a validator the pool backs equivocates, the pool loses a fraction of its stake and each member pays its share — including members who joined after the offence but before the slash applied. See Slashing.
  • The pool's state: a pool being destroyed takes no new stake; members unbond and withdraw.