Rayls staking opens to everyone this Thursday

I’ve been looking forward to writing this post for months.

From the very beginning, Rayls was designed around a simple but powerful idea: the people who hold $RLS should be able to help secure the network and share in the rewards that come from doing so. That is why we chose Delegated Proof of Stake (DPoS) as the foundation of our consensus economics. Validators run the nodes, propose and finalise blocks, and help secure the Rayls Public Chain. $RLS holders who do not run a validator can still help secure the network by delegating $RLS to one and receiving a share of the staking rewards. 

Until now, that opportunity was only available to our earliest supporters.

When we launched delegated staking in June, we deliberately limited access to the accounts that had taken part in the pre-commit programme at precommit.rayls.com and the related liquidity seeding campaign. Those early supporters locked their tokens before mainnet, showed real conviction, and in return received a boosted 55% APY for the first three months. We even sent 1 $USDr to every eligible wallet so gas fees would not stand in their way. Watching that cohort stake, claim rewards, and help secure the chain has been one of the most satisfying parts of the journey so far. They earned every bit of that elevated yield.

Starting this Thursday, staking opens to every single $RLS holder.

I am genuinely excited about this moment. It marks the point where the wider community can finally put their tokens to work, contribute to network security, and earn staking rewards alongside the early supporters who paved the way. This is progressive decentralisation in action: first we rewarded the people who believed earliest, and now we open the doors so that anyone holding $RLS can join them.

Here’s exactly how you do it.

- Bridge RLS to Rayls through Stargate
- Get USDr for gas through the Rayls dApp
- Delegate RLS through the Rayls Staking Dashboard

Take a moment to look at the metrics for each one: self-stake, total delegated amount, remaining capacity, current APY, and commission rate. Choose the validator you feel most comfortable with, click Delegate, enter the amount of $RLS you want to stake, and confirm the transaction in your wallet. When you delegate, your $RLS is locked in the staking contract and assigned to your chosen validator. It is not transferred to the validator’s wallet.

Once you delegate your tokens, they begin contributing to the security of the network. Your delegation becomes eligible for rewards from the next reward epoch, with rewards paid in $RLS. 

You can return to the dashboard at any time to claim your rewards, add more stake, or start the unstaking process.

If you choose to unstake, there are two steps. First, you’ll need to initiate unstaking. Once initiated, the amount being unstaked will stop earning rewards and enter a 14-day unbonding period. After the 14 days are complete, return to the dashboard to withdraw your $RLS and complete the process.

Right now the APY is set at 18%. That rate is deliberately set at a sustainable level as we open participation to the entire community. In the near future, however, the reward mechanism will shift to a dynamic curve. The APY will adjust according to the total amount of $RLS staked and the number of people participating. When more people stake, the rate will naturally moderate; when participation is lighter, the rate will rise to encourage greater security. This curve is designed to keep incentives healthy over the long term rather than chasing short-term peaks.

For me, the most important part of this launch is what it represents. Rayls was built for banks and financial institutions, yet it is also a network that must ultimately be secured and owned by a broad community of token holders. 

Opening delegated staking to everyone is a concrete step toward that future. It lets more people have skin in the game. It strengthens the economic security of the Public Chain. And it gives every $RLS holder a direct way to benefit from the growth of the ecosystem we are all building together.

Our earliest supporters helped us reach this point. Now it's time for the entire community to join them.

How the two staking tiers work

From this Thursday, Rayls staking will have two reward tiers: a promotional tier offering 55% APY and a general staking tier offering around 18% APY.

The promotional tier is tied to the wallet address used for your pre-commitment. Your maximum stake in this tier is capped at the amount you originally committed. If you have not yet reached that amount, you can continue adding RLS to the same wallet and remain eligible for the promotional rate.

Once you reach your pre-commitment cap, however, you cannot stake additional RLS through the promotional tier from that same wallet. This also applies to rewards earned through the promotional tier: if you want to stake those rewards, or any additional RLS beyond your original commitment, you’ll need to transfer them to a different wallet address and stake them through the general staking tier.

The promotional staking period is expected to run for three months from launch, ending on September 9th.

This means you can continue participating after reaching your promotional cap; you’ll simply need to use a separate wallet for any additional RLS you want to stake at the general staking rate.

This Thursday, the portal opens. Go to our staking portal, pick a validator, and start staking. I cannot wait to see the community step up and take ownership of the network’s security alongside us.

We’re looking forward to building a more secure Rayls network with you.

⚠️ Important disclaimer

Staking involves risk. You may lose delegated $RLS under slashing conditions if your selected validator acts maliciously or goes offline. Rewards are not guaranteed, and APY may change. Unstaking is subject to a 14-day unbonding period. Always do your own research before participating.