Uphold Staking Program Terms

These terms, in addition to our General Terms and Conditions and User Agreement, (available here ), govern your use of certain staking services on the Uphold Platform. Note that staking services are not currently available in the US, Canada, the UK, the EEA, Japan, Singapore, or in other jurisdictions in which Uphold does not generally make its services available. Capitalized terms not defined herein shall have the meaning given to them in the General Terms and Conditions or the User Agreement.

1. The Staking Program

   The Uphold Platform allows unrestricted users in good standing who reside in eligible jurisdictions to stake certain cryptocurrencies held on the Uphold Platform in a third-party proof-of-stake network. When you purchase a cryptocurrency that is eligible for staking (an “Eligible Cryptocurrency”), you may be given the option to participate in the Uphold’s staking program (the “Staking Program”) whereby you may earn rewards (“Staking Rewards”) based on the amount of Eligible Cryptocurrency you choose to stake. A minimum amount of Eligible Cryptocurrency may be required to participate in the Staking Program. Holders of Eligible Cryptocurrencies are not required to participate in the Staking Program, and participants may stop participating at any time, subject to the terms set forth below. Please view our FAQ for Staking for more information.

2. Special Terms for Users residing Outside of Australia, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa, South Korea, or Switzerland.

   If you reside in a country where Uphold makes the Staking Program available other than Australia, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa, South Korea, or Switzerland, and you do not opt in to the Staking Program, you acknowledge and agree that Uphold may stake any Eligible Assets you hold on the platform in its own name and retain for itself any rewards earned. While Eligible Assets are staked on behalf of Uphold, you are not entitled to and will not receive any Staking Rewards, but you will not be subject to any unbounding periods (see below) with respect to your Eligible Assets.

3. Staking and Staking Rewards; Commission; Compounding

   Based on the amount of Eligible Cryptocurrency that you choose to stake, you will be eligible to receive Staking Rewards. Staking Rewards are rewards paid in the same Eligible Cryptocurrency that is staked.
   
   Uphold earns a commission between 3% - 34% depending on the asset being staked. In order to ensure full transparency to our users, the estimated APY rate takes our commission into account.
   
   You have no right to a Staking Reward unless and until the relevant reward is actually received by Uphold. Staking Rewards are delivered to your Uphold account weekly after any preparation period has been completed (see below). All Staking Rewards delivered to you will automatically be re-staked if possible, and will then themselves be eligible to receive Staking Rewards after the applicable preparation period.

4. APRR

   Any annualized percentage reward rate (APRR) listed on the Uphold Platform is only an estimate of the potential percentage reward rate that participants may earn over the course of a year based on the then-current rewards offered by the relevant network of Eligible Cryptocurrency, after taking into account Uphold’s commission and the compounding of Staking Rewards earned. This estimate may change over time. The actual Staking Rewards you receive may be more or less than this amount.

5. Preparation Periods

   When you opt-in to the Staking Program, there may be a preparation period of up to four days before the amount you stake is eligible to receive Staking Rewards. You will be notified of any preparation period prior to staking your Eligible Cryptocurrency.

6. Unbounding Periods

   Depending on the Eligible Cryptocurrency, the network of the Eligible Cryptocurrency may require an “unbounding” period during which staked Eligible Cryptocurrency cannot be transferred, exchanged or withdrawn. This period varies, depending on each network of the Eligible Cryptocurrency, and is typically set at up to 30 days, but may be longer. Uphold will make reasonable efforts by managing liquidity to allow participants in the Staking Program to transfer, exchange or withdraw their staked Eligible Cryptocurrency prior to the completion of the relevant unbounding period, but in periods of high demand, you may be required to wait up to the full unbounding period specified by the relevant network, plus a short administrative period of up to 4 days. During any unbounding period in which your Eligible Cryptocurrency remains unable to be transferred, exchanged or withdrawn, you will not earn Staking Rewards. At the end of any applicable unbounding period, your Uphold account will be credited with the relevant Eligible Cryptocurrency and only then will it be available for transfer, exchange, or withdrawal.

7. Maximum/minimum staking limits

   Each asset has a minimum token per transaction amount, and a maximum weekly unstaking limit per the table below:
   
   

   Asset	Minimum Stake/Unstake (Per Transaction)	Maximum unstaking limit (Per Week)
   ADA	1	150,000
   ATOM	0.5	5,000
   AVAX	0.1	12,500
   CSPR	10	7,500,000
   DOT	1	10,000
   ETH	0.01	50
   FLR	1	1,000,000
   HBAR	5	1,000,000
   INJ	1	135,000
   KSM	0.1	1,000
   MATIC	0.1	50,000
   NEAR	1	70,000
   ROSE	3	4,000,000
   SOL	0.1	1,750
   XTZ	5	45,000
   ZIL	6	8,000,000

8. Slashing Fees

   The relevant networks of Eligible Cryptocurrencies may charge “slashing fees” based on downtime or if the transaction validator representing the staked assets incorrectly validates a transaction. In the unlikely event that any slashing fees are charged based on the Eligible Cryptocurrency that you choose to stake using the Staking Program, Uphold will promptly reimburse you for any such amount charged.

9. No Guarantees

   UPHOLD MAKES NO GUARANTEES THAT ANY STAKING REWARDS WILL ACTUALLY BE EARNED, NOR THAT YOU WILL RECEIVE ANY PARTICULAR RETURN OVER TIME, INCLUDING ANY ESTIMATED APRR THAT MAY BE DISCLOSED. UPHOLD DOES NOT GUARANTEE THAT THE STAKING PROGRAM WILL REMAIN AVAILABLE ON A CONTINUOUS BASIS OR FOR ANY PERIOD OF TIME. TERMS OF STAKING MAY BE CHANGED BY THE NETWORKS OF THE RELEVANT ELIGIBLE CRYPTOCURRENCIES WITHOUT UPHOLD’S CONSENT, AND SUCH CHANGES MAY BE PASSED ON TO YOU. UPHOLD RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SUSPEND, WITHDRAW, AMEND, OR TERMINATE THE STAKING PROGRAM IN ITS SOLE DISCRETION, INCLUDING DESIGNATING AN ASSET AS AN ELIGIBLE CRYPTOCURRENCY.

10. Taxes

    The tax treatment of cryptocurrency may be uncertain in various jurisdictions around the world. You are solely responsible for reporting and paying any applicable taxes based on your transactions on the Uphold Platform, including any Staking Rewards that you may earn.

11. Risks; No Advice

    In addition to the risks related to investment in cryptocurrency generally (see our Risks Specific To Holding Digital Assets and Important Disclosures), staking poses additional risks. Cryptocurrencies are volatile assets and cryptocurrencies that are staked may lose value over time, including over the period that they are staked and any unbounding period, and so an asset may earn rewards while staked but still lose value. You may not be able to liquidate your investment while assets are staked. You may not be able to unstake an Eligible Cryptocurrency until the end of the applicable unbounding period. The networks of Eligible Cryptocurrencies may change rewards that are offered, preparation periods, or unbounding periods in their sole discretion. Do not stake assets unless you are able to bear the risk of waiting for any applicable unbounding period to end. You acknowledge that Uphold does not provide investment, legal, or tax advice to you in connection with your activity on the Uphold Platform, including your participation in the Staking Program. You should consult with your own investment, legal, and tax advisors prior to making any investment decision, including whether to participate in the Staking Program.