> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.getbze.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.getbze.com/our-apps/communities/staking-programs.md).

# Staking Programs

The heart of a token's page is its **staking programs** — ways to lock up tokens and earn rewards over time. A project can run programs that reward you for holding its own token, and it can also reward the people who stake other coins, putting itself in front of a wider audience. You will see them sorted into two clear groups:

* **Stake \[TOKEN] to earn** — put the community's token to work and collect rewards.
* **Earn \[TOKEN] by staking** — stake a different coin and earn this community's token in return.

## Reading a program card

Each program is shown as a card so you can size it up before joining. At a glance you will find:

* **Status** — **Running** (live and paying out), **Waiting for stakers** (open, but no one has joined yet), or **Finished** (the program has ended).
* An **estimated APR** — a friendly yearly-return figure so you can compare programs.
* **Days remaining** — how long the program keeps paying.
* The **daily payout** — how much is shared out among stakers each day.
* The **minimum stake** — the smallest amount you can put in.
* The **total staked** — how much everyone has committed so far.

{% hint style="info" %}
**APR is an estimate, not a promise.** The APR is worked out from the current rewards and how much is staked right now. As people stake and unstake, and as the program runs down, the real figure moves. Treat it as a helpful guide for comparing programs, not a guaranteed return.
{% endhint %}

## Taking part

Everything you do with a program happens in a single window. Open it from a program card and you will find three actions.

* **Stake** — enter how much you want to commit, or tap **Max** to use your whole balance. Before you confirm, the app shows your **estimated daily rewards** at that amount. If your stake is large enough to noticeably move the returns, it also shows a projected **new APR** — a heads-up that adding a lot to the pool spreads the same rewards across more staked tokens.
* **Unstake** — take some or all of your tokens back out. This starts a **lock period**: a short waiting time before the tokens are free to use again, so they do not leave the moment you ask.
* **Claim** — collect the rewards you have earned so far and send them to your wallet.

The same window keeps track of where you stand: your **current stake**, your **pending rewards** waiting to be claimed, and any **pending unlocks** still counting down from an unstake.

{% hint style="warning" %}
**Unstaking is not instant.** When you unstake, your tokens are held for the program's lock period before they return to your wallet, and during that time they are not earning. Check the amount and the wait before you confirm.
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="success" %}
**For example.** A gaming guild runs **$GUILD**. You open its page in the Communities app and spot a **Stake $GUILD to earn** program that's **Running** with a healthy estimated APR and 40 days left. You stake some $GUILD, the window shows your estimated daily rewards, and from then on you drop back in now and then to **Claim** what you have earned.
{% endhint %}

{% content-ref url="/pages/m6PAQd9kXkJAXJ73GKYI" %}
[Earn Rewards](/overview/features/earning-rewards.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}