With the world on the hunt for more sustainable and efficient cryptocurrencies, investing in the best proof-of-stake coins has become a sound strategy. However, it can be difficult to separate lackluster projects from those with real upside potential.

Throughout this guide, we’ll examine 10 of the best proof-of-stake coins and discuss proof-of-stake and how it compares to competing consensus mechanisms. Let’s get started.

Top 11 Best Proof-of-Stake Coins to Invest in 2024

We’ve created this proof of stake cryptocurrency list in order to aid investors in narrowing down their search for the next big project. Detailed reviews of each PoS crypto project can be found slightly further down the page.

  1. Pepe Unchained — Top proof-of-stake token with its own blockchain
  2. Catslap Token — The best PoS coin that could become one of the most popular cat-themed memes due to its partnership with Best Wallet
  3. FreeDum Fighters — Top-rated proof-of-stake coin that enables its holders to hedge their investment by offering two reward pools 
  4. Crypto All-Stars — Top POS cryptocurrency with a well-balanced token allocation
  5. Flockerz — Among the top PoS coins with a successful presale
  6. Best Wallet Token — PoS token with dynamic staking rewards, whose holders will gain higher APY via the Best Wallet staking aggregator 
  7. Sponge V2 — $SPONGE, the sensational meme coin that soared to a $100 million market cap
  8. Ethereum — PoS crypto with the largest market cap, its APY on most exchanges amounts to 5%
  9. BNB — The native token of Binance, the crypto exchange with the largest trading volume 
  10. Solana — Uses the PoH consensus mechanism, which enables transactions that are 2600x faster than Ethereum
  11. Toncoin — New PoS coin that can process 100,000 transactions per second thanks to its multi-level architecture

Best Proof-of-Stake Cryptocurrency to Buy Right Now Reviewed 

No proof of stake cryptocurrency list would be complete without reviews of the best projects in the sector.

1. Pepe Unchained — Top Proof-of-Stake Token With Its Own Blockchain

best proof-of-stake coins - pepe unchained

Pepe Unchained ($PEPU) is one of the best PoS crypto coins on the market. It features the original Pepe the Frog but is now smarter and free from his chains. In fact, that whole picture represents the benefits of the Layer-2 blockchain on which the project is built.

What makes Layer 2 better than Layer 1 is the faster speed, lower fees, and strong security. This is the world’s first Pepe to have its own blockchain. In fact, there’s an instant bridging between the Pepe chain and ETH.

Of the total token supply of eight billion, 30% is allocated to staking, and the project offers impressive staking rewards.

Buying $PEPU is simple, and the price is now the lowest — $0.00983. Investors can take advantage of this early advantage and buy the tokens now. By the end of the year, the price is forecast to be $0.0256.

Hard cap N/A
Total tokens 8 billion
Tokens available in presale 1.6 billion
Blockchain Ethereum Layer 2
Token type ERC-20
Minimum purchase 1 $PEPU
Purchase with ETH, BNB, USDT, Card

best proof of work crypto - catslap token

Catslap has found a spot on our proof of stake coins list for a number of reasons. With that in mind, the Catslap token is partnered with Best Wallet, which adds to its security and credibility. BW has placed the $SLAP token on its popular Upcoming Tokens page. Given that BW has over 1 million users, this move has also increased its visibility and adoption.

The $SLAP token was directly listed on DEXs, where this ERC-20 token became a star in less than a day. In 18 hours, its market cap increased by 1,900%, while its value went up by more than 4,000%. Investors can stake their tokens for a fixed APY of 40%. While all stakes will be locked for 7 days, investors will be able to unlock them early by burning a portion of their staked balance.

This project also attracted investors with its hilarious and competitive slapping game, in which players slap Pepe for points. It’s rumored that this game could become gamified in the future. Moreover, its developers will make a major announcement in a few days, which could be related to Tier 1 centralized exchange listings.  

Market cap $23.0 million
Total tokens 9 billion
Tokens available in circulation 4.50 billion (self-reported)
Blockchain Ethereum 
Token type ERC-20
Minimum purchase N/A
Purchase with ETH, USDT, Card

3. FreeDum Fighters — Top-Rated Proof-Of-Stake Coin That Enables Its Holders to Hedge Their Investment by Offering Two Reward Pools

best proof of stake crypto - freedum fighters

Next on our proof of stake crypto list, we have FreeDum Fighters. This is a new politiFi project that aims to capitalize on the US presidential election. In this regard, investors who buy $DUM tokens during the presale will be able to vote for the new president. 

However, there’s a twist. The presidential candidates are not Trump and Harris, but mechanical characters Magatron and Kamacop 9000, who are fighting for total mechanized supremacy.  Investors can vote for both candidates by locking their tokens in two reward pools. Both pools offer dynamic APY that will vary depending on the number of votes. On that note, the staking pool with fewer votes will have a higher APY and vice versa. 

At the time of writing, Magatron’s pool offers an APY of 389.74%, while Kamacop’s pool offers an APY of 1548.06%. $DUM tokens can be staked on ETH and Base. 

The $DUM token has a total supply of 270 billion, of which 108 billion will go towards the presale, while 54 billion will go towards staking. Its present price stands at $0.000055.

Hard cap $3,375,000
Total tokens 270 billion
Tokens available in presale 108,000,000,000
Blockchain Ethereum, Base, BSC EVM Chains (ETH), And SOL
Token type ERC20 (Base Chain)
Minimum purchase $5
Purchase with ETH, Base, BNB, SOL, USDT, USDC

4. Crypto All-Stars – Top PoS Cryptocurrency With a Well-Balanced Token Allocation

best proof-of-stake coins - crypto all-stars

Our PoS coin list cannot be complete without Crypto All-Stars, a groundbreaking platform offering the first-of-its-kind MemeVault. Users can use this protocol to stake 11 of the most popular meme coins for great staking rewards. For 3x the rewards, users should also own and stake $STARS. Rewards are distributed at 2801.44 tokens per ETH block, with a current APY of 4,262%.

Early investors can buy the $STARS token during the presale at an amazing price, currently $0.0014593. Yet, they should remember that this is the best time to buy this crypto, as the price will keep increasing.

The total token supply is 42.07B, of which the presale and marketing receive 20% each, staking and the MemeVault ecosystem 25% each, and CEX/DEX gets 10%.

Crypto All-Stars has a roadmap comprising three stages. The first involves the presale and staking, the second focuses on the token’s launch, and the last is dedicated to unlocking the vault.

Hard cap N/A
Total tokens 42.07 billion
Tokens available in presale 8,413,939,394
Blockchain Ethereum
Token type ERC-20
Minimum purchase 7 $STARS
Purchase with  ETH, USDT, BNB, Card

5. Flockerz — Among the Top PoS Coins With a Successful Presale

best proof of stake crypto - flockerz

Flockerz is a new crypto project that aspires to reshape decentralization by introducing its Vote-to-Earn mechanism. This system allows users to vote on major Flockerz-related decisions, like key development, marketing strategies, or token burns, and earn rewards for doing so. In fact, this is the only crypto project empowering its users to such an extent. 

The project’s ongoing presale will take place in 50 stages, each showing a price increase. The current price of this ERC-20 token is $0.0057699, and buying methods include ETH, BNB, USDT, and a card. The presale has been a success so far, raising over $692k. 

The project has a 3-step roadmap, announcing many milestones, including listings on popular exchanges and the introduction of the Vote-to-Earn system. 

The total token supply is 12B, and tokens are allocated among staking, the presale, CEX/DEX, marketing, and the DAO Vault.

Hard cap N/A
Total tokens 12 billion
Tokens available in presale 2.4 billion
Blockchain Ethereum
Token type ERC-20
Minimum purchase 1 $FLOCK
Purchase with ETH, USDT, BNB, Card

6. Best Wallet Token — PoS Token With Dynamic Staking Rewards, Whose Holders Will Gain Higher APY via the Best Wallet Staking Aggregator

best proof of stake crypto - best wallet token

If you want to invest in top proof-of-stake coins, put the Best Wallet token on your list. This is a native token of a well-known wallet provider, Best Wallet, a Web3 wallet that could dominate the crypto wallet market.

That said, the $BEST token offers many benefits to its holders. For example, they’ll pay lower transaction fees and gain voting rights. At the same time, those who stake their tokens during the presale will gain early access to dynamic rewards. The earlier they start the staking process, the higher their APY will be. The $BEST token has a total supply of 10 billion, of which 8% will go towards staking rewards.

This project is currently in the private sale stage. During the first two weeks, only BW users can buy $BEST tokens. After that, the presale will become available for other wallet providers.

The starting price of the $BEST wallet is $0.02250000. So, if you want to generate the highest staking rewards, join the presale now.

Hard cap 10 million
Total tokens 10 billion
Tokens available in presale 450,000,000
Blockchain Ethereum
Token type ERC-20
Minimum purchase N/A
Purchase with  ETH, USDT, BNB, card

7. Sponge V2 — New Proof-of-Stake Token Bridging to a V2 Version and Offering Huge Staking Rewards

best proof-of-stake coins - sponge v2

$SPONGE soared in popularity after launching in May 2023 due to this meme coin’s whimsical charm and robust marketing strategies. In just a few months, $SPONGE reached a market cap of nearly $100 million.

Now, the platform aims to expand its community with the new Sponge V2 ($SPONGEV2) token launch. This new ERC-20 token can be accessed via the proof-of-stake method.

Using the stake-to-bridge mechanism, $SPONGEV2 is allowing V1 token holders to lock their tokens in the newly launched V2 smart contract. Doing so will reward you with a proportionate amount of V2 tokens as a bonus buy reward. Over the next four years, you will receive potentially high APYs (Annual Percentage Yields) from the V2 smart contract.

However, after the V2 token officially launches, the V1 tokens will be locked permanently and no longer supported.

The Sponge V2 whitepaper states that the project also introduces a play-to-earn racing game after the V2 token launch. Thus, token holders can compete in an online game and earn additional $SPONGEV2 tokens on the platform.

Sponge V2 will look to list on some key centralized crypto exchanges, following suit to its V1 counterpart, which has been listed on major platforms such as Gate.io and MEXC. Popular on social media platforms, Sponge V2 has a following of over 24k on Twitter and nearly 8k Telegram subscribers.

$SPONGEV2 has a 150 billion market cap — more than 43% of which will be offered as staking rewards. For more information, join the Sponge V2 Discord.

Hard cap N/A
Total tokens 150 Billion
Tokens available in presale N/A
Blockchain Ethereum Network
Token type ERC-20
Minimum purchase None
Purchase with USDT, ETH, Card

8. Ethereum — PoS Crypto With the Largest Market Cap, Its APY on Most Exchanges Amounts to 5%

best proof od stake coins - ethereum

Ethereum ranks first among the top PoS tokens by market capitalization, with a current market cap of $318 billion. In 2022, ETH switched from PoW to PoS consensus, which reduced its energy consumption by 99.5%.

This means that traders can now stake their tokens for rewards. ETH offers four staking options: solo staking, staking as a service, pooled staking, and staking via centralized exchanges. ETH’s APY on most exchanges amounts to 5%, while its minimum staking requirement is 32 ETH.

Investors can increase their holdings by staking Ethereum since staking rewards come in the form of newly minted coins. At the time of writing, ETH trades at $2,650, while its price could reach a potential high of $8,700 by 2025. Moreover, once the SEC starts classifying Ethereum as a commodity, this coin will have a big impact on the future of cryptocurrency in the next five years.

Hard cap No hard cap
Total tokens No maximum supply
Tokens available in circulation 120.35 million
Blockchain Ethereum  
Token type ERC-20
Minimum purchase $10 (on most exchanges)
Purchase with Crypto, cards, bank transfers, and more

9. BNB — The Native Token of Binance, the Crypto Exchange With the Largest Trading Volume 

best proof of stake coins - bnb

The next contestant on our proof-of-stake coins list is BNB, the native token of Binance. Binance is a crypto exchange with the largest daily trading volume, exceeding $76 billion. BNB runs on the Binance Smart Chain and uses the BEP-20 standard, which makes it faster and cheaper than ERC-20 tokens.

Unlike traditional PoS coins, BNB uses a consensus mechanism called the Proof of Staked Authority (PoSA). Its role is to balance PoS and PoA consensus mechanisms.

Traders will be able to stake BNB for an APY that ranges between 5% and 15%, depending on the platform. BNB can be staked on exchanges like Binance or directly on the Binance Smart Chain. To become validators, investors will have to stake a minimum of 10,000 BNB. BNB currently trades at $590, while by the end of 2024, its value could surpass the $700 mark.

Hard cap N/A
Total tokens 200 million
Tokens available in circulation 145,933,498
Blockchain Binance Smart Chain 
Token type BEP-20
Minimum purchase $1 (on Binance)
Purchase with Crypto, cards, bank transfers, and more

10. Solana — Uses the PoH Consensus Mechanism, Which Enables Transactions That Are 2600x Faster Than Ethereum

best proof of stake coins - solana

Some of the best meme coins run on Solana since this blockchain enables faster transactions and lower fees. SOL also found a place on our PoS crypto list due to its innovative Proof of History (PoH) consensus mechanism. This mechanism can process about 50,000 transactions per second. The PoH mechanism also makes Solana an ideal blockchain for dApps.

SOL supports the PoS staking mechanism. This means that investors can stake their tokens for an APY that ranges between 6% and 8%, depending on the network.

The crypto community also refers to Solana as the Ethereum killer since its transaction speed is 2600x faster than Ethereum’s. SOL currently trades at $143. However, crypto analysts believe that by 2025, its value could reach $150. In short, Solana’s developer-friendly ecosystem and growing use make this coin a sustainable long-term investment.

Hard cap N/A
Total tokens No maximum supply
Tokens available in circulation 468,613,797
Blockchain Solana
Token type SPL
Minimum purchase $10 (on most exchanges)
Purchase with Crypto, cards, bank transfers, and more

11. Toncoin — New PoS Coin That Can Process 100,000 Transactions per Second Thanks to Its Multi-Level Architecture

best proof of stake coins - toncoin

If you’re looking for new PoS coins, give toncoin a go. Toncoin is a decentralized platform whose ecosystem includes its native blockchain, TON DNS, a service that translates domain names into smart contract addresses, TON storage, and TON sites.

This project aims to enable cross-chain interoperability and process 100,000 transactions per second. TON has a multi-level architecture that includes the PoS and the Byzantine Fault Tolerance (BFT) consensus mechanism. It can also be integrated with the Telegram messenger.

Investors can stake TON tokens for an APY of 4.30%. The minimum requirement to become a validator is 300,000 TON. The TON token currently trades at $5.64, which makes it a suitable investment for beginners.

Regarding its total and circulating supply, the TON token has a maximum supply of 5 billion tokens, of which about 2.5 billion are in circulation.

Hard cap N/A
Total tokens 5 billion
Tokens available in circulation 2,532,745,387
Blockchain The Open Network
Token type N/A
Minimum purchase 1-15 TON (depending on the payment method)
Purchase with Crypto, cards, bank transfers, and more

What Is a Proof-of-Stake Crypto?

While it can be difficult to understand the ins and outs of blockchains, reading our proof of stake explained guide will make it much easier.

In order to transact securely on a blockchain, each transaction must be validated by a node. Otherwise, anyone could inject a false transaction into the ledger, compromising the validity of the entire network.

Cryptocurrencies utilize various consensus mechanisms to ensure that transactions are legitimate. Proof of stake is an example of one of these mechanisms. It allows people who hold a specific amount of a cryptocurrency to validate transactions by simply staking their holdings and using them as collateral to earn rewards.

As the rewards a validator receives are proportionate to the number of tokens staked, this mechanism disincentives attackers by requiring a huge amount of capital for an attack. Furthermore, as staking doesn’t require nearly as much computing power compared to proof-of-work cryptos like Bitcoin, proof-of-stake assets are viewed as being more environmentally friendly.

While there is a wide variety of proof of stake offshoots (e.g., proof of staked authority, pure proof of stake, etc.), they’re all similar. They require an investor to stake a certain amount of tokens in order to validate transactions.

What Is Delegated Proof-of-Stake?

Delegated Proof-of-Stake is an improved version of the PoS consensus mechanism. Like the PoS consensus, the DPoS also uses a collateral staking mechanism. However, this consensus uses a democratic approach that allows it to offer a more efficient way to validate transactions.

On that note, network users will be able to vote on who will become a delegate, that is, who will be able to validate transactions. To vote, users will have to put their tokens into a staking pool that’s connected to a particular delegate. The delegates with the most tokens in their pools will be able to validate transactions. The delegates will also reward users who supported them based on their stake.

DPoS was first utilized in 2013, and today, this mechanism is used by projects like Steem, Tezos, Lisk, Elastos, and Hive.

The main challenges the DPoS mechanism faces are the need for constant user engagement and the possibility of bribing delegates.

Benefits of Proof-of-Stake

The main benefits of investing in the best PoS coins include:

  • Faster transactions. The PoS stake mechanism enables network users to choose block validators based on their holdings. The staking process on PoS networks is more rapid because the proof-of-stake algorithm chooses validators faster than the PoW algorithm.
  • Reduction in overall carbon emissions. The PoS consensus doesn’t rely on computing power, which makes PoS coins more eco-friendly.
  • Low barrier to entry. Users don’t have to buy expensive rigs to become validators. They can use a standard laptop since the PoS stake mechanism requires less energy.
  • Enhanced security. Since users must hold a significant amount of tokens to become validators, the risk of a 51% attack is lower.

Downsides of Proof-of-Stake

The main drawbacks of the PoS consensus mechanism include:

  • Lack of decentralization. The PoS consensus can lead to a lack of decentralization since larger nodes will overpower the smaller ones.
  • Centralization of power. Users who hold a significant amount of tokens will have more control over the network. This means that investors who have more money will have more power.

Proof-of-Stake vs. Proof-of-Work

Two of the most well-known and widely used consensus mechanisms are proof of stake and proof of work. While both are similar, there are a few key differences that we’ll cover in our proof of stake explained guide.

Proof of work uses computational power to verify transactions. A miner will set up a computer to solve complex cryptographic puzzles to confirm the validity of a transaction. This typically involves a huge amount of GPU power, which uses hardware that can quickly become outdated and requires large amounts of electricity, making it rather inefficient.

On the other hand, proof-of-stake coins garner trust from a validator using tokens as collateral. This results in a system that can verify transactions with far greater efficiency, drastically reducing energy consumption and allowing crypto to become more eco-friendly.

In addition to improving security and reducing energy usage, proof of stake eliminates the centralization that exists on proof of stake networks due to the relatively small number of mining pool operators. While this sounds great on the surface, it’s important to note that due to the higher initial costs incurred by proof-of-stake blockchains, the networks tend to be dominated by those with large capital reserves.

All in all, while both consensus mechanisms complete the same task, their methods differ. Due to the increased cryptocurrency volume and more scrutiny surrounding energy usage, it seems likely that the future will lean toward proof of stake.

Are Proof-of-Stake Coins a Good Investment?

As there is a huge range of different proof of stake coins on the market, some will naturally make for a better investment than others. However, there are a few key investable factors that most of the best proof of stake coins share.

Sustainability

With cryptocurrency getting hammered in the media due to its high energy usage, proof-of-stake cryptos are looking far more attractive than their proof-of-work counterparts. While PoW blockchains require hardware that quickly gets burnt out and becomes inefficient, PoS systems, while requiring a high initial investment, can run nearly indefinitely once set up. For a rapidly improving market like crypto, this is huge.

Ethereum cut its energy usage by 99.99% after the Merge, while also increasing its transaction speed and scalability.

Superior Technology

Bitcoin undoubtedly popularized the proof-of-work consensus mechanism. While there’s nothing wrong with this, Bitcoin was released in 2011 and is unlikely to be significantly updated.

However, proof of stake is a much newer concept, meaning it can take advantage of improvements in cryptography and computer technology. As such, it can make for an excellent long-term investment.

Future-Focused

Linking to the previous point, cryptocurrency is rapidly evolving. For many of the largest projects on the market, proof of stake is seen as the future of transaction validation. Ethereum, the second largest crypto, will soon move to proof of stake, bringing every ERC-based project with it.

Is Proof-of-Stake the Future of Crypto?

The PoS consensus enables investors to earn crypto without buying expensive mining machines. It also reduces power consumption and increases blockchain security and transaction speed. This is why some of the best new cryptocurrencies choose PoS over PoW.

Moreover, the PoS mechanism uses more node operators, which makes its blockchains more scalable. Due to their low fees and fast transactions, PoS tokens could encourage businesses to use crypto payments.

The staking mechanism will also play a big role in creating the future of PoS tokens, as it will contribute to wider adoption. Although it’s not likely that the PoS mechanism will completely replace mining, it could be the future of crypto thanks to its varieties, such as DPoS, PoSA, and PoH.

Our Methodology for Ranking and Reviewing Crypto Assets

We treat all of our investment suggestions with extreme caution and responsibility. Our team examines 12 distinct performance indicators when evaluating any digital asset we present to our readers. Here are the most important ones:

  • Price History and Market Sentiment — Sharp drops in price, market cap, and trading volume usually indicate a low-effort project at best, and a money-grabbing scheme at worst.
  • Project Potential — Factors such as market cap, daily trading volume, total token supply, and current price are considered. High market cap and volume suggest stability and liquidity, while low supply signals higher scarcity and potential value.
  • Adoption and Use Cases — The most promising utility tokens have a wide range of practical use cases, such as retail, governance, DeFi, and gaming. Adoption confirms community interest and long-term potential.
  • Liquidity and Trading Volume — Analyzing liquidity and trading volume is crucial as high liquidity minimizes price slippage and reduces investment risk, while high trading volume indicates market stability and active participation.
  • Security and Compliance — We prioritize projects that comply with crypto regulations, undergo third-party smart contract audits, and implement robust security measures such as cryptography, multi-factor authentication, IDS, etc.

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Conclusion

Throughout this article, we’ve examined some of the best proof-of-stake coins currently available, explained how PoS differs from other consensus mechanisms, and detailed exactly how the mechanism works.

During our research, we noticed that a specific project stood out in terms of upside potential — Pepe Unchained.

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