How to stake Solana using SolFlare? (Validator delegation)

Setting Up SolFlare Wallet

1. Visit the official SolFlare website and download the browser extension compatible with Chrome or Brave.

2. Initialize a new wallet by generating a 12-word seed phrase—store it offline in a secure location.

3. Confirm the seed phrase by re-entering it in the correct order during setup.

4. Fund the wallet with SOL using a supported exchange withdrawal or direct transfer from another Solana wallet.

5. Ensure the wallet displays an updated SOL balance before proceeding to delegation.

Selecting a Validator

1. Navigate to the “Stake” tab inside SolFlare and click “Delegate Stake”.

2. Review the validator list, paying attention to uptime percentage, commission rate, and stake distribution metrics.

3. Filter validators by performance indicators such as average epoch uptime above 99.5% and commission below 8%.

4. Click on a validator’s name to view detailed statistics including recent vote credits, delinquent status, and node location transparency.

5. Avoid validators with repeated slashing events or inconsistent vote history visible on Solana Explorer.

Creating a Stake Account

1. Enter the amount of SOL you wish to delegate—minimum is 0.000001 SOL but practical delegation starts at 1 SOL.

2. Choose whether to use an existing stake account or generate a new one; new accounts provide isolation for risk management.

3. Set the lock-up period—Solana does not enforce fixed lock-ups, but unstaking requires a two-epoch cooldown.

4. Confirm transaction fees displayed before signing; fees vary slightly depending on network congestion.

5. Sign the transaction using your wallet’s private key—no third-party access is required during this step.

Monitoring Active Delegation

1. After confirmation, the stake appears under “My Stakes” with real-time status: activating, active, or deactivating.

2. Check epoch rewards every 2–3 days by visiting the “Rewards” section—rewards are auto-compounded if enabled.

3. Observe validator performance through integrated links to Solana Beach or Solana Compass for live metrics.

4. Receive notifications when stake activates or when a validator misses more than 10% of slots in an epoch.

5. Track cumulative yield separately for each stake account to compare validator efficiency over multiple epochs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I delegate SOL without creating a separate stake account?Yes. SolFlare allows delegation directly from your main wallet address, though this reduces flexibility in managing multiple validator strategies.

Q: What happens if my chosen validator goes offline for several epochs?Your delegated stake remains intact, but you earn zero rewards during downtime. No principal loss occurs unless the validator is slashed for malicious behavior.

Q: Is it possible to split one SOL balance across five different validators using SolFlare?Yes. You can create up to 100 distinct stake accounts from a single wallet and assign varying amounts to different validators.

Q: Do I need to manually claim staking rewards in SolFlare?No. Rewards are automatically added to your stake balance unless you disable auto-compounding in wallet settings.