FAQs
Questions about Babylon's Native Bitcoin Staking
Will my Bitcoins be bridged or pegged to other blockchains?
No. Babylon allows Bitcoin holders to stake their bitcoins without bridging them to other blockchains, while providing the chain with full slashable security guarantees.
As a bitcoin staker, do I have to run a validator by myself?
No. Like most PoS systems, with the Bitcoin staking protocol, you can delegate your voting power to a validator that you trust. The validator will usually charge a commission on your staking reward. If the delegated validator acts maliciously, your stake will also be slashed. Running a validator by yourself will avoid this trust and commission, putting both the stake and reward fully under your control.
When slashing happens, will all my staked bitcoins be burned?
Not necessarily. Our protocol supports partial slashing. This means that, when slashing happens, only a certain portion of the staked bitcoins will be slashed, with the portion being a parameter of the protocol.
How many Bitcoin block confirmations are required for my stake to become active?
30 BTC block confirmations are required for your stake to become active, assuming that the Finality Provider you delegated to is already active and has timestamped randomness.
What is the minimum staking period?
The staking period is fixed at 64,000 BTC blocks, which is roughly 15 months. This is currently the only possible staking period on mainnet.
Is partial unbonding possible for BTC staking?
No, partial unbonding is not supported for BTC staking. Every BTC stake must be unbonded fully - you cannot unbond just a portion of your staked amount.
Are there any minimum amount or frequency restrictions for claiming rewards?
No, there are no minimum amount or frequency restrictions for claiming rewards. You can claim your rewards at any time without any limitations.
Send a GitHub issue if you would like more questions included in this FAQ.