> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.hubra.app/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Native staking

> Delegate SOL directly to Hubra's validator. Custody stays with your wallet.

Native staking is the cleanest delegation route on Solana. Your wallet creates a stake account, delegates voting rights to Hubra's validator, and remains in full custody throughout. There is no liquid token, no smart-contract layer, and no Hubra-side custody.

<Info>
  Best when the principal prioritizes self-custody and minimal protocol surface.
</Info>

***

## How it works

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create a stake account">
    A fresh Solana stake account is created from your wallet, funded with the amount you want to stake.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Delegate to Hubra's vote account">
    The stake account is delegated to Hubra's validator at vote identity `7K8DVxtNJGnMtUY1CQJT5jcs8sFGSZTDiG7kowvFpECh`. Voting rights move to Hubra; everything else stays with the wallet.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Activate over the next epoch">
    Stake activates at the next epoch boundary (typically within one epoch, about 2 to 3 days). Once active, it earns rewards each epoch.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Rewards compound automatically">
    Solana's stake program adds epoch rewards directly to the stake account. There is nothing to claim, no harvest cycle, no transactions to sign. Compounding is built into the protocol.
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

## What you keep

|                         |                 |
| ----------------------- | --------------- |
| Custody                 | Your wallet     |
| Stake authority         | Your wallet     |
| Withdraw authority      | Your wallet     |
| Voting rights           | Hubra validator |
| Smart-contract exposure | None            |

The wallet retains both stake authority and withdraw authority. Hubra cannot move, redirect, or claim the stake. The only thing the validator does is vote with the stake's weight.

***

## Rewards

Solana validator rewards are protocol-paid: a share of network issuance distributed to active stake at the end of each epoch, minus the validator's commission.

The math is simple:

```
your_reward = (your_active_stake / total_active_stake) × epoch_issuance × (1 - commission)
```

Hubra runs a low-commission validator. The exact APY moves with network inflation, validator performance, and stake-weight composition. Live numbers are visible in the [app](https://hubra.app/s) and via [`GET /api/v1/strategies/sol-native-stake`](/developer/endpoints/get-strategy).

***

## Exiting

Two paths:

### Slow (epoch-bounded, no fee)

`StakeProgram.deactivate` begins the cooldown. Once the deactivation epoch passes (\~2 to 3 days), the stake account is `inactive` and you can withdraw the SOL.

This is the cleanest exit. No fee, no liquidity dependency, no third-party protocol.

### Fast (instant, pays price impact)

Hubra routes the active stake account through Sanctum's `depositStake` flow. The active stake is exchanged for SOL in a single transaction. You pay a price-impact fee to Sanctum's LST liquidity pool, which depends on pool depth at the time of the trade.

Useful when you cannot wait for an epoch. See [Instant unstake](/overview/instant-unstake) for the full mechanics.

<Tip>
  Partial unstake works too. The on-chain stake account is split first, the slice you specified is routed, and the rest stays earning.
</Tip>

***

## Why choose native

Pick native when:

* You want the smallest possible attack surface. Native staking touches the Solana stake program only. No Sanctum, no Voltr, no Hubra contract.
* You want voting weight delegated explicitly to a single, identified validator.
* You do not need raSOL as collateral, LP, or trade bait.

Pick [liquid staking](/overview/liquid-staking) instead when you need a transferable receipt.

***

## Common questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Does Hubra ever hold my SOL?">
    No. Native staking delegates voting rights to Hubra's vote account. The stake account itself is created by, owned by, and controlled by your wallet. The withdraw authority never leaves your keys.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What happens at activation?">
    The stake account begins voting at the next epoch boundary. Until then it is `activating` and earns no rewards. Solana's stake program enforces this. It is not a Hubra-imposed delay.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I unstake without waiting?">
    Yes. Hubra routes through Sanctum's `depositStake` for instant settlement. Pays a small price-impact fee. See [Instant unstake](/overview/instant-unstake).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Does Hubra cover gas fees?">
    Yes. The stake transaction, deactivate transaction, and withdraw transaction all run gasless on the Hubra app. You do not need a separate SOL balance for fees.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What if Hubra's validator has downtime?">
    Solana protocol penalties for downtime exist but are mild. A missed slot means a missed vote, which lowers stake-weighted rewards for that epoch. Hubra has a public uptime record stretching back to 2020.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I move my stake to another validator?">
    Yes. Native stake is portable. You can deactivate, then redelegate to any validator you choose. Your wallet keeps the stake account either way.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

## Get started

<Card title="Stake SOL natively" icon="rocket" href="https://hubra.app/s">
  Open the app, connect a wallet, choose Native.
</Card>

For programmatic flows, see [`POST /api/v1/stake`](/developer/endpoints/stake) with `strategy: "sol-native-stake"`.