> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.anchorage.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# APT staking
> Stake Aptos (APT) to delegation pools and staking contracts, and manage staking rewards.
Aptos is a Layer 1 proof-of-stake blockchain developed by former Meta engineers who worked on the Diem project. The network stands out for its use of the Move programming language and a parallel execution engine, which allow it to process multiple transactions concurrently, aiming for high throughput and low latency.
Anchorage Digital offers support for Aptos including custody and staking:
* Custody your tokens (deposit and withdraw)
* Stake APT to any delegation pool validator and collect rewards
* Initialize and manage staking contracts with the validator provider of your choice
You can initiate every APT staking operation yourself, in the iOS app and in the web dashboard. Operations initiated in the web dashboard are endorsed in the iOS app — see [Staking overview](/knowledge-base/platform/users/staking/overview) for how policies and quorums apply.
Minimum iOS app version needed to perform APT staking operations: 2.96.0
Initializing a staking contract requires iOS 2.117.0 or later. On earlier versions the form is disabled with a prompt to update.
## Staking approaches
An Aptos validator needs 1M APT of active stake to participate in consensus and earn rewards. There are two ways to get there, and they differ in who funds the pool and how commission is set.
Stake alongside other delegators in a validator's shared pool, from an 11 APT minimum. The validator sets the commission.
Fund a validator's pool on your own, from a 1M APT minimum, and negotiate the commission directly with your provider.
Delegation pools are shared, so rewards start flowing once the pool as a whole crosses the 1M APT threshold, and the validator takes its commission from every delegator's rewards. A staking contract is yours alone: you front the stake, no one else can delegate into it, and the commission you agree with your provider is enforced on-chain.
Every validator is also capped at 50M APT of stake, whichever approach you use. Amounts offered in each form are net of the network fee and your operational reserve, so the maximum you see is what's actually stakeable.
## Starting a position
Tap the vault, select the wallet, then choose the action for your model. Fill in the fields below, add a comment (optional), then review and approve. Once the operation's quorum policy is met, the operation will be signed and broadcast on-chain.
### Stake with Delegation Pool
* **Delegation pool address** — the address of the validator's pool you're delegating to
* **Amount** — at least 11 APT per call
### Initialize Staking Contract
A staking contract separates three roles, each identified by its own Aptos address. You're the **owner**, funding the contract from your Anchorage Digital wallet, and you name an **operator** to run the validator node and a **voter** to cast governance votes for the stake. Your validator provider gives you the operator address and the commission you've agreed on.
* **Operator address** — the account that runs the validator node and receives the commission
* **Operator commission** — the share of rewards paid to the operator, from 0 to 100 percent
* **Voter address** — the account authorized to vote on governance proposals for this stake
* **Amount** — at least 1M APT, up to 50M APT or your available balance, whichever is lower
If you already hold a position with that pool or operator, use **Add Stake** on the position instead — a staking contract can only be initialized once per operator.
## Managing a position
The same three actions cover both models. Go to the wallet screen, tap **View details**, select the position, then choose an action. Each one is a separate operation subject to your quorum policy.
* **Add Stake** — enter an amount, capped by your available balance and the validator's remaining headroom under the 50M APT cap
* **Unlock Stake** — enter an amount, which defaults to your full active stake and can't exceed it
* **Withdraw Stake** — delegation pools take an amount, which defaults to everything past the cooldown
**Add Stake** and **Unlock Stake** also show the position's pool or operator address, filled in and not editable. **Withdraw Stake** has no address field, and on a staking contract it has no fields at all — withdrawing from a staking contract always releases every token past the cooldown at once, so there's nothing to enter.
Whichever action you take, if the validator isn't in the active consensus set you'll see a warning after you submit. Stake held outside the consensus set doesn't earn rewards until that validator joins.
## Unlock timing
Unbonding periods on Aptos are tied to a fixed 14-day validator unlock cycle, for both delegation pools and staking contracts. When you unlock, your funds are released at the end of that cycle. Depending on when you submit, you might wait as little as a few hours, or as long as the full 14 days, before you can withdraw the balance.
To find out how much time remains on a given validator's unlock cycle, search the validator's page on the Aptos block explorer. Here is an [example](https://explorer.aptoslabs.com/validator/0x2ded75e99c6efbe143a9648a3e88ebf9d0cf249b2af44d510bdd0287e8adcc79?network=mainnet) for the Anchorage Digital validator.
## When to contact us
You no longer need to contact us to stake, add, unlock, or withdraw APT — all of it is self-service. Reach out to your Anchorage Digital point of contact for changes to an existing staking contract's details, specifically its operator address, voter address, or commission rate.
## Related topics
- [Reading balances](/knowledge-base/platform/users/reading-balances.md)
- [Gas fees and stuck transactions](/knowledge-base/platform/users/gas-fees-stuck-transactions.md)
- [ETH staking](/knowledge-base/platform/users/staking/eth.md)
- [AVAX staking](/knowledge-base/platform/users/staking/avax.md)
- [FOGO staking](/knowledge-base/platform/users/staking/fogo.md)