The staking mechanism of NIGHT is quite special compared to other projects because it operates under a "Dual Token" model (NIGHT and DUST). Below is a detailed guide on how to stake and earn rewards during this phase:

1. Staking Mechanism: Hold NIGHT, receive DUST and Rewards

The biggest difference is that when you stake NIGHT, you receive two types of value:

DUST (Resource): NIGHT is like a "battery," it automatically generates DUST over time based on the amount of NIGHT you hold. DUST is used to pay for private transactions without consuming the original NIGHT token.

NIGHT rewards: You receive additional NIGHT tokens from the network's reserve fund and from transaction fees returned by validators to stakers to secure the network.

2. Popular staking methods today

Method 1: Direct staking on the wallet (Self-custody) - Recommended

This is the safest way and gives you full control over your tokens.

Prepare your wallet: Use wallets that support the Midnight and Cardano ecosystem such as Lace, Eternl, or Exodus Web3 Wallet.

Transfer NIGHT: Ensure you have NIGHT tokens in your wallet (usually tokens on the Cardano network or bridged to Midnight).

Delegation: * Open the Web3 browser in the wallet or access the Midnight management portal.

Choose a Stake Pool (usually operated by Cardano Stake Pool Operators - SPO).

Click Delegate and sign the confirmation. Your tokens are not locked (non-custodial), you can withdraw at any time.

Method 2: Use centralized exchanges (CEX)

If you do not want to manage a personal wallet, major exchanges have supported staking NIGHT:

Binance Super Earn: Currently, Binance has a "Super Earn" program for NIGHT with a total reward of up to 120 million tokens per quarter. You just need to go to Earn > Super Earn and register for a suitable NIGHT staking package.

Kraken: Supports the "Auto-earn" feature for NIGHT with a stable APR (approximately 0.1% - 1% depending on the time), suitable for long-term accumulation.

3. Note about "Thawing" (Token unfreezing)

If you received NIGHT from the Airdrop (Glacier Drop), please note:

Your tokens are currently being unlocked gradually each quarter (ending on 04/12/2026).

Only tokens that have been "Thawed" and claimed to the wallet can be staked to earn additional DUST and NIGHT rewards.

💡 Profit optimization tips:

Monitor DUST: Since DUST will "fade" over time if not used, you should use DUST to conduct transactions or interact with dApps in the Midnight ecosystem to avoid waste.

Transaction fees: If staking on a personal wallet, always leave a little ADA or NIGHT in the wallet to cover the fee for making the initial staking order.

This phase is the "golden time" to accumulate as the network needs more stakers to increase decentralization after going Mainnet.