Staking: your chance to make your crypto work for you with Young Platform

Earn new tokens with Ethereum and Solana Staking.

Young Platform brings back one of its users’ favourite features: staking. With a wholly renewed approach designed to meet everyone’s needs, staking is once again one of the simplest and most effective ways to earn new cryptocurrencies effortlessly. Whether you are a seasoned investor or a beginner just stepping into crypto, this is your chance to put your assets to work and maximise your returns.

Discover all the new staking features on Young Platform, now available on the web version, and get ready to see your assets work for you!

Open on desktop

How does staking work on Young Platform?

Staking on Young Platform is straightforward. You can stake your cryptocurrencies to earn rewards without the complexities of decentralised protocols. The platform guides you step by step, and you don’t need significant capital to start: with a minimum of around €50, you can activate your stake and generate rewards.

Staking on Ethereum

Young Platform offers liquid staking for Ethereum (ETH) through the provider Lido. This approach allows you to earn new coins as rewards from the day after activation. Rewards are calculated as APY (annual percentage yield) and are credited daily, helping you see your balance grow day by day.

Staking on Solana – COMING SOON

In a few weeks, proof of stake for Solana (SOL) will also be available, providing yet another opportunity to put your crypto to work. With this method, your SOL will be used to support the blockchain network, and you will receive rewards every three days for your contribution.

Exclusive benefits for Young Platform club members

For Young Platform Club members, staking becomes even more rewarding. In addition to the standard rewards in ETH or SOL, Club members also receive a bonus in Young (YNG) tokens. This means that for every stake activated, you receive not only the usual rewards but also an additional quantity of tokens, helping you maximise the value of your portfolio.

Don’t wait: the new staking on Young Platform is here, ready to help you grow your crypto easily and profitably.

Related articles

Staking introduction: an innovative way to put your crypto to work

staking young platform

Young Platform reopens its Staking functionality: here are all the updates

Young Platform is bringing back one of its most beloved features: staking. Completely revamped with new characteristics and advantages, staking remains one of the easiest ways to make your cryptocurrency holdings grow. Let’s explore the updates together!

Note: Staking is currently available only on Young Platform Web. It will soon be integrated into the app as well.

Open Account

What is Staking?

Imagine you have a stash of cryptocurrencies. Generally, the value of these holdings doesn’t grow unless you delve into complex trading strategies, which require constant monitoring and can be quite stressful.

In other words, beyond just waiting for market prices to rise, it’s strategic to increase the number of tokens you hold. You could do this through trading or savings schemes, but there’s also a simpler way: staking. Staking allows you to increase the number of tokens in your wallet without selling your assets. This isn’t magic; it’s an inherent feature of how some blockchains work.

Staking exploded in popularity in 2020, particularly in decentralised finance (DeFi), because it offers a relatively simple way to earn cryptocurrency rewards.

Staking is linked to Proof of Stake (PoS) consensus protocols. Forget the powerful miners, costly hardware, and hefty electricity bills to “mine” new coins. With staking, you only need to “lock” your cryptocurrencies within a network and start receiving rewards.

How does Staking work?

Staking transforms the mere possession of cryptocurrencies into something more active and participatory. It’s a way to contribute to the security and efficiency of a blockchain network—and in return, you get rewarded.

Blockchain networks that use the proof-of-stake (PoS) consensus mechanism select validators from those who have staked their cryptocurrencies. These validators are responsible for verifying and confirming transactions and creating new blocks in the blockchain.

In exchange for their contribution, the network rewards these validators with newly minted coins as an incentive to participate and behave honestly. The system generates these coins as part of its protocol, similar to how miners earn cryptocurrency rewards in proof-of-work (PoW) blockchains. This process keeps the network decentralised and secure and distributes new tokens, encouraging active participation.

Discover Young Platform

Advantages of Staking on exchanges

Ease of Use

Staking protocols aren’t always user-friendly. Most DeFi platforms require technical knowledge, and navigating the maze of decentralised protocols can be challenging for those unfamiliar with the sector. To address this, some centralised exchanges, like Young Platform, have developed solutions that make staking simple and accessible.

Lower budget requirements

The high minimum deposit requirement is one of the biggest obstacles to direct staking. For example, with Ethereum, one of the leading cryptocurrencies, staking directly on the Ethereum network requires a minimum of 32 ETH. With the current price of ETH around €2,000, that’s an initial deposit of approximately €64,000—not exactly pocket change.

This is where centralised and decentralised platforms come in. With services like those offered by Young Platform, you can start staking with a minimum of about €50 at current rates, making staking accessible for those with significant capital and those looking to start with a more modest amount.

Flexibility

You can cancel your staking at any time, provided that the platform allows it, giving you the freedom to manage your cryptocurrencies as you see fit.

Staking on Young Platform

Young Platform offers two types of staking: Liquid Staking and Proof of Stake (coming soon), which can be used simultaneously. This allows you to diversify your portfolio and maximise reward opportunities across multiple blockchain networks.

Rewards are calculated through the APY (Annual Percentage Yield), which represents the net annual return. The APY shows the percentage of new tokens you can accumulate over 12 months, which is gross of the applied fees.

You can also create multiple stakes on available cryptocurrencies. You can create a new stake whenever you purchase or deposit new cryptocurrencies. In the “Stake History” section of the platform, you can track all the details: rewards generated, time elapsed since each stake was activated, and their value in euros.

When you create a new stake, you can see potential rewards and their equivalent value at the current price. This tool allows you to perform simulations and estimates, helping you plan your actions to meet your long-term goals.

Liquid Staking – Ethereum (ETH)

Liquid Staking allows you to stake your tokens while maintaining liquidity, making it ideal for those seeking greater agility. On Young Platform, this option is available for Ethereum (ETH) through the provider Lido.

With Lido, staking is managed directly on behalf of the user. Lido handles the staking, manages nodes, and distributes rewards. This process adheres to network activation and deactivation queues, ensuring that users can participate without having to manage nodes directly.

  • Asset: Ethereum (ETH)
  • Provider: Lido
  • APY: Lido provides the APY, which is calculated as an average over the last 30 day. The displayed APY is the gross of the applied fees.
  • Reward Currency: ETH
  • Compound Interest: Rewards are automatically staked, increasing your total balance over time.
  • Minimum Amount: 0.02 ETH (use the Ethereum Converter to calculate the current value)
  • First Reward Credit: Approximately 1 day. This timing may vary depending on network conditions.
  • Reward Credit Frequency: Rewards are credited daily.

Thanks to Liquid Staking with Lido, you don’t need to worry about the complexities of node management. Lido takes care of everything, from managing nodes to distributing rewards, allowing you to participate in Ethereum staking without technical barriers. Moreover, you benefit from compound interest, which grows your balance over time.

Compound interest in staking works like a snowball effect: the longer you keep your cryptocurrencies staked, the greater the potential rewards accumulated. This approach rewards patience and consistency, making staking a strategy for immediate rewards and a method to steadily increase your portfolio’s value over time.

However, it’s important to remember that past returns do not guarantee future results, and the value of cryptocurrencies and staking rewards can fluctuate.

Proof of Stake – Solana (SOL) COMING SOON

Proof of Stake (PoS) on Young Platform will soon be available for Solana (SOL) through the provider Fireblocks. This model selects validators based on the amount of tokens locked in the network. The more tokens you lock, the higher your chances of being selected as a validator and earning rewards.

  • Asset: Solana (SOL)
  • Provider: Fireblocks
  • APY: The APY is the rate the network recognises for validators at that moment. The displayed APY is the gross of the applied fees.
  • Reward Currency: SOL
  • Compound Interest: No, rewards are not automatically staked.
  • Minimum Amount: 0.3 SOL (use the Solana Converter to calculate the current value)
  • First Reward Credit: Approximately 4 days
  • Reward Credit Frequency: Rewards are credited every 2-3 days, depending on network conditions.

The network distributes the rewards for Solana at the end of each “epoch.” An epoch lasts, on average, about 2.5 days, which is 60 hours. However, this period is not fixed and can vary depending on the state of the blockchain. For example, if the network is congested, the duration of an epoch may be longer. In any case, the minimum duration is 60 hours.

It is important to note that you must wait for two epochs to receive the first reward after staking SOL. This means it takes at least 96 hours (4 days).

Solana’s Proof of Stake is ideal for those who prefer a more traditional staking option. Unlike liquid staking, rewards here do not take advantage of compound interest, but you can still accumulate new SOL by actively participating in the network.

Extra benefits for Young Platform Club members

For members of a Young Platform Club, an exciting new feature makes staking even more advantageous. Alongside receiving rewards in the cryptocurrency you’ve staked, like Ethereum (ETH), you’re also entitled to an additional APY in YNG tokens. This means you will receive the cryptocurrency you staked and a second reward in YNG tokens for every stake activated. 

This dual benefit furthers the value of your portfolio, ensuring greater diversification and potentially better results over time. Club members can thus maximise staking returns, taking advantage of rewards in two different assets with each operation.

Ready to Take Action?

Check out the guide for activating staking on Young Platform and start putting your crypto to work today!

Related Articles:

Important Notice

Staking, like any operation involving cryptocurrencies, comes with risks. The value of cryptocurrencies can fluctuate, and staking rewards are not guaranteed. Past returns do not indicate future outcomes and staking rewards can vary depending on factors such as the specific cryptocurrency protocol, the number of validators, and market conditions. It’s crucial to conduct thorough research and fully understand staking mechanisms before proceeding. Young Platform is committed to providing clear and transparent information but cannot be held responsible for any losses or damages resulting from the use of staking services. Users acknowledge that potential risks and/or attacks on one or more blockchain

Guide to activating Staking on Young Platform

activating staking

Learn how to activate on-chain staking and earn new cryptocurrencies as rewards automatically and regularly.

What is Staking?


Staking allows cryptocurrency holders to participate actively in a blockchain network by “locking up” a portion of their assets for a certain period in exchange for rewards. Simply put, by staking, you’re contributing your crypto to support the network’s functionality and security, and you earn new crypto in return.

In staking, the right to validate transactions is linked to the number of coins “locked” in a wallet. Like mining in Proof of Work (PoW), stakes are rewarded for verifying transactions or finding new blocks. This reward is paid in the form of new tokens.

Note: Staked assets cannot be traded or used for buy/sell orders during the staking period, as they are locked on the blockchain.

Why does staking offer rewards?


Staking rewards come from the consensus mechanism of specific blockchains, such as Proof of Stake (PoS). By staking, you help validate transactions and maintain the network’s security, ensuring its decentralised and secure operation. In return, you earn new tokens, depending on how much you stake and how long it’s locked.

Note:

  • The more tokens you stake, the greater the rewards.
  • The longer you stake, the higher the rewards.

Staking on Young Platform

Young Platform offers two types of staking:

  • Liquid Staking on Ethereum (ETH)
  • Proof of Stake on Solana (SOL) – COMING SOON

Buy and stake ETH

Benefits of staking with Young Platform

  1. Ease of Use: Young Platform’s centralized platform provides a simple staking experience, making DeFi accessible even to those unfamiliar with the space.
  2. Convenience: Easily stake your idle assets and receive new tokens proportional to the staked amount.
  3. Regular Payments: Earn rewards according to the blockchain protocol.
  4. Flexibility: Closing your stake at any time after activation.
  5. Security: Young Platform uses industry-leading providers to ensure safety.

Minimum and maximum staking mmounts

  • Ethereum (ETH): Minimum 0.02 ETH; Maximum 3 ETH per single stake.
  • Solana (SOL): Minimum 0.3 SOL; Maximum 70 SOL per single stake.

For larger amounts, you can create multiple stakes of the same cryptocurrency.

Total Maximum Amounts

  • Ethereum (ETH): Total quantity maximum in stake 300 ETH

Use the converters below to see the equivalent value in Euros:

How to activate staking on Young Platform

Step 1: Buy Cryptocurrencies

You need a minimum amount of crypto to activate staking. Here’s how:

  1. Deposit funds to your account via bank transfer or card (read the guide).
  2. From the homepage, click “Buy”.
  3. Select Ethereum or Solana.
  4. Enter the amount.
  5. Click “Continue” to complete the purchase.

Note: You can stake a single coin or multiple coins simultaneously.

Step 2: Choose Staking

  1. Access the “Staking” section from the homepage. Alternatively, enter the dedicated section for these cryptocurrencies from the SOL or ETH Market Page or your wallet.
  2. Select the type of staking: Proof of Stake or Liquid Staking. If the cryptocurrency supports both types, you can activate both.
  3. Understand the APY (Annual Percentage Yield): You’ll see an APY figure representing the potential yearly yield during the selection. It’s an average of the last 30 days (for Ethereum) or recognised by the network at that precise moment (for Solana) and may vary depending on market conditions. Therefore, this value may vary over time. The APY is shown after the applicable fees. 

Note: Rewards are credited to the staked cryptocurrency. If you stake ETH, you earn new ETH tokens.

Step 3: Activate Staking


After selecting the type of staking, you’ll see its details, including:

  • Club Reward: Members of our Club receive extra rewards in YNG tokens.
  • Activation Time: The time required for staking to go live on-chain after creation. During this period, no rewards are earned.
  • Reward Credit: Frequency of rewards and whether they’re compounded automatically.
  • Closing Time: The time needed to unlock your assets and transfer them back to your main wallet upon stake closure.

For a complete overview, check out the Fees and Pricing page.

Note: Each protocol has a different structure and staking mechanism. These protocols are maintained and supported by various third-party projects that are distinct and separate from Young Platform.

Step 4: Insert Amount


Read the information sheet and enter the amount of crypto you want to stake. Remember to check the minimum required for each coin. Thanks to the euro equivalent displayed, you’ll know exactly how much you’re staking in traditional currency.

Once confirmed, review the summary and finalise.

Note: The euro value of the rewards is calculated by applying the APY to the staked amount. However, this is only an estimate—actual rewards may vary due to market conditions and the network status.

Monitoring your staked assets

Once activated, monitor your stakes in the Active Staking section. You can also view the stake’s history, current status, and any earned rewards. Possible states include:

  • ACTIVATION: Staking is being activated on the blockchain.
  • ACTIVE: Staking is live, and you’re earning rewards.
  • CLOSING: You’ve requested to close the stake; the assets are unlocking.
  • CLOSED: Staking is fully closed, and rewards are no longer earned.

In this summary screen, you’ll also see:

  • Staking Reward: the total new crypto you have received as a reward.
  • Club Reward: YNG tokens earned.
  • History: Includes creation date, activation date, first reward date, and more.

Rewards begin accruing only after the validator activates and processes staking. If you withdraw early, rewards may not be paid. Rewards are based on estimated validator earnings, which are the gross of the Young Platform’s fees. 

Young Platform does not guarantee specific rates or returns. The first reward might take longer due to activation time and validator performance.

What’s next?

Great job getting this far! Now, it’s time to aim higher. Move on to the next chapter:
Guide: creating new stakes for adding funds to existing ones

Related articles

Guide: creating new stakes for adding funds to existing ones

create new stakes

Now that you’ve created your first stake, it’s time to consider a medium to long-term strategy. The key to maximising your rewards is to plan how much of your budget you intend to allocate to staking each month and on which cryptocurrencies.

Creating an accumulation strategy through staking can exponentially increase your rewards, thanks to the effect of compound interest (when available). This means that each new reward received is staked again, increasing the number of cryptocurrencies at stake and, consequently, the rewards month after month.

Create a new stake

How to create new stakes

You can create multiple stakes on the same crypto. For instance, if you allocate €200 in ETH each month to staking, you can do so easily. Here are the steps:

  1. Go to the “Staking” section.
  2. Choose the cryptocurrency for which you wish to create a new stake from the list of active stakes.
  3. Click the “Create Stake” button.
  4. Proceed as you did with the first stake: enter the amount, read through the summary of the conditions, and confirm the operation.

Mid-Term Strategy Simulation

To understand the impact of compound interest and additional contributions on staking, let’s examine two different scenarios in which a user stakes Ethereum (ETH) for 24 months.

Assumptions

  • APY (Annual Percentage Yield): 5%
  • Rewards credited daily
  • Scenario 1: Initial capital of €1,500, without any additional contributions.
  • Scenario 2: Initial capital of €1,500, plus a monthly contribution of €200 
  • Current price of Ethereum: €2,000 per ETH
  • The price of Ethereum remains constant throughout the period (for simplicity).

Scenario 1: Initial Capital of €1,500

In this scenario, you start with an initial stake of €1,500 in Ethereum, assuming an APY of 5%. Considering the initial price of Ethereum is €2,000, you will lock 0.75 ETH at the start.

Your funds will grow over time due to compound interest. By the end of 24 months, the value of your portfolio will have increased to €1,653.75, which equates to approximately 0.8287 ETH.

The reason your ETH amount increases over time is due to the effect of the 5% APY. Based on this simulation, each year, you earn 5% interest on your staked amount. These rewards are continuously staked, creating a compounding effect that progressively grows your holdings.

Scenario 2: Initial Capital of €1,500 + €200 per month

Scenario 2 starts with the same initial conditions: €1,500 in staking and a 5% APY. However, we add €200 each month into the same staking position. Every month, you contribute €200 more to your Ethereum staking.

Not only do you continue to receive rewards on the initial amount, but the monthly contributions of €200 consistently increase the base amount upon which the APY is calculated. This means that you’re not just earning rewards each month—you’re also adding new capital that helps your overall portfolio grow even faster.

At the end of the 24 months, once the staked crypto is “unstaked,” you will have a total of €6,730.89, corresponding to approximately 3.3654 ETH. As you can see, adding even a small amount each month significantly increases the accumulated total. It’s not just the €200 added monthly—every euro you staked has worked for you, generating additional rewards.

This simulation is for illustrative purposes only and does not constitute a promise of returns or profit. Actual results may vary significantly. The information provided in this text is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Young Platform S.p.a. is not responsible for any losses or damages from using this information. Please refer to Young Platform’s Staking Wallet Terms & Conditions for a complete description of the service and its associated risks.

How to Create New Stakes and Maximize Rewards

Monitoring total rewards

To monitor your staking activities and total rewards:

  1. Go back to the page of the active stake you want to check.
  2. At the top, you’ll see the “Staking Balance”, which represents the total amount of cryptocurrencies staked. For example, if, over the past three months, you’ve created:
    • One stake of 3 ETH
    • One stake of 2 ETH
    • One stake of 5 ETH
    • The total shown will be 10 ETH.

In addition, you’ll see the euro equivalent of the cryptocurrencies in staking at the current price.

Note: The indicated balance only includes actively staked cryptocurrencies, not the accumulated rewards. You can find the rewards under the “Total Results” section, which includes:

  • Stake Rewards: Cryptocurrencies accumulated as rewards for staking.
  • Club Rewards: Additional tokens (YNG) are obtained if you are subscribed to the Young Platform Club.

General information about staking

In the same section, you will find an overview of the active staking features, including:

  • Activation Time: The period required for the staking to become operational.
  • Credit Frequency: The frequency with which you receive rewards.
  • Closure Time: The time needed to unlock cryptocurrencies after a closure request.
  • Type of Staking: Proof of Stake or Liquid Staking.
  • Annual Reward (APY): The expected return yearly.
  • Club Advantage: If you are subscribed to the Club, you will see additional benefits such as extra rewards in YNG.

Staking management sections

Activity

In this section, you can view the status of each stake:

  • The number of tokens currently staked.
  • The number of tokens in the activation phase.
  • The number of tokens unlocked after the closure of one or more stakes.

Stake History

Here, you will find the complete history of all the stakes you have created. By clicking on each one, you can view the details of your Position:

  • Stake Status: In activation, active, in closure, or closed.
  • Amount of Rewards Accumulated for that specific stake.
  • Club Rewards (YNG) obtained for that stake.
  • Stake History:
    • Creation Date.
    • Activation Date.
    • Date of First Reward.

If you have requested the closure of a stake, you will also see:

  • Closure Request Date.
  • Effective Closure Date.

This overview will allow you to easily monitor your staking strategy and add new funds to maximise your rewards.

What’s Next?

Now that you’re familiar with creating and managing stakes, it’s the perfect time to explore the benefits of Young Platform Clubs. These clubs can increase your rewards and offer additional benefits. If you wish, you can also consult the dedicated guide to closing one or more stakes, so you have all the information you need to manage your staked cryptocurrencies effectively.

Related Articles

Guide to Club Benefits for Staking on Young Platform

club benefits staking

Discover how to earn double rewards from a single stake.

Staking on Young Platform not only allows you to earn standard rewards, but if you’re a member of one of the Clubs, you can also benefit from extra perks in the form of YNG tokens. These additional benefits accumulate over time and are credited when the stake ends, further boosting your overall earnings.

Club benefits

Young Platform Club members receive extra rewards in YNG tokens, calculated based on their club level. The levels and corresponding bonuses are:

  • Bronze Club: +5% bonus on APY in YNG tokens
  • Silver Club: +15% bonus on APY in YNG tokens
  • Gold Club: +30% bonus on APY in YNG tokens
  • Platinum Club: +70% bonus on APY in YNG tokens

Join a Club

How does the Club bonus work?

To better understand how this works, let’s look at a practical example:

  • Amount in staking: €1,500
  • Cryptocurrency staked: Ethereum
  • Ethereum APY: 5%

If you’re a Platinum Club member, you earn an additional 70% of the 5% APY as a bonus in YNG tokens. This means your bonus will equal 3,5% of the staked amount in YNG tokens. Specifically:

  • Ethereum APY: 5%
  • Platinum Club Bonus: 70% of 5% = 3,5%

In this example, a Platinum Club member staking ETH would receive:

  • Reward in ETH:
    5% of €1,500 = €75 in Ethereum (ETH)
  • Bonus in YNG tokens:
    3,5% of €1,500 = €52,50 in YNG tokens

Thus, by staking €1,500, Platinum Club members in this example receive €75 in ETH and €52,50 in YNG tokens, totalling €127,50 in overall rewards.

Similarly, members of other Clubs receive a progressively increasing percentage:

  • Bronze Club: +5% of 5% APY = 0,25% extra reward in YNG tokens
  • Silver Club: +15% of 5% APY = 0,75% extra reward in YNG tokens
  • Gold Club: +30% of 5% APY = 1,5% extra reward in YNG tokens
  • Platinum Club: +70% of 5% APY = 3,5% extra reward in YNG tokens

This Club Advantage simulation is purely for illustrative purposes and does not represent any guarantee of return or profit. Please keep in mind that actual results may vary significantly. This is because the calculation is based on several constantly evolving factors, such as the APY offered by ETH staking, the price of ETH in euros, and the price of the YNG token. The APY can change over time depending on market conditions and the Ethereum network, while the value of ETH and YNG can fluctuate significantly, affecting the value of the rewards. Remember that this information is for informational purposes and is not intended to provide financial advice. Young Platform S.p.a. assumes no responsibility for any losses or damages from using this information. For a complete description of the staking service and the associated risks, we invite you to consult the Terms & Conditions – Staking Wallet of Young Platform.

Medium-Term strategy simulation

Applying the Platinum Club advantage to the two scenarios outlined in the article “Guide: Creating New Stakes to Add Funds to Existing Ones,” let’s see how the ETH and YNG portfolio grows.

  • APY (Annual Percentage Yield): 5%
  • Rewards are credited daily
  • Scenario 1: Initial capital is €1,500, without any further contributions.
  • Scenario 2: Initial capital is €1,500, with an additional monthly deposit of €200 into staking.
  • Current price of Ethereum: €2,000 per ETH
  • Assuming the price of Ethereum remains constant over the period (for simplicity).

ETH Value Chart

  • Scenario 1 (Initial Capital): Shows a steady growth based solely on the 5% APY applied to the initial capital of €1,500.
  • Scenario 2 (Initial Capital + Monthly Contributions): Capital increases significantly monthly, thanks to the additional €200 monthly contributions. These contributions help grow the overall staking value, leading to accelerated growth in rewards.

YNG Bonus Chart

  • Scenario 1 (Initial Capital): The YNG bonus grows linearly, based on the 5% APY on the initial capital.
  • Scenario 2 (Initial Capital + Monthly Contributions): With the additional monthly contributions, the growth of the YNG bonus becomes much steeper.

This simulation is for illustrative purposes only and does not constitute a promise of returns or profit. Actual results may vary significantly. The information provided in this text is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Young Platform S.p.a. is not responsible for any losses or damages from using this information. Please refer to Young Platform’s Staking Wallet Terms & Conditions for a complete description of the service and its associated risks.

Join a Club

When will you receive Club rewards?

YNG token rewards accrue at the same rate as regular staking rewards, accumulating throughout the staking period. You can view the total YNG tokens earned in the summary of your results or the details of each stake. Upon closing a stake, the YNG tokens are transferred to your Young (YNG) main wallet, which you can use for trading.

What happens if you join a Club with an active stake?

If you join a Club while you already have an active stake, you’ll start receiving extra rewards in YNG tokens when you become a Club member. However, these rewards are not retroactive—they will only be calculated from your Club membership activation date. In other words, bonuses will accrue from the day you join and will not be applied to staking periods before joining the Club. This allows you to maximise benefits for the remainder of the staking period.

What happens if you leave a Club with an active stake?

If you leave a Club while your stake is still active, you will stop receiving extra rewards in YNG tokens from when you leave the Club. However, all YNG rewards accumulated until the day before your departure are guaranteed and will be credited as usual upon closing the stake. In other words, you won’t lose what you’ve already earned but won’t accumulate further YNG rewards from the day you leave the Club.

The Opportunity of Clubs

Young Platform Clubs offer an exciting opportunity to maximise staking gains beyond traditional rewards by rewarding loyal users with an additional bonus in YNG tokens. If you want to make the most out of your staking, consider joining one of the Clubs to increase your overall rewards significantly!

Related articles

Guide: closing a Stake

closing staking

To request the closure of a stake, the stake must have an ACTIVE status. It is impossible to close stakes still in the activation phase. Depending on your needs, you can choose to close one, several, or all stakes simultaneously.

Note
You will no longer receive rewards once the closure procedure has been initiated.

What is Meant by “Closing Time”?

The closing time refers to the period required to unlock the staked funds on the blockchain and transfer them to your Main Wallet, according to the specific blockchain protocol rules. During this unlocking phase, no further rewards will be accrued.
For details about the length of the closing period, refer to the Fees and Pricing page.

Unlocking the Funds

Once the unlocking process is complete, the funds staked and the rewards accumulated up to the time of the closure request will be transferred from the Staking Wallet to the Main Wallet. The destination wallet will depend on the cryptocurrency you have staked, for example, the Ethereum Main Wallet for ETH.
By accessing the different wallets, you can view the transactions related to the transfer of cryptocurrencies.

The credit of YNG Tokens for Club Members

If you are a member of a Young Platform Club, the YNG tokens accrued up to the time of the stake closure will be credited to your Main YNG Wallet. Unlike staking rewards, distributed periodically, Club rewards are credited in one lump sum at the time of stake closure.

Stake Status

Once the stake has been closed, its status will change from CLOSING to CLOSED. You can view this change in the Activity section and the Stake History section on the specific Staking Management page.
During the stake-closing process, the following phases are executed:

  1. Closure Request: The date on which the user requested the closure of the stake.
  2. On-chain Unlocking: The point at which the staked cryptocurrencies are unlocked from the blockchain, marking the end of active staking.
  3. Transfer of Funds and Rewards: The funds and rewards resulting from staking are transferred to the cryptocurrency’s Main Wallet.
  4. Credit of YNG Rewards: If the user is subscribed to a Young Platform Club, the extra YNG rewards will also be credited to the YNG Wallet.

This way, the closing process ends with all cryptocurrencies and rewards being available in the user’s Main Wallet.

Closing One or More Stakes

If you have multiple active stakes in the same cryptocurrency, you can select one or more stakes to close or close them all simultaneously, depending on your needs.

How to Close a Stake

Here are the steps to close one or more stakes:

  1. Access the “Staking” section from your homepage or from the specific cryptocurrency wallet.
  2. Choose the cryptocurrency from which you wish to request closure from the list of active stakes.
  3. Click the “Close Stake” button.
  4. Select the stake or stakes you wish to close.
  5. After selecting, click “Continue” and verify that the number of selected stakes and the amount of cryptocurrency to be unlocked are correct.
  6. Carefully read the summary of information: once the closure is confirmed, the operation cannot be undone.

When you decide to close a staking position on Young Platform, it’s important to consider the fees. The fees are applied to the rewards generated, calculated as a percentage, and deducted directly at the time of transfer to the Main Wallet. These fees may vary depending on the cryptocurrency used, the staking provider, and market conditions. If the rewards do not exceed the minimum fee, it will be deducted from the staked amount to reach the minimum. Young Platform ensures transparency by providing clear fee details within the staking Settings.

Related Articles:

Samsung’s investments in crypto

Samsung's investments in the crypto world

Samsung’s investments in the crypto world followed the announcement that it has invested in the crypto company Startale Labs, which is working on Sony-owned Ethereum Layer 2. 

It’s happening! Large ‘traditional’ technology companies are entering the crypto world with a ‘leg up’, as demonstrated by Sony’s announcement last week. The entertainment giant presented Soneium, an Ethereum Layer 2 developed in collaboration with blockchain company Startale Labs, to the public, which also attracted the interest and capital of Samsung.

Unlike Sony, however, South Korea has been exploring the world of cryptocurrencies for several years through its venture capital fund, Samsung Next. This is why it may be curious to analyse Samsung’s investments in the crypto world. How does the company finance the start-ups? If you follow the sector with interest, you will know some of them!

  • Axie Infinity

SamsungNext believed in one of the most popular Web3 games in the crypto world and participated in the $152 million (Series B) funding round by Sky Mavis, the software house behind the game’s development.

Buy AXS!

Axie Infinity and its development team raised around $315 million in investments in six rounds.

  • Sui (SUI)

The blockchain created by Meta’s team of former employees certainly attracted a lot of attention in its early months. The depth of its early employees and the technological premise have enabled this blockchain company to raise large amounts of capital and re-enter the crypto companies in which Samsung has invested.

Buy SUI!

The technology giant acquired shares in Sui in December 2021, during the blockchain company’s first funding round (series A).

  • Alchemy

Alchemy is one of the most popular developer platforms in the crypto world, as it offers developers everything they need to develop decentralised applications (dapp). It is not as popular as the projects mentioned above precisely because it is dedicated to the so-called builders, those who are in charge of building the blockchain protocols we use.

The investments attracted by this crypto company, in which Samsung also participated, show that Alchemy is a Web3 institution. It has raised a total of approximately USD 560 million and is valued at more than USD 10 billion. The top names that have participated in several rounds also include Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), Coinbase Venture, and Pantera Capital.

  • Yuga Labs

The Web3 company that released the NFT collection ‘Bored Ape Yacht Club’ (BAYC) has also received capital from Samsung, perhaps because the South Korean company wants to keep up and aims to fit into entertainment 3.0. Samsung contributed to this NFT company in March 2022, during Yuga Labs’ only funding round, through which it raised USD 450 million.

At that time, the Bored Apes of BAYC were at the height of their success. The minimum price for a single non-fungible token was around 100 Ethereum, more than $300,000. Today, however, the collection and the entire NFT market have shrunk dramatically, and it is possible to buy a Bored Apes for about 10 ETH, less than $30,000 at today’s price.

  • The Sandbox

Even though this segment of the crypto world has not been doing well lately, the world’s most popular metaverse has attracted more than $100 million in investments in the past year. 

See the SAND chart!

At the height of its success (November 2021), The Sandbox closed a USD 93 million funding round in which SamsungNext and LG Technology Ventures, the fund owned by one of the Korean company’s main competitors, also participated. 

These are just a small part of Samsung’s investments in the crypto world. Also worth mentioning are LayerZero, a leading blockchain interoperability protocol; SuperRare, an NFT marketplace dedicated to digital art; and Messari, a widely used database and intelligence network for the crypto world. Now, after its commitment to Startale Labs, Samsung’s Web3 investment season is starting up again. Keep following us so you don’t miss the next one!

ECB meeting September 2024: decisions and outlook

ECB September 2024 meeting: interest rate forecasts

What will the ECB decide at its meeting on 12 September? Will it cut rates by 25 basis points as planned, or will it, surprisingly, leave them unchanged?

What are the forecasts for the next ECB meeting in September 2024? With only a few days to go before the meeting scheduled for the 12th of the month, speculation about a possible interest rate cut is taking centre stage. At its last meeting in July, the European Central Bank had left them unchanged at 4.25% after the June cut. While deposit rates are stuck at 3.75%.

Since then, new scenarios have emerged, in particular a drastic drop in inflation, at least according to the preliminary figure, from 2.6 % to 2.2 %. Moreover, the Federal Reserve, the central bank of the United States, is ready to cut rates for the first time since 2022. What will happen? Lagarde’s press conference will clarify all doubts.

ECB meeting September 2024: interest rate cut forecasts

The most credible forecasts on the ECB meeting in September 2024 and the European Central Bank’s interest rate cut tell us we will likely see a 25 basis point cut. This intervention would be justified by the slowdown in inflation, which is now very close to the 2% target, but also by the worrying downturn in growth. If this is the case, it would be the second cut in the cost of money this year after the June cut.

The European macroeconomic landscape

To explore the matter further, we can quote Carsten Brzeski, global head of macroeconomics at ING, who said on the occasion of the release of the latest inflation figures: ‘With the latest Eurozone inflation figures, a rate cut at the European Central Bank meeting has become almost a done deal’.

Therefore, economists suggest two factors to consider, especially in view of the upcoming ECB meeting in September: the slowdown in inflation and the worrying situation of growth indicators.

For example, the eurozone’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew by only 0.2% in the second quarter of 2024, a downward revision from the previous estimate of 0.3%. At the ECB meeting, there will also be time to review the macroeconomic projections since they were revised in June. 

At that time, annual economic growth in the Eurozone was forecast at 0.9% in 2024, with a further strengthening to 1.4% in 2025 and 1.6% in 2026. Inflation, on the other hand, was expected to decline from 5.4 % in 2023 to 2.5 % in 2024, 2.2 % in 2025 and 1.9 % in 2026.

We continue with the Pacific Investment Management Company (PIMCO) forecast, which believes that the ECB will cut the deposit rate by 25 basis points from 3.75 % to 3.5 % at its meeting on 12 September 2024. The US firm believes that the Governing Council will provide much guidance beyond September and expects it to reiterate a data-dependent strategy.

How many interest rate cuts can we expect in the coming months?

In the current scenario, despite the drastic drop in inflation, leading industry experts continue to expect two interest rate cuts for 2024, both of 25 basis points. Fidelity, a US investment fund that also owns an ETF on Bitcoin, is of this opinion. If Fidelity’s predictions come true, the deposit rate will stand at 3.25% by the end of the year. By 2025, however, three more cuts are expected, bringing interest rates to 3% and the deposit rate to 2.50%.

DWS Group, one of the world’s leading asset managers, is more or less of the same mind: in 2025, rates will be reduced by 25 basis points every quarter until they reach 2.50% in September 2025.

Ulrike Kastens, Senior Analyst at DWS, stated in an interview on 5 September that the ECB Governing Council will want to avoid lowering interest rates too quickly to prevent inflation from rising again. According to Kastens, the elements in favour of a further interest rate cut in October would mainly be two:

  •  a larger drop in growth than expected;
  •  a larger interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve than expected, expecting a reduction of 25 basis points.

Bastian Freitag, an executive at the Franco-British investment bank Rothschild & Co, does not agree. He expects a plan of regular cuts of 25 basis points from September to December and further quarterly reductions in 2025.

What can we expect at the next ECB meeting in September? Will the predictions on the new interest rate cut come true? How will the Federal Reserve behave at its meeting on September 17 and 18?

How did the debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump go? Things to know

How did the debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump go?

On 10 September, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump held the long-awaited official debate for the November presidential election. Who came out on top?

On 5 November, US voters will go to the polls to elect the next president. Initially planned as a rematch of the 2020 election, this election was turned upside down in July when President Joe Biden decided to end his campaign and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris. The big question now is: will the result mean a second term for Donald Trump or the first woman president of the United States?

Harris vs Trump: the debate and the effect on the campaign

10 September marked a very important moment in the presidential election race for both candidates, especially for Kamala Harris, who took the opportunity to introduce herself to Americans as the new leader of the Democratic Party after the resignation of Joe Biden. Harris addressed all Americans still undecided about voting, taking the stage determined to represent the ‘face of change’ and show a ‘new way forward’ for all Americans. On the other hand, Trump maintained his style, emphasising the strong positions that distinguish him and criticising his rival’s lack of pragmatism. 

Harris vs Trump: a heated confrontation on crucial issues

The debate, held in Philadelphia and moderated by David Muir, saw the two candidates address topics of great relevance to voters: the economy, inflation, immigration and abortion. Harris tried to position herself as the middle-class candidate, accusing Trump of being the ‘champion of the billionaires’. At the same time, Trump portrayed Harris as a left-wing extremist who lacks the experience needed to govern.

Kamala Harris had a slower start but managed to carbonise and put Trump on the spot on sensitive issues, such as his popularity among world leaders and judicial troubles. She tried to present herself as a pragmatic and decisive leader, ready to confront international and domestic challenges, such as foreign and social policy issues.

On the other hand, Donald Trump maintained his usual provocative style, trying to discredit his opponent with personal attacks and repeated references to Joe Biden’s tenure, which he described as a failure. Despite his tendency to respond to provocations, Trump has tried to avoid excessively personal attacks while maintaining a harsh tone, especially on immigration, an issue on which he has a lead in the polls.

Taylor Swift’s endorsement and the ‘Spin Room’

One of the most talked about moments of the evening was Taylor Swift‘s endorsement of Harris. The pop star, very influential on social media, endorsed the Democratic candidate with a message to her fans, emphasising her support for Harris. This could have a significant impact, especially among younger voters.

Both camps declared victory in the ‘spin room’ after the debate. Trump’s allies tried to downplay the damage caused by some of his controversial statements, such as when he claimed that Haitian immigrants steal and eat pets in Ohio, a claim immediately denied by the moderator.

Who won the debate?

Regarding immediate reactions, Harris has consolidated his position, standing up to Trump and not giving in to his provocations. Trump appeared confident but was challenged on sensitive points, such as his judicial troubles and popularity among world leaders. 

However, both candidates have offered few concrete details about their programmes, leaving many voters questioning the United States’ political future. It is, therefore, too early to assess the impact on the polls, which may better indicate whether there will be any change in electoral preferences in the coming days. Indeed, the seven states with the most significant polling stations – Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Nevada, North Carolina, Michigan, Georgia and Arizona – will play a key role.

These seven states can, in turn, be divided into three different territorial categories. Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, all located north of the Canadian border, represent the most industrial part of the country. North Carolina and Georgia, on the other hand, are located south of Washington, while Nevada and Arizona are the most important in the Western United States. 

Who is leading in the polls?

In the months before Biden’s retirement, polls consistently showed him trailing Donald Trump. Although Harris initially struggled to improve those percentages, his campaign began to gain ground. Currently, at national polls, Kamala Harris leads by three percentage points

This figure, however, matters relatively, as it does not consider the different values of the key or swing states with a higher number of seats, which we listed earlier. If we analyse the question with these preferences in mind, we see that Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are, essentially, on par. For example, in Pens, Harris has 48% of the preferences while Trump has 47%, and the same percentage in Georgia. Conversely, Trump is ahead in Arizona (48%) against 47% for Harris.

National polling averages give a good idea of the candidates’ general popularity but do not necessarily accurately reflect the possible outcome of the election. The outcome will depend on a handful of swing states, such as Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin, which historically swing between the two parties.

Who is winning in the swing states?

The polls are very tight in the seven key states, including Pennsylvania, which is crucial for electoral victory. Pennsylvania, in particular, has the most electoral votes among the swing states, making it decisive.

Michigan and Wisconsin, once Democratic strongholds, passed to Trump in 2016, but Biden won them back in 2020. Except for North Carolina, Joe Biden had won favour in six of these seven states. If Harris can maintain these gains, he will be well on his way to winning the election. On the other hand, Trump will have to make up ground in these key states to secure the votes needed to reach the 270 large voters required for victory.

In other words, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are unlikely to travel to Los Angeles (California) or New York, and if they do, the only purpose of their visits will be to collect money. They will most likely go to Phoenix (Arizona), Milwaukee (Wisconsin), or Atlanta (Georgia).

The role of funding 

One element that underlines the importance of swing states compared to those considered ‘normal’ is the amount of money the parties spend on promoting their programmes. In August, for television commercials in Pennsylvania, the two politicians spent about 40 million dollars each, in Georgia almost 20, and in Arizona more than 10.

Finally, we can briefly analyse the issues that will play a vital role in the US elections in November, mainly from an ideological and demographic perspective. For instance, Donald Trump had won a considerable slice of the African-American electorate, which may return to voting Dem after Kamala Harris takes the field. At the same time, however, many South American immigrants who are now citizens of Western states might prefer Trump’s approach to immigration because they have become, over time, strongly conservative on this issue.

Conclusion

The debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump gave American citizens a taste of the dynamics that will characterise this presidential race. Harris seems to have a slight lead in the polls, but the road to the White House is far from secure. In the coming days, the political landscape will continue to evolve, and voters in the swing states will have the final say on who will lead the country.

Chinese economic crisis: the impact on countries linked to China

Has the Chinese economic crisis arrived? What will be the influence on countries that have linked their future to China?

After two decades of unprecedented economic growth and prosperity, China has shown signs of a slowdown, causing global concern. How did it get to this point? Was the Chinese economic miracle, which fuelled global growth for years, an illusion? The signs of trouble are many: the collapse of exports from countries like Venezuela, which had staked much of its economic future on Chinese loans in exchange for oil, and the failure of major Beijing-funded infrastructure projects, such as the China-Laos high-speed rail line, which proved unsustainable.

The slowdown in China’s demand for raw materials has thrown emerging and established economies into crisis, with devastating effects even on long-standing economic partners such as Germany. China’s progressively cutting back on foreign lending and imposing unfair competition on global markets have caused many economies to be in trouble, raising questions about the sustainability of the Chinese growth model.

The economic agreement between China and Venezuela

In the 2000s, Venezuela, led by President Hugo Chávez, put all its eggs in China‘s basket, as it was the ideal solution to Venezuela’s problems. How? By offering billions of dollars in investments and loans in exchange for a precious commodity: black gold oil. At first glance, Chavez’s gamble may seem a winner. During economic expansion, China was hungry for energy resources and used Venezuelan oil to fuel its growth while financing ambitious infrastructure projects in Venezuela.

However, during the past decade, the situation worsened, mainly due to the drop in demand for oil and thus its price. Venezuelan export revenues dropped dramatically, plunging an economy already plagued by bad governance and internal problems into crisis, which finally rolled over in 2014. We all know the consequences of this: food shortages, hospitals lacking medicines and crime rates bordering on the surreal. For these reasons, millions of Venezuelans have been forced to emigrate, and China has progressively reduced its funding to the country. In short, Venezuela’s bet on China has become an economic disaster.

This crisis is only one of the first alarm signals ignored by the international community. Dozens of other countries, which have tied their economic fate to Chinese growth, now find themselves in dire financial straits. This situation is mainly due to the slowdown of the Chinese economy.

The Chinese economic ‘miracle’: an illusion?

After the 2008 financial crisis, triggered by the collapse of the US housing market, China supported the global economy by injecting vast amounts of money into the economic system, stimulating domestic demand and investing. It has spent around USD 29 trillion in less than a decade, equivalent to one-third of the world’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The beneficial effects of this expansionary policy have been felt worldwide, so much so that the Chinese economy is thought to have contributed around 40% of global growth from 2008 to 2021.

For many developing countries, China was the best of allies. A century later than in the West, its economic boom suddenly opened up new markets for raw material exports, while the Chinese government offered generous loans for infrastructure projects through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). However, deep imbalances and structural problems were hidden behind this apparent economic miracle.

The Chinese boom, fuelled by inefficient investments and short-term stimulus policies, now appears unsustainable. The situation is even more difficult if one analyses the moves of President Xi Jinping, who has been in power since 2012, tightened state control over the economy and resisted significant economic reforms. The result? Economic growth is slowing dramatically, so much so that some experts believe it is now practically nil.

The global impact of the Chinese slowdown

The slowdown in Chinese growth is having significant repercussions globally, particularly in countries that have chosen China as their leading trading partner. Falling Chinese demand for raw materials has led to a slump in exports for many emerging economies. The situation worsens as the Chinese government continues to subsidise its own companies and flood global markets with cheap products, making it difficult for local producers in other parts of the world.

In particular, China’s foreign lending has dropped dramatically in recent years. In 2016, China lent around USD 90 billion abroad annually, but today, this figure has fallen to only USD 4 billion. This reduction in financing is putting pressure on many countries that depend on Chinese loans for their infrastructure projects. Many nations are faced with paying off huge debts without being able to count on new loans.

The crises in Zambia, Sri Lanka and Pakistan

To understand the extent of the problem, one only has to look at the situation in Zambia and Sri Lanka. Both have declared default because of billions of dollars in debt to China, which they cannot repay. Or Pakistan, where factories are closing and the energy system is struggling to function.

Even the most developed economies are not immune. Germany saw its exports to China fall by 9% in 2023, the most significant drop since China joined the World Trade Organisation in 2001. Other commodity-rich countries, such as Australia, Brazil, and Saudi Arabia, are seeing declining demand for energy and natural resources.

The shadow of the 1980s debt crisis

The current situation parallels the debt crisis that affected many developing countries in the 1980s. At that time, many nations, particularly in Latin America and Africa, were overwhelmed by huge debts contracted with Western commercial banks and international institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. Faced with soaring interest rates and plummeting commodity prices, many countries, including Mexico, Brazil and Argentina, defaulted, triggering years of economic stagnation and political crises.

Today, China has taken over the role that used to be played by Western banks. Its growing economic influence has led many developing countries to take on huge debts to finance infrastructure and industrial projects. However, as the cases of Venezuela, Zambia and Sri Lanka show, the price of this dependence on China can be devastating.

An uncertain future

The Chinese economic crisis is not just about China but has global implications. Dozens of countries are at risk of default, and the global economic outlook is uncertain. The situation could worsen if China does not restructure its external debt and change its protectionist trade practices. Not least because China also has to deal with a severe real estate crisis, for example, the collapse of Evergrande, one of the world’s largest companies in this sector.

The international community faces a complex challenge: finding a balance between the need to involve China in resolving the crisis and protecting its economies from the consequences of the Chinese slowdown. Venezuela’s example shows how high the cost of a badly calibrated economic gamble can be.

The world needs a collective solution to deal with the consequences of the Chinese economic slowdown, but finding a global agreement will take work.