Rocket Pool
Decentralized Ethereum liquid staking protocol: deposit ETH for rETH, or run a node with an ETH bond.
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Rocket Pool key facts
| Category | Liquid staking |
|---|---|
| Chains | Ethereum |
| Platforms | Web |
| Custody | Non-custodial |
| Pricing | Minimum stake 0.01 ETH |
| Security audits | Sigma Prime, ConsenSys Diligence (before mainnet) |
| Fees | 0.05% deposit fee on the protocol route, plus gas |
| Launched | Live since October 2021 |
| US availability | Available: terms name no country restrictions |
RPL token
- Price
- $1.35 +2.5% 24h
- Market cap
- $30.9M
- Fully diluted value
- $30.9M
- 30-day change
- -29.2%
Market data: CoinGecko, updated Nov 10, 2026. Educational content, not financial advice.
What is Rocket Pool?
Rocket Pool is a decentralized Ethereum liquid staking protocol. Stakers deposit as little as 0.01 ETH and receive rETH; node operators bond ETH to run validators. Its security page lists audits by Sigma Prime and Consensys Diligence since May 2021, and by Cantina and Bailsec for the 2026 Saturn 1 upgrade.
How Rocket Pool works
A solo Ethereum validator needs 32 ETH.
In Rocket Pool, a node operator bonds 4 ETH per validator and the protocol adds 28 ETH borrowed from the staking pool, which is funded by liquid stakers in exchange for rETH. The result is a megapool validator that behaves like any other validator on the Beacon Chain, while creation, withdrawals and reward sharing run through Rocket Pool's smart contracts.
Your rETH balance stays the same while its value rises against ETH. The rate compares total rETH supply with total ETH staked, the rETH contract balance and rETH's share of priority fees and MEV rewards. The exchange rate is updated about every 24 hours from Beacon Chain rewards earned by node operators.
How to start with Rocket Pool
- You can stake from 0.01 ETH.
- The staking site offers two routes.
- The protocol route deposits straight into Rocket Pool's contracts at the current rETH rate with no slippage, but it is bound by deposit pool limits and, when unstaking, needs ETH available in the pool.
- The CoW Swap route, on mainnet only, trades through a batch auction, can take 2 to 5 minutes and uses a default 0.5% slippage tolerance.
- You can also buy rETH on a decentralized exchange such as Balancer or Uniswap, or on a layer 2 network such as Optimism or Arbitrum, where Rocket Pool says fees run about ten times lower.
- The docs include a walkthrough for practicing on the Hoodi testnet with MetaMask and test ETH first.
Rocket Pool fees and limits
- The protocol route returns exactly as much rETH as your ETH is worth minus a 0.05% deposit fee, plus gas, which can be expensive for small amounts.
The CoW Swap route is gasless for the swap itself, but you absorb slippage and price impact. Rocket Pool's FAQ says the protocol takes no cut of staker rewards; node operators instead earn a commission on the pooled ETH they run.
Risks to know before using Rocket Pool
- Rocket Pool has been live since October 2021, and its contracts are open source; the FAQ says Sigma Prime and ConsenSys Diligence audited them before mainnet.
- The CoW Swap route is not part of the protocol: quotes and solvers are third-party systems, which adds slippage and routing risk.
- Node operators post RPL as extra collateral that works as insurance against poor performance or slashing.
Rocket Pool usage
From DefiLlama (TVL) (fees users paid), updated Nov 10, 2026.
Rocket Pool alternatives
Other projects people compare with Rocket Pool.
Non-custodial crypto neobank that began as ETH staking (eETH, weETH) and adds a Cash card, borrowing and vaults.
Solana liquid staking token JitoSOL that pays staking plus MEV rewards, run by the Jito Foundation.
Ethereum liquid staking protocol: stake ETH, receive stETH, and keep it usable in DeFi.
Where Rocket Pool ranks on DappAtlas
Listed next to Rocket Pool
- Gemini Crypto exchange
- Robinhood Crypto Crypto exchange
- EigenLayer Restaking
Rocket Pool pros and cons
- Stake from 0.01 ETH
- Audited by Sigma Prime and Consensys Diligence since 2021
- Permissionless node operators rather than a curated set
- Ethereum only
- rETH trades at an exchange rate to ETH, not 1:1
- Node operators earn a commission out of staker rewards
Rocket Pool FAQ
What is Rocket Pool?
Rocket Pool is a decentralized Ethereum liquid staking protocol. Stakers deposit as little as 0.01 ETH and receive rETH; node operators bond ETH to run validators. Its security page lists audits by Sigma Prime and Consensys Diligence since May 2021, and by Cantina and Bailsec for the 2026 Saturn 1 upgrade.
How much value is locked in Rocket Pool?
$1B according to DefiLlama on Nov 10, 2026. It is deployed on 1 chain: Ethereum.
How much does Rocket Pool cost?
0.05% deposit fee on the protocol route, plus gas, according to Rocket Pool’s own page (checked Sep 26, 2026).
How much do users pay Rocket Pool in fees?
$766,204 over the last 30 days, according to DefiLlama on Nov 10, 2026.
Does Rocket Pool have a token?
Yes, RPL. Its market cap was $30.9M on CoinGecko on Nov 10, 2026. Educational content, not financial advice.
Is Rocket Pool available in the US?
Available: terms name no country restrictions, according to Rocket Pool’s own page (checked Oct 1, 2026).
Does Rocket Pool hold my funds?
No. Rocket Pool is non-custodial: you keep your funds in your own wallet and sign each transaction.
Sources
How this page works
Sources: Rocket Pool: official site, Rocket Pool: Staking overview, Rocket Pool: FAQ. Data as of Oct 1, 2026.
Not affiliated with any project listed. Educational content, not financial advice.