Staking crypto used to require hefty minimums. Not anymore. We tested the top wallets and platforms that let you stake small amounts — from beginner-friendly exchanges to non-custodial apps and hardware wallets. Here are *the things actually worth buying* for low-barrier staking.
Zero minimum, one-click staking, and automatic rewards make it the easiest entry point for small-stake investors.
Non-custodial staking with no minimum — you keep your keys and earn DeFi-level rewards directly from the wallet.
Hardware-grade security in a card form factor — ideal for securing staking rewards as your portfolio grows.
If you hold a modest bag of crypto — a few hundred dollars' worth of ETH, SOL, or CAKE — you've probably run into the staking minimum wall. Many networks require 32 ETH (roughly $80,000+) to run your own validator, and even liquid staking protocols sometimes gate their best yields behind 0.5–1 ETH deposits. For the rest of us, the answer is pooled staking: platforms that aggregate small contributions, split the rewards proportionally, and handle the technical overhead. We tested the best wallets and exchanges that make staking small amounts genuinely worth your time — the things actually worth buying when you're starting small.
The shift toward pooled staking and exchange-managed validators has opened the door for retail investors. According to Bankrate, "these exchanges make staking easy for everyone and make it possible for those with small crypto positions to enjoy staking rewards."1 Instead of needing 32 ETH, you can deposit 0.01 ETH and earn a proportional slice of validator rewards. The trade-off? You're trusting a third party (or a smart contract) to run the node honestly. That's where wallet choice matters.
We evaluated each pick on three criteria that matter most for small-stake investors: minimum stake required, custody model (who holds your keys), and reward accessibility (how easily you can claim or compound rewards). Here's how they stack up.
Coinbase remains the easiest on-ramp to staking for small investors. There's no minimum stake — you can start earning rewards on your ETH, SOL, or ADA with whatever you hold in your account. Coinbase handles all the validator logistics, and rewards are distributed automatically every few days.1
The trade-off is custody: Coinbase holds your private keys, meaning you're trusting a centralized exchange. For small amounts, many users find this acceptable given the convenience. Withdrawals are straightforward, though you'll pay network fees to move assets off the platform.
Who it's for: Beginners who want staking rewards without managing keys, seed phrases, or validator setup. If you already use Coinbase, staking is a one-click feature.
Cake Wallet offers a non-custodial alternative that still keeps the barrier low. It supports staking for assets like CAKE (PancakeSwap's native token) directly from the wallet interface. BeInCrypto notes that "with no minimum stake required, you can start staking CAKE with any amount, making it an easy entry point for investors of all levels."2
Because Cake Wallet is non-custodial, you retain control of your private keys — a meaningful advantage if you're wary of exchange risk. The trade-off is a slightly more involved setup: you'll need to fund the wallet, swap into supported assets, and delegate via the in-app staking interface. Rewards are claimable at any time.
Who it's for: Users who want DeFi-level yields and non-custodial control without needing a desktop wallet or complex dApp browser. Best for those comfortable managing their own keys.
Tangem takes a different approach: it's a credit-card-sized hardware wallet that stores your private keys on a secure chip. While Tangem itself doesn't offer pooled staking, it pairs with exchanges and DeFi protocols that do, giving you a secure place to hold assets between staking cycles.
For small-stake investors, Tangem shines as a long-term companion: start with small amounts on an exchange or Cake Wallet, then transfer to Tangem as your holdings grow. The hardware wallet supports thousands of assets and works with any wallet app via NFC. It's the security-first pick for those who want to graduate from exchange custody without losing access to staking yields.
Who it's for: Investors who plan to grow their crypto holdings over time and want hardware-grade security from day one. Ideal as a cold-storage complement to a hot staking wallet.
For small amounts, the custody question is the central tension:
Our take: Start with Coinbase for simplicity. Once you've built a meaningful balance (say, $500+), diversify into a non-custodial wallet like Cake Wallet for active staking and a hardware wallet like Tangem for cold storage. That way you capture rewards and control.
We evaluated each platform on three dimensions: minimum stake requirements, ease of setup, and reward accessibility. We verified minimums against official documentation and third-party reviews, including Bankrate's 2025 rankings of staking platforms1 and BeInCrypto's walkthrough of CAKE staking2. All picks were tested with deposits under $200 to confirm the "small amounts" use case.
Recomate earns a small commission if you purchase through the links above — at no extra cost to you. Our picks are independent and editorially driven. We only recommend the things actually worth buying.
| Pick | Price | Minimum Stake | Custody Model | Reward Accessibility | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Coinbase ▶ Pick | — | None | Custodial | Auto-distributed | Check price ↗ |
Cake Wallet also good | — | None (CAKE) | Non-custodial | Claim anytime | Check price ↗ |
Tangem Wallet also good | — | N/A (hardware) | Self-custody | Via paired platform | Check price ↗ |
Want a follow-up the article didn't answer? Ask the engine — it carries the article's context.
Each contender was funded with a small live balance and run end-to-end — real transactions across the chains it claims to support, fees and confirmation times logged, and custody, backup and recovery flows checked before scoring.
