How do I stake ZIL?

Stake your ZIL with Atomic Wallet to earn rewards! With the launch of ZIL 2.0, staking mechanics have changed. This guide explains how to migrate your old ZIL and start staking on the new network.

Important — Zilliqa legacy (ZIL 1.0) network is frozen. Following a security incident with the Zilliqa Ledger application (July 2026), Zilliqa has paused all legacy (non-EVM) transactions and is permanently retiring the legacy network. This means unstaking, claiming, or moving legacy ZIL through Zillet or Zillion is currently not possible, and no date has been announced for the pause to be lifted. Zilliqa EVM (ZIL 2.0) is not affected and works normally. Legacy funds will only be movable to ZIL 2.0 through Zilliqa's official recovery/migration process once it becomes available. Being paused does not mean your account was compromised. For the latest official information, see zilliqa.com/ledger-incident.

Contents

Getting started with staking

Staking looks pretty straightforward as a process—instead of just keeping your ZIL deposit on your balance, you're choosing to stake it and earn interest. Where does the interest come from, though? 

By delegating your ZIL to a validator of your choice, you're expressing your trust in them, which makes them more powerful on the Zilliqa blockchain. As validators get paid for confirming blockchain transactions, they in turn pay back to those who supported them. That's how you earn your rewards.

ZIL 2.0 101: the things you need to know

  • Old ZIL 1.0 cannot be staked or claimed in Atomic Wallet, and legacy ZIL operations are currently frozen network-wide due to the July 2026 Zilliqa security incident. Unstaking or claiming legacy ZIL through Zillet or Zillion is not possible at this time. When Zilliqa's official migration process becomes available, legacy holders will be able to move their funds to ZIL 2.0 through it. See the notice at the top of this article.
  • Migrating to ZIL 2.0: the move to Zilliqa EVM (ZIL 2.0) remains the correct long-term path. However, because legacy transactions are currently paused, sending legacy ZIL to your ZIL EVM address is temporarily not possible. Once Zilliqa's official recovery/migration process is live, it will be the way to move legacy funds to ZIL 2.0. ZIL already on ZIL 2.0 (EVM) is unaffected and can be staked normally.
  • New staking is EVM-based, faster, and has no long unbonding period. ZIL 2.0 staking is built on an EVM-compatible architecture, which brings several changes. Faster interaction with the network. No long unstaking or lock-up periods. Improved compatibility with modern wallet infrastructure. This new model replaces the legacy staking system used on ZIL 1.0.
  • Rewards are earned continuously with no unbonding period. Rewards continue to be earned by delegating ZIL to validators, but now the process runs on the ZIL 2.0 network. When you stake ZIL EVM, your tokens are converted into shZIL (staked ZIL). Rewards accumulate through the growing exchange rate between shZIL and ZIL EVM — not as direct payouts to your balance. With ZIL 2.0 the previous unbonding period of ~24 days is removed and unstaking is instant. 

Migrating your old ZIL 1.0

Migration is temporarily on hold. The process below describes the previous migration route via Zillet. Because Zilliqa has paused all legacy transactions (July 2026 incident), unstaking, claiming, and sending legacy ZIL are currently not possible — including through Zillet. These steps will not work until Zilliqa's official migration process is live. They are kept here for reference. ZIL already on ZIL 2.0 (EVM) is unaffected and can be staked normally.

If you have ZIL on the old network, here is the situation:

  • If your ZIL is unstaked on the old address: previously you could send it to your ZIL EVM address in Atomic Wallet as a normal transaction to migrate. This is currently not possible while legacy transactions are paused. Once movement reopens through Zilliqa's official process, this will be the route to ZIL 2.0.
  • If your ZIL is staked on the old address: it previously could be managed through Zillet wallet. This is also frozen for now. The reference steps below will apply again (in updated form) once Zilliqa's official migration is available:

    1. Get your ZIL private key from Atomic Wallet

    - Open Atomic Wallet.

    - Go to Settings → Private Keys.

    - Select ZIL.

    - Copy the private key.


    2. Import into Zillet

    - Go to the official Zillet interface.

    - Click Access Wallet.

    - In Zillet, select Private Key as the access method.

    - Paste your ZIL private key.


    3. Confirm and open the wallet.

    - Verify the address.

    - Make sure the ZIL address shown in Zillet matches the address in Atomic Wallet.

    - You should now see your balance and staking information.

    4. Unstake and transfer. Previously you could unstake directly in Zillet (instant, no waiting period) and then transfer your ZIL 1.0 to your ZIL EVM address in Atomic Wallet. This step is currently frozen and will resume through Zilliqa's official migration process.

Watch for scams: While legacy ZIL is frozen, be cautious of anyone offering to "recover," "unlock," or "migrate" your ZIL for a fee. The only legitimate route is Zilliqa's official migration process. Follow zilliqa.com/ledger-incident for updates.

How to stake ZIL 2.0 in Atomic Wallet

  1. Select the Staking tab and click ZIL EVM
  2. Click Stake ZIL

  3. Decide on the amount of ZIL to stake—and choose a validator (if applicable). You can also go with the default one, which is Atomic Wallet. Double-check everything and click Stake.

  4. Enter your password and click Confirm
  5. Success! Your ZIL EVM is now staked.
    You can click the transaction hash to track it on the blockchain. Allow a couple of minutes for the transaction to be confirmed. You will see your staked position displayed as shZIL — this is expected. shZIL represents your staked ZIL EVM and is how rewards accumulate on ZIL 2.0.
  1. Go to the Staking tab and select ZIL EVM
  2. Tap Stake
  3. Set the amount of ZIL EVM to stake and pick one of the available validators (if applicable);
  4. Enter your password and tap Confirm.
  5. Success! Your ZIL EVM is now staked. You can track it via the blockchain transaction hash. Your staked position will be displayed as shZIL — this is expected behavior and part of the ZIL 2.0 liquid staking mechanism.

Rewards and claiming

When you stake ZIL on the ZIL 2.0 network, your tokens are converted into shZIL (staked ZIL). Rewards are not distributed as separate payouts — instead, they accumulate through the growing exchange rate between shZIL and ZIL EVM. Each new block produced by the network contributes to this rate, meaning your rewards grow gradually over time.
There is no manual claiming required. When you unstake, your shZIL is automatically converted back into ZIL EVM — and the returned amount will normally be higher than what you originally staked, reflecting the accumulated rewards.

Note that you aren't paying that fee to Atomic Wallet, as we don't charge any commissions on staking. These network fees are charged by the blockchain. For more details on whom you're paying and why, check our guide here.

Understanding shZIL on ZIL 2.0

On ZIL 2.0, staking works differently from the old ZIL 1.0 model. When you stake your ZIL EVM, your tokens are converted into shZIL (staked ZIL). This is expected behavior and part of the new liquid staking mechanism.

Because of this:

  • The amount of shZIL you receive may be lower than the amount of ZIL EVM you originally staked.
  • This does not mean that any funds are missing.

Instead of receiving separate staking payouts directly to your balance, rewards are accumulated through the exchange rate between shZIL and ZIL EVM.

Over time:

  • The value of 1 shZIL gradually increases relative to ZIL EVM.
  • Your staking rewards are reflected in this growing conversion rate.

When you unstake:

  • Your shZIL is converted back into ZIL EVM.
  • The final amount of ZIL EVM you receive should normally be higher than the amount originally staked, assuming rewards were accumulated during the staking period.

Example:

  • You stake 100 ZIL EVM.
  • You receive a smaller amount of shZIL based on the current conversion rate.
  • As rewards accumulate, the value of your shZIL increases.
  • When unstaking later, your shZIL converts back into more than 100 ZIL EVM.

This mechanism is normal for liquid staking systems and allows rewards to accumulate automatically without requiring separate reward distributions.

Unstaking ZIL 2.0

Unstaking is instant. Click Unstake to stop earning rewards and make your ZIL available for withdrawal. There's no waiting period as in ZIL 1.0. When you unstake, your shZIL is automatically converted back into ZIL EVM — the returned amount will normally be higher than what you originally staked, as it includes accumulated rewards. Once unstaked, you can either: keep your ZIL on your EVM address, send it elsewhere, or restake with a different validator.

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