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StackingDAO Review 2026: Liquid Staking for STX and BTC

StackingDAO is a liquid staking protocol on Stacks that lets users stake STX or BTC and receive liquid tokens, with about $79 million in TVL on DefiLlama. The main takeaway is broad yield options on Stacks, balanced by smart-contract risk and some wallet and capacity limits.

Stacks

By the DappsAtlas editorial team · Updated Nov 4, 2026

DappsAtlas score

7.3/10

Good

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Our verdict on StackingDAO

7.3/10

StackingDAO suits Stacks users who want to earn staking yield on STX or Bitcoin while keeping a liquid token they can move or use elsewhere. Its main strength is a broad set of options (stSTX, stSTXbtc and stBTC) in one app, backed by roughly $79 million TVL and two listed audits. The main caveat is that fees and APY are not published publicly, and BTC deposits carry wallet and capacity limits, so read the documentation first.

Score breakdown

How StackingDAO scores

Security: 7.0/10
Ease of use: 7.0/10
Fees: n/a
Features: 7.5/10

Scores run from 0 to 10 and are based only on facts we could verify. Where information was missing we mark the score n/a rather than guess.

What is StackingDAO?

StackingDAO is a liquid staking protocol on the Stacks network, listed on DefiLlama since December 2023. It holds about $79 million in TVL, up 5.9% over seven days at the time of the data, and lists two audits.

The app lets users stake STX and receive liquid tokens, or stake BTC and sBTC for Bitcoin yield. Its homepage meta text names stBTC for auto-compounding sBTC yield, and stSTX and stSTXbtc for STX stakers who want to keep access to their funds.

The footer credits Stacks Labs for 2026. The project does not state the team, governance structure or fee terms in detail, so those need checking in the documentation.

How StackingDAO works

Stacks lets STX holders earn Bitcoin-denominated rewards by locking STX in a process called stacking, which uses Proof of Transfer. Normally those tokens are locked. StackingDAO pools deposits, delegates them, and gives depositors a liquid token such as stSTX, which represents their share plus accrued rewards.

For BTC, the app offers stBTC, which it describes as auto-compounding sBTC yield with points. sBTC is a Bitcoin-backed asset on Stacks. The interface shows a conversion rate between stBTC and the underlying asset and a bond allocation meter that tracks how much stBTC capacity is used.

Because the receipt tokens stay in the user's wallet, they can potentially be used across Stacks DeFi, and the app FAQ points to where stBTC, stSTX and stSTXbtc can be used. The DefiLlama description adds that users can review STX locked in PoX and unstack at any time.

6 features

Key features

Liquid STX staking

Users stake STX and receive liquid stSTX, so the position can be used elsewhere while the underlying STX earns staking rewards through Proof of Transfer.

stSTXbtc token

stSTXbtc is offered alongside stSTX as a way to stake STX while keeping access to funds, according to the homepage meta text.

stBTC for sBTC

stBTC is described as auto-compounding sBTC yield with points while the stake stays liquid. The app shows a conversion rate and a bond allocation meter.

Direct BTC staking

The app supports staking BTC directly, with Xverse and Leather named as supported wallets and notes on address types.

Points programme

The homepage says 1 point is earned per STX in value per day, shown alongside a Points section in the menu.

Analytics and signer info

The app menu includes Staking, Points, DeFi, Analytics and TVL pages, and an FAQ covers signers used for STX delegations.

Pros and cons

What we like

Covers both STX and BTC staking options in one app.
Liquid tokens (stSTX, stSTXbtc, stBTC) keep stakes usable instead of locked.
About $79 million TVL on DefiLlama suggests meaningful adoption on Stacks.
Two audits are listed on DefiLlama.
Users can unstack at any time, per the DefiLlama description.
App includes analytics, a points programme and an FAQ on signers.

Watch out for

Smart-contract risk applies to the stSTX, stSTXbtc and stBTC tokens, as with any liquid staking protocol.
BTC staking has wallet restrictions: the app says some Bitcoin wallets cannot sign deposits and Taproot (bc1p) payment addresses are not supported.
Its homepage shows BTC deposit capacity can be limited, with messages about amounts being lowered or deposits being unavailable.
Fees, APY figures and audit details are not shown, so users must check them in the app and documentation.
The protocol has no governance or other token of its own listed on DefiLlama, so points are the only stated incentive.
Liquid tokens can trade away from the underlying value, and the ecosystem is tied to Stacks and Bitcoin-layer conditions.

StackingDAO fees

The project does not publish a fee schedule. DefiLlama lists no fee data for StackingDAO, and its homepage provided does not state a protocol fee or commission on rewards.

Users would see APY, conversion rates and expected output in the staking interface before confirming, and fee terms in the documentation and Terms of Service. Stacks network transaction fees and Bitcoin network fees for BTC deposits would also apply.

Is StackingDAO safe?

DefiLlama lists two audits and the homepage has an Audited by section, but the auditors and reports are not named publicly. Staking through a protocol means trusting its smart contracts, the delegation and signer setup, and the liquid tokens it issues. Audits do not guarantee safety.

The app is non-custodial in the sense that users connect their own wallets, but funds are deposited into protocol contracts. No incidents are mentioned. Check the documentation and Terms of Service for risk disclosures and read the signer FAQ before staking.

6 steps

How to get started with StackingDAO

1
Decide whether to stake STX or BTC, and read the documentation and FAQ on unstaking and signers first.
2
Install a compatible wallet such as Xverse or Leather; for BTC deposits use a bc1q or 3-prefixed payment address, not Taproot.
3
Open the official StackingDAO app and connect the wallet.
4
Choose a staking option (Stake STX or Stake BTC, or stBTC for sBTC) and enter an amount.
5
Check the APY, conversion rate and the tokens you will receive, then confirm the transaction in your wallet.
6
Track your position and points in the app, and check how and when you can unstake before relying on the funds.

Open StackingDAO

Who StackingDAO is for

StackingDAO is for STX and sBTC holders who want yield without fully locking their assets, and for Stacks DeFi users who want liquid staking tokens. It is less suited to people who need a simple multi-chain app or who are uncomfortable with smart-contract risk.

StackingDAO FAQs

What is StackingDAO?

StackingDAO is a liquid staking protocol on the Stacks network. Users stake STX, or BTC via sBTC, and receive liquid tokens such as stSTX, stSTXbtc or stBTC instead of locking funds with no flexibility.

What can I stake on StackingDAO?

Its homepage describes stBTC as auto-compounding sBTC yield with points, and stSTX and stSTXbtc as liquid tokens for STX stakers. It also states that a 1 point per STX in value per day points scheme applies. Current APY figures are shown in the app and are not public reviewed here.

Can I unstake from StackingDAO?

The DefiLlama description says users can unstack at any time. The exact process and timing are covered in the app's FAQ and documentation, which are not reproduced, so check them before staking.

Which wallets work for staking BTC?

The app says Xverse or Leather should be used for BTC deposits. It also says a Bitcoin wallet paying from a Taproot (bc1p) address needs to switch to a bc1q or 3-prefixed payment address to stake BTC.

Is StackingDAO audited?

DefiLlama lists two audits for the protocol, and the homepage shows an Audited by section. The auditors' names and reports are not public reviewed, so read the documentation to confirm. An audit reduces but does not remove risk.

Does StackingDAO have its own token?

DefiLlama lists no token for StackingDAO. The tokens mentioned are stSTX, stSTXbtc and stBTC, which are receipt-style liquid staking tokens, plus a points programme.

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