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Stake Issues

Before You Stake​

caution

Keep these in mind before staking to avoid common issues:

  • ✅ Sufficient gas — ensure you have enough native coin to cover the staking transaction fee
  • ✅ Minimum staking amount — some networks enforce a minimum amount required to stake; check before proceeding
  • ✅ Lock-up period — staked assets may be locked for a period of time before they can be unstaked; understand the unbonding period for your chosen network
  • ✅ Validator selection — choose a reliable, active validator with a good uptime record to avoid missed rewards or slashing
  • ✅ Reward schedule — rewards are not always instant; distribution frequency varies by network

Common Stake Issues and Solutions​

Here are the most common Stake issues that you might encounter while using the app. Click on an issue below to jump to the suggested solution.

Staking Transaction Failed​

Issue:
Your staking transaction fails to process, resulting in an error message or a failed transaction status.

Common Causes:

  • Insufficient gas: The most common cause — you may not have enough native coin to cover the transaction fee on top of the staking amount.
  • Amount below minimum: Some networks require a minimum staking amount. Attempting to stake below this threshold will result in a failed transaction.
  • Validator issues: The validator you selected may be inactive, over-capacity, or no longer accepting delegations.
  • Network congestion: High network traffic can cause transactions to fail if gas prices spike unexpectedly.

Solution:

  • Ensure you have enough native coin balance to cover gas fees in addition to the amount you want to stake.
  • Check the minimum staking requirement for the network and verify your amount meets it.
  • Try selecting a different validator if the current one appears inactive or is showing errors.
  • Retry the transaction during a period of lower network congestion.
tip

Check out our Staking guides at the DeFi section for step-by-step instructions.

Rewards Not Received​

Issue:
You have successfully staked your assets, but the expected staking rewards have not appeared in your wallet.

Common Causes:

  • Reward distribution frequency: Different blockchains distribute staking rewards at different intervals. Some networks distribute rewards every epoch (e.g. Solana distributes every 2–3 days), while others accumulate rewards that must be manually claimed.
  • Claiming required: On some networks, staking rewards do not automatically appear in your wallet — you must manually claim them. Check if your network requires a claim transaction.
  • New stake, no rewards yet: Newly staked assets may not earn rewards until the next reward cycle or epoch begins. There is often a delay of one full cycle before rewards start accumulating.
  • Validator performance: If the validator you delegated to has poor uptime or was slashed, your rewards may be reduced or delayed.

Solution:

  • Check the reward distribution schedule for the specific blockchain you are staking on.
  • If rewards need to be manually claimed, look for a "Claim Rewards" option in the staking section of Gem Wallet.
  • Allow at least one full reward cycle to pass after staking before expecting rewards.
  • If rewards are consistently missing despite normal validator performance, contact Gem Wallet Support with your staking transaction ID.
tip

Stake and earn crypto while you sleep with Gem Wallet.

Unable to Unstake Assets​

Issue:
You want to unstake your assets but encounter errors or are unable to proceed.

Common Causes:

  • Unbonding / lock-up period: Most Proof-of-Stake networks enforce a mandatory unbonding period during which staked assets cannot be moved. This varies significantly by network — for example, Cosmos (ATOM) has a 21-day unbonding period, while Solana (SOL) takes 2–3 days.
  • Minimum unstake amount: Some networks require you to unstake a minimum amount or the full staked balance at once.
  • Pending transactions: If you have an existing pending staking transaction, it may block new unstaking requests until it resolves.

Solution:

  • Check the unbonding period for your specific network before attempting to unstake — this is expected behaviour, not an error.
  • Verify whether partial unstaking is supported or if you must unstake the full amount.
  • Wait for any pending staking transactions to complete before submitting an unstake request.
  • Contact Gem Wallet Support if the transaction fails despite meeting all network requirements.
tip

See the full list of supported staking assets and their network details.

Incorrect Staking Balance Displayed​

Issue:
The staking balance shown in your wallet does not match your expected staked amount.

Common Causes:

  • Sync delay: The wallet may not have synced with the latest blockchain data yet, especially after a recent staking or unstaking transaction.
  • Pending confirmations: Recent staking transactions may require additional block confirmations before the updated balance is reflected.
  • Accumulated rewards included or excluded: Depending on how the network reports balances, displayed staking balances may or may not include accumulated but unclaimed rewards.

Solution:

  • Refresh your wallet or restart the app to force a sync with the latest blockchain data.
  • Wait for the required number of network confirmations for recent transactions to be reflected.
  • Verify your staking balance directly on a blockchain explorer using your wallet address.
  • If discrepancies persist after syncing, contact Gem Wallet Support with a screenshot and your transaction details.

Unstaked Funds Not Returned​

Issue:
You have successfully submitted an unstaking transaction, but the funds have not returned to your available balance.

Common Causes:

  • Unbonding period still active: This is the most common cause. After initiating an unstake, most networks require a mandatory waiting period (unbonding period) before funds are released. Your assets are not lost — they are simply locked until the period ends.
  • Claiming required after unbonding: On some networks, once the unbonding period ends, you must submit a separate "claim" or "withdraw" transaction to move the funds back to your available balance.
  • Network delay: Occasionally, there may be a delay between the unbonding period ending and the funds appearing in your wallet due to sync issues.

Unbonding periods by network (approximate):

  • Cosmos (ATOM): ~21 days
  • Solana (SOL): ~2–3 days
  • Sui (SUI): ~1 day
  • Avalanche (AVAX): ~14 days

Solution:

  • Check the unbonding period for your specific network and verify whether it has elapsed.
  • Look for a "Claim" or "Withdraw" option in the staking section of Gem Wallet after the unbonding period ends.
  • Refresh your wallet to ensure it has synced with the latest blockchain state.
  • If the unbonding period has clearly passed and funds are still not available, contact Gem Wallet Support with your unstaking transaction ID.

Validator Became Inactive or Jailed​

Issue:
Your staked assets are still locked but you are no longer earning rewards. This can happen when the validator you delegated to becomes inactive, gets jailed (penalized), or is decommissioned. On many networks, a jailed validator temporarily stops earning rewards, and in some cases a slashing penalty may reduce your staked balance.

Common Causes:

  • Validator Downtime: If a validator goes offline or misses too many blocks, it may be jailed by the network protocol.
  • Double Signing: A validator that signs conflicting blocks can be slashed and jailed, which may affect delegators.
  • Validator Decommissioned: Some validators voluntarily shut down or stop operating, resulting in no further rewards for delegators.

Solutions:

  • Check Validator Status: In the staking section of Gem Wallet, review your validator's current status. If it shows as inactive or jailed, you should redelegate your stake to an active validator.
  • Redelegate Your Stake: Most networks allow you to move your stake from one validator to another without fully unstaking. This avoids the unbonding waiting period and resumes reward earning sooner.
  • Unstake if Necessary: If redelegation is not available, initiate an unstake and restake with a healthy validator once the unbonding period completes.
tip

Regularly check your validator's performance in the staking section to ensure you are always earning optimal rewards.

Other Issues or Need Further Assistance?​

If you're still facing challenges after trying these solutions or your issue is not listed above, contact Gem Wallet Support with details of your issue, including error messages, transaction IDs, and any troubleshooting steps you've already tried.