Ever wondered how you can earn staking rewards on BNB without locking up your coins? That’s where ankrBNB comes in. It’s not a new cryptocurrency you buy and hold like Bitcoin-it’s a liquid staking token that lets you earn rewards from your BNB while still using it in DeFi. Think of it like getting interest on a savings account, but you can also spend that interest before it’s paid out. This isn’t magic. It’s smart engineering built on the BNB Chain.
What Exactly Is ankrBNB?
ankrBNB is a token you get when you stake BNB through Ankr’s platform. Every time you lock up BNB to help secure the BNB Chain network, Ankr gives you an equal amount of ankrBNB in return. For example, if you stake 10 BNB, you’ll get 10 ankrBNB. But here’s the twist: your ankrBNB balance grows every single day. You don’t get extra tokens like a dividend-you get more of the same token. So if you start with 10 ankrBNB, you might have 10.015 tomorrow, 10.03 the next day, and so on. That growth comes from the staking rewards the network pays out.
This is called a rebase mechanism. Unlike other staking tokens that pay rewards in separate coins, ankrBNB adjusts its balance automatically. No claiming. No waiting. Just watch your wallet balance creep up. And because it’s an ERC-20 token, you can send it, trade it, or use it anywhere that accepts ERC-20 tokens-unlike locked BNB, which sits idle.
Why Does ankrBNB Exist?
Traditional staking on BNB Chain locks your coins for weeks or months. You can’t use them in DeFi. You can’t trade them. You can’t lend them. You’re stuck. That’s a big problem if you want to earn rewards and make money elsewhere. Ankr solved this by creating a liquid version of staked BNB.
With ankrBNB, you keep full control. You can take your ankrBNB to a decentralized exchange like PancakeSwap and trade it for other tokens. You can put it into a liquidity pool and earn trading fees on top of staking rewards. You can even use it as collateral to borrow other assets. All while your original BNB is still staking and earning. That’s the power of liquid staking: double dipping on returns without locking capital.
How Does It Work Behind the Scenes?
Ankr doesn’t just run one validator node. They spread your staked BNB across dozens of trusted validators on the BNB Chain network. This isn’t just for performance-it’s for security. If one validator goes down or gets hacked, your stake isn’t at risk because it’s spread out. Ankr’s system picks validators based on uptime, reputation, and decentralization metrics. And it’s not just Ankr deciding this-governance proposals from the community help guide validator selection.
When you stake BNB through Ankr, the platform automatically handles everything: registering your stake, distributing rewards, and updating your ankrBNB balance. You don’t need to run a node. You don’t need to understand consensus algorithms. You just need a wallet like MetaMask or Trust Wallet, some BNB, and a few clicks.
How Much Can You Earn?
As of early 2026, the annual percentage yield (APY) for ankrBNB is around 5.19%. That’s competitive with other liquid staking options on major chains. But remember-this isn’t fixed. It changes based on network activity, validator performance, and BNB’s own staking rewards rate. The rewards are distributed daily, so even small amounts start earning right away.
Let’s say you stake 10 BNB. At 5.19% APY, you’d earn roughly 0.014 BNB in rewards per day. That gets added to your ankrBNB balance. So your 10 ankrBNB becomes 10.014, then 10.028, and so on. Over a year, that’s more than half a BNB in extra value-without touching your original stake.
Minimum Stake and Accessibility
You don’t need thousands of dollars to get started. The minimum staking amount is just 0.1 BNB. That’s less than $30 at current prices. This opens up staking to everyday users-not just big investors. If you’ve got a few BNB sitting in your wallet, you can start earning immediately.
And if you don’t want to stake directly, you can buy ankrBNB on decentralized exchanges like PancakeSwap or Uniswap. That’s useful if you already hold other tokens and don’t want to swap to BNB. You can just buy ankrBNB and start earning rewards right away.
Price and Market Data
As of February 2026, the live price of ankrBNB is around $680.61 USD. That might sound high, but remember-it’s not a 1:1 value with BNB. Because of the daily rebasing, each ankrBNB token is worth more than 1 BNB over time. For example, if you bought 1 ankrBNB a year ago, it might now represent 1.05 BNB in underlying value. The token’s price reflects that accumulated reward.
Total supply stands at over 325,000 ankrBNB tokens, backed by nearly 27,000 staked BNB. Over 4,700 users are actively staking through Ankr. That’s a strong signal of adoption. The maximum supply is unlimited because new tokens are minted as more BNB gets staked. There’s no cap.
How ankrBNB Fits Into DeFi
This is where ankrBNB really shines. You’re not just earning staking rewards-you’re unlocking a whole new layer of DeFi opportunities. Here are a few real-world uses:
- Deposit ankrBNB into a lending protocol like Venus or Aave to earn interest on top of staking rewards.
- Add ankrBNB and BNB to a liquidity pool on PancakeSwap to earn trading fees and bonus rewards.
- Use ankrBNB as collateral to borrow USDT or USDC without selling your BNB.
- Trade ankrBNB on DEXs if you think its value will rise further.
Some DeFi vaults even auto-compound your ankrBNB rewards-meaning your earnings earn more earnings. That’s compounding on top of compounding. No other staking method lets you do this.
Price Stability and Arbitrage
Because ankrBNB trades on open markets, its price can sometimes drift from its true value (the amount of BNB it represents plus accumulated rewards). If ankrBNB trades below its fair value, you can buy it cheap and unstake it through Ankr to get back full BNB value-making a profit. If it trades above fair value, you can stake BNB and mint new ankrBNB to sell at a premium.
This arbitrage keeps the market in check. It’s not a flaw-it’s a feature. It ensures the token stays fairly priced and keeps the system healthy.
Is ankrBNB Safe?
Ankr has been operating its liquid staking platform since 2021. They’ve never had a major exploit or loss of user funds. Their validator network is audited, and their smart contracts have been reviewed by multiple third parties. Still, no DeFi protocol is 100% risk-free. Always do your own research before staking.
The biggest risk isn’t hacking-it’s smart contract bugs or validator slashing (though BNB Chain doesn’t slash for minor downtime). Ankr mitigates this by spreading stakes across many validators, not relying on a few.
How to Get Started
Here’s how to start earning with ankrBNB:
- Connect your wallet (MetaMask, Trust Wallet, etc.) to Ankr’s staking page.
- Enter the amount of BNB you want to stake (minimum 0.1 BNB).
- Confirm the transaction. Your BNB is locked in the protocol.
- Receive ankrBNB tokens in your wallet instantly.
- Watch your balance grow daily. Use your ankrBNB in DeFi as you wish.
Or, if you don’t want to stake BNB, go to PancakeSwap, search for ankrBNB, swap any token for it, and start earning immediately.
What Happens If You Want to Withdraw?
You can unstake your ankrBNB at any time. But there’s a small catch: it takes about 7 days to convert back to BNB. That’s because the network needs time to process the unstaking request. During that time, your ankrBNB stops earning rewards. But once the 7 days are up, you get your full BNB back-plus all the rewards you earned.
That’s why many users keep their ankrBNB in circulation. They treat it like a stable, high-yield asset rather than a temporary staking position.
Final Thoughts
ankrBNB isn’t just another crypto token. It’s a bridge between passive income and active DeFi. It solves the biggest problem in staking: locking your money. Instead of choosing between earning rewards or using your assets, you get both. And with a 5%+ yield, daily compounding, and full DeFi compatibility, it’s one of the most efficient ways to grow your BNB holdings.
If you own BNB and haven’t tried liquid staking yet, you’re leaving money on the table. ankrBNB makes it easy, safe, and profitable.
Is ankrBNB the same as BNB?
No. ankrBNB is a liquid staking derivative token that represents staked BNB. While each ankrBNB is backed by BNB, its value grows daily due to staking rewards. You can’t use ankrBNB directly on the BNB Chain network-you need to unstake it first to get BNB back.
Can I lose money staking with ankrBNB?
The risk is low but not zero. Your staked BNB is protected by Ankr’s multi-validator setup, which reduces the chance of slashing or downtime. However, if Ankr’s smart contracts have a critical bug (extremely rare), you could lose funds. Always use trusted wallets and never send BNB directly to a contract without verifying the interface.
Do I need to claim rewards manually?
No. ankrBNB uses a rebasing mechanism, meaning your token balance increases automatically every day. You don’t need to claim anything. The rewards are built into your balance.
Can I buy ankrBNB without staking BNB?
Yes. You can buy ankrBNB directly on decentralized exchanges like PancakeSwap or Uniswap. This is a good option if you already hold other tokens and don’t want to convert to BNB first.
What’s the difference between ankrBNB and aBNBb?
aBNBb was an older version of Ankr’s liquid staking token. It has been phased out in favor of ankrBNB, which has improved security, better DeFi integration, and a more reliable rebasing mechanism. If you still hold aBNBb, you should migrate it to ankrBNB through Ankr’s official portal.
Comments (1)
So let me get this straight - I stake my BNB, get a token that slowly grows like a lazy plant, and now I can use it to do... more crypto stuff? Cool. So I'm not earning interest, I'm just playing crypto Jenga with my assets. Thanks, DeFi. 🤡