Rocket Pool Review 2025 — Decentralised ETH Staking
Your deep dive into rETH liquid staking, minipools, rewards, risks, fees, and overall UX — updated for 2025.
Start with Rocket PoolWhat’s New in 2025
Improved staking dashboards, clearer APR breakdowns, expanded integrations with DeFi apps for rETH liquidity, and tooling enhancements for node operators.
How Rocket Pool Works
- rETH Liquid Staking: deposit ETH → receive rETH that tracks staking rewards.
- Mini pools: permissionless validators with reduced collateral, earning validator commissions.
- Decentralisation: distributed node set, on-chain accounting, and community governance.
Rewards, Fees & Costs
- Rewards: variable APR linked to Ethereum staking economics; rETH appreciates vs ETH over time.
- Protocol Fees: applied at the protocol/node level; review current docs before depositing.
- Operational Costs: for minipools — hardware/VPS, uptime, monitoring, potential penalties.
APR and fees are subject to change over time. Always verify current rates and terms in the official app.
Security & Risk
- Smart-Contract Risk: inherent to DeFi; prefer hardware wallets and cautious approvals.
- Market Risk: ETH price volatility affects the fiat value of rewards.
- Validator Risk: for mini pools — downtime, slashing on misbehaviour, operational hygiene.
UX & Getting Started
For most users, rETH is the easiest entry point. Advanced users may consider running mini pools after testing and documenting their setup.
- Connect wallet to the official app.
- Select rETH (liquid) or Minipool (validator) flow.
- Review APR, fees, and risks; confirm on-chain transactions.
Rocket Pool vs Alternatives
Lido: largest ETH liquid staking market share, simpler UX.
Exchanges (CeFi): easiest onboarding, but custodial risk and lockups apply.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Decentralized ETH staking with self-custody
- rETH liquidity and DeFi composability
- Option to run permissionless validators
Cons
- Smart-contract risk vs CeFi custody
- Mini pools require technical ops & monitoring
- APR varies with network conditions
User Feedback
“rETH is my favourite way to keep ETH liquid while stacking staking rewards.” — Alex, Germany
“Running a minipool took effort, but the decentralisation benefits are worth it.” — Priya, India
Our Verdict
Rocket Pool is a top-tier option for decentralised ETH staking in 2025. For most, rETH provides the best balance of yield and liquidity. Power users can run mini pools to increase exposure and support Ethereum’s security.