Crypto staking vs lending yield comes down to what your assets are doing: staking helps secure a proof-of-stake network, while lending supplies assets to borrowers. Both can generate returns, but rates aren’t fixed and the risks differ. With proof-of-stake, validators confirm transactions and help maintain the network. People who stake may earn protocol rewards directly as validators or through a staking service. Ethereum solo staking requires at least 32 ETH to activate a validator, according to Ethereum.org. Downtime can mean lost rewards, while provable misbehavior can lead to slashing.