Help Center

When you use Leather to participate in Stacking — whether through a pooled delegation or a liquid Stacking protocol — your STX is routed through a smart contract that performs key actions on your behalf.

These contracts are deployed by third-party pool operators or protocol providers and follow the rules of the Stacks protocol.

Leather displays two key values before you confirm participation:

1. Pool address This is the Stacks address of the contract controller you're delegating to. It typically starts with SP... and represents either a pool operator (e.g. Fast Pool) or a liquid Stacking protocol (e.g. Stacking DAO or LISA).
2. **Contract **This is the smart contract name that executes the Stacking logic. It’s shown alongside the address in the format SPXXXX.../contract-name. Leather allows you to copy this information or view it in an explorer to independently verify what you’re approving.

How pooled contracts work

For delegated Stacking via a pool:

• Your STX is locked for a fixed number of cycles
• The pool coordinates protocol submissions and reward claims
• BTC rewards are distributed after each cycle
• Some pools may auto-restack unless you opt out

How liquid Stacking contracts work

For liquid Stacking (e.g. via stSTX, stSTXbtc, or LiSTX):

• You deposit STX into a protocol’s contract and receive a liquid token
• The protocol stakes on your behalf and manages reward flows
• BTC or STX rewards are distributed via token mechanics
• The token remains liquid and usable across DeFi while your STX is stacked These protocols may use vault-style contracts or mint-and-burn models. You can usually swap or redeem your liquid token at any time, but rewards and redemption timing may vary depending on the provider.

Why contract visibility matters

Approving a contract—whether for pooling or liquid Stacking—gives it temporary control over your STX. You should always:

• Verify the address and contract name
• Understand how many cycles you're committing to (for pools)
• Know how rewards are calculated and distributed
• Confirm compatibility with Leather Leather gives you upfront visibility into all this, so you stay in control and make informed decisions.