Stacks organizes Stacking into cycles, each lasting approximately 2 weeks on the Stacks blockchain.

Your STX is typically locked for the full cycle duration when participating through:

• Solo Stacking: You must commit to at least one full cycle (and often more).

• Pooled Stacking (e.g., Fast Pool): You can commit for one cycle at a time and exit between cycles, but not during one.

In contrast, liquid Stacking protocols such as Stacking DAO or LISA offer more flexibility. When you use one of these:

• You receive a liquid token that reflects your position

• You can redeem your principal and accumulated rewards at any time, even mid-cycle

This flexibility is one of the primary advantages of liquid Stacking.

Leather makes it easy to track:

• Your current lockup duration

• When your funds will unlock

• Whether you’re able to exit early based on the protocol in use