Stacking providers are third-party protocols that allow you to participate in Stacking without needing to run your own node or meet the high solo threshold (90K STX or more).

These providers handle the complexity of the Stacks protocol while you retain access and visibility through Leather. Providers generally fall into two categories:

Pooled Stacking Providers

These let you delegate STX from your wallet to a pool that stacks on your behalf. You maintain ownership of your STX, and rewards (typically in STX or BTC) are distributed after each cycle.

Available pooled providers in Leather include:

• Fast Pool

• Fast Pool v2

• PlanBetter

• Restake

• Xverse Pool

Each provider has different payout assets, delegation rules, and reward behaviors. You’ll see these clearly labeled when choosing in the app.

Liquid Stacking Providers

Liquid providers allow you to deposit STX and receive a tokenized version (like stSTX or LiSTX) that stays usable while earning rewards. These liquid tokens can often be traded or used in DeFi apps.

Available liquid providers in Leather include:

• Stacking DAO – provides stSTX

• LISA – provides LiSTX

Liquid options offer more flexibility, especially if you want to remain active in DeFi while still participating in Stacking.

Choosing a provider in Leather

In the app, you’ll be able to:

1. View a list of integrated providers

2. Compare reward types and participation models

3. Initiate delegation or deposit in a few clicks

4. Track rewards and unlock timing directly in your wallet