wstETH is wrapped stETH — a non-rebasing version of stETH whose price appreciates instead of balance increasing. Essential for bridges, Uniswap, and protocols that don't support rebasing tokens.
wstETH (wrapped stETH) solves the compatibility problem that rebasing tokens like stETH create for certain DeFi protocols. Instead of your balance increasing daily (stETH), with wstETH your balance stays constant while the token's price appreciates as rewards accrue. 1 wstETH gradually becomes worth more ETH over time.
Use stETH when: you want the intuitive "balance growing daily" experience, you're depositing into Aave or Curve (which natively support stETH rebasing). Use wstETH when: you're using Uniswap, cross-chain bridges, Compound, or any protocol that doesn't handle rebasing tokens properly.
Stake ETH without the 32 ETH minimum, keep liquidity with stETH, and earn daily compounding rewards from the #1 liquid staking protocol.
wstETH accrues value through price appreciation, not balance rebasing. 1 wstETH today is worth more ETH tomorrow than today — equivalent economic outcome to stETH.
wstETH works with cross-chain bridges that cannot handle rebasing. Bridge wstETH to Arbitrum, Optimism, or Base to use Lido yield in L2 DeFi.
Protocols like Uniswap v3 and Compound v3 are incompatible with rebasing tokens. Use wstETH for liquidity provision and borrowing in these protocols.
Lido's interface supports one-click wrapping of stETH to wstETH and vice versa at the current exchange rate.
Follow these simple steps to get started with Lido Finance.
wstETH on Arbitrum is perfect. Bridge stETH, do DeFi on L2 with super low gas, earn Lido rewards the whole time. The wstETH model makes L2 staking yield seamless.
wstETH for Uniswap LP is the right approach. Providing stETH liquidity on Uniswap would be a mess with rebasing. wstETH solves this elegantly.
Built a DeFi strategy using wstETH on Arbitrum. The non-rebasing model is much cleaner for smart contract integration. Lido did the right thing creating wstETH.
No 32 ETH minimum. No lock-up. Stake any amount and receive stETH that earns daily rewards — the most trusted liquid staking protocol in DeFi.
Cryptocurrency staking involves financial risk. Staking rewards are not guaranteed and can fluctuate. This is an independent guide, not the official Lido Finance website. Always do your own research before staking.