Boosted Staking Rewards FAQs

Here you'll find answers to common questions about the Espresso token and how to earn and claim your boosted staking rewards.

→Visit the Claim Portal→Visit the Staking Dashboard

What is the boosted staking rewards program?

Users that staked the ESP they received in the airdrop long-term can earn boosted rewards on top of their regular staking rewards. To be eligible for the boosted rewards, users needed to stake and delegate their airdrop allocation within 15 days of claiming it. Boosted staking rewards unlock on the following schedule by staking for at least three months, one year, and two years:

  • 256% boost to accrued staking rewards since token launch, unlocked after staking for three months
  • 359% boost to accrued staking rewards since the three-month milestone, unlocked after staking for one year
  • 420% boost to accrued staking rewards since the one-year milestone, unlocked after staking for two years

Users that unstake or undelegate more than 50% of their tokens prior to the aforementioned time periods will forfeit their boosted staking rewards. An exception to this is if the validator a user delegated to takes their node offline. In this case the user will have up to 14 days to delegate their tokens to a new validator to remain eligible for boosted rewards.

Note that boosted staking rewards are only applicable to tokens claimed during the airdrop. Any tokens bought at a later date or earned via staking, including boosted staking rewards themselves, are not eligible to receive boosted staking rewards.

Where and when can I claim my boosted staking rewards?

Users that are eligible will be able to claim their boosted staking rewards through the claim portal. The rewards will become claimable on three occasions. The first claim for those who staked their ESP airdrop for three months is claimable now. The second claim is available after staking for one year. The third and final claim is available after staking for two years. The boosted staking rewards will remain claimable until one month after the third and final claim opens.

The Espresso Foundation will send reminders via its official X account for stakers to claim their boosted staking rewards.

Who is eligible to claim boosted staking rewards?

You're eligible if you claimed your ESP airdrop, staked your full allocation within 15 days of claiming, and kept at least 50% of it staked continuously through the three-month mark. Additional boosts will unlock at the one- and two-year marks, as well if you continue to stake.

How much will I receive from the boost?

If you kept at least 50% of your initial airdrop staked through the three-month mark, you’re eligible to claim a 256% boost on the staking rewards you’ve accrued since token launch. Additionally, each eligible account received an additional bonus of 155 ESP tokens.

What if I undelegated more than 50% of my tokens before the three-month mark?

You forfeited eligibility for this boost tier. Rewards you've already earned from staking aren't affected, only the boost itself.

What if my validator went offline during the three-month period?

You're still eligible as long as you redelegated to a new validator within 14 days of your original validator going offline.

Do I need to do anything extra to qualify for the staking rewards boosts that unlock at the one- and two-year marks?

Not as long as you continue to keep staked at least 50% of the original tokens you received in the airdrop. The one-year boost (359% on rewards accrued since the three-month milestone) and two-year boost (420% on rewards accrued since the one-year milestone) unlock automatically as you hit each milestone, and you'll be able to claim them through this same portal when they open.

Can I stake the boosted staking rewards I receive at the three-month mark to increase the boosted rewards I receive at the one-year mark?

No, the amount in boosted staking rewards you can receive at the three-month, one-year, and two-year marks will always only be tied to the staking rewards you’ve accrued from the amount you staked within 15 days of claiming your original airdrop. You can, of course, earn regular staking rewards on any amount of ESP you stake, including tokens received as boosted staking rewards. To get started earning now, head to the Espresso Staking Dashboard.

Are there geographic restrictions?

Yes, users with IP addresses in the following countries/regions, which appear on one or more US/UK/UN sanctions or high-risk lists, are blocked from accessing the claims site: Afghanistan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burundi, Central African Republic, Crimea, Cuba, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Democratic Republic of Congo, the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, the so-called Luhansk People’s Republic, Mali, Myanmar, Nicaragua, North Korea, Russia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, Yemen, and Zimbabwe.

What happens if I'm in a restricted jurisdiction?

Token distribution is subject to applicable laws and regulations. If you're located in a jurisdiction where participation is restricted, you will not be able to complete the claim process. The claim system will identify restricted jurisdictions during the verification process. We recommend consulting with legal counsel in your jurisdiction if you have questions about your eligibility to participate.

Is there a deadline to claim?

Yes. All three boosted reward claims will remain open until one month after the third claim window (at the two-year mark) opens. The Espresso Foundation will send reminders via its official X account as each claim window opens.

Are there any vesting schedules or lock-ups on tokens received in the form of boosted staking rewards?

No, there are no vesting schedules or lock-ups for tokens received as boosted staking rewards.

What happens to unclaimed tokens?

Tokens that remain unclaimed one month after the third (two-year) claim window opens will be reallocated towards future incentives and programs by the Espresso Foundation.

How can I verify this is the official claim site?

To verify you're on the official claim site:

  • Check the URL carefully. The official claim portal is https://claim.espresso.foundation/. Bookmark this page.
  • Access links only from official sources. Visit the site directly by typing the URL or use links shared through Espresso Foundation's official website, blog, verified X account, or Discord.
  • Never click links from DMs, emails, or unofficial sources. Espresso team members will never DM you first or ask for your private keys or seed phrases.
  • Look for security indicators. Verify the site uses HTTPS and check for the padlock icon in your browser.

If you're unsure about a link's authenticity, contact official Espresso support channels before proceeding.

What should I do if I encounter issues?

If you have questions or concerns related to your eligibility that isn’t addressed within this FAQ, visit the #claim-support channel in our Discord or open a ticket in the #open-a-ticket channel.

I believe I'm eligible but don't see a claim available. What do I do?

Open a ticket in the #open-a-ticket channel in our Discord with your wallet address and staking details, and a team member will review your case within 24–48 hours.

Why should I stake my ESP?

Staking ESP is how you help secure Espresso, and the network rewards you for it. Espresso's HotShot protocol runs on proof-of-stake consensus: the top 100 validator nodes, ranked by how much stake is behind them, make up the active set responsible for keeping the network running and decentralized. When you stake or delegate your ESP to a validator, you're directly contributing to that security and influencing which nodes get to participate.

In return, you earn staking rewards at a targeted rate of 3-4% annually, similar to the rewards Ethereum stakers or Bitcoin miners earn for securing those networks. Additionally, if you staked your airdrop allocation long-term, you're also eligible for boosted rewards on top of that base rate.

What kind of regular staking rewards can I expect to earn?

The targeted reward rate set by the network is 3-4% annually.

What chain is ESP on?

ESP is an ERC-20 token on Ethereum mainnet. It can also be bridged to Arbitrum One.

Where can I view my tokens after claiming?

ESP is minted on the Ethereum L1, so your tokens should be viewable in your Ethereum wallet. You may need to manually import the token contract address to your wallet before your ESP balance will be visible. The ESP token contract on Ethereum is: 0x031De51F3E8016514Bd0963d0B2AB825A591Db9A

Where is ESP tradeable?

The ESP token is tradeable on several established exchanges, including Binance, Kraken, Coinbase, Upbit, and Bithumb. For more info, check out CoinMarketCap for a list of exchanges where ESP is tradeable.

What can I do with my ESP tokens?

ESP is used to secure Espresso the network, which uses a proof-of-stake consensus protocol. Rather than simply hold their tokens, you can put them to work by delegating them as stake to one of the validators currently running nodes that secure the blockchain. Staking your ESP in this way will earn you staking rewards over time. Visit the Espresso Staking Dashboard to learn more and stake your ESP.

What is ESP used for?

The Espresso token (ESP) is used to secure the network. Only by staking ESP are individuals or groups able to operate nodes in the network and earn staking rewards in the process:

  • Staking for Consensus Participation: Validators stake ESP to participate in Espresso's HotShot proof-of-stake consensus mechanism.
  • Delegation for Security and Rewards: End users can delegate ESP to validators to enhance network security and earn a share of protocol rewards.
  • Protocol Fees: ESP is used to pay general protocol fees within the Espresso ecosystem.
  • Data Processing Fees: All data processing fees on the Espresso blockchain are paid in ESP.

What are the token contract details?

Ethereum: 0x031De51F3E8016514Bd0963d0B2AB825A591Db9A
Arbitrum One: 0x3b8db18e69d6686Ad9371A423aFe3Dd1065C94f1