Crypto protocols advertise APR, but what you actually earn depends on how often rewards compound and how long you stake — and your real-world outcome depends on the token price too. This calculator converts a nominal APR into an effective APY, applies your chosen compounding frequency over your actual lock-up period, and optionally folds in a token price change to show the USD result.
How it works
Compounding turns a simple rate into a geometric one, and the term pro-rates it:
n = compounding periods per year (daily 365, weekly 52, monthly 12, annual 1)
APY = (1 + APR/n)^n − 1
periods over term = n × (days / 365)
final balance = principal × (1 + APR/n)^(periods over term)
tokens earned = final balance − principal
USD value = final balance × token price × (1 + price change)The token quantity you earn is independent of price; only the USD figure moves with your price assumption. Compounding more frequently lifts the effective yield above the headline APR, but the effect is small at typical rates.
Worked example
Staking 1,000 tokens at a 10 percent APR compounded daily for a full year yields about 1,105 tokens — an effective APY of 10.52 percent versus the 10 percent nominal rate. Over a 90-day lock-up the same position earns roughly 25 tokens. Compounding monthly instead gives about 10.47 percent APY, showing how the frequency difference narrows quickly at realistic rates.
Now add a token price dimension. If your 1,000 tokens are worth $1 each at the start ($1,000 total) and the token rises 20 percent by year end, the final USD value is roughly $1,105 × 1.20 = $1,326. But if the token falls 30 percent, the same nominal yield becomes $1,105 × 0.70 = $773 — a real loss in dollars despite positive staking income. This is why modeling the price scenario matters more than the APR figure alone.
What affects your outcome
Compounding frequency. Daily is common in DeFi protocols that auto-compound. Some platforms require manual claiming and restaking, which effectively gives you control over compounding frequency — and delays cut into realized APY.
Lock-up length. Proof-of-stake networks and liquid staking protocols differ widely. Some have no lock-up; others freeze funds for days or weeks on unlock. The calculator’s term field lets you price a realistic holding period rather than a full year.
Network participation rate. In many proof-of-stake chains, APR falls as more tokens are staked because the reward pool is shared among more participants. A high advertised rate today may compress substantially if the network grows.
Slashing risk. Validator misbehavior can reduce your principal on some networks. This calculator does not model slashing — it is a yield estimator, not a risk model.
Reading the output
The tool reports three distinct figures: the effective APY (useful for comparing across protocols), the final token balance (the raw quantity you hold at the end), and the USD value (which wraps in your price assumption). For a true apples-to-apples comparison between two staking opportunities, compare APY on the same compounding basis and model both under the same token-price scenario.