Staking your APT tokens is a great way to earn passive income and support the security of the Aptos blockchain. This is a step-by-step guide on staking Aptos (APT) using Petra Wallet and delegating to a trusted node operator like Stakin. 

Aptos is a Proof-of-Stake blockchain that builds a scalable Layer-1 blockchain using the Move programming language. It introduces innovative features such as hybrid custody, parallel execution, horizontal throughput scalability, and on-chain governance and staking. 

Aptos enhances user safety through flexible private key management and hybrid custody services. Users can delegate the ability to rotate their account´s private key to one or more custodians or other trusted entities. Using the Move language, a module can define a policy that empowers these entities to rotate the key under specific conditions, improving security and control.  In terms of performance, Aptos achieves high throughput and low latency by implementing a unique parallelized and modular pipeline design for key stages of transaction processing. This approach maximizes hardware efficiency and enables the parallel execution of all transaction processing components, ensuring smooth and scalable operations. 

Petra Wallet is a free, self-custodial web3 wallet developed by Aptos Labs for interacting with the Aptos blockchain. It allows users to securely store and transfer assets, create and view NFTs, and interact with decentralized applications (dApps) on the Aptos network. 

At the time of writing, Aptos does not offer a dedicated staking dashboard in the traditional sense. However, users can stake APT directly through the Aptos Explorer by connecting a compatible wallet such as Petra, Martian, or MathWallet. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the steps using Petra Wallet, the official wallet developed by Aptos Labs.

Step 1 - Set up your wallet for APT

Ensure you are logged in to your Petra wallet, this assumes you already have an account. If you don't have a Petra wallet account yet, you can download Petra wallet from https://petra.app/docs/connect-to-petra and then follow this tutorial on how to set up your Petra wallet account.

• Open the Petra wallet extension and go to "Manage Chain Visibility".
• Search for APT, tick the box, and click "Save".

Step 2 - Fund your wallet

Before you can stake, make sure you have minimum 11 APT tokens in your wallet. If you already have tokens, proceed to the next step.

• You can purchase $APT on centralized crypto exchanges like Binance, OrangeX, and MEXC or decentralized exchanges such as Liquidswap and PancakeSwap. 
• Next, deposit your $APT to your Petra wallet by selecting “APT” on the left menu under assets. 

After following these steps, your Petra wallet should look like this: 

Step 3 - Stake your APT

You are now ready to stake your $APT tokens.

• Go to:  https://stakin.com/stake/aptos 
• Click “Aptos Staking” 

• On the validator page, click “Connect Wallet” 
• Select “Petra”

• Log in to your Petra wallet
• Click “Approve”

Step 4 - Click “Stake”

Once connected, you should see a “Stake” or “Add Stake” button on the validator page.

• Click it to begin the delegation process. 

Step 5 - Enter Amount to Stake

• Enter the amount of APT you want to delegate.

Step 6 - Confirm the Transaction

• A signature request window will pop up from Petra Wallet. 

• Click “Approve” to authorize the transaction. 

• You’ll then see a confirmation message. It will also show your staking amount (e.g., 11 APT) and the transaction address. 

And that’s it — you're now staking with us at Stakin! Thanks for helping secure the Aptos network. Rewards will start accumulating automatically.

How to Unstake and Claim Rewards 

Step 7 - Unstaking your APT

• Go to the Aptos Explorer Stakin validator page. 
• Make sure your Petra Wallet is connected. 
• Scroll down to the “My Deposits” section. 

• Find your active stake and click the “Unstake” button. 
• Approve the transaction in your wallet.

Step 8 - Claiming Rewards 

As of now, Aptos handles staking rewards automatically through compounding, so your rewards are reinvested and increase your staked amount over time. There is no need to claim rewards unless you're unstaking manually. 

Once the unlock period is over and you withdraw your stake, your full amount including earned rewards will be returned to your wallet. 

DISCLAIMER: This is not financial advice. Staking, delegation, and cryptocurrencies involve a high degree of risk, and there is always the possibility of loss, including the failure of all staked digital assets. Additionally, delegators are at risk of slashing in case of security or liveness faults on some protocols. We advise you to do your due diligence before choosing a validator.