$ZAMA Staking Goes Live on Mainnet, Opening Network Participation to Token Holders

$ZAMA Staking Now Live on Mainnet

(Image source: zama)

According to Zama’s official announcement, the $ZAMA staking mechanism has been successfully deployed on the mainnet. Token holders can now delegate their assets to approved operator nodes, contributing to network operations and security while earning staking rewards tied to node performance.

At launch, 18 validator nodes are available for delegation. Participants do not need to run their own infrastructure and may freely choose which node to support.

Distinct Node Roles Within the Network

Zama’s staking design introduces a clear functional separation between node types, ensuring both privacy and decentralization are maintained at the protocol level.

FHE Nodes

These nodes are responsible for executing computations under fully homomorphic encryption, allowing data to remain encrypted throughout the processing stage.

KMS Nodes

KMS nodes handle threshold decryption tasks, distributing decryption authority across multiple participants to ensure verifiability and reduce single points of control.

Reward Allocation and Anti-Centralization Design

Staking rewards are distributed based on node responsibilities rather than uniform allocation:

• 40% of rewards are assigned to FHE nodes
• 60% are allocated to KMS nodes

Final reward calculations apply a square-root weighting model, a mechanism designed to limit excessive concentration and promote a healthier distribution of delegated stake across nodes.

Staking Liquidity and Unbonding Rules

Once tokens are staked, users receive a tokenized representation of their delegated position, allowing them to track rewards and claim earnings at any time.

If a participant chooses to undelegate, a 7-day unbonding period applies before funds become fully accessible. This delay is intended to preserve network stability and safeguard against abrupt stake withdrawals.

Zama’s official staking interface is now publicly accessible, and users eligible through the public offering will be able to claim and stake tokens starting February 2.

Zama’s Focus on Fully Homomorphic Encryption

Zama positions itself as a privacy-focused cryptographic infrastructure provider, with a core emphasis on Fully Homomorphic Encryption (FHE). Unlike conventional encryption models that protect data only during storage or transmission, FHE enables computation on encrypted data without revealing its contents.

By integrating FHE into blockchain systems, Zama enables verifiable on-chain execution while preserving data confidentiality—an approach suited for use cases such as:

• Decentralized finance (DeFi)
• Payment and banking-grade applications
• Token issuance and compliance-oriented governance
• On-chain systems requiring advanced data protection

Conclusion

With the mainnet launch of $ZAMA staking, Zama enters a new operational phase driven by node incentives and token-based coordination. The structured division between FHE and KMS nodes strengthens the foundation of privacy-preserving computation, while the staking and reward model supports long-term sustainability. Together, these elements position Zama to advance the real-world adoption of fully homomorphic encryption within blockchain environments.