Ethereum Mining Calculator
Calculate your ETH staking rewards with projections and compounding
Solo validators require 32 ETH minimum; liquid staking allows any amount
Current Ethereum staking APR is typically 3-5%
0% for solo validators, 10-25% for liquid staking platforms
Enter Your Staking Details
Enter your ETH amount, price, and staking APR to see your estimated staking rewards and projections.
How to Use the Ethereum Mining Calculator
Enter Your Staking Amount
Type the amount of ETH you plan to stake. Solo validators must stake at least 32 ETH, but if you are using a liquid staking platform like Lido or Rocket Pool, you can enter any amount. Also enter the current ETH price in USD so the calculator can show your rewards in dollar terms.
Set APR and Fees
Enter the current staking APR percentage — typically between 3% and 5% as of 2026. Then enter the platform or validator fee. Solo validators pay 0% fees. Popular liquid staking platforms charge 10% (Lido) to 15-25% (some exchanges). The calculator subtracts this fee from the gross APR to show your net effective APR.
Configure Compounding and Projection
Toggle auto-compound on or off. When enabled, your earned rewards are automatically added to your staked balance each year, producing exponential growth. Set the projection period (1-30 years) to see how your holdings grow over time. The bar chart and year-by-year breakdown make the impact of compounding clearly visible.
Review and Export Results
Review your daily, monthly, and annual rewards in both ETH and USD. The donut chart shows how much of your year-end balance is principal versus reward. The projection chart shows multi-year growth. Click 'Export CSV' to download the projection table for tax reporting or financial planning, or 'Print' for a hard copy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I still mine Ethereum with a GPU?
No. Ethereum completed its transition from Proof of Work (PoW) to Proof of Stake (PoS) on September 15, 2022, in an event called 'The Merge.' Since then, Ethereum no longer supports GPU mining on its mainnet. All block validation is now performed by validators who stake ETH rather than miners who solve computational puzzles. If you have GPU mining hardware, you can mine other Proof of Work cryptocurrencies like Ethereum Classic (ETC), Ravencoin (RVN), or Ergo (ERG), but Ethereum itself is exclusively Proof of Stake. This calculator focuses on estimating staking rewards, which is the only way to earn ETH directly from the Ethereum network today.
What is the minimum amount needed to stake Ethereum?
Running a solo validator requires exactly 32 ETH, which at current prices represents a significant investment. However, liquid staking platforms have removed this barrier by allowing users to stake any amount of ETH. Services like Lido (stETH), Rocket Pool (rETH), and centralized exchange staking programs from Coinbase, Kraken, and Binance let you stake as little as 0.01 ETH or even less. In exchange for the convenience, these platforms charge a fee (typically 10-25% of rewards). The calculator lets you model any staking amount and any fee percentage to see your expected returns regardless of whether you choose solo validation or a liquid staking service.
What determines the Ethereum staking APR?
The staking APR is determined by several factors. Base consensus rewards are set by the protocol and decrease as more total ETH is staked across the network — this is by design to balance security incentives. When the total staked ETH is lower, the APR is higher to attract more stakers; as more ETH is staked, the per-validator reward dilutes. Execution layer rewards (priority fees and MEV) add a variable bonus on top of base rewards, which can spike during periods of high network activity like NFT mints or DeFi events. The effective APR you receive also depends on your validator's uptime — validators that go offline miss attestation rewards. Current staking APR is publicly tracked on sites like Staking Rewards, Rated Network, and beaconcha.in.
Is Ethereum staking safe? What are the risks?
Ethereum staking carries several risks that stakers should understand. Slashing risk exists if a validator commits a protocol violation (double signing or surround voting), though this is extremely rare for properly configured validators and does not apply to passive liquid staking users. Smart contract risk exists when using liquid staking protocols — a bug in the protocol's smart contracts could potentially result in loss of funds. Market risk means the ETH price can decline significantly, reducing the USD value of both your staked principal and earned rewards. Liquidity risk means staked ETH may not be immediately withdrawable depending on the protocol — though post-Shanghai upgrade, standard withdrawal queues are typically short. Regulatory risk is an evolving concern as governments worldwide develop frameworks for staking income taxation and regulatory classification.
How does compounding affect my staking returns?
Compounding means your earned staking rewards are automatically re-staked, so they begin earning rewards themselves. Over short periods the difference is minimal — at 4% APR, a year of compounding adds only about 0.08% more than simple interest. But over longer horizons, the effect becomes dramatic. For example, 32 ETH staked at 4% without compounding yields 38.4 ETH after 5 years and 44.8 ETH after 10 years. With annual compounding, the same stake grows to approximately 38.9 ETH after 5 years and 47.4 ETH after 10 years — an extra 2.6 ETH. Over 20 years, the gap widens to over 12 additional ETH. Solo validators can compound by periodically withdrawing and re-depositing rewards, while some liquid staking tokens auto-compound by appreciating in value relative to ETH.
How are Ethereum staking rewards taxed?
Tax treatment of staking rewards varies by jurisdiction and is an evolving area of tax law. In the United States, the IRS treats staking rewards as taxable ordinary income at the fair market value when received (or when you gain dominion and control over them). This means if you earn 1 ETH in rewards when ETH is worth $2,500, you owe income tax on $2,500. When you later sell that ETH, any gain or loss from the $2,500 cost basis is treated as a capital gain or loss. Some tax professionals argue rewards should only be taxed upon sale, not receipt, and this question has been subject to legal challenges. In the EU, UK, and other jurisdictions, similar principles generally apply but with varying specifics. Consult a tax professional familiar with cryptocurrency in your jurisdiction. The CSV export feature helps you track rewards for tax reporting purposes.