Rocket Pool RPL / Rocket Pool

What Is Rocket Pool (RPL)?

Rocket Pool is a decentralized Ethereum staking pool offering up to 4.33% APR for ETH2 staking. Users can join the Rocket Pool with its decentralized node operator network or run their own nodes with only 16 ETH. In the latter case, they can earn a commission from staking ETH and earn additional RPL rewards from providing RPL collateral, amounting to up to 6.36% APR for ETH and the additional RPL rewards.

Rocket Pool provides liquid staking, meaning users benefit from an increasing exchange rate instead of adding on to their initial staked collateral, which would be a taxable event. Furthermore, Rocket Pool offers smart nodes: a custom node software allowing anyone to run a node on its network. With losses from bad nodes distributed across the network, individual users minimize their risk of facing penalties. This is supported by the pool’s open-source and audited smart contracts, which guarantee fully non-custodial staking and a maximum degree of decentralization.

Who Are the Founders of Rocket Pool?

Rocket Pool was launched by David Rugendyke, a senior developer with a computer science background who started designing Rocket Pool in late 2016. He is supported by General Manager Darren Langley, an executive with over 18 years of commercial experience in managing and mentoring development teams, designing application architecture, and delivering exciting digital products for government and financial services. The team is complemented by three blockchain and Solidity engineers with a combined 40 years of experience.

What Makes Rocket Pool Unique?

Rocket Pool essentially offers anyone to participate in ETH2 staking, regardless of their capital investment or level of technological sophistication. Its core premise is to enable the trustless staking of ETH to a network of decentralized autonomous nodes that are underpinned by RPL collateral.

Rocket Pool sees itself as a complement to staking-as-a-service providers. These providers can choose to maximize returns by joining Rocket Pool and running a node, which they receive rewards in ETH and RPL for in return. In this manner, even a big player like Gemini could use Rocket Pool by creating nodes that stake 16 ETH each. This is where Rocket Pool’s staked ETH wrapper rETH comes into play.