In traditional finance, fixed-income assets have long been a go-to choice for conservative investors. However, with central banks maintaining historically low interest rates over the past decade, returns from conventional bonds and savings products have dwindled. This shift has opened the door for decentralized finance (DeFi) to step in—offering innovative, yield-generating alternatives that blend security, liquidity, and passive income.
Enter internet bonds—a new class of digital-native financial instruments built on Proof-of-Stake (PoS) blockchains. Unlike traditional debt instruments, internet bonds are not tied to corporate or government liabilities. Instead, they represent a digital agreement between blockchain networks (issuers) and token holders (bondholders), where users stake their crypto assets to secure the network and earn rewards. These rewards go beyond basic staking yields by integrating with DeFi protocols to unlock multi-layered passive income streams, including liquidity mining, lending interest, and automated yield compounding.
Ankr StakeFi is at the forefront of this innovation, transforming how users interact with staked assets through its Internet Bond Launchpad.
👉 Discover how internet bonds unlock powerful DeFi yields with seamless liquidity
What Is Ankr StakeFi?
Ankr StakeFi is a next-generation platform designed to simplify access to PoS staking while enhancing capital efficiency through DeFi integration. As part of Ankr’s broader mission as a leading Web3 infrastructure provider—with node deployment support across 40+ blockchain networks—StakeFi focuses on three core objectives:
- Lowering technical barriers to staking for non-technical users
- Unlocking liquidity of staked assets via tokenized internet bonds
- Connecting staking rewards to DeFi ecosystems for compounded yield generation
By issuing internet bond tokens, StakeFi enables users to maintain exposure to staking rewards while freely using their bonded assets across decentralized exchanges, lending platforms, and liquidity pools.
These tokens come in two primary forms:
- aETHc / aAVAXc: Compounding tokens whose value increases over time as rewards accrue
- aETHb / aAVAXb: Rebasing tokens that automatically increase in balance daily to reflect earned rewards
This dual-token model gives users flexibility in how they manage and grow their yields.
Core Products: Staking Across Major PoS Networks
Ethereum (ETH) Staking with aETHc and aETHb
Ethereum remains one of the most popular chains for staking due to its robust ecosystem and post-merge energy efficiency. With Ankr StakeFi, ETH holders can stake any amount—no need to own 32 ETH—and receive either:
- aETHc: A compounding interest-bearing token. Its value grows over time as staking rewards accumulate (e.g., 1 aETHc ≈ 1.035 ETH as of mid-2025).
- aETHb: A rebasing reward bond. Holders see their token balance increase daily to reflect newly distributed rewards.
Both tokens are compatible with major DEXs like Uniswap, SushiSwap, Curve Finance, and BakerySwap, enabling users to provide liquidity and earn additional fees. Furthermore, aETHb can be used in lending protocols to generate interest—effectively creating yield-on-yield scenarios.
For advanced users, Ankr also offers validator node provisioning services, allowing ETH holders to run their own nodes with built-in slashing protection. In return, providers earn 15% of the 32 ETH staking reward pool.
👉 Maximize your ETH staking returns with integrated DeFi strategies
Avalanche (AVAX) Staking via aAVAXb
Avalanche offers fast finality and low transaction costs, making it ideal for DeFi participation. Ankr StakeFi introduces aAVAXb, a rebasing internet bond that distributes daily staking rewards directly to user wallets.
What sets AVAX apart is its flexible unstaking mechanism:
- Users can redeem 1 aAVAXb for 1 AVAX after a 14-day unbonding period
- Alternatively, opt for instant liquidity through a dedicated pool backed by non-staked AVAX reserves
However, this convenience comes at a cost: the instant pool holds 3% of total AVAX unstaked, meaning those funds miss out on staking rewards. Combined with a 2% service fee, the effective yield reduction is approximately 4.94%—a trade-off between speed and return optimization.
Additionally, users can convert aAVAXb into aAVAXf, an NFT-based futures token with embedded maturity dates. These will be tradable on Bounce Finance’s bond futures market, opening up speculative and hedging opportunities.
Kusama (KSM) and Polkadot (DOT) Staking
Kusama and Polkadot share similar governance and consensus models, but differ in risk profile and release timelines.
- aKSMb: Kusama’s rebasing internet bond with a 7-day redemption window. It also supports instant liquidity pools and futures trading via aKSMf and aKSMpf (parallel chain futures).
- aDOTb: Polkadot’s equivalent, featuring a longer 28-day unbonding period and no automatic reward distribution in futures contracts.
Ankr collaborates with Bounce Finance’s parachain crowdloan platform to enable projects to raise KSM/DOT for auction participation. Contributors receive parachain futures tokens, which represent future claim rights to locked tokens during the lease period—unlocking secondary market trading long before redemption.
This integration creates early liquidity for long-term commitments, turning illiquid positions into tradable assets.
Binance Coin (BNB) Staking Roadmap
While not yet live, Ankr plans to launch BNB internet bonds with functionality mirroring its AVAX offering—complete with rebasing tokens, liquidity pools, and potential futures derivatives. Given BNB’s massive ecosystem and high staking demand, this addition could significantly expand StakeFi’s reach.
The Rise of Internet Bonds: A New Financial Primitive
Internet bonds represent more than just staking derivatives—they embody a new form of digital work agreement in Web3. Bondholders are not passive investors; they are active participants who:
- Secure PoS networks
- Enable decentralized consensus
- Earn ongoing rewards
- Reuse their bonded assets across DeFi
This hybrid structure blends characteristics of debt (fixed returns) and equity (ownership and governance), all within a perpetual, programmable framework. As such, internet bonds may become foundational building blocks for future financial systems—offering predictable yields without sacrificing composability.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What exactly is an internet bond?
A: An internet bond is a tokenized representation of staked assets on a PoS blockchain. It allows holders to earn staking rewards while using the token across DeFi platforms for liquidity provision, lending, or trading.
Q: How do aETHc and aETHb differ?
A: aETHc compounds value over time—the token price increases while the supply stays constant. aETHb maintains a 1:1 peg with ETH but increases in balance daily through rebase mechanics.
Q: Can I unstake anytime?
A: Yes, but redemption requires waiting periods: 14 days for AVAX, 7 days for KSM, and 28 days for DOT. Instant withdrawal options exist but may reduce overall yield.
Q: Are there risks involved?
A: While Ankr mitigates slashing risks via insurance mechanisms, smart contract vulnerabilities and market volatility remain potential concerns. Always conduct due diligence.
Q: Where can I trade internet bond tokens?
A: Tokens like aETHb and aAVAXb are listed on major DEXs including Uniswap, SushiSwap, and Curve Finance.
Q: Do I need technical knowledge to use StakeFi?
A: No—StakeFi is designed for ease of use. Anyone can stake and receive internet bond tokens without running nodes or managing private keys.
👉 Start earning multi-layered DeFi yields today—explore liquid staking opportunities
Conclusion
As DeFi continues evolving beyond simple lending and swapping, platforms like Ankr StakeFi are redefining what it means to earn passive income in crypto. By combining secure staking with fluid DeFi integration, internet bonds offer users unprecedented control over their capital—unlocking liquidity, flexibility, and compound growth in one seamless experience.
Whether you're staking ETH, AVAX, KSM, DOT, or soon BNB, Ankr StakeFi turns static holdings into dynamic yield engines—ushering in a new era of programmable finance built on trustless infrastructure.
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