Cardano (ADA) is getting a lot of attention this year. On one side, there’s the possibility of a U.S. exchange-traded fund (ETF). On the other, staking continues to let holders earn passive income without selling their coins.
So, is Cardano the best crypto to buy right now? That’s the question many investors are asking.
What’s Happening With the ETF?
Grayscale has officially filed with the SEC for a spot Cardano ETF. If it’s approved, it would trade on NYSE Arca, with Coinbase Custody holding the coins.
Right now, prediction markets (like Polymarket) put the chances of approval at around 87 percent. The SEC has pushed the decision to October 26, 2025, so we’ll have to wait a bit longer.
ETF-style products for Cardano already exist in Europe, so it’s not like this is new ground. If the U.S. gives the green light, it could open the doors for big investors and retirement accounts to buy ADA without touching a crypto exchange.
Why It Matters
An ETF could make ADA easier to trade and hold in traditional portfolios. Some analysts even suggest the price could move up to $1.80 if the market is bullish.
More importantly, it would make Cardano look more legitimate to mainstream investors. That could bring in bigger players like hedge funds or asset managers
How Staking Cardano Works
While the ETF process plays out, Cardano holders already have a straightforward way to earn yield through staking. The network operates on a proof-of-stake consensus mechanism that allows ADA holders to delegate their coins to staking pools.
Staking yields typically range from 3 to 5 percent annually. Rewards are paid in ADA roughly every five days. Importantly, ADA staking is liquid (they aren’t locked up). Coins never leave the user’s wallet, and they can be transferred or spent at any time without waiting for an unbonding period.
Staking Options
You can stake directly from a Cardano wallet. That gives you full control. Exchanges like Coinbase, Binance, and Kraken also let you stake, but they take a small cut of the rewards.
Some advanced users even run their own staking pools. That works, but it’s more complicated and requires extra setup.
Liquid Staking
There’s also liquid staking. Platforms give you a token representing your staked ADA. You can use it in DeFi apps while still earning rewards. It adds flexibility, but you need to watch out for smart contract risks.
Where Cardano Stands
Cardano is at a crossroads. An ETF could bring institutional investors. Staking gives individual holders a simple way to earn.
Put the two together, and ADA is a unique crypto asset. If you’re after higher returns however, you might explore alternative tokens with bigger staking yields or DeFi opportunities.
Cardano Staking Alternatives
While Cardano remains a popular choice for staking, alternatives such as Ethereum, Solana, Polygon, and even pre-launch tokens like $BEST offer diverse approaches to yield generation.
In fact, $BEST offers a significantly higher APY, making it an ideal option for those seeking better staking opportunities outside of Cardano. The staking pool is finite, meaning early participants can lock in higher yields before demand pushes APY rates downward, making early participation and long-term holding more valuable.
At the time of writing, the APY reward stands at 87%, significantly higher than the yields currently offered by larger-caps such as Cardano. And it doesn’t just stop at offering this high APY reward – holding BEST also serves as the ticket to unlocking other high-yield staking opportunities within the DeFi space and accessing early-stage projects with promising potential.
This is made possible through its self-custodial, multichain solution known as Best Wallet. Unlike centralized apps, staking on Best Wallet is flexible, automatic, and seamless, giving users the freedom to access their yields anytime they want.
But staking is only a part of the appeal – Best Wallet also turns heads with its easy-to-use, feature-driven facility that makes it possible for users to store, buy, swap, and trade thousands of crypto assets without going through identity verification. More so, it’s fully non-custodial, meaning only investors can access their assets.
Security is powered by Fireblocks, a cutting-edge solution designed to safeguard all assets, giving users peace of mind. And with its multichain capabilities – evidenced by its support for major networks like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Polygon, Binance Smart Chain, Base, and most recently, Solana – investors can rest assured that they will find plenty of Cardano staking alternatives within the app.
Each time someone opens the Best Wallet app, they earn points that can later be redeemed for rewards. This gamified reward structure fosters loyalty and engagement among users, positioning it for broader adoption.
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