Cardano (ADA)
Separate stake delegation from a transfer to a pool operator.
CoinMarketCap rank #15 · 1 November 2026
How it works
Delegation on Cardano lets a holder assign stake to a pool while retaining spending control of the ADA. The pool’s stake, performance and reward history describe different things. A displayed historic return does not establish the next distribution.
Worked example
A supposed pool operator requests that you transfer your entire ADA balance to its address to delegate. Compare that request with the wallet’s delegation workflow and inspect the certificate and pool identifier. An ordinary payment changes control of the funds.
What to verify
Keep the delegation transaction and pool ID. When reconciling rewards, use the relevant epoch and reward account rather than projecting a single distribution across the year.