Crypto glossary
Delegated staking (delegation)
Delegated staking lets token holders assign their stake to a validator that does the technical work, earning part of the rewards while keeping their coins.
On many proof-of-stake networks, ordinary holders do not run validators themselves. Instead they delegate: they point their tokens at a validator of their choice, which adds that weight to its stake and earns more chances to produce blocks. Rewards flow back to the delegator minus the validator's commission. On Solana this is done through stake accounts, on Cosmos chains through bonding to a validator, and on Cardano by delegating a wallet to a stake pool.
Delegation is how most retail users take part in staking on these networks, often directly from a wallet with a few clicks. It also shapes decentralisation: delegators who choose validators by reliability, commission and independence spread stake out, while defaulting to the largest names concentrates it. Some chains add governance rights, where validators vote on proposals with delegated weight unless the delegator votes directly.
The coins stay in the user's control, but conditions vary by chain. Cosmos-style networks impose an unbonding period and can slash delegators if their validator misbehaves; Cardano has no lock-up and no slashing of delegated funds. A validator's commission can also change after you delegate.
Example
A Solana holder creates a stake account in their wallet, delegates it to a mid-sized validator with a low commission, and starts receiving rewards each epoch.