# What is Staking? ### Overview Staking is a core component of the Symmio ecosystem, designed to reward long-term participation and support for the platform. By staking the native $SYMM token, token holders can directly contribute to the network’s security and liquidity, while earning a portion of the settlement fees generated from derivatives trading. ### What is Staking? Staking involves depositing your $SYMM tokens into a dedicated staking contract, which in turn grants you a share of the platform’s daily settlement fees. As a “clearing layer” for derivatives, Symmio processes a high volume of trades and collects settlement costs. Stakers earn passive income from these fees, reflecting their role as active supporters of the network. *** ## How Staking Works ### Key Concepts * Clearing Layer: Unlike general-purpose smart contract platforms that cater primarily to developers, Symmio is tailored for financial creators. By acting as a specialized clearing layer for derivatives, Symmio streamlines the process of opening, settling, and managing positions between multiple parties. * Stakeholders: The ecosystem involves three main groups: * Front-ends (Exchanges): User-facing platforms that integrate with Symmio’s clearing layer to offer trading interfaces. * Market Makers and Solvers: Entities that provide liquidity and price discovery on top of Symmio. * SYMM Token Holders (Stakers & Validators): Individuals or organizations that stake $SYMM and earn a share of settlement fees, guiding the network’s governance and long-term direction. --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.symmio.foundation/token-related/tokenomics/staking-program/what-is-staking.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.