Reference
What it does
The delegation module manages how token holders place stake with validators without running infrastructure themselves: delegating, redelegating between validators, unbonding, and collecting the delegator share of rewards net of validator commission.
Delegation grants voting weight, not custody — tokens remain the delegator's throughout. The module gives staking-as-a-service partners a complete on-chain lifecycle to build client offerings on.
Why it exists: Most token holders will never run a validator, but the network still needs their stake bonded for security. A first-class delegation lifecycle turns passive holders into security contributors — and spreads stake across more validators, strengthening the Nakamoto coefficient.
State
Primary objects
| Concept | Definition |
|---|---|
Delegation | Bonding your tokens to a validator's stake in exchange for a share of its rewards. |
Commission | The validator's percentage cut of rewards before the delegator share is distributed. |
Redelegation | Moving bonded stake between validators without a full unbonding cycle. |
Messages
Messages & queries
Message and query surfaces are documented at implementation level in the module docs ↗ and the source ↗. The objects above are the state those messages create and transition.
Connections
Module interactions
Flows
Core flow
- Delegate — Bond to a validator. Choose on quality — uptime, self-bond, commission, governance participation — and delegate.
- Earn — Collect net of commission. The delegator share of block, VEID, and uptime rewards arrives minus the validator's cut.
- Move — Redelegate freely. Shift bonded stake between validators without sitting out a full unbonding cycle.
- Exit — Unbond when done. Twenty-one days, no earnings, still slashable for prior offenses — plan exits around the window.
Questions
Asked about x/delegation
What is delegation?
Bonding your tokens to a validator's stake in exchange for a share of its rewards — the way most holders participate in security.
What is commission?
The validator's percentage cut of rewards before the delegator share is distributed. Low commission means little if uptime is poor — select on quality first.
What is redelegation?
Moving bonded stake between validators without a full unbonding cycle — repositioning without the 21-day wait.
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