Staking is a way to earn passive income from cryptocurrency. Basically, you “freeze” your coins on an exchange or in a blockchain to support the network, and in return you get a reward. It’s like a bank deposit, only instead of interest, you get cryptocurrency.
Cryptocurrencies that support staking use the Proof of Stake (PoS) mechanism. To keep the network running, 'participants' are needed to confirm transactions and create new blocks. You become such a participant by staking your coins, and the system rewards you for it.
Example:
You invested 100 coins in staking, the exchange uses them for network operations, and you receive 5–10% annual interest (or more, depending on the coin).
Next…
Choose a coin for staking.
Not all cryptocurrencies can be staked. For example, popular coins for staking are ETH, ADA, SOL, DOT.
If you already have the suitable coins, send them to the exchange. If not, buy some.
Start staking
Find the 'Earn' or 'Staking' tab on the platform, choose a coin and the lock-up period (usually from 7 to 90 days).
What about USDT? You are right, USDT is not a coin in the classical sense, but a stablecoin. It is designed to mirror the value of the dollar (1 USDT ≈ $1). Its goal is to be stable and not depend on market volatility.
Staking USDT works differently. It’s not 'staking' in the literal sense, but rather deposits or 'savings'. Exchanges offer you to lock USDT in an account to earn interest, for example, 2–8% annual interest.