Understanding DOT Warm-up & Reward Frequency
One slot lasts approximately 6 seconds.
One epoch has 2400 slots, approximately 4 hours
One era consists of six epochs and lasts around 24 hours.
When will you start accruing rewards?
As a direct nominator, you can select up to 16 validators. Your nominations must be included in an election, and your stake must actively back an elected validator and meet reward eligibility requirements. Selecting validators alone does not guarantee rewards. Learn more about active, inactive, and waiting nominations.
Depending on when your nominations are submitted and included in the election process, you may begin accruing rewards in the next era or the era after that. This is not a guaranteed 28–48-hour window for receiving your first payment.
An illustrative timeline is:
Submit nominations: Bond your DOT and select validators.
Begin accruing rewards: After your nominations take effect, eligible stake actively backing an elected validator can accrue rewards during that era.
Receive rewards: Once the accruing era ends, its rewards become available for payout. Payment occurs when the relevant payout is processed, not automatically at the start of the following era.
See the Polkadot nomination guide.
How often are rewards paid?
Rewards are calculated for each era, approximately every 24 hours. However, accruing rewards and receiving a payment are separate events. Rewards depend on active backing, reward eligibility, and the validator's activity during the era.
The network sends rewards directly to your chosen reward destination; validators never hold or control your rewards. Reward distributions may therefore arrive at different times rather than once every 24 hours.
See staking rewards and payouts, as well as the Polkadot rewards documentation.
⚠️ Disclosure: Staking rewards are variable and not guaranteed.
For more information on staking Polkadot (DOT) with P2P.org and our special offer for large DOT delegations, visit https://p2p.org/polkadot.
For additional staking support, visit the P2P.org Polkadot Help Centre.
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