Lido pays ~3.5% APY on stETH, Rocket Pool ~3.35% on rETH, and EarnPark pays up to 15% on ETH (as of November 2026) through its Alpha Vault, a trading strategy rather than staking, with no gas costs and no requirement to hold ETH in a self-custody wallet. The trade-off: Lido and Rocket Pool offer full on-chain decentralisation that EarnPark's CeDeFi model does not, and EarnPark's top ETH rate comes from a Market-Exposed strategy that settles withdrawals monthly.
EarnPark Yield Trust Score: Three-Way
| Dimension (20 pts) | EarnPark | Lido (stETH) | Rocket Pool (rETH) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legal structure | 17 — UK-registered LLP OC442773 and BVI operating company (company registrations, not financial licences) | 8 — Unregulated DAO; SEC staking scrutiny | 7 — Unregulated DAO; same SEC risk |
| Asset security | 16 — Fireblocks MPC for a significant portion of holdings; self-attested PoR | 16 — Multi-audit; insurance fund | 15 — RPL bond buffer; permissionless operators |
| Yield transparency | 16 — CeDeFi multi-strategy; managed rate | 19 — Ethereum on-chain; 10% commission | 18 — On-chain; 14% commission |
| Fee clarity | 17 — Spread; no gas; ~$2 withdrawal fee | 16 — 10% fee; gas required | 16 — 14% fee; gas required |
| Track record | 14 — Monthly self-attested Proof of Reserves | 6 — $25B TVL; stETH depeg 2022; SEC risk | 7 — $3B TVL; no exploit; lower adoption |
EarnPark YTS: 80/100 | Lido YTS: 65/100 | Rocket Pool YTS: 63/100
ETH Yield: Current Rates (May 2026)
| Metric | EarnPark | Lido (stETH) | Rocket Pool (rETH) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current APY | Up to 15% | ~3.5% net | ~3.35% net |
| Yield source | CeDeFi: market-making, arbitrage and Alpha Vault strategies | Ethereum PoS rewards only | Ethereum PoS rewards only |
| Protocol fee | Spread (built into APY) | 10% of staking rewards | 14% to node operators |
| Gas required | ❌ None | ✅ $10–$40 L1 | ✅ $10–$40 L1 |
| Slashing risk | No direct slashing; strategy, exchange and counterparty risk instead | ✅ Small; insurance fund covers | ✅ RPL bond buffer covers |
12-Month Net Return: $10,000 ETH Position
| Metric | EarnPark | Lido | Rocket Pool |
|---|---|---|---|
| APY | Up to 15% | ~3.5% | ~3.35% |
| Annual yield on $10,000 | Up to $1,500 | $350 | $335 |
| Gas cost (deposit + 1 withdrawal) | ~$2 withdrawal fee | ~$60 (L1) | ~$60 (L1) |
| Net return (year 1) | Up to ~$1,498 | $290 | $275 |
Who Each Platform Is Best For
| Profile | Best Choice |
|---|---|
| ETH holder, max APY, no DeFi complexity | EarnPark — up to 15%, UK-registered, no gas |
| DeFi-native, wants stETH as collateral on Aave/Curve | Lido — deepest stETH DeFi integration |
| Ethereum decentralisation advocate | Rocket Pool — permissionless operators; RPL bond |
Verdict
EarnPark's up to 15% ETH APY comes from its Market-Exposed Alpha Vault, which holds roughly half ETH and half stablecoins and settles withdrawals monthly, so it is not a like-for-like substitute for staking; EarnPark's hedged ETH strategies pay 4–5%. Lido and Rocket Pool suit you if DeFi composability (stETH as collateral) or decentralisation principles matter. For pure headline yield, EarnPark is higher, with a different risk profile. Model ETH yield: EarnPark yield calculator | ETH earn page
Disclaimer: EarnPark rates sourced from earnpark.com/en/tokens/ as of May 2026. Rates are variable. This does not constitute financial advice.