Rocket Pool (RPL): how it works, supply and reviews
In short
- Type
- Liquid staking protocol of smart contracts on Ethereum, with a permissionless network of node operators
- Issuance
- RPL is inflationary: most new RPL rewards node operators who stake RPL, and smaller shares fund the pDAO and oDAO
- Risks and caveats
- Redeeming rETH directly for ETH depends on available liquidity in the protocol
- Checked
- 31 October 2026
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Key facts
- Ticker
- RPL
- Official site
- rocketpool.net
Key facts checked on 31 October 2026 against official sources.
What is Rocket Pool
Rocket Pool is a decentralised liquid staking protocol for Ethereum, live on mainnet since October 2021. Users can stake from 0.01 ETH and receive rETH, a token that grows in value with staking rewards, while independent node operators run validators with a smaller ETH bond. RPL is the protocol's governance token, which can be staked for a share of protocol revenue.
Network and consensus
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Liquid staking protocol of smart contracts on Ethereum, with a permissionless network of node operators |
| Minimum stake | Stakers can deposit from 0.01 ETH and receive rETH; there is no minimum lock-up |
| Node operators | Since Saturn 1, a node operator bonds 4 ETH and is paired with 28 ETH from the rETH pool per 32 ETH validator in a megapool; RPL collateral is no longer required |
| Fees | Total commission of 14% on rewards from borrowed ETH: 5% base to node operators, 9% to RPL-staking operators; adjustable by pDAO vote |
| Scale | 536,544 ETH staked across 16,767 validators in 102+ regions, as shown on the website |
Supply and issuance
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Issuance | RPL is inflationary: most new RPL rewards node operators who stake RPL, and smaller shares fund the pDAO and oDAO |
| Staking rewards | rETH accrues staking rewards from the whole node operator network, so its value in ETH rises over time |
What RPL is used for
- RPL: governance voting power when staked
- RPL: staked on a megapool for a share of protocol ETH revenue and RPL rewards
- rETH: liquid staked ETH that can be traded, used in DeFi or redeemed for ETH when liquidity is available
Who develops and governs Rocket Pool
- Founders
- Started in late 2016 by developer David Rugendyke
- Governance
- A Protocol DAO (pDAO) of RPL stakers and an Oracle DAO (oDAO); protocol parameters such as commission are set by pDAO vote
- Company
- The website is published by Rocket Pool Pty Ltd
- Open source
- Smart contracts are open source in the rocket-pool GitHub organisation
History
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 2016 | David Rugendyke started Rocket Pool |
| May 2017 | Alpha version released, followed by five public betas on testnets |
| October 2021 | Official launch on Ethereum mainnet |
| 18 February 2026 | Saturn 1 upgrade launched: megapools, 4 ETH validators and protocol revenue share for staked RPL |
Security and audits
- Saturn 1 audits: Bailsec (January 2026), Cantina (February 2026), Sigma Prime (February 2026) and Hashlock (March 2026)
- Earlier audits: Sigma Prime, Consensys Diligence and Trail of Bits before mainnet (May 2021), and further Sigma Prime, Consensys Diligence and ChainSafe audits for the Redstone, Atlas and Houston releases (2022-2024)
- Immunefi bug bounty: up to $150,000 for critical issues (reduced in February 2026)
- No exploit post-mortem was found on the Rocket Pool pages reviewed
Security incidents
Incidents are reported by third parties (press, incident databases) but are not confirmed in the company’s own channels, so none is listed here.
Official RPL contracts
| Network | Contract address |
|---|---|
| Ethereum (RPL) | 0xD33526068D116cE69F19A9ee46F0bd304F21A51f |
| Ethereum (rETH) | 0xae78736Cd615f374D3085123A210448E74Fc6393 |
| Arbitrum (rETH) | 0xec70dcb4a1efa46b8f2d97c310c9c4790ba5ffa8 |
| Base (rETH) | 0xB6fe221Fe9EeF5aBa221c348bA20A1Bf5e73624c |
Official RPL and rETH token contracts as listed in the Rocket Pool docs; the docs also list Optimism, zkSync Era and Polygon deployments.
Risks and caveats
- Redeeming rETH directly for ETH depends on available liquidity in the protocol
- Validator penalties not covered by a node operator's bond are spread across the whole network
- Smart contract risk: contracts hold user funds, although they have been audited many times
Official links
- Website: rocketpool.net
- Docs: docs.rocketpool.net
- Source code: github.com/rocket-pool
- Blog: medium.com/rocket-pool
- Governance forum: dao.rocketpool.net
- Audits: rocketpool.net/protocol/security
Questions and answers
What is Rocket Pool?
A decentralised liquid staking protocol for Ethereum, live since October 2021, where users stake from 0.01 ETH for rETH and node operators run validators.
Who created Rocket Pool?
David Rugendyke started Rocket Pool in late 2016.
What is rETH?
Rocket Pool's liquid staking token; it accrues staking rewards, so its value in ETH rises over time, and it can be traded or redeemed when liquidity is available.
How much ETH do I need to run a Rocket Pool node?
Since Saturn 1 (February 2026), 4 ETH per validator, paired with 28 ETH from the rETH pool.
Is Rocket Pool audited?
Yes. Audits include Sigma Prime, Consensys Diligence and Trail of Bits before mainnet (2021) and Cantina, Bailsec, Sigma Prime and Hashlock for Saturn 1 (2026).
Sources
- Rocket Pool - Homepage
- Rocket Pool - Security
- Rocket Pool docs - Protocol overview
- Rocket Pool docs - FAQ
- Rocket Pool docs - Contracts and integrations
- Rocket Pool DAO forum - Roadmap update Nov-Apr (Saturn 1 launch)
- Rocket Pool DAO forum - Bug bounty program update
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