Staking Precompile

Address: 0x0000000000000000000000000000000000001005

The Sei staking precompile allows EVM applications to interact directly with Sei’s native staking module through standard smart contract calls. This enables delegation, undelegation, redelegation, validator management, and staking queries directly from your dApps without needing separate Cosmos SDK integration.

What is a precompile? A precompile is a special smart contract deployed at a fixed address by the Sei protocol itself, that exposes custom native chain logic to EVM-based applications. It acts like a regular contract from the EVM’s perspective, but executes privileged, low-level logic efficiently.

How Does the Staking Precompile Work?

The staking precompile at address 0x0000000000000000000000000000000000001005 exposes a comprehensive set of staking functions including delegate(), undelegate(), redelegate(), createValidator(), editValidator(), and various query functions like validators(), delegatorDelegations(), pool(), and params().

Direct Integration: EVM contracts and dApps can call staking functions like any other smart contract method.
Native Execution: Operations are executed at the Cosmos SDK level for maximum efficiency and security.
Seamless Bridge: No need for separate wallet integrations or complex cross-chain interactions.
Event Emission: All staking operations emit events (Delegate, Undelegate, Redelegate, ValidatorCreated, ValidatorEdited) for easy tracking and indexing.

Use Cases

DeFi Integration: Build liquid staking protocols and yield farming strategies.
Delegation Services: Create user-friendly interfaces for staking operations.
Portfolio Management: Automate staking strategies and delegation rebalancing.
Validator Management: Create and manage validators programmatically.

What You’ll Learn in This Guide

By the end of this guide, you’ll be able to:

Integrate Staking Operations - Call delegation, undelegation, and redelegation functions directly from your EVM contracts and dApps
Handle Decimal Precision - Master the critical precision patterns for different operations to avoid common formatting errors
Create and Manage Validators - Create new validators and edit their parameters programmatically
Query Staking State - Use the comprehensive query functions to fetch validators, delegations, unbonding info, pool statistics, and staking parameters
Listen for Staking Events - Track staking operations using emitted events for indexing and notifications
Build Portfolio Tools - Implement automated rebalancing and delegation tracking for staking management applications
Navigate Staking Risks - Understand unbonding periods, slashing mechanics, and validator selection for safe staking operations

Events

The staking precompile emits the following events:


/**
 * @notice Emitted when tokens are delegated to a validator
 * @param delegator The address of the delegator
 * @param validator The validator address
 * @param amount The amount delegated in base units
 */
event Delegate(address indexed delegator, string validator, uint256 amount);
 
/**
 * @notice Emitted when tokens are redelegated from one validator to another
 * @param delegator The address of the delegator
 * @param srcValidator The source validator address
 * @param dstValidator The destination validator address
 * @param amount The amount redelegated in base units
 */
event Redelegate(
    address indexed delegator,
    string srcValidator,
    string dstValidator,
    uint256 amount
);
 
/**
 * @notice Emitted when tokens are undelegated from a validator
 * @param delegator The address of the delegator
 * @param validator The validator address
 * @param amount The amount undelegated in base units
 */
event Undelegate(
    address indexed delegator,
    string validator,
    uint256 amount
);
 
/**
 * @notice Emitted when a new validator is created
 * @param creator The address of the validator creator
 * @param validatorAddress The validator address
 * @param moniker The validator moniker
 */
event ValidatorCreated(
    address indexed creator,
    string validatorAddress,
    string moniker
);
 
/**
 * @notice Emitted when a validator is edited
 * @param editor The address of the validator editor
 * @param validatorAddress The validator address
 * @param moniker The new validator moniker
 */
event ValidatorEdited(
    address indexed editor,
    string validatorAddress,
    string moniker
);

Listening for Events

You can listen for these events in your dApp to track staking operations:


// Listen for delegation events
staking.on('Delegate', (delegator, validator, amount) => {
  console.log(`${delegator} delegated ${amount} to ${validator}`);
});
 
// Listen for redelegation events
staking.on('Redelegate', (delegator, srcValidator, dstValidator, amount) => {
  console.log(`${delegator} redelegated ${amount} from ${srcValidator} to ${dstValidator}`);
});
 
// Listen for undelegation events
staking.on('Undelegate', (delegator, validator, amount) => {
  console.log(`${delegator} undelegated ${amount} from ${validator}`);
});
 
// Listen for validator creation events
staking.on('ValidatorCreated', (creator, validatorAddress, moniker) => {
  console.log(`New validator ${moniker} created at ${validatorAddress} by ${creator}`);
});
 
// Listen for validator edit events
staking.on('ValidatorEdited', (editor, validatorAddress, moniker) => {
  console.log(`Validator ${validatorAddress} edited by ${editor}, new moniker: ${moniker}`);
});

Functions

The staking precompile exposes the following functions:

Transaction Functions


/// Delegates Sei to the specified validator.
/// @dev This function truncates msg.value to 6 decimal places for interaction with the staking module
/// @param valAddress The Sei address of the validator.
/// @return Whether the delegation was successful.
function delegate(
    string memory valAddress
) payable external returns (bool success);
 
/// Redelegates Sei from one validator to another.
/// @dev The amount should be in 6 decimal precision, not 18. 1 SEI = 1_000_000 uSEI
/// @param srcAddress The Sei address of the validator to move delegations from.
/// @param dstAddress The Sei address of the validator to move delegations to.
/// @param amount The amount of Sei to move from srcAddress to dstAddress.
/// @return Whether the redelegation was successful.
function redelegate(
    string memory srcAddress,
    string memory dstAddress,
    uint256 amount
) external returns (bool success);
 
/// Undelegates Sei from the specified validator.
/// @dev The amount should be in 6 decimal precision, not 18. 1 SEI = 1_000_000 uSEI
/// @param valAddress The Sei address of the validator to undelegate from.
/// @param amount The amount of Sei to undelegate.
/// @return Whether the undelegation was successful.
function undelegate(
    string memory valAddress,
    uint256 amount
) external returns (bool success);
 
/// Create a new validator. Delegation amount must be provided as value in wei.
/// @param pubKeyHex Ed25519 public key in hex format (64 characters)
/// @param moniker Validator display name
/// @param commissionRate Initial commission rate (e.g. "0.05" for 5%)
/// @param commissionMaxRate Maximum commission rate (e.g. "0.20" for 20%)
/// @param commissionMaxChangeRate Maximum commission change rate per day (e.g. "0.01" for 1%)
/// @param minSelfDelegation Minimum self-delegation amount in base units
/// @return success True if validator creation was successful
function createValidator(
    string memory pubKeyHex,
    string memory moniker,
    string memory commissionRate,
    string memory commissionMaxRate,
    string memory commissionMaxChangeRate,
    uint256 minSelfDelegation
) external payable returns (bool success);
 
/// Edit an existing validator's parameters
/// @param moniker New validator display name
/// @param commissionRate New commission rate (e.g. "0.10" for 10%)
///                      Pass empty string "" to not change commission rate
///                      Note: Commission can only be changed once per 24 hours
/// @param minSelfDelegation New minimum self-delegation amount
///                         Pass 0 to not change minimum self-delegation
///                         Note: Can only increase, cannot decrease below current value
/// @return success True if validator edit was successful
function editValidator(
    string memory moniker,
    string memory commissionRate,
    uint256 minSelfDelegation
) external returns (bool success);

Query Functions


struct Delegation {
    Balance balance;
    DelegationDetails delegation;
}
 
struct Balance {
    uint256 amount;  // Staked balance in usei (6 decimals)
    string denom;    // Token denomination (e.g., "usei")
}
 
struct DelegationDetails {
    string delegator_address;
    uint256 shares;    // Delegation shares (18 decimal precision)
    uint256 decimals;  // Precision for shares field (always 18)
    string validator_address;
}
 
struct Validator {
    string operatorAddress;      // Validator's operator address (seivaloper...)
    string consensusPubkey;      // Consensus public key
    bool jailed;                 // Whether the validator is jailed
    int32 status;                // Bonding status (1=Unbonded, 2=Unbonding, 3=Bonded)
    string tokens;               // Total tokens delegated
    string delegatorShares;      // Total delegator shares
    string description;          // Validator description/metadata
    int64 unbondingHeight;       // Height at which unbonding started
    int64 unbondingTime;         // Time at which unbonding completes
    string commissionRate;       // Current commission rate
    string commissionMaxRate;    // Maximum commission rate
    string commissionMaxChangeRate; // Maximum daily commission change rate
    int64 commissionUpdateTime;  // Last commission update timestamp
    string minSelfDelegation;    // Minimum self-delegation requirement
}
 
struct ValidatorsResponse {
    Validator[] validators;      // Array of validators
    bytes nextKey;               // Pagination key for next page
}
 
struct DelegationsResponse {
    Delegation[] delegations;    // Array of delegations
    bytes nextKey;               // Pagination key for next page
}
 
struct UnbondingDelegationEntry {
    int64 creationHeight;        // Height when unbonding was initiated
    int64 completionTime;        // Timestamp when unbonding completes
    string initialBalance;       // Initial unbonding balance
    string balance;              // Current unbonding balance
}
 
struct UnbondingDelegation {
    string delegatorAddress;     // Delegator's address
    string validatorAddress;     // Validator's address
    UnbondingDelegationEntry[] entries; // Unbonding entries
}
 
struct UnbondingDelegationsResponse {
    UnbondingDelegation[] unbondingDelegations; // Array of unbonding delegations
    bytes nextKey;               // Pagination key for next page
}
 
struct RedelegationEntry {
    int64 creationHeight;        // Height when redelegation was initiated
    int64 completionTime;        // Timestamp when redelegation completes
    string initialBalance;       // Initial redelegation balance
    string sharesDst;            // Shares at destination validator
}
 
struct Redelegation {
    string delegatorAddress;     // Delegator's address
    string validatorSrcAddress;  // Source validator address
    string validatorDstAddress;  // Destination validator address
    RedelegationEntry[] entries; // Redelegation entries
}
 
struct RedelegationsResponse {
    Redelegation[] redelegations; // Array of redelegations
    bytes nextKey;               // Pagination key for next page
}
 
struct HistoricalInfo {
    int64 height;                // Block height
    Validator[] validators;      // Validators at that height
}
 
struct Pool {
    string notBondedTokens;      // Total tokens not bonded
    string bondedTokens;         // Total tokens bonded
}
 
struct Params {
    uint64 unbondingTime;        // Unbonding duration in seconds
    uint32 maxValidators;        // Maximum number of validators
    uint32 maxEntries;           // Max unbonding/redelegation entries
    uint32 historicalEntries;    // Number of historical entries to keep
    string bondDenom;            // Bond token denomination
    string minCommissionRate;    // Minimum commission rate
    string maxVotingPowerRatio;  // Maximum voting power ratio
    string maxVotingPowerEnforcementThreshold; // Enforcement threshold
}
 
/// Queries delegation for a given delegator and validator address.
/// @param delegator The address of the delegator.
/// @param valAddress The Sei address of the validator.
/// @return The delegation information.
/// @dev balance.amount is in usei (6 decimals). To calculate SEI: amount / 1e6
/// @dev shares uses 18 decimal precision. To calculate actual shares: shares / 1e18
function delegation(
    address delegator,
    string memory valAddress
) external view returns (Delegation delegation);
 
/// Get list of validators with optional status filter
/// @param status Filter by validator status ("BOND_STATUS_BONDED", "BOND_STATUS_UNBONDING", "BOND_STATUS_UNBONDED", or "" for all)
/// @param nextKey Pagination key (use empty bytes for first page)
/// @return response List of validators with pagination info
function validators(
    string memory status,
    bytes memory nextKey
) external view returns (ValidatorsResponse memory response);
 
/// Get validator information for a given validator address
/// @param validatorAddress The validator address
/// @return validator Validator details
function validator(
    string memory validatorAddress
) external view returns (Validator memory validator);
 
/// Get delegations for a specific validator
/// @param validatorAddress The validator address
/// @param nextKey Pagination key
/// @return response Delegations response with pagination
function validatorDelegations(
    string memory validatorAddress,
    bytes memory nextKey
) external view returns (DelegationsResponse memory response);
 
/// Get unbonding delegations for a specific validator
/// @param validatorAddress The validator address
/// @param nextKey Pagination key
/// @return response Unbonding delegations response with pagination
function validatorUnbondingDelegations(
    string memory validatorAddress,
    bytes memory nextKey
) external view returns (UnbondingDelegationsResponse memory response);
 
/// Get unbonding delegation information for a delegator and validator pair
/// @param delegator The delegator's address
/// @param validatorAddress The validator address
/// @return unbondingDelegation Unbonding delegation details
function unbondingDelegation(
    address delegator,
    string memory validatorAddress
) external view returns (UnbondingDelegation memory unbondingDelegation);
 
/// Get all delegations for a delegator
/// @param delegator The delegator's address
/// @param nextKey Pagination key
/// @return response Delegations response with pagination
function delegatorDelegations(
    address delegator,
    bytes memory nextKey
) external view returns (DelegationsResponse memory response);
 
/// Get validator information for a delegator and validator pair
/// @param delegator The delegator's address
/// @param validatorAddress The validator address
/// @return validator Validator details
function delegatorValidator(
    address delegator,
    string memory validatorAddress
) external view returns (Validator memory validator);
 
/// Get all unbonding delegations for a delegator
/// @param delegator The delegator's address
/// @param nextKey Pagination key
/// @return response Unbonding delegations response with pagination
function delegatorUnbondingDelegations(
    address delegator,
    bytes memory nextKey
) external view returns (UnbondingDelegationsResponse memory response);
 
/// Get redelegations with optional filters
/// @param delegator The delegator's address (empty string for all)
/// @param srcValidator The source validator address (empty string for all)
/// @param dstValidator The destination validator address (empty string for all)
/// @param nextKey Pagination key
/// @return response Redelegations response with pagination
function redelegations(
    string memory delegator,
    string memory srcValidator,
    string memory dstValidator,
    bytes memory nextKey
) external view returns (RedelegationsResponse memory response);
 
/// Get all validators that a delegator has delegated to
/// @param delegator The delegator's address
/// @param nextKey Pagination key
/// @return response Validators response with pagination
function delegatorValidators(
    address delegator,
    bytes memory nextKey
) external view returns (ValidatorsResponse memory response);
 
/// Get historical info for a given height
/// @param height The block height
/// @return historicalInfo Historical validator set info
function historicalInfo(
    int64 height
) external view returns (HistoricalInfo memory historicalInfo);
 
/// Get staking pool information (bonded and unbonded token totals)
/// @return pool Pool details
function pool() external view returns (Pool memory pool);
 
/// Get staking module parameters
/// @return params Staking parameters
function params() external view returns (Params memory params);

Important Precision Note for delegation() Response:

The response contains two different precision scales:

balance.amount: 6 decimals (usei) - the actual staked token amount
delegation.shares: 18 decimals - the validator pool share amount
delegation.decimals: Always returns 18 (refers to shares precision, NOT balance)

To convert to SEI for display:

Balance: balance.amount / 1e6
Shares: delegation.shares / 1e18

Using the Precompile

Setup

Prerequisites

Before getting started, ensure you have:

Node.js (v16 or higher)
npm or yarn package manager
EVM-compatible wallet
SEI tokens for gas fees and staking operations

Install Dependencies

Install the required packages for interacting with Sei precompiles:


# Install ethers.js for smart contract interactions
npm install ethers
 
# Install Sei EVM bindings for precompile addresses and ABIs
npm install @sei-js/precompiles@2.1.2

Import Precompile Components


// Import Staking precompile address and ABI
// View the entire ABI here: https://github.com/sei-protocol/sei-chain/tree/evm/precompiles/staking
import { STAKING_PRECOMPILE_ABI, STAKING_PRECOMPILE_ADDRESS } from '@sei-js/precompiles';
import { ethers } from 'ethers';

Precompile Address: The staking precompile is deployed at 0x0000000000000000000000000000000000001005

Contract Initialization

Set up your provider, signer, and contract instance:


// Using EVM-compatible wallet as the signer and provider
const provider = new ethers.BrowserProvider(window.ethereum);
await provider.send('eth_requestAccounts', []);
const signer = await provider.getSigner();
 
// Create a contract instance for the staking precompile
const staking = new ethers.Contract(STAKING_PRECOMPILE_ADDRESS, STAKING_PRECOMPILE_ABI, signer);

Critical: Understanding Decimal Precision

One of the most important concepts to understand when working with the Sei staking precompile:

Mixed Decimal Precision System

The staking precompile operates with different decimal precision for different operations due to bridging EVM and Cosmos standards:

Function	Input/Output	Decimal Precision	Example
delegate()	msg.value (input)	18 decimals (wei)	`ethers.parseUnits(‘1’, 18)`
undelegate()	amount (input)	6 decimals (uSEI)	`1000000` (represents 1 SEI)
redelegate()	amount (input)	6 decimals (uSEI)	`500000` (represents 0.5 SEI)
createValidator()	msg.value (input)	18 decimals (wei)	`ethers.parseUnits(‘1000’, 18)`
delegation()	return values (output)	Mixed (balance 6, shares 18)	`balance.amount=1000000`, `shares=1000000000000000000`

Granularity for delegate():

msg.value is truncated to 6 decimals (uSEI). Always send amounts that are a multiple of 1e12 wei (last 12 digits zero) to avoid unintended truncation.

OK: 1_000_000_000_000 wei (0.000001000000 SEI)
NOT OK: 1_000_000_000_001 wei (0.000001000000000001 SEI)
NOT OK: 1_000_000_330_000 wei (0.000001000000330000 SEI)

Examples:

Delegate 10 SEI → 10000000000000000000 wei (18 decimals)
Undelegate 10 SEI → 10000000 uSEI (6 decimals)

How This Works in Practice

delegate() Function (Uses 18 decimals):

delegate() - accepts msg.value in wei (18 decimals)

undelegate() and redelegate() Functions (Use 6 decimals):

undelegate() - expects amount parameter in 6 decimals (uSEI)
redelegate() - expects amount parameter in 6 decimals (uSEI)

Reading/Query Operations (Return 6 decimals):

delegation() - returns balance.amount in 6-decimal uSEI and delegation.shares in 18-decimal precision
Rewards are handled by the Distribution precompile: rewards() query returns 18-decimal DecCoins, while withdrawn amounts (events) are 6-decimal uSEI

Why This Mixed System Exists

delegate() EVM Compatibility: Uses standard 18-decimal wei format for EVM msg.value consistency
Other Operations Cosmos Integration: undelegate() and redelegate() use 6-decimal uSEI precision to match native Cosmos operations
Staking Query Consistency: Staking precompile query balances use 6-decimal uSEI (while shares is 18-decimal) for consistent reading

Best Practice: Different Conversion for Different Functions

When working with user inputs, use the appropriate conversion for each function:


// Best practice for handling user input amounts
function prepareAmountForDelegate(seiAmount: number): bigint {
  // For delegate() - convert to 18 decimals (wei)
  const fixedAmount = seiAmount.toFixed(6);
  return ethers.parseUnits(fixedAmount, 18);
}
 
function prepareAmountForUndelegateRedelegate(seiAmount: number): bigint {
  // For undelegate() and redelegate() - convert to 6 decimals (uSEI)
  return ethers.parseUnits(seiAmount.toFixed(6), 6);
}
 
// Usage examples
const userInputAmount = 1.23456789; // User enters this
 
// For delegate()
const delegateAmount = prepareAmountForDelegate(userInputAmount); // 18 decimals
 
// For undelegate() and redelegate()
const undelegateAmount = prepareAmountForUndelegateRedelegate(userInputAmount); // 6 decimals

Normalization Guidelines (Clients and Indexers)

Normalize to a single unit for analytics and reconciliation:
- Display: convert to SEI (wei / 1e18, uSEI / 1e6)
- Storage/aggregation: prefer uSEI (6 decimals)
Reconciling delegate vs. undelegate/redelegate/rewards: convert delegate msg.value from wei to uSEI using integer division by 1e12 (floor), which matches the precompile’s internal truncation.
Enforce granularity at source: construct msg.value as a multiple of 1e12 wei by formatting user input to 6 decimals prior to parseUnits.


// Convert delegate msg.value (wei) to uSEI (6 decimals) for reconciliation
function weiToUseiForDelegate(valueWei: bigint): bigint {
  return valueWei / 1_000_000_000_000n; // floor to 6-decimal granularity
}
 
// Convert uSEI to SEI for display
function useiToSeiString(amountUsei: bigint): string {
  return ethers.formatUnits(amountUsei, 6);
}
 
// Ensure msg.value is a multiple of 1e12 wei (last 12 digits zero)
function normalizeWeiForDelegate(valueWei: bigint): bigint {
  return (valueWei / 1_000_000_000_000n) * 1_000_000_000_000n;
}

Decimal Conversion Helpers

Use these helper functions to avoid precision errors:


// Helper functions for amount conversion
class SeiAmountConverter {
  // Convert SEI to wei (18 decimals) - ONLY for delegate()
  static seiToWei(seiAmount: number): bigint {
    return ethers.parseUnits(seiAmount.toFixed(6), 18);
  }
 
  // Convert SEI to uSEI (6 decimals) - for undelegate() and redelegate()
  static seiToUsei(seiAmount: number): bigint {
    return ethers.parseUnits(seiAmount.toFixed(6), 6);
  }
 
  // Convert reading results (6 decimals) to SEI
  static useiToSei(useiAmount: number | bigint): number {
    return Number(useiAmount) / 1000000;
  }
 
  // Convert wei to SEI (18 decimals) - for delegate operations
  static weiToSei(weiAmount: bigint): number {
    return Number(ethers.formatEther(weiAmount));
  }
}
 
// Usage examples - Use correct decimals for each function
const delegateAmount = SeiAmountConverter.seiToWei(1); // For delegate() - 18 decimals
const undelegateAmount = SeiAmountConverter.seiToUsei(0.5); // For undelegate() - 6 decimals
const redelegateAmount = SeiAmountConverter.seiToUsei(2); // For redelegate() - 6 decimals

Step-by-Step Guide: Using the Staking Precompile

Delegate Tokens

JavaScript


// Sei validator address you want to delegate to (seivaloper... format)
const validatorAddress = 'seivaloper1xyz...';
 
const amount = 1; // Amount in SEI to delegate
 
const amountTrimmed = amount.toFixed(6); // Ensure 6 decimal precision for msg.value
 
// Delegate 1 SEI - Uses 18 decimals for msg.value
const amountToDelegate = ethers.parseUnits(amountTrimmed, 18);
 
const tx = await staking.delegate(validatorAddress, { value: amountToDelegate });
 
const receipt = await tx.wait();
console.log('Delegation completed:', receipt);

Undelegate Tokens

JavaScript


// Undelegate 1 SEI from a validator - Uses 6 decimals for amount parameter
const validatorAddress = 'seivaloper1xyz...';
 
const amount = 1; // Amount in SEI to undelegate
const amountTrimmed = amount.toFixed(6); // Ensure 6 decimal precision
const amountToUndelegate = ethers.parseUnits(amountTrimmed, 6); // 1 SEI in 6 decimals
 
const tx = await staking.undelegate(validatorAddress, amountToUndelegate);
const receipt = await tx.wait();
 
console.log('Undelegation started:', receipt);

IMPORTANT: Undelegated tokens are subject to a 21-day unbonding period during which they cannot be transferred and do not earn rewards.

Redelegate Tokens

JavaScript


// Redelegate 0.5 SEI from one validator to another - Uses 6 decimals for amount parameter
const srcValidator = 'seivaloper1abc...';
const dstValidator = 'seivaloper1xyz...';
 
const amount = 0.5; // Amount in SEI to redelegate
const amountTrimmed = amount.toFixed(6); // Ensure 6 decimal precision
const amountToRedelegate = ethers.parseUnits(amountTrimmed, 6); // 0.5 SEI in 6 decimals
 
const tx = await staking.redelegate(srcValidator, dstValidator, amountToRedelegate);
const receipt = await tx.wait();
 
console.log('Redelegation completed:', receipt);

Redelegation restrictions:

Maximum 7 redelegations per validator pair per 21-day period
After redelegating from Validator A to Validator B, you cannot redelegate from Validator B to another validator for 21 days
Each redelegation has its own 21-day cooldown period

Query a Delegation

JavaScript


// Get your EVM address as the delegator
const delegator = await signer.getAddress();
 
try {
  const delegationInfo = await staking.delegation(delegator, validatorAddress);
 
  console.log('Delegation details:', {
    amount: delegationInfo.balance.amount.toString(),
    denom: delegationInfo.balance.denom,
    shares: delegationInfo.delegation.shares.toString(),
    decimals: delegationInfo.delegation.decimals.toString(),
    delegator_address: delegationInfo.delegation.delegator_address,
    validator_address: delegationInfo.delegation.validator_address
  });
 
  // Convert delegation amount from uSEI to SEI for readable display
  const delegationAmountSei = ethers.formatUnits(delegationInfo.balance.amount, 6);
  console.log('Delegation amount (SEI):', delegationAmountSei);
} catch (error) {
  if (error.message.includes('delegation not found') || error.message.includes('no delegation')) {
    console.log('No delegation found for this validator');
  } else {
    console.error('Error querying delegation:', error);
  }
}

Create a Validator

Creating a validator requires significant SEI for self-delegation and proper validator infrastructure setup. Only proceed if you understand the responsibilities of running a validator node.

JavaScript


// Ed25519 public key in hex format (64 characters)
// This comes from your validator node's priv_validator_key.json
const pubKeyHex = 'your_ed25519_public_key_hex_64_chars';
const moniker = 'MyValidator';
 
// Commission rates as decimal strings
const commissionRate = '0.05'; // 5% commission
const commissionMaxRate = '0.20'; // Maximum 20% commission
const commissionMaxChangeRate = '0.01'; // Can change by 1% per day max
 
// Minimum self-delegation in base units (uSEI)
const minSelfDelegation = BigInt(1000000); // 1 SEI minimum
 
// Initial self-delegation amount in wei (18 decimals)
const selfDelegationAmount = ethers.parseUnits('1000', 18); // 1000 SEI
 
const tx = await staking.createValidator(pubKeyHex, moniker, commissionRate, commissionMaxRate, commissionMaxChangeRate, minSelfDelegation, { value: selfDelegationAmount });
 
const receipt = await tx.wait();
console.log('Validator created:', receipt);

Edit a Validator


// Update validator parameters
const newMoniker = 'MyUpdatedValidator';
const newCommissionRate = '0.08'; // 8% commission (or "" to keep current)
const newMinSelfDelegation = BigInt(2000000); // 2 SEI (or 0 to keep current)
 
const tx = await staking.editValidator(newMoniker, newCommissionRate, newMinSelfDelegation);
 
const receipt = await tx.wait();
console.log('Validator updated:', receipt);

Edit Validator Constraints: - Commission can only be changed once every 24 hours - minSelfDelegation can only be increased, never decreased - Pass empty string "" for commissionRate to keep current rate - Pass 0 for minSelfDelegation to keep current value

Query Validators


// Get all bonded validators
const bondedValidators = await staking.validators('BOND_STATUS_BONDED', '0x');
console.log('Bonded validators:', bondedValidators.validators);
 
// Get all validators (no filter)
const allValidators = await staking.validators('', '0x');
console.log('Total validators:', allValidators.validators.length);
 
// Pagination - get next page if available
if (allValidators.nextKey.length > 0) {
  const nextPage = await staking.validators('', allValidators.nextKey);
  console.log('Next page validators:', nextPage.validators);
}

Query a Specific Validator


const validatorAddress = 'seivaloper1xyz...';
const validatorInfo = await staking.validator(validatorAddress);
 
console.log('Validator details:', {
  moniker: validatorInfo.description,
  tokens: validatorInfo.tokens,
  commission: validatorInfo.commissionRate,
  jailed: validatorInfo.jailed,
  status: validatorInfo.status // 1=Unbonded, 2=Unbonding, 3=Bonded
});

Query All Delegations for an Address


const delegator = await signer.getAddress();
 
// Get all delegations for the connected wallet
const myDelegations = await staking.delegatorDelegations(delegator, '0x');
 
console.log('My delegations:');
for (const del of myDelegations.delegations) {
  const amountSei = ethers.formatUnits(del.balance.amount, 6);
  console.log(`  ${del.delegation.validator_address}: ${amountSei} SEI`);
}

Query Unbonding Delegations


const delegator = await signer.getAddress();
 
// Get all unbonding delegations
const unbonding = await staking.delegatorUnbondingDelegations(delegator, '0x');
 
console.log('Unbonding delegations:');
for (const ud of unbonding.unbondingDelegations) {
  console.log(`Validator: ${ud.validatorAddress}`);
  for (const entry of ud.entries) {
    const completionDate = new Date(Number(entry.completionTime) * 1000);
    console.log(`  Amount: ${entry.balance}, Completes: ${completionDate.toISOString()}`);
  }
}
 
// Query specific unbonding delegation
const validatorAddress = 'seivaloper1xyz...';
const specificUnbonding = await staking.unbondingDelegation(delegator, validatorAddress);

Query Redelegations


// Get all redelegations for a specific delegator
const delegatorAddress = await signer.getAddress();
const delegatorBech32 = 'sei1...'; // Convert EVM address to Bech32 format
 
const redelegations = await staking.redelegations(
  delegatorBech32, // delegator filter (empty string for all)
  '', // source validator filter (empty string for all)
  '', // destination validator filter (empty string for all)
  '0x' // pagination key
);
 
console.log('Active redelegations:');
for (const redel of redelegations.redelegations) {
  console.log(`From ${redel.validatorSrcAddress} to ${redel.validatorDstAddress}`);
  for (const entry of redel.entries) {
    const completionDate = new Date(Number(entry.completionTime) * 1000);
    console.log(`  Amount: ${entry.initialBalance}, Completes: ${completionDate.toISOString()}`);
  }
}

Query Staking Pool and Parameters


// Get staking pool totals
const pool = await staking.pool();
console.log('Staking Pool:', {
  bondedTokens: pool.bondedTokens,
  notBondedTokens: pool.notBondedTokens
});
 
// Get staking parameters
const params = await staking.params();
console.log('Staking Parameters:', {
  unbondingTime: `${Number(params.unbondingTime) / 86400} days`,
  maxValidators: params.maxValidators,
  bondDenom: params.bondDenom,
  minCommissionRate: params.minCommissionRate
});

Query Historical Validator Info


// Get validator set at a specific block height
const blockHeight = 1000000n;
const historicalInfo = await staking.historicalInfo(blockHeight);
 
console.log(`Validators at block ${blockHeight}:`);
for (const val of historicalInfo.validators) {
  console.log(`  ${val.operatorAddress}: ${val.tokens} tokens`);
}

Advanced Usage Examples

Portfolio Rebalancing


async function rebalanceStaking(
  fromValidator: string,
  toValidator: string,
  amount: number // Amount in SEI
) {
  try {
    // Convert to 6 decimal precision for redelegate (uses 6 decimals)
    const amountIn6Decimals = ethers.parseUnits(amount.toFixed(6), 6);
 
    const tx = await staking.redelegate(fromValidator, toValidator, amountIn6Decimals);
 
    const receipt = await tx.wait();
    console.log('Rebalancing completed:', receipt);
 
    return receipt;
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Rebalancing failed:', error);
    throw error;
  }
}

Complete Integration Example

JavaScript


async function stakingExample() {
  // Setup
  const provider = new ethers.BrowserProvider(window.ethereum);
  await provider.send('eth_requestAccounts', []);
  const signer = await provider.getSigner();
  const staking = new ethers.Contract(STAKING_PRECOMPILE_ADDRESS, STAKING_PRECOMPILE_ABI, signer);
 
  const delegator = await signer.getAddress();
  const validatorAddress = 'seivaloper1xyz...';
 
  try {
    // 1. Check current delegation (with error handling)
    console.log('=== Checking Current Delegation ===');
    try {
      const currentDelegation = await staking.delegation(delegator, validatorAddress);
      const currentAmountSei = ethers.formatUnits(currentDelegation.balance.amount, 6);
      console.log('Current delegation amount (SEI):', currentAmountSei);
    } catch (error) {
      if (error.message.includes('delegation not found') || error.message.includes('no delegation')) {
        console.log('No existing delegation found for this validator');
      } else {
        throw error; // Re-throw if it's a different error
      }
    }
 
    // 2. Delegate additional tokens (uses 18 decimals)
    console.log('=== Delegating Tokens ===');
    const amount = 1;
    const amountTrimmed = amount.toFixed(6); // Ensure 6 decimal precision
    const amountToDelegate = ethers.parseUnits(amountTrimmed, 18);
    const delegateTx = await staking.delegate(validatorAddress, {
      value: amountToDelegate,
      gasLimit: 300000
    });
    await delegateTx.wait();
    console.log('Delegation successful:', delegateTx.hash);
 
    // 3. Check updated delegation
    const updatedDelegation = await staking.delegation(delegator, validatorAddress);
    const updatedAmountSei = ethers.formatUnits(updatedDelegation.balance.amount, 6);
    console.log('Updated delegation amount (SEI):', updatedAmountSei);
 
    // 4. Undelegate partial amount (uses 6 decimals)
    console.log('=== Undelegating Tokens ===');
    const undelegateAmount = ethers.parseUnits('0.5', 6); // 0.5 SEI in 6 decimals
    const undelegateTx = await staking.undelegate(validatorAddress, undelegateAmount);
    await undelegateTx.wait();
    console.log('Undelegation successful:', undelegateTx.hash);
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Operation failed:', error);
  }
}

Solidity

Contract Example


// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
pragma solidity ^0.8.0;
 
interface IStakingPrecompile {
    // Events
    event Delegate(address indexed delegator, string validator, uint256 amount);
    event Redelegate(address indexed delegator, string srcValidator, string dstValidator, uint256 amount);
    event Undelegate(address indexed delegator, string validator, uint256 amount);
    event ValidatorCreated(address indexed creator, string validatorAddress, string moniker);
    event ValidatorEdited(address indexed editor, string validatorAddress, string moniker);
 
    // Structs
    struct Delegation {
        Balance balance;
        DelegationDetails delegation;
    }
 
    struct Balance {
        uint256 amount;
        string denom;
    }
 
    struct DelegationDetails {
        string delegator_address;
        uint256 shares;
        uint256 decimals;
        string validator_address;
    }
 
    struct Validator {
        string operatorAddress;
        string consensusPubkey;
        bool jailed;
        int32 status;
        string tokens;
        string delegatorShares;
        string description;
        int64 unbondingHeight;
        int64 unbondingTime;
        string commissionRate;
        string commissionMaxRate;
        string commissionMaxChangeRate;
        int64 commissionUpdateTime;
        string minSelfDelegation;
    }
 
    struct ValidatorsResponse {
        Validator[] validators;
        bytes nextKey;
    }
 
    struct Pool {
        string notBondedTokens;
        string bondedTokens;
    }
 
    struct Params {
        uint64 unbondingTime;
        uint32 maxValidators;
        uint32 maxEntries;
        uint32 historicalEntries;
        string bondDenom;
        string minCommissionRate;
        string maxVotingPowerRatio;
        string maxVotingPowerEnforcementThreshold;
    }
 
    // Transaction functions
    function delegate(string memory valAddress) payable external returns (bool success);
 
    function undelegate(
        string memory valAddress,
        uint256 amount
    ) external returns (bool success);
 
    function redelegate(
        string memory srcAddress,
        string memory dstAddress,
        uint256 amount
    ) external returns (bool success);
 
    function createValidator(
        string memory pubKeyHex,
        string memory moniker,
        string memory commissionRate,
        string memory commissionMaxRate,
        string memory commissionMaxChangeRate,
        uint256 minSelfDelegation
    ) external payable returns (bool success);
 
    function editValidator(
        string memory moniker,
        string memory commissionRate,
        uint256 minSelfDelegation
    ) external returns (bool success);
 
    // Query functions
    function delegation(
        address delegator,
        string memory valAddress
    ) external view returns (Delegation memory);
 
    function validators(
        string memory status,
        bytes memory nextKey
    ) external view returns (ValidatorsResponse memory);
 
    function validator(
        string memory validatorAddress
    ) external view returns (Validator memory);
 
    function pool() external view returns (Pool memory);
 
    function params() external view returns (Params memory);
}
 
contract StakingManager {
    IStakingPrecompile constant STAKING = IStakingPrecompile(0x0000000000000000000000000000000000001005);
 
    event Delegated(address indexed user, string validator, uint256 amount);
    event Undelegated(address indexed user, string validator, uint256 amount);
    event Redelegated(address indexed user, string fromValidator, string toValidator, uint256 amount);
 
    // Delegate user's SEI to a validator
    function delegateToValidator(string memory validatorAddress) external payable {
        require(msg.value > 0, "Amount must be greater than 0");
 
        bool success = STAKING.delegate{value: msg.value}(validatorAddress);
        require(success, "Delegation failed");
 
        emit Delegated(msg.sender, validatorAddress, msg.value);
    }
 
    // Undelegate SEI from a validator (amount in 6 decimal precision - uSEI)
    function undelegateFromValidator(
        string memory validatorAddress,
        uint256 amount
    ) external {
        require(amount > 0, "Amount must be greater than 0");
 
        bool success = STAKING.undelegate(validatorAddress, amount);
        require(success, "Undelegation failed");
 
        emit Undelegated(msg.sender, validatorAddress, amount);
    }
 
    // Redelegate SEI between validators (amount in 6 decimal precision - uSEI)
    function redelegateBetweenValidators(
        string memory fromValidator,
        string memory toValidator,
        uint256 amount
    ) external {
        require(amount > 0, "Amount must be greater than 0");
 
        bool success = STAKING.redelegate(fromValidator, toValidator, amount);
        require(success, "Redelegation failed");
 
        emit Redelegated(msg.sender, fromValidator, toValidator, amount);
    }
 
    // Get delegation info for a user and validator
    function getDelegationInfo(
        address delegator,
        string memory validatorAddress
    ) external view returns (IStakingPrecompile.Delegation memory) {
        return STAKING.delegation(delegator, validatorAddress);
    }
 
    // Helper function to convert SEI to uSEI (6 decimals)
    function seiToUsei(uint256 seiAmount) public pure returns (uint256) {
        return seiAmount * 1e6;
    }
 
    // Helper function to convert uSEI to SEI
    function useiToSei(uint256 useiAmount) public pure returns (uint256) {
        return useiAmount / 1e6;
    }
}

Note: This is a simplified example for demonstration purposes. The above example works such that when someone delegates through the above contract, the delegation will be recorded under the above contract address and not the user. So maintain correct mapping in the contract for tracking user delegations

Client Integration Example


const abi = require('./artifacts/contracts/Staking.sol/StakingManager.json');
const { ethers } = require('hardhat');
const dotenv = require('dotenv');
dotenv.config();
 
async function main() {
  const [deployer] = await ethers.getSigners();
  console.log('Deploying contracts with the account:', deployer.address);
 
  const balance = await deployer.provider.getBalance(deployer.address);
  console.log('Account balance:', ethers.formatEther(balance));
 
  const StakingManager = await ethers.getContractFactory('StakingManager');
  console.log('Deploying StakingManager...');
  const stakingManager = await StakingManager.deploy();
 
  await stakingManager.waitForDeployment();
  console.log('StakingManager deployed to:', await stakingManager.getAddress());
 
  const validatorAddress = 'seival......123';
 
  const amount = 1;
  const trimmedAmount = amount.toFixed(6);
  const formattedAmount = ethers.parseEther(trimmedAmount.toString());
 
  const delegate = await stakingManager.delegateToValidator(validatorAddress, { value: formattedAmount });
 
  await delegate.wait();
  console.log('Delegation transaction hash:', delegate.hash);
 
  // Use deployer address for querying delegation
  const queryDelegation = await stakingManager.getDelegationInfo(deployer.address, validatorAddress);
  console.log('Delegation Info:', queryDelegation);
 
  const undelegateAmount = ethers.parseUnits(trimmedAmount.toString(), 6);
  const undelegate = await stakingManager.undelegateFromValidator(validatorAddress, undelegateAmount);
 
  await undelegate.wait();
  console.log('Undelegation transaction hash:', undelegate.hash);
 
  const redelegate = await stakingManager.redelegateBetweenValidators(
    validatorAddress,
    'seival.....123', // Replace with the new validator address
    undelegateAmount
  );
 
  await redelegate.wait();
  console.log('Redelegation transaction hash:', redelegate.hash);
}
 
main().catch((error) => {
  console.error(error);
  process.exitCode = 1;
});

Security Considerations & Risks

Unbonding Period

21-day lock: Undelegated tokens cannot be transferred or earn rewards for 21 days
No exceptions: This cannot be canceled once initiated
Planning: Consider this when managing liquidity needs

Validator Selection Criteria

Commission Rate: Lower commission means more rewards for you (typically 1-10%)
Uptime: Check for validators with high uptime (99%+)

Redelegation Complexity

7-transaction limit: You can only redelegate from the same validator to the same destination validator 7 times in 21 days
Serial blocking: After redelegating A→B, you cannot redelegate B→C for 21 days
Each redelegation starts its own 21-day timer

Troubleshooting

Common Issues and Solutions


// Set appropriate gas limits for different operations
const delegateTx = await staking.delegate(validatorAddress, {
  value: amount,
  gasLimit: 300000
});

Error Code Reference

Error	Cause	Solution
`insufficient funds`	Not enough SEI for operation	Check balance and reduce amount
`validator does not exist`	Invalid validator address	Verify validator address format
`invalid delegation amount`	Amount formatting issue	Use correct decimal precision
`commission rate too high`	Commission above max rate	Lower commission rate
`commission change too frequent`	Changing commission within 24h	Wait 24 hours between changes
`self delegation too low`	Below minimum self-delegation	Increase self-delegation amount
`too many redelegations`	Exceeded 7 redelegation limit	Wait for earliest redelegation to expire

FAQ: Precision and Normalization

What are the base units and precision standards defined for SEI across operations?
- delegate(): accepts msg.value in wei (18 decimals), but is internally truncated to 6-decimal uSEI. Effective granularity is 1 uSEI = 1e12 wei.
- undelegate() / redelegate(): amounts use 6-decimal uSEI.
- Staking queries: balances are 6-decimal uSEI (and shares are 18-decimal). Distribution rewards() query returns 18-decimal DecCoins, but withdrawn amounts are 6-decimal uSEI.
Should applications normalize between 18 and 6 decimals?
- Yes. For reconciliation, convert delegate wei to uSEI via integer division by 1e12 (floor). For display, convert to SEI (wei → /1e18, uSEI → /1e6).
Is this behavior consistent and intentional?
- Yes. This is intentional and not planned to change. Delegation uses EVM-native msg.value (18 decimals), while staking operations are executed in the Cosmos staking module, which uses 6-decimal uSEI.
Why multiple decimal precisions on one chain?
- To bridge EVM conventions (18-decimal msg.value) with the Cosmos staking module’s native 6-decimal accounting while keeping queries and non-delegate() writes consistent at 6 decimals.

Important Notes

Remember the key rule: delegate() uses 18 decimals, undelegate()/redelegate() use 6 decimals, delegation() returns 6 decimals!

Decimal Precision

delegate() uses 18 decimals (wei) for msg.value
undelegate() and redelegate() use 6 decimals (uSEI) for amount parameters
Query results return amounts in 6 decimal precision
Best practice: Use appropriate conversion functions for each operation
Rewards/claims (Distribution precompile): rewards() query returns 18-decimal DecCoins; withdrawn amounts (events) are 6-decimal uSEI
Granularity: delegate() msg.value must be a multiple of 1e12 wei (last 12 digits zero) because the precompile truncates to 6 decimals internally

Validator Addresses

Use valid Sei validator addresses with seivaloper1... prefix
These are Cosmos-format addresses, not EVM addresses

Staking Risks

Unbonding: 21-day waiting period for undelegated tokens
Redelegation limits: Complex rules around frequency and serial operations

Commission and Rewards

Validators keep a commission percentage
Rewards are distributed proportionally to delegation amounts
Choose validators wisely based on commission, uptime, and governance participation

Staking Precompile

How Does the Staking Precompile Work?

Use Cases

What You’ll Learn in This Guide

Events

Listening for Events

Functions

Transaction Functions

Query Functions

Using the Precompile

Setup

Prerequisites

Install Dependencies

Import Precompile Components

Contract Initialization

Critical: Understanding Decimal Precision

Mixed Decimal Precision System

How This Works in Practice

Why This Mixed System Exists

Best Practice: Different Conversion for Different Functions

Normalization Guidelines (Clients and Indexers)

Decimal Conversion Helpers

Step-by-Step Guide: Using the Staking Precompile

Delegate Tokens

JavaScript

Solidity

Undelegate Tokens

JavaScript

Solidity

Redelegate Tokens

JavaScript

Solidity

Query a Delegation

JavaScript

Solidity

Create a Validator

JavaScript

Solidity

Edit a Validator

Query Validators

Query a Specific Validator

Query All Delegations for an Address

Query Unbonding Delegations

Query Redelegations

Query Staking Pool and Parameters

Query Historical Validator Info

Advanced Usage Examples

Portfolio Rebalancing

Complete Integration Example

JavaScript

Solidity

Security Considerations & Risks

Unbonding Period

Validator Selection Criteria

Redelegation Complexity

Troubleshooting

Common Issues and Solutions

Gas-Related Issues

Error Code Reference

FAQ: Precision and Normalization

Important Notes

Decimal Precision

Validator Addresses

Staking Risks

Commission and Rewards