Bonding Period

A bonding period is a period specified by some blockchain protocols during which an asset transitions into a state where it participates in staking. The exact mechanism varies: in some networks delegation becomes active immediately, while others require waiting for a new epoch, round, or a defined number of blocks.

A bonding period differs from an unbonding period. Bonding concerns entry into staking, while unbonding concerns exit. Both affect capital availability and therefore matter when planning liquidity.

If a user commits an asset to staking in order to earn rewards, it is important to determine when the protocol begins counting the stake and whether a delay exists between delegation and effective participation.