Custody and key management
StakeXDC uses a permissionless, smart contract-based custody model: staked XDC is held by the vault and the XDC validator contract, with no human interaction in custody flows.
StakeXDC uses a permissionless, smart contract-based custody model - eliminating human interaction from custody flows entirely. For the partner-facing write-up see the Custody Model.
How It Works
- Smart contract-based execution - staked XDC is held and delegated entirely by audited smart contracts (the vault and the XDC validator contract), with no human interaction in custody flows.
- Permissionless - anyone can verify the state of validators and staked assets on-chain. No centralized approval required.
- Trustless - no single entity controls the staked principal. The protocol enforces custody rules through code, not operational trust.
- Institutional-grade transparency - full operational transparency aligned with institutional security standards.
Audit & Collaboration
StakeXDC's custody infrastructure is developed in collaboration with:
- Nethermind: smart contract development and security review
- XDC Core team: network-level validator integration
The custody substrate (the PrimeStakedXDC_V3 vault design + PrimeStakedXDC_V3MigrationBridge) was independently audited by Nethermind Security in audit NM-0843, XDC Prime Stake (final report May 08, 2026). All Critical, High, and Medium findings are Fixed; the three Acknowledged findings are operationally mitigated. The live vault, PrimeStakedXDC_V3_2, is a redeployment of this audited codebase. See the Audits page for the V3.2 delta and per-finding breakdown, or read the full report (PDF).
What This Means for Users
| Property | Detail |
|---|---|
| Custody model | Smart contract-based (no third-party custodian) |
| Principal custody | Staked XDC held by the vault and validator contracts |
| Human interaction | Eliminated from custody flows |
| Verifiability | Fully transparent and auditable on the blockchain |
| User action required | None - fully seamless |
Impact on Users
- Users retain full ownership of their assets at all times.
- Smart contract-based custody eliminates reliance on any centralized custodian, strengthening the protocol's decentralization.
- Withdrawals are self-service: redemptions settle instantly while the vault has liquid XDC, and otherwise enter a permissionless FIFO queue paid by position (you see your position, not a date; smaller requests may settle first;
claimQueuedAssetsis only needed if a payout could not be delivered). The queue budget refills as masternode principal returns after the XDC Network'scandidateWithdrawDelay, approximately 35 days under typical block times.
Audits
All StakeXDC smart contracts undergo independent external audits before deployment and whenever significant updates are introduced.
Disclaimer
Risk disclosure for StakeXDC: interacting with smart contracts involves risks including bugs, design flaws, upgrade errors, dependency failures, and economic attacks. Even audited contracts do not guarantee absence of vulnerabilities. There are no guaranteed returns.