Crypto Basics

How to Stake MATIC? - A Comprehensive Guide for Beginners

Explore the step-by-step process of staking MATIC tokens, and start earning rewards in the Polygon network with the help of this detailed guide.
Marcus K
6 Minutes
MIN

The world of cryptocurrencies can seem overwhelming, especially when diving into the specifics of staking, farming, or liquidity pooling. 

Today, we’ll focus on one popular token: MATIC, the native currency of the Polygon network. Our goal is to demystify the process, bringing you a clear and actionable guide to staking MATIC. Let’s get started!

What is Polygon MATIC?

MATIC, now referred to as Polygon, represents a promising solution in the crypto space. Designed as a multi-chain scaling solution, Polygon seeks to provide faster and cheaper transactions. This positions it as a valuable asset for Ethereum-based applications and beyond.

Step-by-Step Guide to Staking MATIC

Acquire MATIC: Purchase MATIC from popular exchanges like Binance, Coinbase, or Huobi.

Transfer MATIC to Your Wallet: Send your MATIC tokens from the exchange to your secure wallet.

Choose a Staking Platform/Validator: Some popular choices are the official Polygon wallet or third-party platforms like Stakefish or Staked and then connect your wallet.

Staking MATIC with MetaMask

Here are the steps to stake MATIC on MetaMask -

1. Set Up MetaMask: Download and install MetaMask as a browser extension from their official site. Choose the right version for your device.

2. Link to Polygon: Navigate to “Networks” in MetaMask. Click “Add Network” and input Polygon's details.

3. Transfer MATIC: Copy your MetaMask address. From your exchange or other wallets, set this as the destination and transfer your MATIC tokens.

4. Connect to Polygon's Wallet: Use this link to integrate: Polygon Wallet. Click the “MetaMask” option there.

5. Start Staking: With the link established, you're set to stake.

6. Choose a Validator: In the dashboard, tap “Apps” then “Staking”. Search for a validator and opt for “Delegate”. Input the MATIC amount you wish to stake and hit “Continue”.

7. Finalize Transaction: A pop-up will prompt you to verify. Click “Confirm”. 

Remember, for the process to go through, you'll need to purchase a voucher and cater for gas fees. After all is set, your delegation is active, and you can further stake or collect rewards as you see fit.

Staking MATIC with Coinbase Wallet

Here are the steps leading to staking MATIC on Coinbase Wallet -

Setting Up Coinbase Wallet:

  • Download the Coinbase Wallet app from the App Store or Play Store.
  • Follow on-screen instructions: agree to terms, select a username, adjust privacy settings, set a passcode, and note down the recovery phrase.

Transferring MATIC to Your Wallet:

  • Open the wallet, tap the bottom right and find "Connect to Coinbase". Authorize the connection.
  • Choose “Buy or transfer”, pick “MATIC wallet”, specify the amount, and confirm with the verification code. Remember, MATIC tokens on Coinbase operate on the Ethereum network.

Staking Your MATIC:

  • Navigate to the Polygon website.
  • Click “Use Polygon”, then “Staking”, and finally “Become a delegator”.
  • Browse through the list of validators. Check details like MATIC staked, commission, and performance.
  • Choose a validator, view their specific details, then log in at the top-right. If new, register on Polygon.
  • Click “Become a Delegator”, specify how much MATIC you'd like to stake, and hit “Continue”. Confirm the action in the pop-up by pressing “Delegate”.

Note: There might be a “cool-down” period where your tokens are locked before you start earning rewards.

Claim Your Rewards: Depending on the platform, rewards may be distributed daily, weekly, or monthly. Check the platform’s policy and claim or reinvest your rewards accordingly.

Benefits of Staking MATIC

Passive Income: Just like earning interest in a traditional bank account, staking MATIC provides holders with a reward for supporting the network.

Network Security: By staking your tokens, you help maintain the integrity and safety of the Polygon network.

Staking Incentives: Often, projects built on Polygon might offer additional rewards to MATIC stakers, multiplying potential returns.

Potential Risks and How to Avoid Them?

Staking, like any investment, comes with risks. Here are a few, along with mitigation strategies:

Slashing: If the validator you choose acts maliciously, a portion of your staked MATIC could be forfeited. 

Solution: Choose reputable validators.

Price Volatility: The value of MATIC can go up or down. While you earn staking rewards, the token’s price might drop. 

Solution: Stay informed and diversify investments.

Liquidity Concerns: Some staking platforms might have a lock-in period, making it hard to access your tokens immediately. 

Solution: Always read the staking terms before committing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is the minimum amount of MATIC required to start staking?

The minimum amount varies depending on the platform and validator, but many platforms set a relatively low threshold to encourage broader participation.

Q2. How frequently will I receive staking rewards?

Reward distribution can vary. Some platforms distribute rewards daily, while others might do so weekly or monthly. It's essential to check the specific terms of your chosen validator.

Q3. Are there any fees associated with staking MATIC?

Yes, some fees might be deducted by validators for their services. Always ensure you're clear about any associated fees before delegating your tokens.

Q4. How secure is staking MATIC on Coinbase Wallet?

Coinbase Wallet is known for its emphasis on security, but it's always vital to ensure you keep app updates regular, use strong, unique passwords, and avoid sharing sensitive information.

Q5. Can I unstake my MATIC tokens anytime I want?

There's typically a "bonding" or "unbonding" period in which your tokens are locked after you decide to unstake. The duration can vary, so be sure to understand these terms when staking.

Q6. How does staking MATIC affect its liquidity?

Once you stake MATIC, those tokens are locked and cannot be traded or sold until they are unstaked, affecting their immediate liquidity.

Q7. Is there a risk of losing my staked MATIC tokens?

While staking platforms aim for maximum security, the crypto realm always carries risks. It's rare, but factors like validator misbehavior (slashing) can affect your staked amount.

Q8. Do I maintain ownership of my MATIC tokens while they are staked?

Yes, staking only delegates your tokens to support network operations. You still own them, but they're temporarily locked until you decide to unstake.

Conclusion

Staking MATIC isn’t just about passive income. It's a vote of confidence in the future of the Polygon network. By staking, you’re playing a role in ensuring the system remains robust and decentralized. 

Always remember: with potential rewards come potential risks. Stay informed, choose wisely, and may your staking journey be a prosperous one!

Disclaimer

The information provided on this website does not constitute investment advice, financial advice, trading advice, or any other sort of advice and you should not treat any of the website's content as such.

Token Metrics does not recommend that any cryptocurrency should be bought, sold, or held by you. Do conduct your own due diligence and consult your financial advisor before making any investment decisions.

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Token Metrics Team
Token Metrics Team

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Token Metrics API vs. CoinGecko API: Which Crypto API Should You Choose in 2025?

Token Metrics Team
7 min
MIN

As the crypto ecosystem rapidly matures, developers, quant traders, and crypto-native startups are relying more than ever on high-quality APIs to build data-powered applications. Whether you're crafting a trading bot, developing a crypto research platform, or launching a GPT agent for market analysis, choosing the right API is critical.

Two names dominate the space in 2025: CoinGecko and Token Metrics. But while both offer access to market data, they serve fundamentally different purposes. CoinGecko is a trusted source for market-wide token listings and exchange metadata. Token Metrics, on the other hand, delivers AI-powered intelligence for predictive analytics and decision-making.

Let’s break down how they compare—and why the Token Metrics API is the superior choice for advanced, insight-driven builders.

🧠 AI Intelligence: Token Metrics Leads the Pack

At the core of Token Metrics is machine learning and natural language processing. It’s not just a data feed. It’s an AI that interprets the market.

Features exclusive to Token Metrics API:

  • Trader Grade (0–100) – Short-term momentum score based on volume, volatility, and technicals
  • Investor Grade (0–100) – Long-term asset quality score using fundamentals, community metrics, liquidity, and funding
  • Bullish/Bearish AI Signals – Real-time alerts based on over 80 weighted indicators
  • Sector-Based Smart Indices – Curated index sets grouped by theme (AI, DeFi, Gaming, RWA, etc.)
  • Sentiment Scores – Derived from social and news data using NLP
  • LLM-Friendly AI Reports – Structured, API-returned GPT summaries per token
  • Conversational Agent Access – GPT-based assistant that queries the API using natural language

In contrast, CoinGecko is primarily a token and exchange aggregator. It offers static data: price, volume, market cap, supply, etc. It’s incredibly useful for basic info—but it lacks context or predictive modeling.

Winner: Token Metrics — The only crypto API built for AI-native applications and intelligent automation.

🔍 Data Depth & Coverage

While CoinGecko covers more tokens and more exchanges, Token Metrics focuses on providing actionable insights rather than exhaustively listing everything.

Feature                                                   Token Metrics API                                    CoinGecko API

Real-time + historical OHLCV              ✅                                                          ✅

Trader/Investor Grades                        ✅ AI-powered                                     ❌

Exchange Aggregation                         ✅ (Used in indices, not exposed)     ✅

Sentiment & Social Scoring                  ✅ NLP-driven                                     ❌

AI Signals                                               ✅                                                         ❌

Token Fundamentals                            ✅ Summary via deepdive         ⚠️ Limited

                                                                        endpoint

NFT Market Data                                  ❌                                                          ✅

On-Chain Behavior                               ✅ Signals + Indices                   ⚠️ Pro-only (limited)

If you're building something analytics-heavy—especially trading or AI-driven—Token Metrics gives you depth, not just breadth.

Verdict: CoinGecko wins on broad metadata coverage. Token Metrics wins on intelligence and strategic utility.

🛠 Developer Experience

One of the biggest barriers in Web3 is getting devs from “idea” to “prototype” without friction. Token Metrics makes that easy.

Token Metrics API Includes:

  • SDKs for Python, Node.js, and Postman
  • Quick-start guides and GitHub sample projects
  • Integrated usage dashboard to track limits and history
  • Conversational agent to explore data interactively
  • Clear, logical endpoint structure across 21 data types

CoinGecko:

  • Simple REST API
  • JSON responses
  • Minimal docs
  • No SDKs
  • No built-in tooling (must build from scratch)

Winner: Token Metrics — Serious devs save hours with ready-to-go SDKs and utilities.

📊 Monitoring, Quotas & Support

CoinGecko Free Tier:

  • 10–30 requests/min
  • No API key needed
  • Public endpoints
  • No email support
  • Rate limiting enforced via IP

Token Metrics Free Tier:

  • 5,000 requests/month
  • 1 request/min
  • Full access to AI signals, grades, rankings
  • Telegram & email support
  • Upgrade paths to 20K–500K requests/month

While CoinGecko’s no-login access is beginner-friendly, Token Metrics offers far more power per call. With just a few queries, your app can determine which tokens are gaining momentum, which are losing steam, and how portfolios should be adjusted.

Winner: Token Metrics — Better for sustained usage, scaling, and production reliability.

💸 Pricing & Value

Plan Feature                CoinGecko Pro            Token Metrics API

Entry Price                  ~$150/month                $99/month

AI Grades & Signals            ❌                               ✅ 

Sentiment Analytics            ❌                               ✅

Sector Index Insights          ❌                               ✅

NLP Token Summaries       ❌                                ✅

Developer SDKs                  ❌                                ✅

Token-Based Discounts     ❌                                ✅ (up to 35% with $TMAI)

For what you pay, Token Metrics delivers quant models and intelligent signal streams — not just raw price.

Winner: Token Metrics — Cheaper entry, deeper value.

🧠 Use Cases Where Token Metrics API Shines

  • Trading Bots
    Use Trader Grade and Signal endpoints to enter/exit based on AI triggers.
  • GPT Agents
    Generate conversational answers for “What’s the best AI token this week?” using structured summaries.
  • Crypto Dashboards
    Power sortable, filtered token tables by grade, signal, or narrative.
  • Portfolio Rebalancers
    Track real-time signals for tokens held, flag risk zones, and show sector exposure.
  • LLM Plugins
    Build chat-based investment tools with explainability and score-based logic.

🧠 Final Verdict: CoinGecko for Info, Token Metrics for Intelligence

If you're building a crypto price tracker, NFT aggregator, or exchange overview site, CoinGecko is a solid foundation. It’s reliable, broad, and easy to get started.

But if your product needs to think, adapt, or help users make better decisions, then Token Metrics API is in another class entirely.

You're not just accessing data — you're integrating AI, machine learning, and predictive analytics into your app. That’s the difference between showing the market and understanding it.

🔗 Ready to Build Smarter?

  • ✅ 5,000 free API calls/month
  • 🤖 Trader & Investor Grades
  • 📊 Live Bull/Bear signals
  • 🧠 AI-powered summaries and GPT compatibility
  • ⚡ 21 endpoints + Python/JS SDKs

👉 Start with Token Metrics API

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Python Quick-Start with Token Metrics: The Ultimate Crypto Price API

Token Metrics Team
10 min
MIN

If you’re a Python developer looking to build smarter crypto apps, bots, or dashboards, you need two things: reliable data and AI-powered insights. The Token Metrics API gives you both. In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to quickly get started using Token Metrics as your Python crypto price API, including how to authenticate, install the SDK, and run your first request in minutes.

Whether you’re pulling live market data, integrating Trader Grades into your trading strategy, or backtesting with OHLCV data, this guide has you covered.

🚀 Quick Setup for Developers in a Hurry

Install the official Token Metrics Python SDK:

pip install tokenmetrics

Or if you prefer working with requests directly, no problem. We’ll show both methods below.

🔑 Step 1: Generate Your API Key

Before anything else, you’ll need a Token Metrics account.

  1. Go to app.tokenmetrics.com/en/api
  2. Log in and navigate to the API Keys Dashboard
  3. Click Generate API Key
  4. Name your key (e.g., “Development”, “Production”)
  5. Copy it immediately — keep it secret.

You can monitor usage, rate limits, and quotas right from the dashboard. Track each key’s status, last used date, and revoke access at any time.

📈 Step 2: Retrieve Crypto Prices in Python

Here’s a simple example to fetch the latest price data for Ethereum (ETH):

import requests

API_KEY = "YOUR_API_KEY"

headers = {"x-api-key": API_KEY}

url = "https://api.tokenmetrics.com/v2/daily-ohlcv?symbol=ETH&startDate=<YYYY-MM-DD>&endDate=<YYYY-MM-DD>"

response = requests.get(url, headers=headers)

data = response.json()

for candle in data['data']:

    print(f"Date: {candle['DATE']} | Close: ${candle['CLOSE']}")

You now have a working python crypto price API pipeline. Customize startDate or endDate to get specific range of historical data.

📊 Add AI-Powered Trader Grades

Token Metrics’ secret sauce is its AI-driven token ratings. Here’s how to access Trader Grades for ETH:

grade_url = "https://api.tokenmetrics.com/v2/trader-grades?symbol=ETH&limit=30d"

grades = requests.get(grade_url, headers=headers).json()['data']

for day in grades:

    print(f"{day['DATE']} — Trader Grade: {day['TA_GRADE']}")

Use this data to automate trading logic (e.g., enter trades when Grade > 85) or overlay on charts.

🔁 Combine Data for Backtesting

Want to test a strategy? Merge OHLCV and Trader Grades for any token:

import pandas as pd

ohlcv_df = pd.DataFrame(data['data'])

grades_df = pd.DataFrame(grades)

combined_df = pd.merge(ohlcv_df, grades_df, on="DATE")

print(combined_df.head())

Now you can run simulations, build analytics dashboards, or train your own models.

⚙️ Endpoint Coverage for Python Devs

  • /daily-ohlcv: Historical price data
  • /trader-grades: AI signal grades (0–100)
  • /trading-signals: Bullish/Bearish signals for short and long positions.
  • /sentiment: AI-modeled sentiment scores
  • /tmai: Ask questions in plain English

All endpoints return structured JSON and can be queried via requests, axios, or any modern client.

🧠 Developer Tips

  • Each request = 1 credit (tracked in real time)
  • Rate limits depend on your plan (Free = 1 req/min)
  • Use the API Usage Dashboard to monitor and optimize
  • Free plan = 5,000 calls/month — perfect for testing and building MVPs

💸 Bonus: Save 35% with $TMAI

You can reduce your API bill by up to 35% by staking and paying with Token Metrics’ native token, $TMAI. Available via the settings → payments page.

🌐 Final Thoughts

If you're searching for the best python crypto price API with more than just price data, Token Metrics is the ultimate choice. It combines market data with proprietary AI intelligence, trader/investor grades, sentiment scores, and backtest-ready endpoints—all in one platform.

✅ Real-time & historical data
✅ RESTful endpoints
✅ Python-ready SDKs and docs
✅ Free plan to start building today

Start building today → tokenmetrics.com/api

Looking for SDK docs? Explore the full Python Quick Start Guide

Research

Crypto API to Google Sheets in 5 Minutes: How to Use Token Metrics API with Apps Script

Token Metrics Team
6 min
MIN

If you're a trader, data analyst, or crypto enthusiast, chances are you've wanted to pull live crypto data directly into Google Sheets. Whether you're tracking prices, building custom dashboards, or backtesting strategies, having real-time data at your fingertips can give you an edge.

In this guide, we'll show you how to integrate the Token Metrics API — a powerful crypto API with free access to AI-powered signals — directly into Google Sheets in under 5 minutes using Google Apps Script.

📌 Why Use Google Sheets for Crypto Data?

Google Sheets is a flexible, cloud-based spreadsheet that:

  • Requires no coding to visualize data
  • Can be shared and updated in real time
  • Offers formulas, charts, and conditional formatting
  • Supports live API connections with Apps Script

When combined with the Token Metrics API, it becomes a powerful dashboard that updates live with Trader Grades, Bull/Bear Signals, historical OHLCV data, and more.

🚀 What Is Token Metrics API?

The Token Metrics API provides real-time and historical crypto data powered by AI. It includes:

  • Trader Grade: A score from 0 to 100 showing bullish/bearish potential
  • Bull/Bear Signal: A binary signal showing market direction
  • OHLCV: Open-High-Low-Close-Volume price history
  • Token Metadata: Symbol, name, category, market cap, and more

The best part? The free Basic Plan includes:

  • 5,000 API calls/month
  • Access to core endpoints
  • Hourly data refresh
  • No credit card required

👉 Sign up for free here

🛠️ What You’ll Need

  • A free Token Metrics API key
  • A Google account
  • Basic familiarity with Google Sheets

⚙️ How to Connect Token Metrics API to Google Sheets

Here’s how to get live AI-powered crypto data into Sheets using Google Apps Script.

🔑 Step 1: Generate Your API Key

  1. Visit: https://app.tokenmetrics.com/en/api
  2. Click “Generate API Key”
  3. Copy it — you’ll use this in the script

📄 Step 2: Create a New Google Sheet

  1. Go to Google Sheets
  2. Create a new spreadsheet
  3. Click Extensions > Apps Script

💻 Step 3: Paste This Apps Script

const TOKEN_METRICS_API_KEY = 'YOUR_API_KEY_HERE';

async function getTraderGrade(symbol) {

  const url = `https://api.tokenmetrics.com/v2/trader-grades?symbol=${symbol.toUpperCase()}`;

  const options = {

    method: 'GET',

    contentType: 'application/json',

    headers: {

      'accept': 'application/json',

      'x-api-key': TOKEN_METRICS_API_KEY,

    },

    muteHttpExceptions: true

  };

  

  const response = UrlFetchApp.fetch(url, options);

  const data = JSON.parse(response.getContentText() || "{}")

  

  if (data.success && data.data.length) {

    const coin = data.data[0];

    return [

      coin.TOKEN_NAME,

      coin.TOKEN_SYMBOL,

      coin.TA_GRADE,

      coin.DATE

    ];

  } else {

    return ['No data', '-', '-', '-'];

  }

}

async function getSheetData() {

  const sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet().getActiveSheet();

  const symbols = sheet.getRange('A2:A').getValues().flat().filter(Boolean);

  const results = [];

  results.push(['Name', 'Symbol', 'Trader Grade', 'Date']);

  for (const symbol of symbols) {

    if (symbol) {

      const row = await getTraderGrade(symbol);

      results.push(row);

    }

  }

  sheet.getRange(2, 2, results.length, results[0].length).setValues(results);

}

🧪 Step 4: Run the Script

  1. Replace 'YOUR_API_KEY_HERE' with your real API key.
  2. Save the project as TokenMetricsCryptoAPI.
  3. In your sheet, enter a list of symbols (e.g., BTC, ETH, SOL) in Column A.
  4. Go to the script editor and run getSheetData() from the dropdown menu.

Note: The first time, Google will ask for permission to access the script.

✅ Step 5: View Your Live Data

After the script runs, you’ll see:

  • Coin name and symbol
  • Trader Grade (0–100)
  • Timestamp

You can now:

  • Sort by Trader Grade
  • Add charts and pivot tables
  • Schedule automatic updates with triggers (e.g., every hour)

🧠 Why Token Metrics API Is Ideal for Google Sheets Users

Unlike basic price APIs, Token Metrics offers AI-driven metrics that help you:

  • Anticipate price action before it happens
  • Build signal-based dashboards or alerts
  • Validate strategies against historical signals
  • Keep your data fresh with hourly updates

And all of this starts for free.

🏗️ Next Steps: Expand Your Sheet

Here’s what else you can build:

  • A portfolio tracker that pulls your top coins’ grades
  • A sentiment dashboard using historical OHLCV
  • A custom screener that filters coins by Trader Grade > 80
  • A Telegram alert system triggered by Sheets + Apps Script + Webhooks

You can also upgrade to the Advanced Plan to unlock 21 endpoints including:

  • Investor Grades
  • Smart Indices
  • Sentiment Metrics
  • Quantitative AI reports
  • 60x API speed

🔐 Security Tip

Never share your API key in a public Google Sheet. Use script-level access and keep the sheet private unless required.

🧩 How-To Schema Markup (for SEO)

{

  "@context": "https://schema.org",

  "@type": "HowTo",

  "name": "Crypto API to Google Sheets in 5 Minutes",

  "description": "Learn how to connect the Token Metrics crypto API to Google Sheets using Google Apps Script and get real-time AI-powered signals and prices.",

  "totalTime": "PT5M",

  "supply": [

    {

      "@type": "HowToSupply",

      "name": "Google Sheets"

    },

    {

      "@type": "HowToSupply",

      "name": "Token Metrics API Key"

    }

  ],

  "tool": [

    {

      "@type": "HowToTool",

      "name": "Google Apps Script"

    }

  ],

  "step": [

    {

      "@type": "HowToStep",

      "name": "Get Your API Key",

      "text": "Sign up at Token Metrics and generate your API key from the API dashboard."

    },

    {

      "@type": "HowToStep",

      "name": "Create a New Google Sheet",

      "text": "Open a new sheet and list crypto symbols in column A."

    },

    {

      "@type": "HowToStep",

      "name": "Add Apps Script",

      "text": "Go to Extensions > Apps Script and paste the provided code, replacing your API key."

    },

    {

      "@type": "HowToStep",

      "name": "Run the Script",

      "text": "Execute the getSheetData function to pull data into the sheet."

    }

  ]

}

✍️ Final Thoughts

If you're serious about crypto trading or app development, integrating live market signals into your workflow can be a game-changer. With the Token Metrics API, you can get institutional-grade AI signals — right inside Google Sheets.

This setup is simple, fast, and completely free to start. Try it today and unlock a smarter way to trade and build in crypto.

👉 Get Your API Key & Start for Free

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