The published ETH fee is 10% of rewards generated through restaking, not 10% of the ETH you deposit. Your real cost can still be higher once you add network gas, bridge charges, trading slippage, and any fee for leaving quickly.
10% comes out of restaking rewards
For the main Ethereum ezETH route, Renzo passes through the underlying staking rewards but charges 10% of rewards produced through restaking. The fee is split between protocol reserves and node operators.
That means the simple calculation is:
Net reward = Ethereum staking rewards + restaking rewards − 10% of restaking rewards
The fee does not reduce your original deposit by 10%. However, an advertised APY can still overstate what you keep if it shows gross returns rather than the amount after fees.
Gas is the first variable bill
Your wallet must pay the blockchain’s transaction fee when you approve and deposit an asset, and sometimes again when you withdraw. Gas changes with network demand, the chain you select, and the number of contract calls involved.
For a small deposit, gas can matter more than the protocol fee. A low-fee Layer 2 may therefore produce a better starting result than Ethereum mainnet, although bridging can add another charge and delay.
A fast exit has a market-dependent price
Standard ezETH withdrawals can take up to 15 days because the position must pass through EigenLayer unstaking and Ethereum validator exit processes.
Instant withdrawal avoids much of that wait, but it carries a variable fee. The contract looks at the withdrawal buffer: a fuller buffer means a lower fee, while a thinner buffer means a higher one. If the withdrawal would push the buffer below its minimum, the transaction reverts instead of completing.
The deciding comparison is speed versus cost. Choose the normal withdrawal when time is flexible; choose instant withdrawal only when receiving funds quickly is worth paying for.
The token you receive tells you which rules apply
| Route | Underlying system | Receipt token | Important cost difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ethereum restaking | Ethereum and EigenLayer | ezETH | 10% of restaking rewards, plus gas and possible exit fees |
| Symbiotic restaking | Ethereum and Symbiotic | pzETH | Its own withdrawal and reward terms apply |
| Solana restaking | Solana and Jito Restaking | ezSOL | Documented withdrawal charge is 0.2%, split between Renzo and Jito |
Supported Layer 2 ezETH routes also use xERC20 bridge contracts. The chain, bridge, oracle, and restaking protocol are not cosmetic details: they determine what you pay, what you receive, and how you exit.
Bring a wallet, the right asset, and gas
You need a compatible wallet, an accepted asset such as ETH or a supported liquid staking token, and enough native network currency to pay transaction fees. A liquid staking token is a token representing staked ETH that remains usable in other applications; Ethereum’s staking guide explains the model.
You do not need 32 ETH to use a pooled route. You do need to check the selected chain’s supported assets, deposit limits, and current exchange rate before approving anything.
Your output is a liquid token, not a cash balance
After depositing, you receive ezETH, pzETH, or ezSOL in your wallet. Rewards are generally auto-compounded into the position, so the token’s value relative to its underlying asset can rise without a separate reward claim.
That token can often be held or used in DeFi, but its market price may differ from the value of the underlying ETH or SOL. Selling on a decentralized exchange can add slippage, especially during heavy withdrawals or volatile markets.
The displayed APY can change before your balance does
Renzo calculates APY from recent changes in the receipt token’s price and annualizes that result. The figure can move when staking rewards, restaking rewards, asset prices, utilization, or the observation period changes.
For a fair comparison, I use the amount received after protocol, network, bridge, and exit costs—not the headline APY.
Some deposits and exits fail for clear reasons
- The asset or chain is unsupported, paused, or at its deposit cap.
- Your wallet lacks enough gas for approval or deposit transactions.
- An instant withdrawal would breach the minimum liquidity buffer.
- You need funds immediately but selected a standard withdrawal.
- The position’s smart-contract, operator, slashing, bridge, or price risk is unacceptable to you.
Use Renzo Staking for the supplied product overview, then confirm the chain, receipt token, fee, exchange rate, and withdrawal method on the signing screen before connecting funds.