How Do Yield Farming and Staking Differ in the DeFi Ecosystem?

Yield farming is the practice of leveraging various DeFi protocols to maximize returns on crypto holdings, often involving moving funds between platforms to find the best yields. Staking, conversely, is the act of locking up tokens to secure a Proof-of-Stake (PoS) network, in return for staking rewards, which are typically new tokens or transaction fees.

While both earn passive income, yield farming is generally more complex and carries higher risk, whereas staking is a direct participation in network consensus.

How Do Staking Rewards Function Similarly to Interest Payments on a Bond?
What Is the Difference between PoW and Proof-of-Stake (PoS) Consensus Mechanisms?
What Is the Concept of Staking in Proof-of-Stake (PoS) Systems?
How Does a Proof of Stake (PoS) Consensus Mechanism Differ from a Proof of Work (PoW) System?
What Is a ‘Pre-Image Attack’ and How Does It Relate to Collision Resistance?
What Is the Primary Difference between PoW and Proof-of-Stake (PoS)?
How Does Proof-of-Stake (PoS) Replace the Mining-Based Block Reward?
How Does Proof-of-Stake (PoS) Consensus Enable Staking Rewards?