Stader is a company that is building key staking middleware infrastructure for multiple PoS networks, catering to retail crypto users, exchanges, and custodians. They are developing highly modular smart contracts that allow third parties to leverage their components and build custom solutions.

In the short term, Stader is focused on building native contracts across multiple chains such as Terra, Solana, Ethereum, Near, Avalanche, Fantom, etc. They are also creating an economic ecosystem to facilitate the growth of solutions like yield redirection-style farming with rewards, liquid staking, launchpads, gaming, and more.

In the long term, Stader aims to unlock the platform approach and support third parties in developing various staking applications using Stader infrastructure.

SD token is the native governance and value accrual token for Stader. Stader has implemented mechanisms that tightly bind SD tokens to the Stader platform.

Value Capture for SD Token:

Stader charges a percentage of rewards as fees, which serves as a key revenue source for the platform. The fees range from 3% to 10% of the rewards, depending on the type of solution (if elected by governance). A portion of the protocol fees will be distributed to SD token stakers.

Token Utility:

SD tokens have four major utilities:

1. Governance: Users who stake SD tokens receive xSD, an auto-compounding token that grants governance rights.

2. Preferential Delegations & Slashing Insurance: Validators stake xSD tokens to receive preferential delegations and provide slashing insurance. In version 2, any xSD holder can stake on behalf of a preferred validator.

3. Liquidity Pools: Liquidity providers for SD and xSD pairs with stablecoins or native tokens receive SD token rewards and pool fees.

4. Stader Infrastructure: Third-party protocols stake xSD tokens to leverage Stader contracts and infrastructure.

Funding related:

- [Stader Labs Announce $12.5 Million Strategic Raise, Receives Praise from Terra Founder Do Kwon](https://cointelegraph.com/news/stader-labs-announce-12-5-million-strategic-raise-receives-praise-from-terra-founder-do-kwon)

- [Crypto Staking Firm Stader Labs Funding: Three Arrows Capital, Others](https://www.theblockcrypto.com/linked/130977/crypto-staking-firm-stader-labs-funding-three-arrows-capital-others)

- [Staking Startup Stader Labs Raises $40M from Public and Private Token Sales](https://www.banklesstimes.com/news/2022/03/11/staking-startup-stader-labs-raises-dollar40m-from-public-and-private-token-sales/)

- [Stader Closes $23M Token Sale, 10.56% APR on Luna Staking](https://invezz.com/news/2022/03/11/stader-closes-23m-token-sale-10-56-apr-on-luna-staking/?amp)

CoinList blogs:

- [Announcing the Stader Token Sale on CoinList](https://blog.coinlist.co/announcing-the-stader-token-sale-on-coinlist/)

- [Stader Token Sale on CoinList Drives 40,000 New Token Holders](https://blog.coinlist.co/stader-token-sale-on-coinlist-drives-40-000-new-token-holders/)

Thought pieces:

- [Amit Gajjala, CEO and Co-founder of Stader Labs - Interview Series](https://www.securities.io/amit-gajjala-ceo-and-co-founder-of-stader-labs-interview-series/)

- [What's at Stake with Blockchain Centralization?](https://www.ibtimes.com/whats-stake-blockchain-centralization-3429908)

Stader is a company that is developing essential staking middleware infrastructure for multiple Proof of Stake (PoS) networks. Their goal is to provide solutions for retail crypto users, exchanges, and custodians. Stader is creating highly modular smart contracts that can be utilized by third parties to build customized solutions.

In the short term, Stader is focusing on building native contracts across various chains such as Terra, Solana, Ethereum, Near, Avalanche, Fantom, etc. They are also creating an economic ecosystem to facilitate the growth and development of solutions like yield redirection-style farming with rewards, liquid staking, launchpads, gaming, and more.

In the long term, Stader aims to unlock the platform approach and encourage third parties to develop multiple staking applications using Stader's infrastructure.

SD token is the native governance and value accrual token for Stader. It plays a vital role within the Stader platform, as Stader has implemented mechanisms that tightly link the SD tokens with its operations.