Question 1

Do I lose my ada when I delegate?

Accepted Answer

No. Delegation is completely non-custodial. Your ada never leaves your wallet. You are only lending your voting power to a DRep, not transferring any funds.

Question 2

How much does it cost to delegate?

Accepted Answer

Delegating your voting power to a DRep is free beyond the standard transaction fee (typically less than 0.2 ada). There is no deposit required for delegation.

Question 3

Can I change my DRep later?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can change your DRep at any time. Simply delegate to a different DRep and the change takes effect in the next epoch.

Question 4

Can I delegate my ada to a DRep and a stake pool at the same time?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and most ada holders do exactly that. DRep delegation and stake pool delegation are two independent actions that delegate two different things from the same ada. Stake pool delegation points your stake at a pool operator who produces blocks, and in return you earn a share of block rewards. DRep delegation assigns the voting power of that same stake to someone who votes on governance proposals. Your ada is never locked, spent, or moved in either case. Both are just on-chain signals attached to your stake address. Because they run on different rails (block production vs. governance), the two delegations don't compete. You can change either one independently, and you keep earning rewards the whole time.

Question 5

What happens if I don't delegate?

Accepted Answer

If you don't delegate your voting power, your ada does not count toward any governance vote. Your voice goes unused. Delegating ensures your stake contributes to the decisions that shape Cardano.

Question 6

How long does delegation take to become active?

Accepted Answer

Delegation becomes active at the start of the next epoch. Epochs on Cardano last 5 days, so it can take up to 5 days for your delegation to take effect.

Question 7

What does it cost to become a DRep?

Accepted Answer

Registering as a DRep requires a refundable deposit of 500 ada. This deposit is returned when you retire as a DRep. There is also a standard transaction fee for the registration.

Question 8

What are the alternatives to delegating to a DRep?

Accepted Answer

Instead of delegating to a specific DRep, you can choose one of two automatic voting options: - **Abstain** keeps your stake out of every vote, it is not counted for or against any proposal - **No Confidence** counts as a No on every governance action, except a motion of no confidence in the Constitutional Committee, where it counts as a Yes

Question 9

What is a governance action?

Accepted Answer

A governance action is an on-chain proposal that can change how Cardano works. There are several types, including protocol parameter changes, hard fork initiations, treasury withdrawals, and constitutional amendments. Each type requires different approval thresholds from DReps, SPOs, and the Constitutional Committee.

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How Cardano governance works

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FAQ

Answers to common questions about delegation and governance.

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A Model To Marginalize None, And Give Power To All.

What governance has achieved

Constitutional Amendment Portal opened

Second Constitutional Committee election

SPOs and DReps voted on Plutus limits

Constitution updated with 79% support

Hard fork to Protocol v11 enacted

Constitutional Committee elected

Treasury withdrawals enacted

How to delegate

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governance Terms you should know

Governance tools

DRepTalk

CGOV

Cardano Governance Tool

Chang Watch

Clarity Protocol

Governance Space

Governance Voting Tool

Sundae Treasury Dashboard

Supply Summary

Tempo

Treasury Donation

How Cardano governance works​

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