<p>Staking snapshots are taken at the beginning of each epoch and a stakepool's active stake is whatever was delegated to it at the beginning of the prior epoch or during the epoch before that.</p>
<p>Any new or changed stakepool delegations take effect at the beginning of the next (1st) epoch after they are made (they become part of a stakepool's live stake).</p>
<p>In the (2nd) epoch after that the delegation is used to determine the stakepool's probability of rewards and is part of the stakepool's active stake.</p>
<p>In the next (3rd) epoch since delegation rewards are calculated based on the number of times the pool became a slot leader.</p>
<p>In the last (4th) epoch rewards are distributed to the delegator.</p>
<p>In summary</p>
<blockquote>
<ol start="100">
<li>Delegation changed</li>
<li>Snapshot taken</li>
<li>Slot leaders chosen based on delegation</li>
<li>Rewards calculated</li>
<li>Rewards distributed</li>
</ol>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="https://cardanians-io.medium.com/cardano-staking-practical-information-3c86cbc73bd4" rel="nofollow noreferrer">&quot;Cardano Staking: Practical Information&quot;</a> provides a more detailed explanation</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-06-09T10:25:24.480Z
Great article you linked, thanks!
eddex
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-10-14T14:20:00.507Z
That linked article[1] is really clear!

[1] https://cardanians-io.medium.com/cardano-staking-practical-information-3c86cbc73bd4
Cigarette Smoking Man
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-06-09T10:06:36.897Z
2021-06-09T10:12:01.237Z
2021-06-09T10:12:01.237Z
gRebel
<p>A stake pool always has an &quot;active stake&quot; and a &quot;live stake&quot;. &quot;Active stake&quot; refers to the amount of ADA that is used for rewards calculation in the current epoch. &quot;Live stake&quot; is all ADA that is delegated to the pool, also counting ADA that was delegated/undelegated after the &quot;active stake&quot; snapshot for the current epoch.</p>
<p>At which point is the snapshot for the &quot;active stake&quot; taken? Is it right when the new epoch starts? And will this happen at the exact same moment for all stake pools?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-06-09T09:19:03.667Z
I suggest you break this into two separate questions:  "When are staking snapshots performed?" and "How are staking snapshots performed?"
gRebel
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-06-09T09:39:32.860Z
@gRebel I removed the "how" part from the question.
eddex
<stake-pool><staking>
When are the snapshots for the active stake in an epoch taken?
# When are the snapshots for the active stake in an epoch taken?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-06-09)

A stake pool always has an "active stake" and a "live stake". "Active stake" refers to the amount of ADA that is used for rewards calculation in the current epoch. "Live stake" is all ADA that is delegated to the pool, also counting ADA that was delegated/undelegated after the "active stake" snapshot for the current epoch.

At which point is the snapshot for the "active stake" taken? Is it right when the new epoch starts? And will this happen at the exact same moment for all stake pools?

**Tags:** stake-pool, staking
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I suggest you break this into two separate questions:  "When are staking snapshots performed?" and "How are staking snapshots performed?"  
> **username_0**: @gRebel I removed the "how" part from the question.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2021-06-09. Score: 4 | Accepted answer

Staking snapshots are taken at the beginning of each epoch and a stakepool's active stake is whatever was delegated to it at the beginning of the prior epoch or during the epoch before that.

Any new or changed stakepool delegations take effect at the beginning of the next (1st) epoch after they are made (they become part of a stakepool's live stake).

In the (2nd) epoch after that the delegation is used to determine the stakepool's probability of rewards and is part of the stakepool's active stake.

In the next (3rd) epoch since delegation rewards are calculated based on the number of times the pool became a slot leader.

In the last (4th) epoch rewards are distributed to the delegator.

In summary

> 100. Delegation changed
> 101. Snapshot taken
> 102. Slot leaders chosen based on delegation
> 103. Rewards calculated
> 104. Rewards distributed

["Cardano Staking: Practical Information"](https://cardanians-io.medium.com/cardano-staking-practical-information-3c86cbc73bd4) provides a more detailed explanation

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Great article you linked, thanks!  
> **username_2**: That linked article[1] is really clear!  [1] https://cardanians-io.medium.com/cardano-staking-practical-information-3c86cbc73bd4  

---

