Buying $POKT vs. Holding $POKT

Wrapped and native tokens as complementary parts of the same system.

Buying $POKT vs. Holding $POKT

If you’re new to DeFi and crypto, here’s a quick explainer on native tokens vs. wrapped tokens:

$POKT currently exists in two forms: as the native token on the Pocket blockchain, and as a wrapped token (wPOKT) on other chains like Ethereum, Base, and Solana. Where you acquire it determines which version you’re actually getting:

On Centralized Exchanges (KuCoin, Gate.io, Upbit, Bybit):

These platforms list “$POKT,” but when you withdraw you’ll always receive the wrapped version on Ethereum, Base, or Solana. None of them currently support direct withdrawal to Pocket’s native chain.

On Decentralized Exchanges (Uniswap, Aerodrome, Orca, etc.):

Here, you’re always trading $wPOKT. That’s the form that lives on EVM and Solana chains and can interact with DeFi tools.

On the Pocket Native Chain:

This is where $POKT exists in its original form, used for staking and securing the network. But there’s no built-in marketplace here — you can’t “buy” $POKT directly on the native chain. To get native $POKT, you must unwrap it through the bridge.

So in practice:

When you acquire $POKT on an exchange or a DEX, you are most probably starting with $wPOKT.

To use it in Pocket’s staking economy, you’ll need to bridge and unwrap it into the native token.

This distinction matters. Without it, it’s easy to wonder why a fresh purchase from an exchange can’t just be sent straight to a Pocket staking wallet. The answer is that the wrapped and native forms are different — connected by the bridge — and each has its own purpose: wrapped for DeFi, native for staking and protocol participation.

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Now that you know where to get $POKT, the real decision is how to manage it. The next sections will compare holding versus staking.