# Rocket Pool (RPL): D-Score 38/100 — Centralized Leaning

**BlockIndex D-Score: 38/100 (Centralized Leaning).** Rocket Pool (RPL) is a Layer 2 cryptocurrency using PoS consensus. Rocket Pool (RPL): Decentralized Ethereum liquid‑staking protocol providing rETH liquidity and RPL‑backed operator collateral.

_Source: https://blockindex.ai/coin/rpl · Data by BlockIndex.AI · Updated 2026-06-19_

## D-Score breakdown (0-100, higher means more decentralized)
| Component | Score |
| --- | --- |
| Overall D-Score | 38 |
| Node distribution | 0 |
| Initial distribution | 0 |
| Governance | 25 |
| Age and history | 13 |
| Autonomy | 0 |

## Key facts
- Layer: Layer 2
- Consensus: PoS (N/A)
- Launch: Other (2016)
- Founder: David Rugendyke
- VC funded: No
- Max supply: N/A
- Circulating: 22,535,095

## Market data (as of 2026-06-19)
- Price: $1.34
- Market cap: $30.2M
- 24h volume: $7.33M
- 24h change: -2.42% · 7d change: -1.38%

## About
Rocket Pool (RPL) is a decentralized liquid staking protocol built to broaden access to Ethereum staking by enabling small retail users and distributed node operators to participate in securing the Beacon Chain while receiving liquid staking exposure via rETH. The protocol's core idea is simple: tokenise staked ETH as rETH, whose exchange rate to ETH increases as staking rewards accrue, and use RPL as a collateral/insurance token for node operators. This model spreads validator duties across many independent operators and enforces collateralization, reducing centralization risks commonly associated with large centralized staking providers. Rocket Pool emphasizes permissionless participation for both stakers and node operators, pairing audited smart contracts with a formalized governance structure consisting of a Protocol DAO and an Oracle DAO.

At the technical level Rocket Pool is an on‑chain protocol operating as smart contracts on Ethereum; RPL itself is an ERC‑20 token used primarily as collateral and governance for the system. The protocol supports a distributed node operator marketplace and a set of Smart Node releases that streamline operator onboarding and maintenance. Key technical features include enforced RPL collateral for operators to mitigate slashing risk, rETH as an accrual‑priced liquid staking derivative for DeFi composability, and a series of named upgrades (Saturn, Fusaka and others in planning) that focus on tokenomics, UX improvements, megapools and improved solo migration ergonomics. Rocket Pool's codebase and contracts have undergone multiple third‑party audits and follow a bug bounty program to maintain an elevated security posture.

Rocket Pool's primary use case is liquid staking on Ethereum. By providing rETH as a composable token whose value rises relative to ETH, Rocket Pool enables liquidity for stakers that would otherwise be locked while validating, unlocking DeFi integrations such as vaults, AMM liquidity provisioning, and yield strategies that accept rETH collateral. Node operators are incentivized through RPL staking requirements and inflationary issuance, aligning operator economics with network security. The ecosystem includes integrations with DeFi protocols, third‑party vaults (e.g., RockSolid rETH Vault), and broad wallet and exchange support enabling both retail and institutional participants to access RPL and rETH markets.

Tokenomics for RPL are centered around an inflationary issuance model designed to reward node operators and maintain protocol incentives; the materials reference a modeled 5% annual inflation with newly minted RPL allocated primarily to node operators, a share to the Oracle DAO, and a Protocol DAO Treasury allocation. Supply snapshots in the provided materials show a total (and circulating) supply of approximately 22.03 million RPL at the time of the market data snapshot. A public token migration to a new RPL contract address was performed and documented in the sources. While exact historical distribution parameters (premine, PIP percentages, or an initial ICO record) were not detailed in the supplied files, the on‑chain governance model means future allocation decisions are governed by DAO proposals and voting.

Governance at Rocket Pool is intentionally decentralized with an explicit Protocol DAO and an Oracle DAO splitting responsibilities: the Protocol DAO sets broad protocol parameters, emission/taxation choices and treasury usage, while the Oracle DAO focuses on oracle operation and beacon <> execution layer bridging duties. The Treasury and protocol parameters are subject to on‑chain governance, and the project maintains frequent Smart Node releases reflecting active development. Roadmap items such as the Saturn and Fusaka upgrades show an ongoing commitment to protocol evolution, and the presence of external audits and a bug‑bounty program indicate a proactive stance toward security and reliability.

## Links
- Website: https://rocketpool.net/
- Whitepaper: N/A
- GitHub: https://github.com/rocket-pool/rocketpool

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About the D-Score: BlockIndex.AI rates decentralization from 0 to 100 across node distribution, initial distribution, governance, age and history, and autonomy. Methodology: https://blockindex.ai/dscore