Proof of Stake is a consensus mechanism that selects validators based on the amount of cryptocurrency they lock (or “stake”) as collateral. Instead of using computational power, PoS secures the network through economic incentives. Validators are rewarded for confirming transactions correctly and penalized (slashed) for malicious behavior. PoS is more energy-efficient than PoW.
Example:
Ethereum transitioned to PoS with the Merge. Users who stake at least 32 ETH can become validators and earn rewards by processing and confirming blocks.