Why summarize and rake everything together? With such reasoning, in general, one can reach the point that in general everything in life is a risk. Even the risk of leaving the house, because you do not know for sure whether a brick will fall on your head or not. In this way, at high risk, I can tie up anything in general, not only in cryptocurrency, but also in real life. Therefore, let's talk in detail, and not raking everything in a heap.
Actually, in high school, one of my teachers came up with that explanation of how risky life itself is, and not just business. It was (still is) a plausible way of looking at things. It's the same way that we know that anything that has an advantage also has a disadvantage. If you think a disadvantage doesn't exist, look deeply and you will find one.
Staking is a much more risky business than just passive investing, it is a fact that has remained unchanged over the years and which no one can dispute.
Isn't staking, passive earning/investment? Though I get your point in your attempt to make a slight distinction, you should also understand that what makes for a "more risky business" to you may just be a mild risk for another.
Do you give an example of buying bitcoin in 2017 on ATH? There, the risk was only for speculators, not for investors.
Investors are also speculators. Anyone indulging in business is speculating where price/value could be heading. Crypto trading to the best of my perspicacity is a speculative business. Perhaps, your definition of it differs from mine.
But does this mean that buying bitcoin is a risk?
Every business is a risk.