Solana liquid staking lets you stake SOL and receive a token, called a liquid staking token (LST), that represents your staked SOL plus rewards. You can hold it, trade it or use it in DeFi while the underlying SOL keeps earning. Widely used LSTs include JitoSOL, mSOL, Sanctum’s INF, JupSOL and Phantom’s PSOL. You get an LST either by depositing on the issuer’s stake page or by swapping SOL for it on Jupiter or Sanctum, and you exit the same two ways: instant swap at a small discount or delayed unstake over an epoch.
Key takeaways
- Solana LSTs are reward-bearing: the token’s value in SOL rises over time instead of your balance growing.
- Fees differ by token. Jito, for example, documents a 4% fee on rewards and a 0.1% fee on direct unstakes.
- Swapping is usually the fastest way in and out; protocol stake pages avoid price impact on large amounts.
- Main risks are depegs in thin markets, smart-contract bugs and validator concentration.
How liquid staking works on Solana
An LST issuer runs a stake pool: a program that holds many stake accounts delegated to a set of validators. When you deposit SOL, the pool mints LST tokens to you at the current exchange rate. Each epoch, staking rewards (and for many pools, a share of MEV tips) are added to the pool, so each LST is redeemable for slightly more SOL than before. You never claim rewards; they accrue in the price.
Compared with native delegation, you give up direct choice of validator and pay a protocol fee, and in return get diversification and a tradable token. For the concept across chains, see what is liquid staking; for the native route, how to stake Solana covers delegating from a wallet.
Best Solana liquid staking token: the main options compared
There is no single best token. Choose based on fee, validator strategy, liquidity and where you plan to use it. Yields change every epoch, so check each issuer’s dashboard or a tracker such as Sanctum’s or DefiLlama’s for current figures.
| LST | Issuer | Validator strategy | MEV | Fees (check docs for current) | Liquidity notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JitoSOL | Jito | Rebalances across a large vetted set of validators running Jito’s client | Yes, MEV tips flow into the pool | 4% of rewards; 0.1% on direct unstake via Jito’s site | Among the deepest LST markets; widely accepted in DeFi |
| mSOL | Marinade | Algorithmic scoring spreads stake across 100+ validators | Depends on validator set | Listed in Marinade’s fee table; delayed unstake carries a small fee | Long-established, broadly integrated |
| INF | Sanctum (Infinity) | Basket of whitelisted LSTs rather than direct validators | Inherits from underlying LSTs | Earns trading fees from swaps between LSTs, on top of staking yield | Designed for instant redemption into SOL or other LSTs |
| JupSOL | Jupiter (built on Sanctum) | Delegates to Jupiter’s validator | Yes, via Jito integration | See Jupiter’s docs | Good swap liquidity through Jupiter and Sanctum |
| PSOL | Phantom | Phantom’s stake pool | Reported to include MEV and priority fees | Small exit fee reported for direct unstake | Easiest for Phantom users; check DeFi support before relying on it |
| bSOL | BlazeStake | Community-oriented pool across many validators | Varies | See BlazeStake’s docs | Smaller market than the leaders |
Protocol histories, token economics and governance are covered separately in our profiles of Jito and Marinade.
JitoSOL vs mSOL in one paragraph
Both diversify across many validators and are deeply integrated. JitoSOL’s pitch is MEV: the Jito client shares tip revenue, and Jito charges a flat 4% of total rewards. mSOL’s pitch is a long track record and a validator-scoring model meant to favour decentralisation and performance. In practice their yields tend to be close; compare current figures, check which one your intended DeFi app accepts, and consider holding both to split protocol risk.
Two ways to liquid stake SOL
Way 1: deposit on the protocol’s stake page
Go to the issuer’s official site, connect your wallet, enter an amount of SOL and confirm. The pool mints LSTs at the exact exchange rate, so there is no slippage. This suits large deposits. Some pools also accept an existing native stake account, letting you convert without unstaking first.
Way 2: swap SOL for the LST
On Jupiter or Sanctum, swap SOL directly for the LST. Routing often goes through Sanctum’s infrastructure, which can mint or redeem LSTs behind the scenes, so quotes are typically very close to the fair rate. Swapping is fast and works for any LST the aggregator lists. Check price impact on larger sizes.
Step by step: liquid stake SOL with Phantom
- Keep some SOL unstaked for fees. A small buffer is enough.
- Option A, Phantom’s own LST: tap your SOL balance and choose the staking option. Select liquid staking to receive PSOL. Confirm the amount and sign.
- Option B, another LST: open Swap in Phantom, choose SOL as “from” and search JitoSOL, mSOL, INF or JupSOL as “to”. Verify the token’s mint address via the issuer’s site or a trusted explorer, since copycat tokens with similar names exist.
- Review the quote: amount received, price impact and fees (Phantom’s swap fee applies to in-app swaps).
- Confirm. The LST appears in your token list. Its SOL value rises each epoch.
For very large amounts, depositing directly on the issuer’s page avoids swap fees and price impact.
How to unstake JitoSOL and other LSTs
| Method | Speed | Cost | When to use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Instant swap (Jupiter, Sanctum, in-wallet swap) | Seconds | A small discount to fair value plus any swap fee | You need SOL now; normal market conditions |
| Instant unstake through the protocol | Seconds | A market-set fee (Marinade’s docs describe a typical 0.10%–0.40% range for its native products) | Large exits where swap liquidity is thin |
| Delayed unstake | Up to about one epoch (roughly two days) | Low or none; Jito charges 0.1% on direct unstakes | Not in a hurry; want close to full value |
For JitoSOL specifically, Jito suggests selling on Jupiter for instant liquidity and avoiding the withdrawal fee, or using its delayed unstake for the full rate minus 0.1%. Delayed unstake gives you a stake account that deactivates at the epoch boundary; withdraw the SOL afterwards.
Using LSTs in DeFi
- Lending collateral. Solana lending markets accept major LSTs as collateral, so you keep earning staking yield while borrowing.
- Liquidity pools. LST/SOL pools have low price divergence because both assets track SOL, but returns are modest.
- Looping. Borrowing SOL against an LST to buy more LST amplifies yield and risk; a depeg or rate spike can trigger liquidation. Treat it as an advanced strategy.
Every extra protocol adds its own contract risk on top of the LST’s.
Lending markets are one common destination for LSTs, and our Kamino lending and borrowing guide explains how to supply them on Solana and borrow against them.
Liquid stake SOL or delegate natively?
Liquid staking is not automatically better than delegating from your wallet. Native delegation has no protocol fee beyond the validator’s commission, no smart-contract layer and no depeg risk, but your SOL is locked in a stake account and you choose and monitor validators yourself. Liquid staking adds a protocol fee and contract risk in exchange for a tradable token, automatic diversification and an instant exit route. A common compromise is to keep long-term holdings in native stake accounts and hold only the portion you want to use in DeFi as an LST. If you plan to do nothing with the token, native staking is usually the simpler, cheaper choice.
Risks of Solana liquid staking
- Depeg. In sharp sell-offs, an LST can trade below its redemption value on DEXs. Holders who must sell immediately take the loss; those who can wait for delayed unstake usually recover fair value.
- Smart-contract risk. Stake pool programs are audited, but bugs and upgrades are risks. Favour pools with long histories and public audits.
- Validator concentration. A pool that delegates to one or few validators carries that operator’s performance risk. Single-validator LSTs should be sized accordingly.
- Integration risk. A smaller LST may lose DeFi support or liquidity.
- Price risk. Your LST is still SOL exposure; if SOL falls, so does your position.
More staking guides, including native staking on other chains, are in the crypto staking hub.
FAQ
How do I liquid stake SOL?
Either deposit SOL on an issuer’s official stake page (Jito, Marinade, Sanctum, Jupiter and others) to mint the LST at the exact rate, or swap SOL for the LST on Jupiter, Sanctum or inside your wallet. Phantom users can also choose PSOL from the staking screen. Keep a little SOL unstaked for fees.
Which is better, JitoSOL or mSOL?
Neither is universally better. JitoSOL emphasises MEV-sharing validators and charges 4% of rewards; mSOL uses an algorithmic validator selection with a long history. Yields tend to be similar, so compare current figures, check which one your DeFi app supports, and consider splitting between them.
What is Sanctum INF?
INF is the token for Sanctum’s Infinity pool, which holds a basket of whitelisted LSTs and SOL. INF earns the weighted staking yield of those LSTs plus trading fees from swaps routed through the pool. It is designed so holders can redeem instantly into SOL or other LSTs in the pool.
How do I check if my LST is still earning?
Compare its exchange rate to SOL over time on the issuer’s dashboard, Sanctum, or a token page on an explorer. If the SOL value per token keeps rising each epoch, rewards are accruing. The issuer’s site also shows the pool’s validator set and current yield.
Crypto is volatile and risky; this is education, not financial advice. Do your own research.
