As a seasoned researcher with a keen interest in blockchain technology and its applications, I find the current developments on Solana’s network particularly intriguing. Having closely observed the evolution of Ethereum and other PoS networks, I can confidently say that Solana’s introduction of liquid staking is a game-changer.


The Solana blockchain network is seeing a surge in new users and a significant milestone, largely due to the launch of liquid staking technology.

According to a recent announcement from top cryptocurrency platform Bybit, Solana’s liquid staking system, notably the liquid-staked SOL launched by exchanges, is expected to attract large numbers of users and speed up the process of bringing retail investors into the ecosystem.

The State of Liquid Staking on Solana

In a Proof-of-Stake system like Solana, staking plays a vital role in ensuring the network’s security. This procedure entails users assigning their SOL tokens to one or multiple validators who take part in network agreement and verify transactions for compensation. However, liquid staking goes beyond this by offering additional benefits.

Staking liquid tokens offers flexibility, access to liquidity, and the possibility of increased returns, as users can trade their Liquid Staking Tokens (LSTs) on various Decentralized Finance (DeFi) platforms while still keeping a connection with their staked positions. Additionally, users can deposit their SOL through a shared staking pool, which disperses their assets across numerous validators, promoting decentralization and providing additional incentives.

At the moment, more than two-thirds (68%) of Solana’s total stake value, which amounts to approximately $57 billion, exceeds Ethereum‘s 28%. Yet, a smaller proportion of Solana, specifically 6.5%, is engaged in liquid staking compared to around one-third of Ethereum. Bybit sees this disparity as an opportunity for expansion within Solana’s liquid staking environment.

As an analyst, I’ve been studying the Local Storage Tokens (LST) data for Ethereum and Bybit’s predictions suggest a significant potential growth in Solana’s LST market. If Solana’s LST ratio manages to reach parity with Ethereum’s, we could see its current LST market size increase up to five times, potentially reaching approximately $18 billion.

Room for Growth

Bybit believes that tokens derived from Solana networks, which can be staked while still being traded, could boost network activity and adoption, thereby fostering the expansion of staking solutions. As such, Bybit is pioneering this concept by launching its own SOL liquid staking token (bbSOL), aiming to serve as a key link between retail investors and the wider ecosystem.

Currently, liquid staking on the Solana network is displaying indications of expansion, as at least half of its top 10 DeFi protocols in terms of total value locked are now providing this service.

As Solana’s Decentralized Finance (DeFi) environment continues to expand, it’s likely that this growth will create a self-reinforcing cycle. The rising demand for LST tokens could potentially stimulate interest among developers, protocols, and users, thereby increasing the size of the Solana ecosystem even more. This expansion is reminiscent of Ethereum’s early days and could further propel the growth of Solana’s DeFi sector.

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2024-09-15 00:22