Jito is Solana's largest liquid staking protocol by TVL. Its JitoSOL token lets you stake SOL, earn staking rewards plus MEV (maximal extractable value) tips, and keep your SOL liquid for DeFi — all simultaneously.
How JitoSOL Works
When you stake SOL with Jito, you receive JitoSOL — an SPL token representing your staked SOL plus accumulated rewards. JitoSOL is not 1:1 with SOL; it continuously appreciates as rewards accrue. The exchange rate increases over time.
Example: If JitoSOL = 1.05 SOL today, and you hold 100 JitoSOL, you own 105 SOL worth of value. In 12 months, if JitoSOL = 1.13 SOL, you own 113 SOL.
What makes Jito different from other liquid staking (mSOL, bSOL):
Jito validators run Jito-client software that captures MEV (the value from ordering transactions favorably). These MEV tips are distributed to JitoSOL stakers on top of base staking rewards.
This gives JitoSOL slightly higher APY than vanilla liquid staking — typically 0.5–1% higher than base staking rates.
JitoSOL APY (2026)
- Native staking (direct delegation): ~6–7% APY
- mSOL (Marinade): ~6.5–7.5% APY
- JitoSOL (Jito): ~7–8.5% APY (base + MEV tips)
- bSOL (BlazeStake): ~6.5–7% APY
APYs fluctuate with network activity. During high-volume periods (meme seasons, airdrops), MEV tips spike and JitoSOL APY can exceed 10%.
How to Stake with Jito
- Go to jito.network/stake
- Connect your Phantom or Solflare wallet
- Enter the amount of SOL to stake
- Confirm — you receive JitoSOL in your wallet immediately
- The exchange rate increases over time as rewards accrue
Minimum: No minimum on the UI. Small amounts are fully supported.
Gas cost: ~$0.001.
Using JitoSOL in DeFi
JitoSOL is accepted as collateral and in liquidity pools across Solana DeFi:
Lending / collateral:
- Marginfi: Deposit JitoSOL as collateral, borrow USDC
- Kamino: JitoSOL lending markets
Liquidity pools:
- Orca: JitoSOL/SOL pool (low IL due to tight price correlation)
- Raydium: JitoSOL/SOL and JitoSOL/USDC pools
Yield strategies:
- Kamino: Automated JitoSOL strategies that compound rewards + LP fees
Holding JitoSOL in any of these contexts continues to earn staking rewards (the exchange rate keeps appreciating). This is "double yield" — staking yield + DeFi yield simultaneously.
Unstaking
Liquid unstake: Swap JitoSOL → SOL via Jupiter or Jito's own unstake UI. Takes seconds. A small unstaking fee applies (~0.1–0.3% depending on liquidity).
Delayed unstake: Submit to the standard Solana staking cooldown (~2 epochs, ~4 days). No fee, but you wait.
For most users: liquid unstake via Jupiter is faster and the fee is negligible on any reasonable amount.
JitoSOL vs. mSOL
| | JitoSOL | mSOL (Marinade) | |---|---|---| | APY (2026) | ~7–8.5% | ~6.5–7.5% | | MEV rewards | Yes | Partial (different model) | | DeFi integrations | Wide | Wide | | Protocol age | 2022 | 2021 | | TVL | Largest Solana LST | #2 |
Both are excellent. JitoSOL's MEV capture gives it a consistent APY edge. mSOL has slightly longer track record and comparable integrations.