Solana
Staking
APY
MEV
Average Solana Staking APY: 2025 Mid-Year Global Network Report
Mid-2025 Solana staking summary: native & liquid APYs, network performance, supply distribution, and key staker recommendations.
Reading Time: 6 minutes
This report analyzes current Solana staking yields across the overall Solana blockchain, providing up-to-date APY data to support informed staking decisions in the rapidly evolving 2025 landscape.
Key Findings
- Mainstream staking APY ranges from 0% to ~8%, with exchange platforms offering the lowest returns and MEV-optimized protocols delivering premium yields.1
- Liquid staking protocols control $52.12 billion, representing 13% of total staked SOL, and frequently deliver superior returns.2
- MEV rewards now constitute 11% of total staking returns, influencing validator economics and staker selection criteria.
- Shifting staking behaviors on Solana, marked by increasing adoption of liquid staking and a modest rise in overall supply.
Staking Performance & Rewards
Current Solana Staking APY by Platform Type
Here's how different platform categories stack up against each other in terms of yield potential and MEV.
| Validator | Base APY | Jito MEV APY | Total APY | Commission |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starke Finance | 6.82% | 0.65% | 7.47% | 0%; 0% Jito MEV |
| Binance | 6.67% | 0.59% | 7.26% | 2%; 10% Jito MEV |
| Figment | 6.38% | 0.61% | 6.99% | 7%; 7% Jito MEV |
| Coinbase 02 | 6.18% | 0.60% | 6.78% | 8%; 8% Jito MEV |
| Kraken | 0% | 0% | 0% | 100%; 100% Jito MEV |
Source: Stakewiz, Stake Finance, Blockworks. APY based on a 10-epoch median. (As of Epoch 830, August 7-9, 2025)
Validators with fair commissions and strong performance usually offer higher yields than private or centralized validators, which often charge high fees and show very low or zero APYs on-chain. This happens because these platforms collect rewards and redistribute them internally according to their own payout rules. For example, Kraken’s validator displays 0% APY on-chain, yet users staking through Kraken’s platform can still earn up to 10%.3
Liquid Staking Market Analysis
The top protocols dominate the market, but size doesn’t always correlate with returns—smaller platforms may offer higher APYs to grow their user base and gain market presence.
| Protocol | Value (M SOL) | Market Share | APY |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jito (JitoSOL) | 17.1 | 37.92% | 7.01% |
| Binance (BNSOL) | 8.1 | 18.01% | 5.89% |
| Marinade (mSOL) | 4.6 | 10.15% | 7.51% |
| Jupiter (JupSOL) | 4.2 | 9.35% | 7.83% |
| Starke Finance (rkSOL) | 0.1 | 0.23% | 7.97% |
| Others | 11.07 | 24.34% | 0%-11% |
Source: Blockworks, Sanctum, Starke Finance. APY (As of Epoch 831, 9-11 August)
Validator Distribution Analysis
Most validators (around 775) have a small stake size under 0.05%, while a few large validators (17) control nearly 30% of the total stake. Mid-sized validators make up the rest, showing a wide distribution of stake sizes across the network.
| Tier | Stake Size | Validator Count |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 0.05% | 12.39% | 775 |
| 0.05% to 0.2% | 18.85% | 223 |
| 0.2% to 0.5% | 16.95% | 54 |
| 0.5% to 1% | 22.32% | 33 |
| More than 1% | 29.49% | 17 |
Source: Blockworks. (As of Epoch 831, 9-11 August)
Operational Validator Rewards
Most validator rewards came from transaction fees—made up of priority fees, base fees, and vote fees—with smaller contributions from issuance fees and Jito tips.
| Fee structure | Value Q2 2025 (M SOL) | % of Total Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction fee | 738,171 | 70.3% |
| Issuance fee | 187,670 | 17.9% |
| Jito tip fee | 123,953 | 11.8% |
| Total | 1,049,795 | 100% |
Source: Blockworks. (As of Epoch 831, 9-11 August)
Breakdown of Staker Rewards
Solana staking rewards come mainly from base inflation, with an additional boost from Jito MEV rewards when using Jito-enabled validators.
| Reward Source | Value Q2 2025 (M SOL) | % of Total Yield |
|---|---|---|
| Inflation Reward | 6.6 | 89.3% |
| Jito MEV Reward | 0.8 | 10.7% |
| Total Reward | 7.4 | 100% |
Source: Blockworks. (As of Epoch 831, 9-11 August)
MEV Impact on Returns
MEV rewards have transformed staking economics, with Jito Network processing over $18.5 million in tips during Q2 2025.4
Key insights:
- 92% of stake-weighted validators now run MEV-enabled clients.5
- MEV sharing policies vary from 0% to 100% of captured value.
- Liquid staking protocols automatically compound MEV rewards into token appreciation.
- MEV rewards are volatile as they depend on network activity like trading volume, arbitrage opportunities, and validator competition.
Network & Market Analysis
Network Staking Health Metrics
Current network fundamentals show steady growth in staking participation alongside decreasing inflation pressure.
| Metric | Q2 2025 Value | 6-Month Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Total Staked SOL | 391 M | ↑ 0.10 |
| Staking Returns | 7.83% | ↓ 1.6% |
| Staking Ratio | 64.72% | ↓ 1.3% |
| Active Validators | 1,000 | ↓ ～28% (quality focus) |
| Network Inflation | 4.53% | ↓ 0.4% |
Source: Blockworks. Staking returns (including Jito MEV) based on a 30-day average.
In Q2 2025, staking returns declined slightly to 7.83%, mainly due to a significant drop in Jito MEV rewards following an earlier surge largely driven by meme coin activity and speculative trading, which has since normalized. The minimal decrease in network inflation had little effect on overall yields, highlighting that fluctuations in MEV rewards are the main driver of short-term staking changes.
Meanwhile, the number of active Solana validators has decreased to around 1,000 as the network focuses on improving validator quality and overall performance. Validators unable to meet rising hardware and uptime standards may be voluntarily exiting or getting deactivated, resulting in a leaner but more reliable validator set.
Solana Supply Distribution
| Stake Type | Q2 2025 Value | % of Total Supply | H1 2025 Shift |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liquid Staked SOL | 51.07 M | 8.45% | ↑ 27.3% |
| Non-liquid Staked SOL | 339.93 M | 56.26% | ↓ 3.01% |
| Unstaked SOL | 213.16 M | 35.28% | ↑ 6.3% |
| Total Supply | 604.16 M | 100% | ↑ 2.2% |
Source: Blockworks
Approximately 56% of the total SOL supply is staked directly with validators, showing a slight decrease from previous periods as some users shift toward more flexible staking options that allow them to maintain liquidity while still earning rewards. This trend aligns with the significant growth in liquid staking, which now accounts for 8.5% of the supply. Meanwhile, 35% of SOL remains unstaked, likely because holders are keeping tokens for trading or waiting for better market conditions.
Overall, the total SOL supply has grown modestly by 2.2%, indicating steady network expansion.
Outlook and Recommendations
- For Conservative Stakers: Target established exchanges or high-reputation validators to benefit from lower risk and proven track records, even if yields are a bit lower.
- For Yield Optimizers: Pursue higher APYs, even if it means choosing less recognized validators, to maximize returns while accepting increased risk—especially when the platform is believed to be trustworthy despite limited history.
- For DeFi Users: Consider liquid staking tokens to unlock DeFi opportunities—such as lending, farming, or liquidity provision— to layer additional yield on top of staking rewards.
The ~7.5% APY benchmark remains achievable in 2025, but requires strategic platform selection rather than random validator delegation.
Sources
Contributors
Linh NguyenCommunication Manager