If you’re into Solana, you already know staking is the backbone of the network. But what if your staked SOL could do more than just earn the usual rewards? What if it could secure other services, boost app performance, and still stay liquid for DeFi?
That’s where @Solayer comes in. It’s a new protocol that brings restaking—a concept made popular on Ethereum by EigenLayer—into the Solana world, but with some unique twists.
What is Solayer, in Simple Terms?
Solayer lets you stake your SOL or even Solana liquid staking tokens like JitoSOL, mSOL, etc. and then restake that same value to secure other services and apps. Think of it like staking your SOL twice without actually locking up more coins.
And the best part? You don’t lose liquidity. When you deposit SOL into Solayer, you get a token called sSOL, which is a Liquid Restaked Token (LRT). You can use sSOL in DeFi just like you would with other staking tokens.
So, instead of choosing between staking for yield or using your SOL in DeFi, you can do both—and more.
Why is This a Big Deal?
Two main reasons:
1. More Rewards: You earn your normal staking rewards, plus extra incentives from the services called AVS that you help secure.
2. Better Apps on Solana: By restaking, you’re not just earning more—you’re actually helping Solana apps run faster and more reliably. This is a big deal for things like DeFi protocols or games that need ultra-low latency.
What Are AVS and Why Do They Matter?
AVS stands for Actively Validated Services. In plain English, these are things like:
Native Solana apps like DEXs or NFT platforms that want guaranteed fast transaction processing
Bridges and oracles that need extra security to prevent hacks
When you restake with Solayer, you can choose to back one or more of these services. In return, they give you rewards.
So it’s not just about yield farming. You’re helping secure important pieces of Solana’s infrastructure.
Cool Tech Under the Hood: Mega Validator and swQoS
Here’s where Solayer gets clever. They use something called Stake-weighted Quality of Service (swQoS). Basically, the more stake a validator has, the better its chances of getting transactions into blocks quickly.
Solayer taps into this by bundling restaked SOL into a Mega Validator, which gives the apps you support priority access to Solana’s blockspace. Translation: the dApps you help secure get faster, more reliable performance.
The Tokens You Need to Know
sSOL – The token you get when you deposit SOL into Solayer. It earns staking rewards and stays liquid for DeFi.
$LAYER – The governance token of the Solayer protocol. Used for voting and incentives.
sUSD – A yield-bearing stablecoin backed by US Treasury bills. Yes, real-world assets on Solana, earning around 4–5 percent yield.
Going Beyond Staking: Payments and More
Here’s where it gets interesting for everyday users: Solayer has launched the Emerald Card, which works with Visa, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. That means you can spend your on-chain assets anywhere cards are accepted. There’s even a travel platform that lets you book flights and hotels using your crypto.
What About Scalability? Meet InfiniSVM
Solayer is also working on InfiniSVM, a new execution layer that could process 1,000,000 plus transactions per second with sub-second finality. It uses advanced networking tech to push Solana’s limits even further.
The Devnet is already live, and while these numbers are early estimates, it shows Solayer isn’t just a staking protocol—it’s building serious infrastructure.
Why People Are Excited
You get more rewards without giving up liquidity
Apps on Solana run faster and smoother when backed by Solayer
You can spend your crypto in the real world with the Emerald Card
There’s a serious scaling play happening with InfiniSVM
But There Are Risks
It’s a new protocol, so smart contract risks are real
Liquidity for new tokens like $LAYER and sSOL can be volatile
sUSD involves real-world regulations—something to watch
Always do your own research and don’t lock in more than you’re comfortable with.
The Bottom Line
Solayer is more than another staking platform. It’s trying to make Solana more secure, more scalable, and more useful in everyday life. If it succeeds, it could be a key piece of Solana’s future.