Marinade is redefining the future of staking on Solana with the upcoming launch of Marinade V2, a comprehensive upgrade that unifies advanced staking tools, enhanced governance, and improved tokenomics. This new phase marks a pivotal evolution in how users interact with liquid and native staking, bringing greater transparency, flexibility, and community control to one of Solana’s most trusted protocols.
With the ecosystem rebounding strongly in 2025 — highlighted by robust chain performance, the revival of key DeFi platforms like Solend and Mango, and increased decentralization reflected in Solana’s Nakamoto Coefficient rising to 34 — the timing for Marinade V2 couldn’t be better. The protocol has spent two years refining its approach through real-world experience, user feedback, and deep collaboration with validators, stakers, and developers across the Solana network.
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What’s New in Marinade V2?
Marinade V2 isn’t just an incremental update — it's a strategic integration of existing tools and upcoming innovations designed to deliver a seamless, all-in-one staking experience. Building on milestones achieved in early 2025, including the Validator Dashboard, Open Doors Program, and mSOL Directed Stake, Marinade is now assembling these components into a unified vision: Staking 360.
2025 Roadmap Highlights
- ✅ Validator Dashboard: Transparent tracking of validator performance using Marinade’s proprietary scoring system.
- ✅ Open Doors Program: Lowering barriers for new validators to join the network.
- ✅ Saga Phone DApp Integration: Bringing staking to mobile users via Solana-powered devices.
- ✅ Updated MNDE Tokenomics: Shifting team vesting to performance-based unlocks.
- ✅ Revamped Delegation Strategy: A smarter, more decentralized approach to validator selection.
- ✅ mSOL Directed Stake: Allowing protocols and users to direct stakes to preferred validators.
Upcoming Features
- Stake Pool Delegation Strategy Updates
- Staking 360: The ultimate staking interface for Solana
- Enhanced DAO Governance via Realms
- Redesigned MNDE Token Utility and Incentives
Smarter Staking: The New Delegation Strategy
At the core of Marinade V2 is a refined stake delegation model that balances automation, user choice, and decentralization. The updated strategy allocates stake across three distinct channels:
1. Performance-Based Delegation (60%)
The algorithm selects the top 100 validators based on the Marinade Score, which evaluates both yield efficiency and network health metrics such as uptime and vote liveness. This ensures optimal returns while reinforcing decentralization.
2. veMNDE Voting (20%)
Users who lock their MNDE tokens to receive veMNDE gain voting power to influence where a portion of the stake is delegated. Validators must meet minimum performance thresholds to qualify, ensuring high-quality service without compromising yield.
3. Directed Stake (20%)
mSOL holders and integrated protocols can choose specific validators to support — ideal for those who want to back community-run nodes or align with particular values. Eligibility rules prevent abuse and maintain protocol integrity.
These layers work together to create a dynamic, responsive staking pool that adapts in real time. With the integration of Solana’s redelegate feature, Marinade can now rebalance stakes instantly — eliminating the previous cooldown period that reduced rewards during transitions.
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Staking 360: One Platform for All Staking Needs
Despite 70% of SOL being staked, only about 2% is liquid staked — a gap driven by concerns over smart contract risk, tax implications, and loyalty to individual validators. Marinade addresses these barriers head-on with Staking 360, a unified interface that supports every staking preference under one roof.
Key Components of Staking 360
Algorithmic Native Staking
For users who prefer not to use liquid staking tokens, Marinade introduces a native staking option powered by its intelligent delegation engine. Users stake SOL directly while benefiting from automated distribution across top-performing validators — no smart contract exposure required.
Redesigned Unstake Pool
Marinade is overhauling its unstake mechanism to enable faster withdrawals by integrating Jupiter’s swap infrastructure with its own stake account management. The result? Near-instant conversion of mSOL or native stake back into SOL with a single click.
Expanded Liquid Staking Ecosystem
mSOL’s utility continues to grow. Through enhanced versions of the Cookbook and DeFi hub, Marinade.Finance will serve as the go-to destination for discovering mSOL use cases — from lending and borrowing to liquidity provision across leading Solana protocols.
This holistic approach empowers users to make informed decisions, whether they’re staking natively, using mSOL, or participating in governance.
mDAO Governance: Community Control Takes Center Stage
Marinade V2 strengthens the link between protocol operations and community governance. The migration from Tribeca to Realms, Solana Labs’ governance platform, enables deeper integration between MNDE holders, treasury decisions, and on-chain voting.
How Governance Works in V2
- The DAO controls the treasury, core contracts, and council appointments.
- MNDE holders lock tokens to gain veMNDE voting power, influencing delegation, funding proposals, and upgrades.
- The Marinade Council manages day-to-day operations within a budget approved by the DAO and can be replaced via community vote.
Phase one of the migration — including multisig transfers and ratification of governance documents — is complete. This new structure ensures accountability, transparency, and long-term sustainability.
MNDE Token Redesign: Simpler, Fairer, More Aligned
Since MNDE’s fair launch in October 2021, Marinade has learned valuable lessons about token distribution and incentive alignment. V2 introduces significant improvements:
1. Simplified Allocation
The new token split prioritizes community ownership:
- DAO (92.5%): Includes circulating supply and treasury-controlled tokens.
- Initial Contributors (7.5%): Only 6.7% remains in circulation; the rest vests monthly until end of 2025.
Notably, team vesting has been halted at 7.5%, with future unlocks tied directly to growth in Total Value Locked (TVL) — aligning incentives with protocol success.
2. Buyback Mechanism
Once operational costs are covered, surplus protocol revenue can be used to buy back MNDE from the open market — subject to DAO approval. This creates potential deflationary pressure and increases scarcity as adoption grows.
3. Token Utility
MNDE holders gain real influence through:
- Validator Gauges: Direct 20% of delegated SOL.
- Governance: Vote on treasury use, product direction, and upgrades.
- Fee-driven Demand: Increased revenue fuels buyback potential.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What is Marinade V2?
A: Marinade V2 is a major upgrade that integrates advanced staking tools, improved governance via Realms, and redesigned MNDE tokenomics to offer a complete staking solution on Solana.
Q: How does Staking 360 differ from traditional liquid staking?
A: Unlike standard liquid staking, Staking 360 supports both native and liquid staking options in one interface, giving users full control over where and how they stake — including instant unstaking and algorithmic delegation.
Q: Can I still stake natively without using mSOL?
A: Yes. Marinade V2 introduces algorithmic native staking, allowing users to benefit from smart delegation without interacting with mSOL or smart contracts.
Q: What happens to my MNDE tokens under the new system?
A: Existing MNDE holders can lock their tokens to receive veMNDE and participate in governance. Team allocations have been reduced and tied to performance milestones.
Q: How does directed stake work?
A: mSOL holders can vote to allocate up to 20% of their stake to specific validators, provided those validators meet Marinade’s performance standards.
Q: Will there be MNDE buybacks?
A: Yes — when protocol revenue exceeds operating expenses, the DAO can vote to initiate market buybacks, creating value accrual for token holders.
Marinade V2 represents a bold step toward a more decentralized, user-centric staking ecosystem on Solana. By combining powerful tools like the Validator Dashboard, real-time delegation updates, and community-driven governance, Marinade is setting a new standard for what staking can be.
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