Which Solana LST Should I Actually Pick? A Decision Framework (2026)

The APY Table Isn't Helping You

You've seen the comparison tables. JitoSOL: 7.46%. mSOL: 6.1%. bSOL: 7.9%. INF: 7.1%. JupSOL: 6.61%.

You've read three articles that all show the same numbers in slightly different formats.

And you still haven't picked one.

That's because APY comparisons miss the point. The difference between 6% and 8% on a $5,000 position is $100 per year — roughly $8 per month. That's not what should drive your decision.

What should drive it: how you actually plan to use your LST, how much risk you're comfortable with, how often you'll touch it, and whether you care about things like decentralisation or DeFi composability.

This guide gives you a decision framework instead of another rate table. Answer a few questions about your situation, and I'll tell you which LST fits.

The Five Solana LSTs Worth Considering in 2026

Before we get to the framework, here's what's actually available and worth considering. I'm only covering LSTs with real liquidity and proven track records.

JitoSOL — The biggest. The first LST to bring MEV rewards to Solana stakers. Deeply integrated across every major DeFi protocol. Currently yielding approximately 7.46% APY. Available at jito.network.

mSOL (Marinade) — The most established. Solana's first LST, now with 400+ validators through algorithmic delegation. SOC 2 Type I and II certified — the only LST with this compliance standard. Currently ~6.1% APY. Available at marinade.finance.

bSOL (BlazeStake) — The decentralisation and yield leader. Stakes across 300+ validators — the widest of any Solana stake pool — and currently offers the highest base APY at approximately 7.9% plus BLZE governance token rewards on top. Solana Foundation backed. Available at stake.solblaze.org.

INF (Sanctum) — The basket approach. Holds a diversified mix of high-performing LSTs rather than staking SOL directly. Captures both staking yields and swap fees from Sanctum's unified Infinity liquidity pool. Around 7.1% APY. Available at app.sanctum.so.

JupSOL — Jupiter's LST. Built on Sanctum infrastructure, delegates to Jupiter's validator, and integrates tightly with Jupiter's DEX ecosystem. Around 6.16-6.61% APY. Available via jup.ag.

The Decision Framework: Three Questions

Instead of staring at APY tables, answer these three questions. Your answers point directly to which LST fits your situation.

Question 1: What Are You Doing With It After You Stake?

This is the most important question and the one nobody asks.

"Just holding it in my wallet."

If your LST is going to sit in your wallet for months, you want the highest raw yield with minimal hassle. That points to bSOL (highest base APY at ~7.9% plus BLZE rewards) or JitoSOL (~7.46% with deep liquidity if you change your mind).

Why not INF here? It's a solid choice too, but the basket approach adds smart contract complexity you don't need if you're purely holding.

"Using it as collateral to borrow SOL."

You need deep liquidity and wide protocol support. JitoSOL is the clear choice. It's accepted as collateral on Kamino, Drift, MarginFi, and virtually every major Solana lending protocol. Trying to use bSOL as collateral? Fewer protocols accept it at reasonable LTV ratios.

"Providing liquidity in DEX pools."

Again, JitoSOL or mSOL — they have the most LP pairs and deepest trading pools on Raydium and Orca. You'll get better swap rates and less slippage.

"I want to support Solana's health."

bSOL, no contest. Staking across 300+ validators, deliberately including smaller operators overlooked by larger pools. This is the LST that actually moves the needle on network decentralisation.

Question 2: How Much SOL Are You Staking?

Position size changes the calculus more than people realise.

Under 100 SOL (~$8,500 at current prices)

At this size, APY differences are rounding errors. The difference between 6% and 8% on 50 SOL is about 1 SOL per year. Pick based on simplicity and what you'll actually hold without second-guessing.

Recommendation for small positions: JitoSOL. It's the default LST — highest liquidity, widest acceptance, easy to swap out of if you change your mind.

100-1,000 SOL (~$8,500-$85,000)

Now the APY difference starts mattering. 2% extra on 500 SOL is 10 SOL per year. At this level, consider splitting between two LSTs:

• 60-70% in JitoSOL (for DeFi flexibility and liquidity)
• 30-40% in bSOL (for higher yield on the portion you're just holding)

This gives you the best of both: liquidity when you need it and higher yield on the rest.

Over 1,000 SOL (~$85,000+)

Diversification across LSTs becomes a risk management strategy, not just yield optimisation. No single LST should hold all your eggs.

Consider: 40% JitoSOL, 30% bSOL, 20% mSOL, 10% INF. Different protocols, different validator sets, different smart contract risk profiles.

At this size, also seriously consider Marinade Native (~10-11% APY) for a portion. Direct validator staking with no smart contract risk — just a 2-3 day unbonding period. Worth the trade-off for capital preservation on larger positions.

Question 3: What's Your Time Horizon?

Under 3 months

Stay liquid. Use JitoSOL or mSOL — they have the deepest swap liquidity so you can exit quickly at fair prices. Don't use bSOL for short holds because the liquidity is thinner and you might face slippage on larger exits.

3-12 months

Any LST works. At this timeframe, pick based on Questions 1 and 2 above. The compounding difference between LSTs is meaningful but not life-changing.

Over 1 year

This is where INF becomes interesting. Sanctum's basket approach means you're automatically diversified across top-performing LSTs. If one LST's yield compresses, INF's rebalancing captures better yields elsewhere. Over long periods, this smoothing effect compounds nicely.

The Honest Truth About Each LST in April 2026

Here's what the marketing pages won't tell you.

JitoSOL: The Safe Default That Has Stabilised

JitoSOL is the blue chip. It works everywhere, has the deepest liquidity, and carries the least "weird edge case" risk.

After three months of yield compression — driven by its massive scale splitting MEV revenue across more tokens — JitoSOL's yield has stabilised at approximately 7.46% APY in April. MEV activity is recovering with the broader market, providing a floor for yields.

Jito takes a 4% management fee on the MEV component. That's not outrageous but worth knowing.

April take: Yield has stabilised after the compression cycle. Still the best for DeFi power users. Now a solid yield choice too at 7.46%.

mSOL: Quietly Excellent for the Risk-Averse

Marinade's liquid staking (mSOL) yields approximately 6.1% APY — the lowest of the major LSTs. Not great optics against bSOL and JitoSOL.

But Marinade Native yields 10-11% APY. That's significantly higher than any LST. The catch: it's not liquid. Direct validator staking with a 2-3 day unstaking period and no DeFi composability.

The SOC 2 Type I and II certification is unique among Solana LSTs and matters for institutional or compliance-sensitive users.

April take: mSOL liquid is hard to recommend on raw yield. But Marinade Native is genuinely underrated for larger positions where instant liquidity isn't needed.

bSOL: Best Yield, Growing Credibility

BlazeStake now leads the LST market on raw APY at approximately 7.9%, plus BLZE governance token rewards on top through the BlazeRewards program. Stakes across 300+ validators — the widest of any Solana stake pool.

The liquidity concern that limited bSOL previously is improving as adoption grows. Still thinner than JitoSOL for large exits, but for positions under 500 SOL it's largely a non-issue.

April take: Best LST for passive holding under 500 SOL where you won't need emergency liquidity. The 7.9% yield premium over mSOL is real and consistent.

INF (Sanctum): The Basket Model Proving Itself

Sanctum's INF holds a basket of LSTs and captures swap fees from its unified liquidity pool. The concept is compelling — diversification plus additional yield from arbitrage and routing fees.

INF has outperformed JitoSOL by roughly 28% over recent quarters according to Sanctum's own data. That's a real result on a real track record, not a backtested promise.

April take: Solid choice for long-term holds. The basket rebalancing and fee capture genuinely work. Increasing confidence in the model after 12+ months of performance data.

JupSOL: Still Building

Jupiter's LST at approximately 6.16-6.61% APY isn't competitive on raw yield versus bSOL or JitoSOL. The value is tight integration with Jupiter's DEX ecosystem and potential future perks for Jupiter users.

April take: Not recommended as a primary LST. Good as a small allocation if you're a heavy Jupiter user. Watch for Jupiter to add more incentives for JupSOL holders.

What About Leverage Looping?

Deposit LST as collateral, borrow SOL, restake, repeat. Claims of 18-25%+ APY are real.

But be direct: if you have to read a guide to understand leverage looping, you shouldn't do it.

Liquidation can wipe your position in a single bad candle. You're stacking smart contract risk across multiple protocols. Yields compress as more people pile in.

If you understand the mechanics and can monitor your health factor on Kamino or Drift, leverage looping on JitoSOL or mSOL can be genuinely profitable. Everyone else: just pick an LST and hold it.

The Decision Cheat Sheet

Beyond SOL: Staking SPL Tokens

LSTs are for your SOL. But if you hold project tokens — memecoins, DeFi tokens, any SPL or Token-2022 token — those need different staking infrastructure.

Marinade, Jito, and BlazeStake don't touch SPL tokens. They're SOL-only operations.

For staking any non-SOL token on Solana, StakePoint offers pools with variable APR across dozens of tokens. If you're a project owner, you can create a staking pool in 5 minutes for 1 SOL — works with both SPL and Token-2022 tokens including transfer-tax tokens.

Stablecoin staking at 15% APR on USDC and USDT is also worth considering if you want yield without token price volatility.

StakePoint also offers a JitoSOL staking pool at 12% fixed APR — significantly above native JitoSOL yield of ~7.46% — with no lock period required. If you hold JitoSOL and want boosted yield without DeFi complexity, this is worth considering.

Need to lock tokens or LP? StakePoint's token locker and LP locker support all major Solana DEXs including Raydium, Meteora, and PumpSwap.

Solana LST FAQ

How do I actually buy an LST?

Swap SOL for any LST on Jupiter. Connect your wallet, select SOL as input, select your chosen LST as output, and swap. Takes 30 seconds. You can also stake directly through each protocol's website.

Can I hold multiple LSTs at once?

Yes, and you should if your position is large enough. Each LST is just a token in your wallet.

What happens if an LST protocol gets hacked?

Your LST could lose its peg to SOL. This is why diversification across LSTs matters for larger positions. Sanctum's INF is particularly well-audited — nine independent audits on the underlying SPL stake pool program.

Do I pay tax when swapping SOL for an LST?

In most jurisdictions, swapping SOL for an LST is a taxable event. For UK holders, HMRC treats crypto swaps as disposals. Consult a tax professional.

Why do LST rates keep changing?

Staking yield comes from two sources: Solana's inflation rewards (which decrease ~15% per year by design) and MEV tips (which vary with network activity). Both fluctuate, so LST yields shift constantly. Check rates monthly, not daily.

What's the best LST for a complete beginner?

JitoSOL. It's the most widely held, most liquid, and most forgiving if you need to swap back to SOL quickly. Once you're comfortable, explore bSOL for better yield.

Is there a minimum amount to buy LSTs?

No minimum. You can swap any amount of SOL for any LST.

Stop Overthinking It

Here's the truth nobody in crypto content wants to admit: picking any LST is better than keeping SOL unstaked.

If you've spent 30 minutes reading LST comparisons and still haven't staked, you've already lost more in missed yield than you'd gain from picking the "perfect" LST.

Pick one. Stake. Reassess in 3 months.

The framework above helps you make a good choice. But a good choice made today beats a perfect choice made never.

*Rates updated April 2026. Previous version: March 2026 edition*

*Staking SOL? Use the framework above to pick your LST. Staking project tokens? Browse StakePoint pools for SPL and Token-2022 staking with competitive APR — or create a pool for your project in 5 minutes.*