The restaking revolution that began on Ethereum with EigenLayer is now making waves across other major blockchains — and Solana is no exception. Inspired by EigenLayer’s success in redefining decentralized security through economic validation, multiple teams within the Solana ecosystem are quietly building restaking protocols aimed at unlocking new layers of capital efficiency and network utility.
As staked SOL continues to grow — surpassing $10 billion in total value locked — developers are exploring how to reuse this secured capital to bootstrap trust for external applications, just like EigenLayer does for Ethereum. This shift could unlock a new era of modular infrastructure on Solana, where protocols leverage shared security without needing their own validator sets.
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What Is Restaking and Why Solana Is Ready
Restaking allows users who have already staked their tokens (in this case, SOL) to "re-stake" them into additional protocols that provide security services to third-party applications. These applications — known as Active Validation Services (AVSs) — can include oracles, data availability layers, cross-chain bridges, or decentralized physical infrastructure networks (DePIN).
On Ethereum, EigenLayer pioneered this model by enabling ETH stakers to opt into securing new services, earning extra rewards while increasing the overall resilience of the ecosystem.
While Solana doesn’t follow a modular blockchain architecture by default like Ethereum’s rollup-centric roadmap, its high throughput, low fees, and growing ecosystem of dApps make it an ideal candidate for restaking innovation. Developers see an opportunity to extend Solana’s robust consensus layer to protect off-chain or cross-chain systems — all while incentivizing participation through yield generation.
Emerging Restaking Projects in the Solana Ecosystem
At least six teams are actively developing restaking solutions tailored to Solana’s unique architecture and community dynamics. While none have launched mainnets yet (except one), early progress signals strong momentum behind this trend.
Jito: From MEV Leader to Potential Restaking Pioneer
Jito has long been a dominant force in Solana’s validator ecosystem, best known for introducing liquid staking via JitoSOL and optimizing MEV (Maximal Extractable Value) distribution among validators. Although it paused its MEV marketplace due to community concerns, the team remains highly influential.
Now, whispers suggest Jito may be exploring restaking as its next major move. While no official roadmap has been released, insiders believe the team is well-positioned to launch a restaking protocol leveraging its deep integration with top validators and existing user base.
With over $3 billion in assets under management via JitoSOL, any future restaking product could see rapid adoption.
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Cambrian: Building a ZK-Powered Security Layer
Cambrian aims to create a full-fledged restaking protocol for Solana, combining economic security with zero-knowledge (ZK) proof technology to enable secure interoperability between chains and applications.
Unlike EigenLayer, which focuses primarily on security provisioning, Cambrian plans to offer both security and computation layers — allowing AVSs to not only inherit validation but also offload complex processing tasks.
The team has raised $2.5 million in funding and plans to launch its testnet within weeks, followed by a mainnet release in Q3 2025. A points program will kick off alongside mainnet deployment, paving the way for a future token launch.
Solayer Labs: Security Meets Custom Execution
Solayer Labs is another ambitious entrant aiming to build a dual-layer restaking solution: one that offers economic security and customizable execution environments for AVSs. This means projects could choose performance-optimized or module-specific runtimes based on their needs — ideal for DePIN, AI inference networks, or specialized oracle services.
Backed by $10 million in funding and staffed by veterans from SushiSwap and MPCvault, Solayer is focusing on developer experience and flexibility. While still in stealth mode with no public testnet date, the team has already started an early contributor points program to grow its community.
Picasso: First Live Restaking Solution on Solana
Picasso stands out as the first functional restaking protocol live on Solana. Launched earlier this month, it currently uses restaked SOL to secure its own cross-chain bridge connecting Solana and Cosmos ecosystems.
Rather than building a universal AVS protection layer from day one, Picasso took a focused approach — using restaking to harden its critical infrastructure. Already, the protocol holds over $8 million worth of SOL and liquid staking tokens (LSTs).
Looking ahead, Picasso intends to open its restaking framework to other Solana-based projects, enabling them to tap into shared security pools. Its early launch gives it a first-mover advantage in what could become a competitive landscape.
The Pros and Cons of Restaking on Solana
As promising as restaking sounds, integrating it into Solana comes with trade-offs.
Advantages
- Capital Efficiency: Restaking unlocks new utility from otherwise idle staked SOL.
- Ecosystem Growth: Enables safer deployment of experimental protocols like DePIN, AI agents, or cross-chain oracles.
- User Incentives: Stakers earn additional yields by participating in AVS validation.
- Security Scalability: Reduces the burden on small projects needing robust consensus mechanisms.
Risks and Challenges
- Systemic Risk: If an AVS fails or is exploited, slashing penalties could ripple back to restakers and impact broader staking pools.
- Complexity: Introducing multi-layer validation increases technical complexity and potential attack vectors.
- Centralization Pressure: Large liquid staking providers (like Jito) could dominate restaking pools, leading to concentration risks.
- Uncertain Demand: Unlike Ethereum’s urgent need for modular security due to rollups, Solana’s native speed reduces immediate demand for AVS-style scaling.
Despite these concerns, many believe the benefits outweigh the risks — especially if implemented gradually and with strong slashing conditions.
Who Will Benefit Most from Solana Restaking?
Early adopters of Solana-based restaking are likely to come from niche but rapidly growing sectors:
- Cross-chain bridges requiring reliable validation
- Decentralized identity and oracle networks
- DePIN projects needing trust-minimized coordination
- AI/ML inference layers operating off-chain
- MEV infrastructure seeking transparent relaying
These use cases align perfectly with restaking’s value proposition: leveraging existing trust to secure new kinds of decentralized services.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What is restaking in simple terms?
A: Restaking lets users stake their already-staked crypto (e.g., SOL) again into protocols that provide security for other applications, earning extra rewards while helping secure the ecosystem.
Q: Is EigenLayer launching on Solana?
A: No. EigenLayer is built exclusively for Ethereum and cannot natively support Solana. However, teams are building similar models tailored for Solana’s architecture.
Q: Can I lose money with restaking?
A: Yes. If a service you’re restaking toward misbehaves or gets hacked, you may face slashing penalties — meaning part of your staked assets could be forfeited.
Q: Which project launched first on Solana?
A: Picasso became the first operational restaking protocol on Solana, initially securing its cross-chain bridge between Solana and Cosmos.
Q: Will restaking require a new token?
A: Some projects like Cambrian plan to issue native tokens for governance and incentives; others may operate without one initially. Token models often emerge after mainnet launches.
Q: How does restaking differ from liquid staking?
A: Liquid staking gives you a token (like JitoSOL) representing your staked assets so you can use them elsewhere. Restaking goes further by letting those reused assets also secure additional protocols.
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Final Thoughts
The rise of restaking on Solana marks a pivotal moment in the evolution of its ecosystem. While not driven by the same scalability pressures as Ethereum, Solana’s vibrant developer scene is proving it can adapt cutting-edge ideas to fit its high-performance environment.
Projects like Picasso, Cambrian, and potentially Jito are laying the foundation for a more modular, secure, and capital-efficient future. Whether this movement gains mass traction will depend on real-world demand for AVSs and how well these protocols manage risk.
One thing is clear: the restaking narrative isn’t limited to Ethereum anymore. Solana is stepping up — and the next phase of decentralized infrastructure may be just around the corner.
Keywords: restaking, Solana, EigenLayer alternative, shared security, blockchain infrastructure, decentralized applications, AVS, Jito