The Liquid Staking Landscape on Monad

The infrastructure is live. The LST landscape is taking shape. Here's what we're seeing.

With Monad delivering 10,000 TPS and sub-2-second finality, multiple liquid staking protocols are positioning to serve the ecosystem. Over 290 projects are building on Monad, and the LST layer will play a critical role in how capital flows through the network.

At P2P.org, we've been validating on Monad since Testnet-1. That early access has given us insight into how the liquid staking landscape is developing. As mainnet approaches, we're evaluating which LST protocols have the technical capabilities, funding, and ecosystem alignment to succeed.

Here's our overview of the major liquid staking protocols emerging on Monad.

Fastlane: Holistic Liquid Staking with MEV Infrastructure

What they do: MEV-aware liquid staking protocol with integrated infrastructure for execution abstraction

Why it matters: First holistic LST combining staking, MEV capture, gas abstraction, and developer tools

The opportunity:

Fastlane represents a new category of liquid staking: the holistic LST. Users stake MON and receive shMON, but unlike traditional LSTs, shMON unlocks an entire suite of infrastructure capabilities. The protocol combines MEV capture through their Atlas framework with gas abstraction, account abstraction (4337 bundler), and on-chain task scheduling.

Their MEV infrastructure integrates directly with validators and dApps, capturing and redistributing MEV profits to shMON holders while providing smart contract-based MEV protection for users. This creates a positive-sum MEV environment where users, applications, and stakers all benefit.

For developers, Fastlane provides tools to automate smart contract executions without off-chain dependencies. For users, shMON can be used for gas payments while earning enhanced yields from both staking rewards and MEV redistribution.

Funding: $8.3M total ($2.3M + $6M)
Backers: Multicoin Capital (lead), Figment Capital (lead), DBA (lead), Coinbase Venture, Delphi Ventures, Hashkey Capital, Robot Ventures, P2 Ventures (Polygon Ventures)

Why P2P.org is watching: Fastlane's approach to MEV infrastructure aligns with the future of validator economics on high-throughput chains. Their team's deep expertise in staking and MEV optimization positions them to capture significant value as Monad scales. We're already integrated as a validator partner and see Fastlane as critical infrastructure for the ecosystem's MEV layer.

aPriori: MEV-Driven Liquid Staking

What they do: Liquid staking protocol that combines traditional staking rewards with MEV profitsWhy it matters: Rethinking how staking value accrues by capturing and redistributing MEV transparently

The opportunity:

Traditional liquid staking gives you a receipt token and calls it a day. aPriori goes further by capturing and redistributing MEV profits back to stakers. On a network processing 10,000 TPS, MEV complexity increases exponentially, and aPriori is positioned to capture that value transparently.

Users stake MON and receive aprMON, which continues earning both staking rewards and MEV-enhanced yields. That composability unlocks DeFi participation without sacrificing staking income.

Funding: $30M raised (most recent round: $20M in August 2025)
Backers: Pantera Capital (lead), Hashed Fund (lead), Arrington XRP Capital (lead), YZi Labs (Prev. Binance Labs), ConsenSys, OKX Ventures, CSM Holdings

Why P2P.org is watching: We're already integrated as a validator partner. Their approach to MEV transparency aligns with how we operate — no hidden extraction, just measurable performance. As Monad scales, aPriori's infrastructure will be critical for institutional stakers who want both yield and liquidity.

Magma: Community-Powered Liquid Staking with DVT

What they do: DAO-owned liquid staking protocol using Distributed Validator Technology and MEV-boosted yields

Why it matters: First DVT implementation outside Ethereum, combining enhanced security with MEV capture

The opportunity:

Magma combines DVT with MEV infrastructure on Monad. Users stake MON and receive gMON, which functions as composable collateral across the ecosystem. Magma's validator auctions capture and redistribute MEV rewards to stakers, while DVT reduces slashing risk through distributed validator operations.

The gMON token enables lending, borrowing, liquidity provision, and trading while earning staking yields, with additional restaking opportunities through EigenLayer integration.

Funding: $3.9M seed round (October 2024)
Backers: CMS Holdings, IVC, Animoca Brands, Maelstrom, Builder Capital, Stake Capital Group, Bloccelerate, RockTree Capital

Why P2P.org is watching: DVT aligns with our validator philosophy on decentralization and security. The reduced slashing risk makes institutional staking more attractive, while MEV-boosted yields position Magma as foundational infrastructure for Monad's staking landscape. We're already integrated as a validator partner.

Kintsu: Composable Liquid Staking

What they do: Liquid staking protocol with vault staking and restaking integrations

Why it matters: Building the yield infrastructure that powers Monad DeFi through maximum composability

The opportunity:

While aPriori focuses on MEV-enhanced yields, Kintsu takes a different approach: maximum composability. Stake MON, receive sMON, then deploy that sMON across lending protocols, AMMs, and yield vaults without unstaking.

Kintsu's integration with restaking protocols means users can layer yield strategies — staking MON while simultaneously securing other networks or applications. For DeFi power users, this is the foundational tool. For protocols building on Monad, sMON becomes a composable asset they can build around.

The protocol maintains a decentralized validator registry controlled by the Kintsu DAO, ensuring staking is distributed across diverse network participants. This enhances both security and decentralization while allowing validators to compete on yield generation.

Funding: $4M seed round
Backers: Castle Island Ventures (lead), The Spartan Group, CSM Holding, CMT Digital, Animoca Brands, Brevan Howard Digital

Why P2P.org is watching: Composability drives DeFi adoption. Liquid staking tokens that work seamlessly across protocols become the default collateral, the default LP tokens, the default building blocks. Kintsu is positioning to be that foundational layer. As validators, we see the demand for flexible staking solutions, and Kintsu delivers that flexibility without compromising security. We're already integrated as a validator partner.

The Bottom Line

Monad's LST landscape is still developing, and market dynamics will ultimately determine which protocols gain traction. The protocols we've highlighted share some common characteristics:

• Technical teams with relevant experience (TradFi, HFT, or established DeFi backgrounds)
• Funding from credible investors
• Distinct approaches to liquid staking infrastructure
• Varying degrees of validator and ecosystem integration

The LST market on Monad likely won't be winner-take-all. Different protocols may serve different market segments based on their technical approaches, partnerships, and execution capabilities. As validators, we're taking a measured approach to understanding which models prove most effective.

What This Means for Stakers

As validators, our job is to keep the network running at peak performance. We also have a responsibility to understand the liquid staking landscape developing on top of that infrastructure.

The LST protocols emerging on Monad represent different technical approaches:

• MEV-focused models that capture and redistribute additional value through validator optimization
• Composability-focused models that emphasize flexibility across DeFi protocols
• Infrastructure-integrated models that combine staking with broader developer tooling
• Security-focused models that pioneer approaches like DVT for risk reduction

The interplay between these different approaches will shape how capital flows through Monad's DeFi ecosystem. More LST diversity could enable more DeFi use cases, deeper liquidity pools, and increased protocol integrations — potentially leading to higher network activity and staking rewards.

P2P.org is evaluating these developments as the ecosystem matures, maintaining flexibility in our approach to LST partnerships.

How to Position for Monad's LST Landscape

If you're an institutional staker, protocol builder, or wallet provider evaluating Monad's liquid staking options, here are some considerations:

1. Validator infrastructure matters. Look for validators with testnet experience and proven track records. Infrastructure quality affects performance regardless of which LST protocols gain dominance.
2. Diversification may be prudent. The LST landscape is still developing, and different protocols offer different technical approaches. Maintaining optionality across multiple LSTs could reduce concentration risk.
3. Integration flexibility. For DeFi protocol builders, designing systems that can integrate with multiple LST tokens provides flexibility as market dynamics play out.
4. Monitor partnerships. Track which validators are working with which LST protocols, and how those relationships evolve as mainnet approaches.

Why P2P.org?

We're taking a measured approach to the Monad LST landscape, maintaining flexibility as the market develops:

• Validating since Testnet-1
• Evaluating partnerships with major LST protocols
• Purpose-built infrastructure for parallel execution and MEV optimization
• 99.9% uptime, zero slashing across all networks
• $10B+ in assets staked across multiple chains

As the LST landscape evolves, we're focused on understanding which technical approaches prove most effective and which partnerships align with our validator philosophy. We're observing how these protocols develop and making partnership decisions based on execution, technical merit, and ecosystem fit.

The Monad LST landscape is taking shape. The infrastructure is live. The protocols are launching.

Stake with certainty. Build with confidence.

Have questions about Monad staking or ecosystem opportunities? Our team is here to help. Contact us