This is the process of locking up SOL tokens, the native cryptocurrency of the Solana blockchain, to help secure the network and validate transactions. Solana operates on a Delegated Proof-of-Stake (DPoS) consensus mechanism, where users can delegate their tokens to validators who are responsible for confirming transactions and maintaining the network.

Key Concepts of Staking on Solana:

1. Validators: These are entities or nodes that validate transactions and produce new blocks on the Solana blockchain. Validators are selected based on the amount of SOL delegated to them, and their job is to help maintain the integrity of the network.

2. Delegators: SOL holders who do not want to run a validator node themselves can become delegators. They delegate their SOL tokens to a chosen validator to support their operations and earn staking rewards in return.

3. Staking Rewards: When you stake SOL, you earn rewards in the form of SOL tokens. These rewards come from network inflation (newly created SOL) and possibly transaction fees. Rewards are distributed based on how much SOL you have staked and the performance of the validator you delegate to.

4. Commission Fees: Validators charge a commission on the rewards they generate for their delegators. This commission is deducted from the staking rewards before they are distributed to the delegators.

5. Unstaking/Withdrawing: If you want to stop staking your SOL, you can initiate an unstaking process. There is typically a waiting period (around 2-3 days) before you can access your unstaked tokens.

6. Liquid Staking: Some platforms on Solana offer liquid staking, where you receive a derivative token (e.g., mSOL or JSOL) that represents your staked SOL. This token can be used in decentralized finance (DeFi) activities, allowing you to earn additional yields while keeping your SOL staked.

Importance of Staking on Solana:

• Network Security: Staking contributes to the security and decentralization of the Solana network by ensuring that validators are honest and the network is resistant to attacks.

• Earning Rewards: Staking allows SOL holders to earn passive income by participating in the network's consensus process.

• Decentralization: The more decentralized the staking power (i.e., spread across multiple validators), the more secure and resilient the network becomes

There are multiple staking protocols on Solana that offer different features and benefits, particularly focusing on liquid staking, but we'll be focusing on just 4 protocols to enable us make comparisons amongst them. These include:

• Socean (scnSOL): Focuses on high rewards and decentralization, spreading stake across multiple validators.

• Marginfi (LST): Allows liquid staking with a focus on leveraging staked assets for margin trading and DeFi activities.

• Jito (jitoSOL): Optimizes validator performance and focuses on MEV rewards for delegators.

• BlazeStake (bSOL): Emphasizes decentralization and low fees for liquid staking.

This dashboard provides an analysis of the Solana liquid staking ecosystem for 2024, highlighting key metrics and performance across various liquid staking protocols. The focus is on comparing staking behaviors, and validator performance among major liquid staking providers such as Socean (scnSOL), Marginfi (LST), Jito (jitoSOL), and BlazeStake (bSOL).

Key Metrics:

• Total Staked SOL

• Total Unique Stakers

• Staking Growth (%)

• Average Staking Duration

• Total Validators