Jito vs Marinade Finance: Quick Compare (2026)
Jito is a liquid-staking platform rated 9.3/10 with $1.16B TVL, best for Maximum LST APY with MEV boost. Marinade Finance is a liquid-staking platform rated 8.8/10 with $263M TVL, best for Decentralized liquid staking.
Need a deeper breakdown? Use editorial comparison pages and full platform reviews before you decide.
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Feature | Jito | Marinade Finance |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 9.3/10 | 8.8/10 |
| TVL | $1.16B | $263M |
| APY | 6.5%+ | ~6% |
| Best for | Maximum LST APY with MEV boost | Decentralized liquid staking |
| Not best for | Not ideal for users who want maximum decentralization — Jito's MEV extraction model concentrates value among validators who run Jito's modified client. Users philosophically opposed to MEV should consider Marinade or BlazeStake. | Not ideal for yield maximizers — Marinade's mSOL APY is typically 0.3-0.5% lower than JitoSOL because Marinade doesn't capture MEV rewards. Users purely optimizing for yield should compare JitoSOL and 2ZSOL. |
| Founded | 2022 | 2021 |
Fees Comparison
Jito Fees
| Fee | Value |
|---|---|
Marinade Finance Fees
| Fee | Value |
|---|---|
Pros & Cons
Jito
Pros
- 6.5%+ APY — above-average due to MEV tip distribution
- JitoSOL accepted as collateral on Kamino, MarginFi, and others
- $1B+ TVL — one of largest Solana LSTs
Cons
- MEV rewards vary by network activity
- Unstaking takes ~2 epochs (~5 days) unless via Sanctum
Marinade Finance
Pros
- 800+ validator distribution — most decentralized Solana LST
- Native staking option (no LST token, max security)
- mSOL widely accepted across Solana DeFi
Cons
- Lower APY than Jito (no MEV boost)
When to Choose Jito
Best for: Maximum LST APY with MEV boost
Honest limitation: JitoSOL carries de-peg risk during extreme market conditions — while historical de-pegs have been brief (hours, not days), a sustained de-peg could force liquidations for users with JitoSOL as collateral on lending platforms.
When to Choose Marinade Finance
Best for: Decentralized liquid staking
Honest limitation: Marinade's native staking (which avoids smart contract risk) has a ~2 epoch unstaking delay. The liquid mSOL token carries smart contract risk and can trade below its theoretical value during market stress.