Solana: Complete guide for stakers

Since its creation, Solana has established itself as one of the fastest and most scalable blockchains in the crypto ecosystem. With its innovative technology and native token SOL, it offers new opportunities for users and developers seeking speed, efficiency, and scalability.

In this article, you’ll discover what Solana is, how its network works, which projects are leading its ecosystem, and how you can stake Solana (SOL) with the best validator on Solana: Stakely.

Solana is a layer 1 blockchain designed to provide ultra-fast transactions, minimal fees, and a seamless experience for developing decentralized applications (dApps). It stands as a direct alternative to Ethereum, thanks to an architecture that combines:

• Proof-of-History (PoH): generates cryptographic timestamps to efficiently order events.
• Proof-of-Stake (PoS): uses the SOL token to validate transactions and secure the network.

Thanks to this combination, Solana can process thousands of transactions per second at minimal cost, surpassing the limitations of traditional blockchains.

Solana operates through a decentralized system of validators who use their SOL tokens to participate in block validation and secure the network. The Proof of History technology speeds up confirmations by adding a unique timestamp to each transaction. This enables scalability without sacrificing security or decentralization.

• Speed: processes over 400 real TPS (transactions per second).
• Low fees: each transaction costs less than $0.01.
• Scalability: supports a large number of users and dApps without compromising performance.
• Ecosystem strength: over 29.7 million active accounts and 340 million NFTs created.
• Developer-friendly: offers powerful tools for building efficient dApps.

Solana has been adopted by major companies like Circle, Discord, Google, Meta, Shopify, Stripe, Jump, and Magic Eden. Its diverse dApp ecosystem includes standout projects such as:

• Raydium: AMM protocol for swapping assets and earning rewards through liquidity pools.
• Serum: decentralized exchange (DEX) with an order book for fast and efficient trading.
• Audius: streaming platform that allows musicians to earn more from their music.
• Magic Eden: Solana’s leading NFT marketplace, popular for collections like Degenerate Ape Academy and DeGods.

The SOL token is Solana’s native asset and plays several key roles:

• Staking: stake SOL to earn rewards and help secure the network.
• Fees: used to pay transaction fees on the blockchain.
• Governance: take part in key protocol decisions.
• DeFi and dApps: use it in applications, NFT marketplaces, and protocols across the ecosystem.

The initial supply of 500 million SOL tokens was mainly distributed among the community (38%), early investors (37%), and the foundation and team (25%), with a vesting schedule completed in January 2023.

In addition, since 2021, Solana has implemented an inflationary model to reward validators, starting at 8% annually and decreasing by 15% each year until it reaches 1.5%. This inflation is partially offset by deflationary mechanisms, such as burning a portion of the transaction fees.

Solana is a great opportunity for those who want to make the most of their tokens, and at Stakely we make it easy:

• Competitive rewards: earn passive income without moving your funds.
• Enhanced APR with Jito support: we integrate Jito-Solana into our validator, a MEV-boosted mainnet client that allows our stakers to access higher staking rewards.
• Secure and scalable infrastructure.
• Full flexibility: manage and withdraw your tokens anytime, hassle-free.
• Non-custodial staking: you maintain full control of your SOL.
• Real contribution: help the network grow stronger and more secure.

What’s more, Stakely ranks among the best validators on Solana, combining technical expertise, multilingual support, and full transparency.

Conclusion

Solana stands as one of the strongest and fastest networks in the crypto ecosystem. If you’re wondering what Solana is, how it works, or how to stake SOL, this guide gives you everything you need to get started. Don’t hesitate—staking your SOL with Stakely is the safest and most efficient way to be part of this innovative network!