Web3 with Sam Kamani

221: Solana Staking & Institutional Adoption—Hadley Stern on Marinade Finance

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In this episode of Web3 with Sam Kamani, I talk with Hadley Stern, Chief Commercial Officer at Marinade Finance, about staking on Solana, institutional DeFi adoption, and how Marinade is revolutionizing staking yields.

Marinade is Solana’s largest staking marketplace, managing over $2B TVL. Unlike other providers, Marinade does not run its own validators—it decentralizes Solana by automatically distributing stake across 100+ validators for maximum yield and network security.

🚀 Topics we cover:

🔹 How Marinade boosts staking APY with its unique stake auction model

🔹 Why institutional funds are finally moving into DeFi staking

🔹 The impact of Fire Dancer & Solana’s upcoming upgrades

🔹 Challenges in staking adoption & why Marinade’s model is different

🔹 What’s next for Solana staking & how Marinade plans to grow in 2025

If you’re staking SOL or interested in institutional DeFi, this episode is a must-listen!


Key Timestamps

[00:00:00] Introduction: Sam introduces Hadley Stern & Marinade Finance’s staking solutions.

[00:01:00] Hadley’s Web3 Journey:

  • 18 years at Fidelity—ran the Bitcoin Incubator in 2014.

  • Founded Fidelity Digital Assets, led crypto custody at BNY Mellon.

  • Why he left TradFi to focus on DeFi & Solana staking.

    • [00:04:00] What is Marinade Finance?

    • Unlike Lido or Coinbase, Marinade doesn’t run its own validators.

    • Decentralizes Solana by distributing stake across 100+ validators.

    • Stake auction model—validators bid with MEV & fees to boost APY.

      • [00:06:00] Why Marinade’s APY is Higher Than Competitors

      • How stake auctions create 50-150 bps higher yield than normal validators.

      • Solana’s evolving staking landscape & Marinade’s institutional appeal.

        • [00:08:00] Institutional Adoption of DeFi & Staking

        • Why banks & funds are finally interested in Solana.

        • How ETF approvals & new regulations are opening up institutional DeFi.

        • Why tokenization & stablecoins will drive the next adoption wave.

          • [00:12:00] Marinade’s Institutional Offering—Marinade Native

          • Unlike liquid staking (mSOL), Marinade Native has zero smart contract risk.

          • Institutions retain full custody of SOL & can withdraw at any time.

          • Why Marinade Native is better than Lido & other staking providers.

            • [00:14:00] Solana Upgrades: Fire Dancer & Slashing

            • Fire Dancer will increase validator diversity & resilience.

            • Slashing risks & how Marinade is preparing for protocol changes.

              • [00:16:00] Marinade’s 2025 Goals

              • Growing TVL from 9M to 18M SOL.

              • Expanding in U.S., Europe, Dubai, & Asia.

              • Integrating with more wallets, custodians & DeFi protocols.

                • [00:20:00] Solana vs Ethereum: Hadley’s Take

                • Why Ethereum’s gas fees & L2 complexity are hurting adoption.

                • Solana’s simplicity & business focus give it an edge.

                • Will Ethereum survive without L2s? Hadley’s perspective.

                  • [00:23:00] Upcoming Events & Where to Meet Marinade

                  • ETH Denver, Token 2049 (Dubai), Digital Asset Summit (New York), & Breakpoint.

                  • Why crypto conferences are key to ecosystem growth.

                    • [00:25:00] Final Thoughts & How to Stake with Marinade

                    • Try Marinade Native for the safest staking experience.

                    • Follow Marinade Finance & stay updated on institutional staking trends.

                      • 📌 Stake with Marinade & earn higher yield: https://marinade.finance


                      Connect

                      https://marinade.finance/

                      https://www.linkedin.com/company/marinade-finance/

                      https://www.linkedin.com/in/hadley-stern/

                      https://x.com/marinadefinance

                      https://x.com/hadleystern


                      Disclaimer

                      Nothing mentioned in this podcast is investment advice and please do your own research. Finally, it would mean a lot if you can leave a review of this podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and share this podcast with a friend.

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                      Web3 with Sam KamaniBy Sam Kamani