Sol Strategies Chosen for 3iQ’s Solana ETF Staking

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A Strategic Move in Institutional Crypto Adoption

On February 7, 2025, Sol Strategies Inc. was officially selected as the staking provider for 3iQ Corp.’s proposed Solana Staking ETF—a landmark development signaling growing institutional confidence in staked digital asset products. As a publicly traded Canadian firm focused on Solana blockchain infrastructure and investment, Sol Strategies will play a pivotal role in securing and growing assets within this regulated exchange-traded fund (ETF).

Under the terms of a newly signed memorandum of understanding (MOU), Sol Strategies will allocate up to $15 million—or 33.33% of the ETF’s total assets at launch—into staked SOL, with a minimum holding period of three months. This strategic capital commitment underscores both parties’ dedication to long-term network security and investor value.

👉 Discover how regulated staking is transforming institutional crypto access.

Why This Partnership Matters

The collaboration between 3iQ and Sol Strategies reflects a broader industry shift: traditional finance is increasingly embracing compliant, transparent staking solutions. With regulatory scrutiny intensifying globally, having a trusted, auditable staking partner is no longer optional—it's essential.

Pascal St-Jean, CEO and President of 3iQ, emphasized that Sol Strategies stood out due to its institutional-grade validator infrastructure and proven track record.

“Their compliance framework and validator performance align perfectly with our commitment to providing regulated, secure digital asset exposure to investors.”

This alignment ensures that investors gain exposure to Solana’s staking rewards without compromising on safety or regulatory adherence.

Leah Wald, CEO of Sol Strategies, echoed this sentiment, calling the partnership “a pivotal moment for institutional Solana staking.”

“This allows traditional investors to access staking rewards through a regulated investment vehicle—bridging Web3 innovation with mainstream finance.”

Expanding Solana’s Validator Ecosystem

Sol Strategies isn’t just participating in the network—it’s actively strengthening it.

The company now manages over 1.64 million SOL across three high-performance validators, significantly contributing to Solana’s decentralization and resilience. Of that, 218,903 SOL are owned directly by Sol Strategies and its subsidiaries, all actively staked to generate yield and reinforce network security.

A key technological advancement includes the deployment of two Firedancer validators—a next-generation consensus client developed by Jump Crypto that promises enhanced throughput, lower latency, and improved fault tolerance. By integrating Firedancer, Sol Strategies helps push Solana toward enterprise-grade reliability.

Additionally, the company recently upgraded its validator stack to Jito 2.1, boosting transaction processing speed and efficiency across its nodes. These technical upgrades ensure optimal performance, reduce downtime, and increase reward generation for stakeholders.

To promote transparency, Sol Strategies published a detailed technical blog outlining best practices for securely exposing the Firedancer interface. This empowers the broader community to monitor validator health and performance in real time—an important step toward trustless verification in decentralized systems.

Financial Strength and Strategic Growth

With CAD $72 million in available liquidity, Sol Strategies is well-capitalized to pursue aggressive accumulation and expansion strategies.

Between January 31 and February 7, 2025, the company acquired 24,374 SOL for CAD $7.3 million (USD $5.05 million). As of February 7, its total holdings reached 214,342 SOL, originally purchased for CAD $55.6 million (USD $39.5 million) and now valued at CAD $58.9 million (USD $41.2 million)—demonstrating both strategic timing and strong conviction in Solana’s long-term potential.

To further fuel growth, Sol Strategies tapped into its CAD $25 million credit facility**, drawing **$4 million from Chairman Antanas Guoga. These funds will support:

This financial flexibility positions the company to act swiftly in dynamic market conditions while reinforcing its role as a cornerstone participant in the Solana ecosystem.

👉 Learn how institutional players are leveraging blockchain infrastructure for sustainable growth.

FAQs: Understanding the 3iQ & Sol Strategies Partnership

Q: What is a staked Solana ETF?
A: A staked Solana ETF allows investors to gain exposure to Solana (SOL) while also earning staking rewards. Unlike traditional ETFs, it generates yield by participating in network validation, offering both capital appreciation and passive income potential—all within a regulated financial product.

Q: Why is Sol Strategies the ideal staking provider?
A: Sol Strategies combines deep technical expertise in validator operations with strong regulatory compliance practices. Their ownership of high-performance validators, use of advanced clients like Firedancer, and transparent reporting make them a trusted choice for institutional-grade staking.

Q: Is the ETF already live?
A: The ETF is currently pending regulatory approval. Once cleared by Canadian authorities, it will launch with Sol Strategies serving as the primary staking partner.

Q: How does this benefit retail investors?
A: Retail investors gain access to staking rewards without managing private keys or running nodes. The ETF offers a familiar, regulated investment structure—similar to stock market funds—but with the added upside of blockchain-based yield generation.

Q: What impact does this have on Solana’s network?
A: Increased institutional staking improves network security, decentralization, and long-term sustainability. As more capital gets locked into staking via compliant vehicles like ETFs, fewer tokens circulate in volatile markets—potentially reducing sell pressure.

Q: Could this lead to more crypto ETFs in the future?
A: Absolutely. If successful, this model may inspire similar products for other proof-of-stake blockchains like Ethereum, Cardano, or Polkadot—accelerating mainstream adoption across the digital asset landscape.

The Road Ahead: Institutionalization of Staking

This partnership marks more than just a business deal—it represents a shift in how digital assets are integrated into traditional finance. By combining 3iQ’s expertise in regulated investment products with Sol Strategies’ robust infrastructure, the initiative sets a new standard for secure, compliant, and scalable staking solutions.

As Solana continues to scale with innovations like Firedancer and Jito upgrades, demand for reliable staking partners will only grow. With plans potentially including a Nasdaq listing, Sol Strategies is positioning itself at the forefront of this evolution.

For institutions seeking exposure to high-growth blockchains without operational complexity, regulated staking ETFs offer an attractive entry point. And with trusted providers like Sol Strategies ensuring network integrity, the path forward looks both profitable and secure.

👉 See how next-gen staking models are reshaping digital asset investment strategies.

Core Keywords:

By aligning technological excellence with financial compliance, the 3iQ and Sol Strategies collaboration exemplifies the future of blockchain-integrated finance—where innovation meets regulation, and accessibility meets security.