Staking Pool · Review
ActiveMarinade Native Review 2026: Fee-Free Solana Staking
Marinade Native is a Solana staking product where users keep custody of their SOL and delegate to validators with no platform fees. It holds about $343 million in TVL, but DefiLlama lists no audits for it.
By the DappsAtlas editorial team · Updated
DappsAtlas score
7.6/10
Good
Our verdict on Marinade Native
7.6/10Marinade Native suits Solana holders who want to earn staking rewards while keeping custody of their SOL and avoiding platform fees. Its main strength is the combination of self-custody, instant unstaking and a clear dashboard, backed by about $343 million in TVL. The main caveat is that DefiLlama lists no audits, and yield and validator-selection details are not public, so read the documentation first.
Score breakdown
How Marinade Native scores
- Security
- 7.0/10
- Ease of use
- 8.0/10
- Fees
- 8.0/10
- Features
- 7.0/10
Scores run from 0 to 10 and are based only on facts we could verify. Where information was missing we mark the score n/a rather than guess.
What is Marinade Native?
Marinade Native is a staking product from Marinade Finance on Solana. DefiLlama describes it as a fee-free, smart contract-independent alternative that lets users keep custody of their SOL. It has been listed since October 2023.
The homepage pitches automated SOL staking, with the line "Earn more, stay in control." It says users can stake to earn rewards and instantly unstake from any validator with no platform fees. The app also has Portfolio, Earn, Borrow and Explore sections.
DefiLlama shows about $343 million in TVL, down 6.6% over seven days. The protocol is linked to the MNDE token, and DefiLlama lists zero audits for this product.
How Marinade Native works
Staking on Solana means delegating SOL to a validator, which helps secure the network in return for staking rewards. Normally you pick a validator yourself and monitor its performance.
Marinade Native automates part of that process. According to public sources, users keep custody of their SOL and the product is smart contract-independent, so the stake is not locked inside a pooled token contract. The homepage says users can unstake instantly from any validator with no platform fees.
The app offers a dashboard to monitor positions and a validator search. The project does not explain the exact selection logic or how instant unstaking is executed, so those details sit in Marinade's documentation.
6 features
Key features
01
Self-custody staking
Users keep custody of their SOL rather than depositing it into a pooled contract, according to the DefiLlama description.
02
Instant unstaking
The homepage says users can unstake instantly from any validator with no platform fees.
03
Automated SOL staking
The homepage describes staking as automated, aimed at earning more while staying in control.
04
Validator search
A search box lets users look up validators from the app.
05
Portfolio dashboard
A dashboard shows staking positions, and users can paste a wallet address to view positions without connecting.
06
Wider app menu
The app has Earn, Borrow and Explore sections alongside Portfolio, showing Marinade offers more than this one staking product.
Pros and cons
What we like
- Users keep custody of their SOL, per the DefiLlama description.
- No platform fees on staking or instant unstaking, according to the homepage.
- Instant unstaking from any validator is stated as a feature.
- Substantial TVL of about $343 million suggests real usage.
- Portfolio view works with a pasted wallet address, so no connection is needed just to look.
Watch out for
- DefiLlama lists no audits for this product, so readers have no audit report to check.
- Fee and yield details are not published on its homepage, so users must check the app and docs for specifics.
- Validator selection and automated delegation involve trust in Marinade's tooling, even though SOL stays in the user's custody.
- TVL fell 6.6% over seven days in the DefiLlama data, which may point to short-term outflows.
- Staking carries general risks: validator performance, slashing-style penalties on the network, and SOL price volatility.
- Only Solana is supported, so it is no use for other chains.
Marinade Native fees
Public sources state that staking with Marinade and instantly unstaking from any validator carry no platform fees. DefiLlama also calls the product fee-free.
The project does not detail validator commissions, Solana network transaction fees or rent costs for stake accounts. Users should expect to see those in the app and documentation before confirming a transaction.
Is Marinade Native safe?
DefiLlama lists no audits for Marinade Native, so there is no audit report to review. The product is described as smart contract-independent and non-custodial, which reduces exposure to a pooled contract, but you still rely on the app interface and your wallet.
Staking risks remain: validator downtime, network-level penalties and SOL price swings. No hacks or incidents are mentioned publicly, but absence from the data is not a guarantee. Check the knowledge base and documentation before staking meaningful amounts.
7 steps
How to get started with Marinade Native
- 1
Install a Solana wallet and fund it with SOL, keeping a small amount for network fees.
- 2
Open the Marinade app and read the Terms of use and Privacy Policy.
- 3
Optionally paste a wallet address to preview positions without connecting.
- 4
Connect your wallet and open the Earn section.
- 5
Search for validators or use the automated option, then review the details shown.
- 6
Confirm the stake transaction in your wallet.
- 7
Track rewards in the Portfolio tab and check the knowledge base if you want to unstake.
Who Marinade Native is for
It is for Solana holders who want staking rewards without handing SOL to a pooled contract, and who prefer a dashboard to manage validators. It is less useful for people holding other assets or those who want liquid staking tokens.
Marinade Native FAQs
What is Marinade Native?
Marinade Native is a Solana staking option from Marinade Finance. DefiLlama describes it as a fee-free, smart contract-independent alternative that lets users keep custody of their SOL.
Does Marinade Native charge fees?
Public sources say there are no platform fees for staking or for instant unstaking from any validator. Normal Solana network transaction costs and validator commissions are not covered publicly and would still apply in the usual way.
Do I keep custody of my SOL?
The description says users maintain custody of their SOL. The stake stays in the user's own stake accounts rather than being swapped for a pooled token, though the product is still software you connect a wallet to.
Does Marinade have a token?
Marinade has a token called MNDE, according to DefiLlama. The project does not say that you need it to use Marinade Native.
Has Marinade Native been audited?
DefiLlama's data lists zero audits for this product. That is not proof it is unsafe, but readers should check Marinade's documentation and knowledge base for security information before staking.
Can I view my staking positions without connecting a wallet?
Public sources say you can paste a wallet address to view positions without connecting, and the app has Portfolio, Earn, Borrow and Explore sections. Connecting a wallet requires accepting the Terms of use and Privacy Policy.
Compare
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Guides
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Why Solana Wallets Get Drained Repeatedly, and How to Stop ItWhen a Solana wallet keeps losing funds after every deposit, the cause is usually a compromised seed phrase and an automated sweeper, not a fresh bug. This guide explains how the drains work, how to tell the types apart and what to do.
How we checked
Sources
Last updated . Spotted an error? Tell us and we will correct it.