Table of Contents
TL;DR: Sanctum Infinity outperformed JitoSOL by 28% in Q3 2025 through staking rewards plus swap fee revenue versus single-source yield. Sanctum wins for yield optimization and basketized LST exposure while Jito wins for DeFi integration and secondary-market exit depth.
Sanctum vs Jito Quick Comparison Table
| Category | Sanctum Infinity (INF) | Jito (JitoSOL) |
|---|---|---|
| Current APY | ~6.46% last 10 epochs (as of Jan 8th 2026) | ~5.9% last 10 epochs (as of Jan 8th 2026) |
| Core Model | Multi-LST basket + unified liquidity | Single LST |
| Yield Sources | Staking rewards + swap fees | Staking rewards only |
| Liquidity Depth | Strong | Deepest on Solana |
| Depeg Resilience | Higher (multi-asset exits) | Lower (single-asset exposure) |
| Validator Exposure | Diversified across multiple LSTs | Single validator strategy |
| Audits | 12 total (9 SPL stake pool + 3 INF program) | 7 (per Jito's SPL stake pool audit count) |
| Best For | Long-term yield optimization | DeFi |
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Sanctum Infinity | Jito |
|---|---|---|
| APY Performance | ✅ | ⚠️ |
| Security Audits | ✅ | ✅ |
| Liquidity Depth | ⚠️ | ✅ |
| Validator Diversification | ✅ | ❌ |
| DeFi Integrations | ⚠️ | ✅ |
| Depeg Resilience | ✅ | ❌ |
| Custom LST Infrastructure | ✅ | ❌ |
✅ = Strong | ⚠️ = Moderate | ❌ = Limited
Since launch, INF has outperformed all major Solana LSTs due to basketized yield routing and swap fee revenue.
Why Use Liquid Staking vs Native Staking for Solana?
Traditional Solana staking locks your SOL for a 2-3 day unbonding period. You earn yield but sacrifice liquidity and DeFi composability.
Liquid staking tokens solve this by giving you a tradeable receipt (like JitoSOL or INF) that represents your staked SOL. You keep earning staking rewards while using the token across DeFi protocols—lending, liquidity pools, collateral for leverage.
61M SOL is now locked in LSTs. Jito leads with 14.2M SOL staked, but JitoSOL's yield has lagged behind INF. With 28% lower returns over 50 epochs in Q3 2025 and current yields ~0.5% below INF.
Bart Hillerich
INF vs JitoSOL APY: Which Solana LST Pays More?
Jito APY and Revenue Model
JitoSOL’s current APY is 5.9% for the last 10 epochs (as of January 2026) but adjusts based validator performance and MEV.
JitoSOL performs as well as their underlying validator set performs.
Sanctum APY and Revenue Model
Sanctum Infinity generates yield from three sources: base staking rewards from its diversified LST basket, trading fees from LST-to-LST swaps in the Infinity pool, and validator performance optimization across multiple LST providers.
Current APY is 6.46% (as of January 2026), and performance has been consistently higher than competing LSTs.
INF uses basketized LST exposure that spreads validator risk and increases yield. Instead of depending on one validator set's performance (like JitoSOL), INF holds multiple LSTs with different validator strategies. Historical performance data shows INF has outperformed all LSTs since launch due to these additional fee streams.
Sanctum vs Jito Yield: Key Differences
Verdict: Sanctum delivers structurally superior long-term yield through cross-validator yield routing and swap fee revenue. With superior long-term yields and higher current yields.
Which is Better INF or JitoSOL?
- INF: Higher yields from staking plus swap fee revenue; basketized LST exposure reduces single-validator dependency
- JitoSOL: Broad DeFi usage; largest TVL among LSTs
Sanctum wins for long-term yield optimization. Jito wins for DeFi integration and secondary-market exit depth.
Sanctum INF vs JitoSOL Liquidity: Depeg Risk and Exit Options
Jito Liquidity Depth
JitoSOL's substantial TVL creates the deepest secondary markets in Solana liquid staking, with deep liquidity across major venues (Kamino, Orca, Drift).
Direct unstaking through the Jito website charges a 0.1% withdrawal fee. However, Jito recommends selling on Jupiter DEX instead for instant liquidity without fees. You can exit positions up to several million dollars with minimal slippage.
The risk: single-asset concentration during market stress. If JitoSOL experiences a depeg event, all liquidity pools depeg simultaneously.
Sanctum Liquidity Architecture
Sanctum's unified liquidity pool enables LST-to-LST swaps at intrinsic value—minimized price impact vs routing through SOL, subject to pool depth constraints. Every LST has an on-chain intrinsic value based on accumulated staking rewards. Sanctum's Router prices all swaps at this intrinsic value, enabling direct LST-to-LST trades without routing through SOL as an intermediary.
The multi-asset design can improve resilience during stress. If one LST in the Infinity basket experiences issues, redemptions can route through other assets in the pool. The Reserve Pool architecture enables instant unstaking without the 2-3 day unbonding period.
Bart
Is Sanctum or Jito Safer for Institutional SOL Staking?
Liquidity safety:
- JitoSOL wins - Greatest secondary-market exit depth for large instant exits
- ~14.2M SOL staked provides substantial buffer during normal market conditions
Diversification safety:
- INF wins - Basketized architecture spreads validator and smart contract risk
- Routes redemptions through strongest available assets
Audit coverage:
- INF — 9 SPL stake pool program audits (per Anza audit index) + 3 Infinity program audits (Neodyme, OtterSec, Sec3) = 12 total
- JitoSOL — 7 audits of the SPL stake pool program (per Jito documentation)
Verdict: Both offer institutional-grade security with strong audit coverage, liquidity depth, and exposure to validators.
How to Swap JitoSOL to INF
Via Sanctum (recommended): Visit Sanctum.so, connect your wallet, select JitoSOL → INF, confirm. Swap executes at intrinsic value. 0.1% withdrawal fee applies.
Via Jupiter: Visit jup.ag, select JitoSOL → INF, confirm. Routing may vary.
Who Should Choose INF vs JitoSOL?
Choose INF When:
- Optimizing for superior long-term yield: Q3 2025 outperformance vs JitoSOL compounds significantly over multi-year horizons
- Seeking basketized validator exposure: Cross-validator yield routing reduces single-validator dependency
- Building for next-generation infrastructure: Exposure to Solana DeFi ecosystem growth through swap fee revenue
Choose Jito When:
- Needing the broadest current DeFi integration: Already integrated into Kamino, Orca, Drift, and major lending platforms
Best Practice: Sophisticated allocators split exposure between both platforms, but INF delivers superior risk-adjusted returns for long-term treasury optimization.
Final Verdict: Sanctum INF vs JitoSOL
Sanctum INF wins for yield optimization and basketized LST exposure. INF’s continued outperformance demonstrates a structural advantage from staking rewards plus swap fee revenue that scales as the LST ecosystem grows.
JitoSOL wins for maximum secondary-market exit depth and proven track record. JitoSOL has the deepest TVL in Solana liquid staking, providing unmatched exit liquidity for large positions.
The performance differential demonstrates Sanctum's structural yield advantage from staking plus swap fees versus single-source returns.
Start Staking with Sanctum INF
Sanctum combines the highest audited security standards (12 total audits) with structural yield advantages from staking rewards plus swap fees. The unified liquidity layer can improve resilience during certain stress scenarios compared to single-LST alternatives.
The platform powers institutional infrastructure: DeFi Dev Corp (DFDV) became the first publicly-traded company to build its treasury around Solana using Sanctum's infrastructure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which platform offers better yield long-term?
Sanctum outperformed JitoSOL during the Q3 2025 comparison period (approximately 50 epochs). The structural advantage comes from staking rewards plus swap fees that scale with Solana DeFi adoption.
Jito provides stable, proven returns with greater secondary-market exit depth. If you need predictable yield and guaranteed exit options, Jito's APY is reliable. If you're optimizing for maximum returns over 12+ months and believe Solana DeFi will continue growing, Sanctum's yield trajectory looks stronger.
Can I switch between JitoSOL and INF easily?
Yes. Sanctum's Router enables LST-to-LST swaps at intrinsic value with minimized price impact vs routing through SOL. You can swap JitoSOL for INF (or any other LST in the pool) without going through SOL as an intermediary.
Alternatively, use Jupiter DEX for swaps with minimal slippage. The deep liquidity on both sides makes switching frictionless.
What happens if my LST depegs temporarily?
Jito: You're dependent on secondary market liquidity depth. The substantial TVL provides a cushion during normal conditions, but during extreme stress, all JitoSOL pools depeg simultaneously since it's a single asset.
Sanctum: The basketized pool routes redemptions through the strongest available asset. If one LST in the Infinity basket experiences issues, you can exit through other LSTs at intrinsic value. The diversification offers additional exit routes vs single-asset exposure, but doesn't eliminate market risk during extreme conditions.
Are these protocols safe for institutional treasuries?
Both platforms meet institutional-grade security standards.
Jito: Seven independent audits, $3.2B+ in assets secured, Anchorage custody support, and the longest track record in Solana liquid staking. No smart contract exploits or validator slashing events.
Sanctum: Nine audits for the underlying SPL stake pool plus three additional audits for Infinity, powers the first public company SOL treasury (DFDV), and has secured 2M+ SOL over one year of mainnet operation.
Neither platform has slashing risk currently (Solana doesn't implement slashing). Smart contract risk exists for all DeFi protocols, but both have extensive audit coverage and proven track records.
Can I use these tokens in other DeFi protocols?
Jito: Integrated into Kamino, Orca, Drift, and most major Solana lending and trading platforms. The 14.5M+ SOL in active DeFi positions demonstrates broad composability.
Sanctum: Jupiter Lend integration enables collateral looping strategies. The platform also powers custom LST infrastructure for major protocols like Jupiter, Bybit, and Drift.
