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Andreessen Horowitz’s a16z Invests $50M in Solana Staking Protocol Jito
Jito Foundation will use the funding to grow its validator technology, staking protocol, and developer tools on Solana.
Oct 16, 2025, 2:56 p.m.
What to know:
- Jito Foundation has raised $50 million from a16z crypto through a private token sale to fund its expansion.
- The investment will support the development of open-source infrastructure and new products aimed at increasing efficiency on Solana.
- The funding follows Jito’s recent BAM launch and ETF filing, signaling a broader push into both DeFi and traditional finance.
Jito Foundation, a crypto protocol that supports the blockchain Solana , has raised $50 million in a private token sale led by Andreessen Horowitz’s a16z crypto, it announced in a press release Thursday.
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The funding will support the foundation’s push to scale the Jito Network’s infrastructure, expand its developer tools, and continue building out liquid staking solutions tailored to Solana’s architecture.
JITO rose about 4% on the news, trading at $1.17 at press time.
At the center of Jito’s operations are two main products: a validator client optimized for Solana’s high-speed network and JitoSOL, a liquid staking token with over $3.2 billion in market cap.
Together, they allow Solana users to earn staking rewards while enabling fast, cost-efficient transaction processing.
With backing from a16z, one of crypto’s largest venture firms and an early Solana investor, Jito plans to grow its open-source tooling, support new developers, and expand globally. The foundation also aims to build on its newest infrastructure addition: the Block Assembly Marketplace (BAM), launched in September.
“This isn’t just about scaling,” said Brian Smith, president of Jito Foundation, in the release. “It’s about helping everyone on Solana extract more value while making the network more transparent and programmable.”
The funding also arrives on the heels of a proposed VanEck JitoSOL ETF filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in August. If approved, it would give traditional investors regulated exposure to staking yields from JitoSOL, marking a step toward integrating Solana-native products into conventional finance.
Ali Yahya, general partner at a16z crypto, said Jito’s role in building foundational tools like BAM puts it in a strong position to lead Solana’s next wave of growth. “Jito is catalyzing growth for the entire Solana ecosystem,” he said.
AI Disclaimer: Parts of this article were generated with the assistance from AI tools and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy and adherence to our standards. For more information, see CoinDesk's full AI Policy.
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