Xenia Soborova, Head of BD at Tramplin, on The Solana Ecosystem, Solana Staking, and more ep. 516

In this insightful interview, Xenia Soborova, Head of BD at Tramplin, discusses the evolution of the Solana ecosystem and how a new wave of “no-loss” financial mechanics is reshaping retail participation in Web3. Drawing on her extensive background at the Avalanche Foundation and Binance, Soborova explores the shift from high-risk speculation toward sustainable, value-driven on-chain businesses. The conversation highlights how Tramplin is attempting to bridge the gap for the “masses” by transforming the traditionally static experience of staking into a dynamic, gamified opportunity for outsized returns.

The “People’s Chain” and the Strategy of On-Chain Growth

At the heart of the discussion is why Solana has emerged as a premier hub for retail-centric innovation. Soborova explains that unlike other ecosystems, Solana focuses on building scalable on-chain businesses that solve real-world problems rather than abstract concepts [03:19]. She describes the “vibe” of the ecosystem as uniquely entrepreneurial, supported by a clear value proposition that attracts founders looking to move beyond the “hype” and into functional, long-term financial infrastructure.

Gamified Staking: Activating “Sleeping Wallets”

A major focus of the interview is Tramplin’s mission to activate the millions of “sleeping wallets” that hold assets but remain idle due to the “boring” nature of traditional staking [18:52]. Soborova outlines how Tramplin introduces a “reward redistribution” model:

• The “Ski Jump” Model: Instead of every user receiving a small, flat APY, Tramplin pools rewards and redistributes them randomly, allowing small-scale holders to potentially hit “whale-sized” yields [08:13].
• Security & Non-Custodial Trust: Soborova emphasizes that because the funds are staked natively on Solana nodes, the platform never takes custody of user capital, ensuring users can withdraw their assets even if the application interface is unavailable [12:44].

The Path to Web3 Mass Adoption

Soborova offers a pragmatic view on the “killer app” theory for Web3 adoption. She argues that while onboarding technology has improved, the primary barrier to mass adoption is the “vicious” nature of meme-coin cycles where retail users frequently lose capital [22:18]. By focusing on “positive experience” mechanics—where capital is preserved while still offering the excitement of high-upside rewards—she believes Web3 can finally transition from a niche speculative market to a household financial tool.