Raiku launches $rkuSOL, Solana’s first LST with blockspace revenue as yield source
The new liquid staking token combines traditional staking rewards with MEV and blockspace auction proceeds, adding a third revenue stream that no other Solana LST offers.
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Add us on Google by Editorial Team Jun. 3, 2026Solana stakers just got a new option, and it comes with a revenue source that didn’t exist in liquid staking before. Raiku, a Solana infrastructure startup, launched $rkuSOL on June 3, a liquid staking token that generates yield from three distinct sources: standard staking rewards, maximal extractable value (MEV), and blockspace auction revenue.
How blockspace becomes yield
Raiku’s model lets validators sell blockspace directly through two auction mechanisms, Ahead-of-Time (AOT) and Just-in-Time (JIT) auctions, and route those proceeds back to $rkuSOL holders. AOT auctions let buyers reserve blockspace in advance, while JIT auctions sell it right before a block is produced. Validators running Raiku’s client software can manage these auction proceeds and distribute them to stakers.
AdvertisementRobin Nordnes, Raiku’s CEO, has framed the model as a fundamental shift in how validators think about revenue.
“Validators, traditionally limited to revenue from block production, can now diversify their income streams through blockspace sales.”
Early traction and ecosystem integrations
Before its public launch, $rkuSOL’s market cap sat at roughly $50K with approximately 646 tokens in circulation. The team secured partnerships with several established Solana DeFi players: Sanctum, Kamino, Loopscale, and Exponent. Sanctum, which operates as a liquidity layer for Solana LSTs, provides staking infrastructure and token distribution post-launch. Kamino and Loopscale offer lending and DeFi composability, meaning $rkuSOL holders can potentially use the token as collateral or deploy it in yield strategies beyond simple staking.
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