Liquid staking tokens (LSTs) have become the backbone of yield stacking strategies in DeFi as we head into 2025. These innovative assets unlock liquidity, allowing crypto holders to earn staking rewards while still putting their assets to work across lending, farming, and other protocols. With over $100 billion in deposits across leading platforms and a rapidly expanding landscape on Ethereum, Solana, Cosmos, and Cronos, choosing the right LST for yield optimization is more important than ever.
Why Liquid Staking Tokens Are Essential for Yield Stacking
Traditional staking locks up your crypto, restricting your ability to participate in DeFi. Liquid staking tokens solve this by issuing a derivative token representing your staked asset, think stETH for Ethereum or mSOL for Solana. These LSTs can then be deployed into liquidity pools, lending markets, or advanced yield farming strategies, multiplying your earning potential without sacrificing network security or flexibility.
The trend is clear: protocols that combine robust security with seamless DeFi integration are dominating the market. In this guide, I’ll break down the 7 best liquid staking tokens for yield stacking in 2025, each selected for their market relevance, security track record, and ability to maximize returns across leading ecosystems.
Top 7 Liquid Staking Tokens for Yield Stacking (2025)
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Lido Staked Ether (stETH): The leading Ethereum liquid staking token, stETH lets users earn Ethereum staking rewards while staying liquid for DeFi strategies. Lido boasts over $30 billion TVL and seamless integration with top protocols.
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Sanctum Infinity (INF): A standout on Solana, INF offers high performance, robust security, and composability. It’s designed for advanced yield stacking and is gaining traction among Solana stakers.
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Jito Staked SOL (JitoSOL): JitoSOL brings MEV rewards to Solana liquid staking, offering higher yields and deep DeFi integration. It’s a top choice for maximizing SOL returns in 2025.
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Marinade Staked SOL (mSOL): Marinade is the original Solana liquid staking protocol, known for decentralization, low fees, and ease of use. mSOL is widely accepted across Solana DeFi.
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Ether.fi Staked ETH (eETH): Ether.fi offers non-custodial, restaked ETH with high security and deep DeFi composability. eETH is popular for its robust ecosystem and yield stacking potential.
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Quicksilver Staked ATOM (qATOM): Quicksilver enables liquid staking for Cosmos’ ATOM, allowing users to earn staking rewards while participating in Cosmos DeFi. qATOM is a gateway to yield stacking in the Cosmos ecosystem.
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Veno Staked CRO (vCRO): Veno Finance brings liquid staking to the Cronos chain, letting users stake CRO and use vCRO for further yield opportunities across Cronos DeFi protocols.
The Top 7 Liquid Staking Tokens for Yield Stacking in 2025
Let’s dive straight into the curated list of LSTs that are setting the standard this year:
- Lido Staked Ether (stETH)
- Sanctum Infinity (INF)
- Jito Staked SOL (JitoSOL)
- Marinade Staked SOL (mSOL)
- Ether. fi Staked ETH (eETH)
- Quicksilver Staked ATOM (qATOM)
- Veno Staked CRO (vCRO)
This lineup covers the most active blockchains and reflects where serious DeFi users are focusing their capital in pursuit of sustainable yields.
Lido Staked Ether (stETH): The Ethereum Powerhouse
Lido’s stETH remains the gold standard among liquid staking tokens on Ethereum. With a total value locked exceeding $30 billion as of November 25,2025, stETH offers unmatched liquidity and is widely accepted across DeFi protocols, from lending platforms like Aave to complex yield aggregators. The current price of stETH closely tracks ETH’s value due to its robust peg mechanisms and deep market integration.
If you’re looking to maximize returns while maintaining flexibility on Ethereum, stETH is almost always at the center of advanced yield stacking strategies. Its composability means you can borrow against it or loop it through multiple protocols without ever missing out on base staking rewards.
The Rise of Solana LSTs: INF, JitoSOL and mSOL
The Solana ecosystem has seen explosive growth in liquid staking innovation. Here are three standouts:
- Sanctum Infinity (INF): Recognized for its balance between performance and security, INF leads Solana’s liquid staking sector with competitive yields and seamless integrations. Its architecture supports both individual users and institutional players seeking reliable returns without lockups.
- Jito Staked SOL (JitoSOL): JitoSOL leverages MEV-boosted rewards unique to Solana’s validator landscape. This means holders often enjoy higher APYs compared to standard SOL staking, making it a favorite among sophisticated yield stackers looking to squeeze extra performance from their assets.
- Marinade Staked SOL (mSOL): Marinade has championed decentralization within Solana’s liquid staking space. mSOL can be used as collateral or paired with other assets across major DEXes and lending markets. Its low fees and strong community governance add an extra layer of appeal for long-term stakers.
Emerging LSTs Beyond Ethereum and Solana: eETH, qATOM, and vCRO
While Ethereum and Solana dominate the liquid staking narrative, 2025 is also witnessing the rise of innovative LSTs in other ecosystems. Here’s why Ether. fi Staked ETH (eETH), Quicksilver Staked ATOM (qATOM), and Veno Staked CRO (vCRO) are capturing attention:
- Ether. fi Staked ETH (eETH): Ether. fi takes liquid restaking to a new level on Ethereum. With a total value locked often exceeding $9, 10 billion, eETH is trusted for its strong security model, flexible staking paths, and deep DeFi integrations. Its composability means you can deploy eETH in advanced strategies across lending protocols or as collateral in stablecoin vaults, all while earning native staking rewards.
- Quicksilver Staked ATOM (qATOM): As Cosmos continues to evolve into a multi-chain powerhouse, Quicksilver’s qATOM allows users to stake ATOM and retain liquidity for cross-chain DeFi opportunities. Its protocol-level automation routes staked assets to top-performing validators, optimizing yield without manual intervention. For those seeking exposure beyond the usual suspects, qATOM is a compelling option.
- Veno Staked CRO (vCRO): Veno Finance brings liquid staking to Cronos with vCRO, offering access to both base staking yields and additional DeFi protocols unique to the Cronos ecosystem. The ability to stake multiple tokens, including CRO, creates diversified yield streams for users who want more than just single-chain exposure.
How These Top LSTs Compare: Security, Yields and Integration
The best liquid staking tokens are not just about high APY, they must also deliver on security assurances and seamless integration with leading DeFi platforms. Let’s see how our curated list stacks up as of November 25,2025:
Comparative Overview of the 7 Best Liquid Staking Tokens for Yield Stacking in 2025
| Token | Supported Networks | Current Price (USD) | TVL Highlights | Typical APY Range | Major DeFi Integrations |
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| Lido Staked Ether (stETH) | Ethereum | $0.647763 (LDO) | $30B+ (Lido platform) | 3–4% | Aave, Curve, Balancer, Uniswap |
| Sanctum Infinity (INF) | Solana | N/A | Leading Solana LST, rapidly growing | 5–7% | Jupiter, Orca, Raydium |
| Jito Staked SOL (JitoSOL) | Solana | N/A | Top Solana LST by TVL | 6–8% | Jupiter, Orca, MarginFi |
| Marinade Staked SOL (mSOL) | Solana | N/A | Major Solana LST, high decentralization | 5–7% | Orca, Raydium, Solend |
| Ether.fi Staked ETH (eETH) | Ethereum | N/A | $9–10B+ (Ether.fi platform) | 4–6% | Aave, Curve, Balancer |
| Quicksilver Staked ATOM (qATOM) | Cosmos | N/A | Significant Cosmos TVL | 12–15% | Osmosis, Crescent |
| Veno Staked CRO (vCRO) | Cronos | N/A | Leading Cronos LST | 8–10% | VVS Finance, Ferro Protocol |
Lido stETH remains unmatched in liquidity and composability on Ethereum. Sanctum INF, JitoSOL, and mSOL lead Solana’s scene with differentiated features, MEV rewards for JitoSOL, decentralization focus for mSOL. Meanwhile, eETH, qATOM, and vCRO expand the yield stacking toolkit across other major blockchains like Cosmos and Cronos.
Choosing Your Yield Stacking Strategy in 2025
The right liquid staking token depends on your risk profile and target ecosystem. If you’re an ETH maxi seeking deep liquidity and protocol support, stETH or eETH are hard to beat. For those exploring Solana’s rapid-fire innovation or Cosmos’ cross-chain potential, INF, JitoSOL, mSOL or qATOM each offer unique advantages.
Diversification remains key, allocating across several LSTs can help mitigate smart contract risk while maximizing access to new yield opportunities as they arise. Track performance closely; use real-time analytics tools to monitor APYs and ensure your assets remain productive across market cycles.
Stay Ahead: Resources and Next Steps for Yield Optimization
If you’re ready to dive deeper into advanced strategies using these top LSTs, including how to maximize returns with multi-protocol stacking, be sure to check out our dedicated guides:
- Yield stacking with liquid staking tokens: step-by-step guide for 2025
- Unlocking multi-yield opportunities in DeFi with LSTs this year
- Sustainable yield stacking strategies with LSTs explained
The world of liquid staking is evolving fast, but by focusing on proven protocols like stETH, INF, JitoSOL, mSOL, eETH, qATOM, and vCRO you’ll be well-positioned to capture the best that DeFi has to offer in 2025.
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