🏛️Stakepool Delegation Overview
How Validators Earn Stake from The Vault
The Vault is a decentralized stake-allocation engine built on Solana. It rewards high-performing validators who align with network health, fairness, and governance participation. This document explains how validators can qualify for approval, earn stake through The Vault, and maximize rewards using its layered delegation model.
⚠️ Disclaimer: This document is for informational purposes only. All examples are illustrative and subject to change. Use leverage responsibly, perform your own research (DYOR), and remember that none of this constitutes financial advice.
📍 Overview — How Stake Flows Through The Vault
Below is a simple overview of how stake is distributed to validators once they join The Vault ecosystem.
✅ Step 0 — Become an Approved Validator
Before receiving any delegation from The Vault, validators must apply for approval through Discord. Our decentralized Validator Board—composed of community-elected validators—reviews every application.
📋 How to Apply
Join our Discord
Navigate to the #support channel
Submit your validator name, vote account, and short background
The Validator Board will review and vote on your application
👉 Visit us on Discord to apply
🛡️ Staying Approved
Once approved, validators remain on the list by meeting baseline requirements that ensure integrity and reliability.
Good actor
No sandwiching or harmful MEV behavior
Preserve fairness
Commission
<5%
Maintain competitiveness
MEV commission
<10%
Align incentives
Uptime
≥97.5%
Ensure network reliability
Failure to meet these benchmarks can lead to temporary removal, and possible re-evaluation by the board.
💪 Step 1 — Direct Stake Using Your Own SOL
Approved validators can begin earning stake immediately by deploying their own SOL through The Vault.
🔁 Option A — Direct Stake with vSOL
You can direct stake your own SOL through The Vault’s interface, receiving vSOL in return. vSOL represents your staked position and accrues yield as normal.
Direct stake SOL → receive vSOL
vSOL remains liquid and composable within the Solana ecosystem
⚡ Option B — Kamino Multiply
Validators seeking to increase exposure can use Kamino Multiply, a leverage product combined with The Vault’s vSOL.
Maximum leverage
Up to 7.5× base SOL position
Example*
1 SOL → 7.5 SOL exposure (potentially 15 SOL after matched liquidity)
Monitoring
Required daily — check borrow rates and yield
Slippage
Review before entering or unwinding positions
⚠️ Use leverage responsibly. Leverage amplifies both potential gains and potential losses. Always monitor your health ratio to avoid liquidation.
*Illustrative example only. Parameters and multipliers may change.
🎁 Bonus — The Top 100 Validator Pool (40%)
The top 100 validators who delegate the most SOL to their own validator via direct staking (vSOL / Kamino) share 40% of The Vault’s undirected stake equally.
Example (illustrative): If The Vault manages 1,000,000 SOL of undirected stake:
40% → 400,000 SOL divided equally among 100 validators
Each receives ≈ 4,000 SOL additional delegation
All 100 share equally, regardless of their ranking within the top 100.
🧩 Direct Stake Path
🗳 Step 2 — Influence Gauges with $V or USDC
The Vault’s governance system uses gauges to determine how 10% of undirected stake is allocated. Validators can influence these gauges directly with $V or indirectly with USDC incentives.
🟠 Option A — Vote Directly with $V
Lock $V to gain voting power
Each epoch, 10% of undirected stake is distributed according to gauge votes
Example (illustrative):
1 validator receives 100% of votes → that validator receives 10% of undirected stake
2 validators receive equal votes → each receives 5% of undirected stake
💵 Option B — Incentivize Votes with USDC (via Votex.so)
If you prefer not to lock $V, you can use Votex.so to incentivize $V holders to vote for your validator. By depositing USDC rewards, other participants direct their $V gauge votes toward your validator.
🧩 Gauge Voting Flow
📊 Step 3 — Compete Within The Vault Delegation Strategy
The Vault dynamically allocates all undirected stake according to transparent rules.
Gauge Voting
10%
$V locked or incentivized votes
Direct Stake Leaders
40%
Top 100 validators self-delegating via vSOL / Kamino
Performance Elite
50%
Top 20 validators by vote credits (last 10 epochs) with 0/0 commission
⭐ Advanced Performance Metrics
To qualify for the Performance Elite Bucket (50%), validators must maintain:
Vote credits
Top 50 over 10 epochs
Consistent participation
Commission
0/0%
Maximum fairness
Uptime
≥99%
Network reliability
Performance window
Continuous evaluation
Sustained excellence
Example (illustrative): If The Vault manages 1,000,000 SOL undirected:
50% → 500,000 SOL shared among 50 validators
Each receives ≈ 25,000 SOL additional stake
🧩 Delegation Buckets Breakdown
🚀 TL;DR — Maximizing Stake from The Vault
Step 0
Apply via Discord → Get approved
Access to all Vault programs
Step 1
Direct stake SOL via vSOL / Kamino
Share 40% pool (Top 100)
Step 2
Vote with $V or incentivize via USDC
Share 10% pool (Gauges)
Step 3
Achieve top performance
Share 50% pool (Top 20)
To fully optimize:
Align with The Vault’s governance
Maintain top-tier validator performance
Engage actively in the ecosystem
📚 Example Overview (Illustrative Only)
If The Vault controls 1,000,000 SOL of undirected stake:
Gauges
10%
100,000 SOL
Varies by vote weight
Direct Stake Leaders
40%
400,000 SOL
≈ 4,000 SOL each (Top 100)
Performance Elite
50%
500,000 SOL
≈ 25,000 SOL each (Top 20)
📌 These are illustrative examples only. Real allocation and stake amounts may differ based on total TVL, governance votes, and network conditions.
⚙️ Performance Checklist
- Apply on Discord and gain Validator Board approval - Maintain uptime ≥99% - Keep commissions ≤5% (base) and ≤10% (MEV) - Direct stake through vSOL or Kamino (optional) - Hold $V or incentivize votes on Votex.so - Maintain 0/0 commission if aiming for performance pool - Monitor performance metrics weekly
📜 Legal & Risk Disclaimers
⚠️ Important: The Vault does not guarantee returns, rankings, or future stake allocations. All figures and percentages are subject to change based on governance outcomes, network conditions, and Vault-level strategy adjustments. Leverage products such as Kamino Multiply carry risk of liquidation, and other factors. Always perform your own due diligence (DYOR). This is not investment advice.
💬 Final Call to Action
Ready to participate?
👉 Visit us on Discord Join the #support channel to apply and begin your journey as an approved Vault validator.
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