Why Solana keeps getting faster — and what's next (ft. Jito Labs CEO Lucas Bruder)

Key Takeaways

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  Jito’s custom validator client eliminated Solana’s spam-induced outages - by introducing a block engine and an out-of-protocol tip auction, Jito converted destructive network spam into a productive revenue stream for validators and stakers.

  “We built a block engine and a specialized validator client to turn spam into a transparent auction, which stabilized the network for everyone.”

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  Solana’s parallel execution is the key to scaling onchain finance - the network’s ability to process independent transactions simultaneously allows it to handle the massive state requirements of a global financial system that sequential chains cannot.

  “Solana's architecture allows for parallel processing of transactions, which is the only way you can actually build a global-scale financial system on a blockchain.”

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  Success in crypto infrastructure requires extreme ecosystem focus during downturns - rather than pivoting during the FTX collapse, Jito doubled down on Solana’s technical bottlenecks, resulting in their client being run by over 80% of the network.

  “Staying focused on Solana during the bear market when people were writing it off allowed us to build the most critical infrastructure for the network's recovery.”

Episode Description

Lucas Bruder, CEO of Jito, joins us to talk about why he believes the future of finance is moving onchain — and how his team is helping make that possible on Solana. He explains what Jito does, why Solana’s speed and low transaction costs create both opportunity and complexity, and how Jito has become critical infrastructure for the network. Lucas also reflects on doubling down on Solana during the bear market, the company’s lean approach to building, and his broader vision for a more accessible financial system.