What is the delegate’s identity and background?
Hey everyone, I’m Kratik - I’m a founding contributor at Renzo. You can find me at @kratikl_ on twitter.
Has the delegate historically contributed to the Jito Network?
Renzo is building ezSOL, Solana’s first Liquid Restaking Token (LRT), leveraging Jito’s (Re)staking architecture. EzSOL aims to provide a simple and seamless way to restake on Jito while ensuring full composability within the broader Solana DeFi ecosystem. In September, Renzo also announced the development of ezUSDC, a new product that allows users to earn emissions by restaking their USDC through Jito’s platform. This unique approach positions ezUSDC as a differentiated offering within the evolving VRT landscape.
Has the delegate historically been involved in protocol governance?
As a founding contributor at Renzo, I have played an integral role in shaping Renzo’s governance framework, proposing key initiatives, structuring incentives, and aligning protocol updates with long-term strategic goals.
Is the delegate committed to helping the Jito Network and Solana succeed? Explain.
Renzo was the first Liquid Restaking Token (LRT) to expand into the Solana ecosystem. Recognizing the potential of Solana and Jito’s (Re)staking platform, we became Day 0 launch partners. Through ezSOL and ezUSDC, Renzo aims to deliver higher yields while ensuring composability across Solana DeFi applications, ultimately enhancing the utility of JitoSOL.
The success of LRTs like Renzo is closely tied to the success of Jito’s (Re)staking protocol. As one of the earliest builders on the platform, we have actively contributed to its development and growth. Renzo Labs’ commitment to Jito goes beyond our products—we bring experience in building robust LRTs with strong risk management practices and a carefully curated operator set. In addition to product development, we are dedicated to participating in governance and providing strategic input to ensure the ecosystem’s long-term success.
Candidate views
How should JitoSOL validator delegation balance performance (yield) versus decentralization goals?
Yield and decentralization are both critical aspects of the Jito product. While yield generation is vital and necessary to encourage participation, it cannot come at the expense of decentralization. Concentrating power in centralized entities compromises the security and resilience of a network over time.
Maintaining a decentralized and robust network is even more critical in the context of (Re)staking. As correlation among NCNs increases, the risk of securing an NCN increases significantly, making geographic and operator diversity essential to the network’s health. Due to the variance in (Re)staking operations, we believe smaller operators running specialized software or hardware will often deliver outsized returns, offering both performance and decentralization benefits.
What should be the priorities for JTO liquidity mining and DAO token grants?
The primary focus of JTO liquidity mining (LM) and DAO token grants should be on building sustainable liquidity. In the current environment, capital tends to behave in a mercenary manner, with large amounts of capital farming protocols without long-term retention or loyalty. Therefore, LM incentives should promote long-term growth metrics rather than focusing solely on TVL. Similarly, grant programs should prioritize projects aligned with sustainable growth and validators that support Jito’s decentralization goals.
On the (Re)staking side, grants should be strategically deployed to retain major projects on Solana by integrating their services through the NCN platform. These projects, which have already achieved some level of product-market fit and generate meaningful yields for users, contribute to a positive-sum effect across the ecosystem. Additionally, there should be a focus on incentivizing new operators in restaking, encouraging the development of specialized hardware and software for NCNs. This will foster diversity, promote geographical decentralization, and strengthen the network’s resilience.
What are your goals for the DAO as a delegate?
As a delegate, I aim to leverage my experience with restaking on the Ethereum network to contribute meaningfully to the growth of Jito’s (Re)staking product. I will be involved in governance, driving initiatives to enhance network participation, onboard new operators, and promote decentralization. A key area will be risk management for Node Consensus Networks and tracking critical metrics to optimize protocol health, mitigate risks of mass slashing, and implement improvements across the ecosystem. I will also contribute to grants and liquidity mining programs on the restaking side, to evaluate cost and impact.