Aero

AeroPool is a Solana liquid staking pool built by Phase Labs that routes user stake exclusively to ecosystem contributors — validators who build tools, educate newcomers, support client diversity, or otherwise strengthen the Solana network.

Origin and Mission

Launched in August 2022 by Phase Labs — a Solana-native crypto FinTech company — AeroPool was founded on a simple premise: most delegation strategies chase maximum APY, which concentrates stake among a handful of large validators. AeroPool deliberately sacrifices some yield to instead reward validators who contribute meaningful value to the ecosystem. The founding philosophy, articulated by Phase Labs contributor Vadym Pasternak: "Aero Pool exists to support the validators who support Solana."

The pool targets open-source tool developers, community educators, validators experimenting with alternative Solana clients, and smaller operators who would otherwise struggle to attract stake. The aim is a healthier network: more decentralized, more resilient, with better-resourced contributors.

Liquid Staking Mechanism

Users deposit SOL into AeroPool and receive aeroSOL (AEROSOL), the pool's liquid staking token. The token accrues value as the underlying stake earns rewards, so holders receive more SOL on redemption than they initially deposited. The pool runs on the standard SPL stake-pool on-chain program (address: aero2ePURjuEgLKTzcUmF6RypBncBGd7pMUYCoSsVJ6), keeping its mechanics auditable and compatible with the broader Solana DeFi ecosystem.

Stake distributes automatically across the validator set each rebalancing cycle. Users earn competitive staking yield while their capital funds validators that power Solana developer tooling, education, and infrastructure.

Tiered Delegation System

AeroPool's core innovation is a four-tier delegation framework that determines how much SOL each validator receives based on stage, contribution level, and strategic fit. Tier rankings update bi-weekly on a rotating Friday schedule.

Tier 1 targets high-impact contributors: validators receive a base allocation of 15,000 SOL plus a share of residual stake. This tier targets mission-aligned operators building Solana infrastructure, including new startups and teams that contribute without relying on strict stake requirements. Discretionary delegation from the Aero team can supplement the base for exceptional contributors.

Tier 2 is the bootstrap tier: new or small validators actively seeking stake through partnerships such as JPool or Marinade and contributing to Aero community efforts receive 10,000 SOL plus residual. The ideal maximum stake for Tier 2 validators is approximately 127,000 SOL, making this a genuine bootstrapping mechanism rather than a permanent subsidy.

Tier 3 covers established contributors: validators with a track record of Solana ecosystem contributions and active community engagement receive a 5,000 SOL base, with an ideal maximum stake around 220,000 SOL.

Tier 4 focuses on decentralization and public goods: entry-level allocations of 2,500 SOL go to validators prioritized for geographic distribution, infrastructure diversity, and long-term ecosystem support.

Any stake remaining after filling each tier's base allocation splits evenly between Tier 1 and Tier 2 validators, channeling additional support to the most active contributors as the pool grows.

Validator Standards

Eligibility requires validators to be running on Solana mainnet with stable uptime, regular software updates, and smooth operations. The pool evaluates performance, software version, uptime history, and other operational qualities when making or maintaining delegations. Compared to many pools, AeroPool's criteria are deliberately inclusive — it does not exclude validators charging higher commission, widening its addressable validator base. At its peak the pool supported over 140 validators.

Phase Labs Ecosystem

AeroPool sits inside the broader Phase Labs product suite alongside Netrunner (a Solana-native tax reporting tool), Align (a governance and community platform), and Ideapad (a crowdfunding platform for early-stage projects). All Phase Labs products pursue the same thesis: democratize financial and infrastructure access on Solana.

Rebranding to Phase Delegation

The AeroPool brand and its ecosystem-contribution delegation criteria have been absorbed into a broader initiative called Phase Delegation, which uses a new delegation scoring framework called the Index Power Score (IPS). Under this structure, the same on-chain stake pool address now issues pdSOL (Phase Delegation Staked SOL) rather than aeroSOL, and delegation reviews occur quarterly rather than bi-weekly. The official aeropool.io domain no longer resolves; Phase Labs operates the pool and its documentation under the phase.cc and phase-labs.gitbook.io domains.

Current Pool Statistics

As of mid-2026 the pool — operating as Phase Delegation Staked SOL — remains live and in production:

• TVL: approximately 1.09 million SOL staked
• APY: 4.89%
• Active validators: 97
• Token exchange rate: 1 pdSOL approximately 1.148 SOL (reflecting accrued rewards since inception)
• Data centers: 35 unique locations, zero delinquent validators
• Fees: 5% rewards fee; 0.05% deposit and withdrawal fees

Solana Ecosystem Fit

AeroPool's approach addresses a structural tension in proof-of-stake networks: liquid staking tends to concentrate stake at the most efficient validators, undermining decentralization. By tying delegation to ecosystem contribution rather than pure performance, the pool functions as an infrastructure funding mechanism as much as a yield product. Stakers effectively direct capital toward the builders, educators, and tool developers who make Solana useful — a form of public-goods funding embedded in everyday staking activity.