‍Key Takeaways

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• Kintsu is a liquid staking protocol for crypto on Monad that lets users earn staking rewards without sacrificing the ability to participate in DeFi, all while staying liquid and composable across Monad's ecosystem
• Users stake MON to receive sMON, a liquid, yield-bearing token that can be used throughout the Monad ecosystem.
• Kintsu raised a $4M seed round, led by Castle Island Ventures with participation from Brevan Howard Digital, CMT Digital, Spartan Trading, and others.
• Kintsu Testnet 2.0 is live, featuring faster unstaking, updated contracts, and new protocol features ahead of Monad’s

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Introduction

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Staking shouldn’t be a tradeoff, and with Kintsu, it no longer is. Built on Monad, Kintsu is a next-gen liquid staking protocol designed to supercharge the on-chain economy. It transforms locked staking into composable capital, letting users earn yield and stay active across DeFi, governance, gaming, and more. No more choosing between securing the network and participating in it. 

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In this guide, we’ll break down how Kintsu works, its unique features, upcoming token plans, and how to get started

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What is Kintsu?

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Kintsu is a composable liquid staking protocol designed to maximize capital efficiency within the Monad blockchain ecosystem. Kintsu is being developed by a team led by Stephen Novenstern (ex-Head of Strategy at Pangolin), who built Kintsu to solve for the inefficiencies of capital lock-up in staking.

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By enabling users to stake MON and mint sMON, Kintsu unlocks a new layer of on-chain productivity. sMON is a liquid staking token designed to accrue staking yield over time. On Testnet, Kintsu simulates this yield behavior to help users understand the mechanics ahead of Monad’s mainnet launch. This model boosts on-chain activity while maintaining strong economic security, making Kintsu a foundational component of Monad’s emerging ecosystem.

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Funding and Backing

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Kintsu has raised a $4 million seed round, led by Castle Island Ventures, with support from Brevan Howard Digital, CMT Digital, Spartan Trading, and others. The round also included backing from respected angel investors such as Robinson Burkey, co-founder of Wormhole.

This funding will be used to accelerate the development of Kintsu’s staking infrastructure, protocol governance, and broader DeFi integrations within Monad.

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Key Features and Benefits

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• Liquid Staking with sMON: Users can stake MON tokens into the Kintsu Vault and receive sMON tokens in return. These sMON tokens can be used across various DeFi applications, allowing users to earn staking rewards while maintaining liquidity. 
• Decentralized Validator Registry: Kintsu introduces a decentralized validator registry where delegation is governed on-chain by a DAO. Rather than relying on default validator sets or centralized decisions, the registry enables node operators to compete for stake based on actual performance and DAO voting.
• DAO Governance: Kintsu’s governance design is built to give stakeholders real influence over how staking and delegation function. DAO participants can vote to allocate stake across validators, shaping the network based on performance, alignment, or strategy.
• Integration with DeFi Applications: sMON tokens are integrated across various DeFi applications within the Monad ecosystem, including lending platforms, decentralized exchanges, and gaming applications. This integration allows users to utilize their staked assets in multiple ways.

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Token Generation Event (TGE) & Airdrop Timeline

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While Kintsu has not officially announced an airdrop, active participation in testnet activities and community discussions may improve eligibility for future incentives.

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Kintsu recently launched Testnet 2.0, which introduced faster unstaking, enhanced smart contracts, and new protocol features, marking a key step toward mainnet readiness.

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The protocol’s liquid staking token, sMON, will launch during the first week of Monad’s mainnet. Monad itself is expected to go live later this year, bringing a high-performance, parallelized EVM with async execution and the custom MonadDB state database.

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How to Get Started with Kintsu

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1. Set Up a Monad-Compatible Wallet

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Download Backpack and create your wallet. This will serve as your gateway to the Monad ecosystem. Follow this guide for step-by-step instructions.

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2. Get Testnet MON

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Visit the Kintsu Faucet: https://kintsu.xyz/faucet for a quick and easy claim directly within Kintsu. Head to testnet.monad.xyz, connect your Backpack wallet, and paste your wallet address

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3. Access the Kintsu Testnet

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Visit kintsu.xyz/staking and stake your MON to receive sMON, Kintsu’s liquid staking token.

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Future Prospects

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Kintsu isn’t just building a liquid staking solution, it’s laying the foundation for a more capital-efficient Monad ecosystem. By turning staked assets into productive capital, Kintsu unlocks deeper DeFi participation without compromising network security. As Monad’s mainnet approaches, Kintsu is well-positioned to become a core liquidity layer, powering staking, governance, and on-chain activity from day one.

Want to explore Kintsu early? Download Backpack to access the Monad testnet and start staking today.

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