Forward Industries, a publicly traded Solana treasury company, has made headlines after launching its first institutional-grade validator node on the Solana blockchain. This strategic move — which includes staking nearly $1.7 billion worth of SOL tokens — immediately places Forward among the top 10 validators on the Solana network.
Strengthening Solana’s Institutional Presence
Forward Industries announced the validator’s launch on Tuesday, describing it as a step toward deepening its role in the Solana ecosystem. The validator runs on DoubleZero’s fiber network and uses Jump Crypto’s Firedancer, an independent Solana validator client designed to enhance network efficiency and decentralization.
According to Kyle Samani, chairman of the board at Forward Industries, this initiative will help “fortify Solana’s resiliency” and ensure it continues to be the standard for institutional adoption in decentralized finance (DeFi).
The firm currently manages the largest Solana-based corporate treasury, and its validator debut reinforces the company’s long-term commitment to Solana’s blockchain infrastructure.
$1.7 Billion Staked — Joining Solana’s Top Validators
All of Forward’s 6.8 million SOL tokens, valued at nearly $1.7 billion, were staked to the new validator, according to data from Solana Beach, the network’s block explorer.
This massive stake has propelled Forward Industries into Solana’s top 10 validators, surpassing long-standing entities such as Staking Facilities and Coinbase, which manage approximately 6.7 million and 6.2 million SOL, respectively.
Other major Solana validators include Binance Staking, Helius, Figment, and Jupiter, each controlling over 10 million SOL tokens staked — demonstrating the rapidly growing competition in the network’s validator landscape.
Unlike other top validators, Forward Industries launched with a 0% commission rate, meaning delegators receive 100% of their staking rewards.
For comparison:
- Binance Staking (13.9M SOL) charges 1% commission
- Figment and Ledger by Figment take 7%
- Coinbase leads with the highest fee of 8%
By offering zero commission, Forward Industries may attract delegators seeking maximum staking yield, while also signaling its commitment to supporting the Solana network rather than immediate profit generation.
However, experts note that 0% commission is often a temporary growth tactic. Operating a validator entails significant infrastructure costs, and rates may rise once Forward consolidates its market position among major Solana validators.
This development marks a major milestone for Solana’s institutional adoption. With Forward Industries backed by Galaxy Digital, Jump Crypto, and Multicoin Capital, the move underscores growing corporate confidence in Solana’s scalability and profitability.
As the Solana network’s total revenue surpasses $2.8 billion, outpacing Ethereum’s early growth, Forward’s strategic validator launch positions it at the forefront of Web3 infrastructure evolution.
Disclaimer
This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Cryptocurrency trading involves risk and may result in financial loss.