The Future Of DeFi On Solana | Kash Dhanda & Samyak Jain
The Future Of DeFi On Solana | Kash Dhanda & Samyak Jain
260 days agoLightspeedBlockworks
Podcast57 min 12 sec
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Note: AI-generated summary based on third-party content. Not financial advice. Read more.
Quick Insights

The Fluid (FLD) token has a major catalyst with a token buyback program scheduled to begin around October 1st, funded by its new partnership with Jupiter. This partnership, Jupiter Lend, is also a significant growth driver for the JUP token by adding a core lending service to the Solana ecosystem. For investors seeking high income, the JLP token offers a real yield of approximately 29% APY, derived from a diversified pool of SOL, BTC, and ETH. Keep in mind that the value of JLP is directly exposed to the price fluctuations of these underlying crypto assets. Finally, Fluid is also launching its DEX V2 on Ethereum in the next 2-3 months, providing another potential catalyst for the FLD token.

Detailed Analysis

Jupiter (JUP)

  • Jupiter is launching a new borrow/lend product called Jupiter Lend in a strategic partnership with the Ethereum-based protocol, Fluid.
  • The company's goal is to become a "DeFi super app" on Solana by adding core financial services like yield generation to its existing suite of products (swaps, perpetuals, launchpad).
  • Jupiter has a strong track record of launching new products that quickly become the most used in their category on Solana, such as their perpetuals exchange and portfolio tracker.
  • The partnership with Fluid is structured as a 50/50 revenue share on the Jupiter Lend product, based on a long-standing relationship of trust between the founders.
  • To attract users and liquidity to the new platform, Jupiter and its partners are offering over $2 million in incentives at launch, aiming to provide the highest APYs (Annual Percentage Yields) on the market for key assets.

Takeaways

  • The launch of Jupiter Lend is a significant potential growth catalyst for the Jupiter ecosystem. A successful lending platform could create a major new revenue stream and increase user "stickiness," which may positively impact the value of the JUP token.
  • Investors should watch the initial adoption and Total Value Locked (TVL) on Jupiter Lend. The heavy incentives are designed to kickstart growth, and Jupiter's large, loyal user base provides a strong foundation for success.
  • Jupiter's long-term ambition is to compete not just with other DeFi protocols, but with major financial players like Goldman Sachs and Robinhood, indicating a massive scope for future growth.

Fluid (FLD)

  • Fluid is an Ethereum-based DeFi protocol known for its innovative and capital-efficient architecture, particularly for stablecoin swaps.
  • Instead of launching its own protocol on Solana, Fluid is partnering with Jupiter to bring its technology to the Solana ecosystem, citing the difficulty of growing a new community on a rival chain.
  • Fluid's technology is the engine behind Jupiter Lend, enabling features like a 100x more efficient liquidation engine, higher LTVs (Loan-to-Value), and isolated risk pools.
  • Fluid is planning a token buyback program scheduled to begin around October 1st. This program will use protocol revenue, including its 50% share from Jupiter Lend, to purchase FLD tokens from the open market.
  • The team is also preparing to launch Fluid DEX V2 on Ethereum in the next 2-3 months, which will expand its focus from stablecoins to volatile pairs (e.g., ETH/USDC), aiming to capture a larger share of the decentralized exchange market.

Takeaways

  • The partnership with Jupiter gives Fluid significant exposure to the rapidly growing Solana DeFi ecosystem and a potentially massive new revenue stream without the cost of building from scratch.
  • The upcoming token buyback is a direct mechanism to return value to FLD holders and could create sustained buying pressure on the token.
  • The launch of DEX V2 on Ethereum represents another major catalyst. If successful in competing in volatile trading pairs, it could substantially increase Fluid's revenue and market presence on its native chain.

JLP (Jupiter Liquidity Provider Token)

  • JLP is described as the "cornerstone of Solana DeFi," representing a $1.7 billion liquidity pool for Jupiter's perpetuals exchange.
  • It is an index token composed of major crypto assets (SOL, BTC, ETH) and stablecoins.
  • Holding JLP provides "real yield," currently around 29% APY, which is generated from 75% of the trading fees on Jupiter's perpetuals platform. This is distinct from inflationary token rewards.
  • A popular strategy for sophisticated investors is to buy JLP and simultaneously short the underlying assets (SOL, BTC, ETH) to create a "delta-neutral" position that isolates and captures the high yield.
  • Jupiter aims to make Jupiter Lend the primary platform for JLP-related activities, such as using it as collateral for loans, which is currently a major driver of revenue for competing protocols like Camino.

Takeaways

  • JLP can be considered an investment for those seeking high, real yield combined with diversified exposure to crypto's major assets.
  • Investors should understand that while the yield is attractive, the value of JLP is still subject to the price fluctuations of its underlying assets (SOL, BTC, ETH).
  • The launch of Jupiter Lend will introduce new use cases and strategies for JLP, such as leveraged yield farming ("multiplying"), which could increase demand for the token.

Investment Themes & Future Outlook

  • Convergence of DeFi Products: The discussion suggests a long-term trend where distinct DeFi products like spot exchanges, perpetuals exchanges, and lending markets will merge into single, highly capital-efficient protocols. The same pool of liquidity could be used to facilitate spot trades, leveraged trades, and loans simultaneously.
  • DeFi as Financial Infrastructure: A key insight is that DeFi protocols could become the backend infrastructure for traditional financial institutions. For example, a bank could allow its customers to borrow against their Tesla stock by using a DeFi protocol like Jupiter Lend on the backend, a service that is too complex for them to build themselves. This represents a potential multi-trillion dollar market.
  • Permissionless Markets: The podcast mentioned the possibility of implementing a "Morpho model" on Jupiter Lend in the future. This would allow anyone to create their own isolated lending and borrowing markets, opening the door for a new wave of innovation and long-tail asset support on Solana.

Takeaways

  • Investors should look for protocols that are building foundational, capital-efficient "liquidity layers" that can support multiple products, as this is where the space appears to be heading.
  • The integration of DeFi with traditional finance is a massive, long-term trend to watch. Protocols that can successfully bridge this gap could see exponential growth.
  • The evolution towards more open and permissionless systems could unlock new investment opportunities, but will also require careful risk assessment by users.
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Episode Description
Gm! This week Kash Dhanda & Samyak Jain join the show to discuss the announcment of Jupiter Lend. We deep dive into Jupiter's partnership with Fluid, the future of DeFi, Jupiter's ultimate vision & more. Enjoy! -- Follow Kash: https://x.com/kashdhanda Follow Samyak: https://x.com/smykjain Follow Jack: https://x.com/whosknave Follow Lightspeed: https://twitter.com/Lightspeedpodhq Subscribe to the Lightspeed Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/lightspeed Join the Lightspeed Telegram: https://t.me/+QUl_ZOj2nMJlZTEx -- Crypto’s premiere institutional conference returns to London in October 2025. Use code LIGHT100 for £100 off at checkout: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2025-london -- Lightspeed surveyed over 50 crypto pros on what they think about Solana tokens over the next twelve months — are they bullish or bearish - https://lightspeed-4bed7b.beehiiv.com/c/solana-token-survey -- Katana is a DeFi-first chain built for deep liquidity and real yield, by redirecting chain revenue back to active DeFi users. The 1 billion KAT campaign is live. Bridge and deposit directly into vaults in one simple click and start earning immediately on your ETH, BTC, USDC, and more. Go to app.katana.network to check it out. -- Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/ -- (00:00) Introduction (02:33) Partnering With Fluid (08:56) What Is Jupiter Lend? (11:58) Katana Ad (12:56) What Is Fluid? (17:19) Launching Fluid On Solana (21:39) Partnering vs Acquisition (26:44) Launching With Liquidity Incentives (28:02) Katana Ad (29:00) Jupiter’s Ultimate Vision (37:31) The Future Of Borrow/Lend (41:42) The Future Of DeFi (45:45) The Future Of Perps (50:49) The Jupiter End Game (53:33) What’s Next For Fluid? -- Disclaimers: Lightspeed was kickstarted by a grant from the Solana Foundation. Nothing said on Lightspeed is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Jack, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
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