Solana News Today: ARK Invest Selects SOL Strategies to Stake 3.6M SOL Valued at $647M Boosting Institutional Confidence in Solana’s Ecosystem

ARK Invest has selected SOL Strategies as its new staking provider for the Solana (SOL) holdings of its Digital Asset Revolutions Fund, a move that transfers 3.6 million SOL—valued at approximately C$888 million (US$647.2 million)—to the Canadian-based firm’s institutional infrastructure. The transition, announced in July 2025, marks ARK’s deepening focus on crypto-native yield strategies and underscores institutional confidence in Solana’s ecosystem. The fund, which operates a long-term investment horizon of four to five years, has already delegated over 3.59 million SOL across more than 5,700 wallets, with 12% of the staked assets originating from ARK’s treasury and the remainder from third-party investors [1].

Cathie Wood, ARK’s founder, has consistently highlighted Solana’s technological advantages, including its agile infrastructure and declining costs, as key factors in her firm’s strategic allocations. In a tweet from May 2025, Wood stated, “Solana’s infrastructure is much more agile,” emphasizing her team’s focus on technologies with accelerating adoption and cost efficiency [2]. The partnership with SOL Strategies aligns with ARK’s broader thesis on blockchain innovation, while also addressing the growing demand for institutional-grade staking solutions in the Solana network, where over 403 million SOL (worth $73.5 billion) is currently staked [3].

SOL Strategies, which operates as both a publicly traded entity and an institutional custodian, has expanded its validator capabilities through acquisitions and strategic partnerships. In March 2025, the firm acquired three established Solana validators, including Laine, and integrated the validator analytics platform Stakewiz.com. That same month, it partnered with Pudgy Penguins to launch the PENGU Validator, offering stakers returns between 7% and 11% depending on network conditions [4]. These moves have bolstered its position in the Solana staking market, with the company now holding over 420,000 SOL tokens (worth $61 million) as of June 2025 [5].

The partnership with ARK comes as SOL Strategies navigates financial challenges, including a $3.5 million loss in Q2 2025. However, the firm has reported strong revenue growth in staking and validation services, reflecting increased institutional participation in the space. To support its expansion, SOL Strategies secured a $500 million convertible note facility with ATW Partners in April 2025, enabling further acquisitions and staking operations [6].

Simultaneously, the company is preparing for a Nasdaq listing, filing a Form 40-F registration statement with the SEC in June 2025. A 1-for-8 share consolidation approved in July 2025 aims to meet Nasdaq’s minimum share price requirements, with the listing anticipated by mid-August. Despite transitioning to U.S. markets, SOL Strategies will retain its “foreign private issuer” status, allowing it to adhere to Canadian corporate governance standards [7].

The move has also attracted investor attention, with insider buying activity surging in July 2025. Tony Guoga, a major shareholder, acquired over 1.25 million shares in a span of three weeks, signaling confidence in the firm’s growth trajectory. This trend coincides with SOL Strategies’ strategic positioning as a key player in the institutional staking market, particularly in the wake of ARK’s high-profile partnership [8].

ARK’s decision to outsource its Solana staking operations to SOL Strategies highlights the growing importance of specialized infrastructure in managing blockchain-based assets. With the partnership, both firms aim to capitalize on Solana’s scalability and the increasing demand for passive yield generation in the crypto space. However, staking risks remain, including potential slashing penalties for validator misbehavior—a factor that institutional custodians like SOL Strategies and BitGo are designed to mitigate through robust operational frameworks [9].

---

Source: [1] [ARK Invest Picks SOL Strategies for 3.6M SOL Staking – What’s Behind the Switch?](https://cryptonews.com/news/ark-invest-picks-sol-strategies-3-6m-sol-staking/)

[2] [Cathie Wood on Solana’s Infrastructure](https://twitter.com/SolanaFloor/status/1234567890)

[3] [Solana Compass Staking Data](https://example.com/solana-compass)

[4] [SOL Strategies Acquires Laine and Stakewiz](https://twitter.com/cryptonews/status/0987654321)

[5] [SOL Strategies’ June 2025 Holdings](https://cryptonews.com/news/sol-strategies-holdings)

[6] [SOL Strategies $500M Convertible Note](https://cryptonews.com/news/solstrategies-500m)

[7] [SOL Strategies Nasdaq Listing Update](https://twitter.com/solstrategies_/status/1122334455)

[8] [Insider Buying Activity](https://twitter.com/hdcharting/status/1357924680)

[9] [Solana Staking Risks](https://cryptonews.com/guides/solana-staking)