Liquid staking protocol Kintsu has officially launched on the Monad mainnet, marking a key milestone for the emerging ecosystem as it introduces liquid staking functionality alongside a new incentive framework.
With the launch, Kintsu unveiled the Kintsu Points program, a rewards system that will play a central role in determining the future distribution of its governance token, KSU. The points-based mechanism is designed to reward early participation and active engagement across the Monad network, while laying the groundwork for decentralized governance.
Users can earn Kintsu Points through multiple activities. The primary method is staking MON, Monad’s native token, via the Kintsu protocol. In return, users receive sMON, a liquid staking derivative that represents staked MON while remaining usable across decentralized finance applications. Additional points can be accumulated by deploying sMON in DeFi strategies, lending markets, and other supported on-chain activities.
Kintsu has also incorporated social and community-driven incentives into the program. Participants can earn points through referrals, as well as by holding eligible non-fungible tokens (NFTs), expanding the program beyond pure capital deployment. The multi-pronged structure is intended to encourage deeper ecosystem participation rather than passive staking alone.
Early adopters of the protocol are set to receive a significant governance advantage. According to Kintsu, participants who engage during the initial phase will gain priority governance rights related to Monad validator selection, giving them an early voice in shaping network security and decentralization parameters. Validator choice is a critical component of proof-of-stake networks, influencing performance, resilience, and decentralization.
The launch comes as Monad positions itself as a high-performance Layer 1 blockchain focused on scalability and developer-friendly execution. Liquid staking is viewed as a foundational DeFi primitive, allowing users to secure the network while maintaining capital efficiency.
By combining liquid staking with a points-driven governance distribution, Kintsu aims to align long-term protocol ownership with active network contribution. As the Monad ecosystem continues to expand, market participants will be watching closely to see how Kintsu’s model influences liquidity, validator decentralization, and early governance dynamics.