Kintsu
Kintsu is a composable liquid staking protocol on Monad and Hyperliquid that issues reward-bearing tokens (sMON, sHYPE) enabling users to earn staking and MEV yield while using assets across DeFi, governed by a DAO-controlled validator registry.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Kintsu does
Kintsu is a composable liquid staking protocol operating on the Monad and Hyperliquid blockchains. The protocol enables users to stake native tokens (MON on Monad, HYPE on Hyperliquid) and receive reward-bearing liquid staking tokens (sMON and sHYPE) that accrue staking and MEV yield while remaining usable across DeFi applications for trading, lending, borrowing, yield farming, perpetuals, and gaming. Kintsu is differentiated by what it describes as the first DAO-governed decentralized validator registry, where KSU token holders vote on validator delegation weights and protocol evolution; the protocol automatically compounds rewards by re-delegating yield to validators each era. The protocol is built by Water Cooler Studios, Inc., with the user-facing entity operated by Aurelius, a Wyoming decentralized unincorporated non-profit association that governs the protocol's interfaces and features.
Kintsu's product surface has expanded across 2024-2025: a testnet open-access phase distributed over 300,000 Beta Pass NFTs, followed by launches on Monad mainnet (November 2025) and Hyperliquid mainnet (September 2025), plus a curated yield vault called SuperMON (December 2025), a cross-chain onboarding tool called Kintsu Zap (October 2025, powered by Mayan and Wormhole), and the KSU governance token pathway via Kintsu Points (December 2025). The protocol integrates across 50+ DeFi protocols including Uniswap, PancakeSwap, Sumer, Curvance, Morpho, Nostra, and Euler, and supports wallets including Backpack, Phantom, HaHa, MetaMask, Rabby, and Rainbow.
The business model relies on usage-based revenue: validator commissions on staking rewards, transaction-level protocol fees, and managed-services fees from SuperMON. Kintsu is venture-backed with a $4 million seed round (July 2024) led by Castle Island Ventures with participation from Brevan Howard Digital, Spartan, Animoca Ventures, Arche Capital, CMS Holdings, CMT Digital, LBank Labs, Reciprocal Ventures, Purechain Capital, NXGen, and Pragma. The company operates from New York with 1-10 employees and uses a product-led, community-driven go-to-market model — self-serve wallet connection, Discord community, and educational content (Kintsu Learn weekly sessions) rather than traditional sales channels. Smart contracts have been audited by Spearbit and Nethermind.
Kintsu firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Kintsu
- Legal name
- Aurelius
- Website
- https://kintsu.xyz
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Kintsu is a composable liquid staking protocol on Monad and Hyperliquid that issues reward-bearing tokens (sMON, sHYPE) enabling users to earn staking and MEV yield while using assets across DeFi, governed by a DAO-controlled validator registry.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Kintsu industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Liquid Staking Protocol
- NAICS
- Commodity Contracts Intermediation (52316)
- SIC
- Security & Commodity Brokers, Dealers, Exchanges & Services (6200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Liquid Staking Protocols & Liquid Staking Tokens (LST) (FSADAOAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Liquid Staking & Restaking Protocols (FSADAMAE), Staking, Restaking & Liquid Staking Finance (LST/LRT, validator markets) (FSAPAEAH), Staking Infrastructure & Validator Enablement (Middleware, Slashing Protection, MEV Relays) (FSADAHAJ)
Keywords
Where Kintsu is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Kintsu business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Validator Commission Fees: Protocol earns a commission on staking rewards generated by validators. Validators return staking rewards to the Kintsu stake pool, and the protocol takes a cut.
- Protocol Fees: Fees from protocol operations including staking and unstaking transactions. Gas fees (network transaction fees) are borne by users.
- SuperMON Vault Fees: Fees from the SuperMON curated vault product. Water Cooler Studios, Inc. may receive certain fees related to usage of the Kintsu protocol and SuperMON.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | No minimum stake - users can stake any amount of MON |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | sMON token - 0% APY shown (APY varies based on network rewards) |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Kintsu product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Kintsu operates a composable liquid staking protocol on the Monad (and Hyperliquid) blockchains that enables users to stake MON/HYPE and receive reward-bearing liquid staking tokens (sMON/sHYPE) which remain composable across DeFi applications while earning staking and MEV yield. The protocol features a DAO-governed validator registry, automatic yield compounding, a curated yield vault (superMON), the KSU governance token, and cross-chain transfer functionality (Kintsu Zap).
Product overview
Kintsu is a composable liquid staking protocol built on Monad and Hyperliquid, operating as a unified platform with multiple liquid staking tokens and governance products. Its core offerings are sMON (liquid staking token for MON on Monad) and sHYPE (liquid staking token for HYPE on Hyperliquid), both of which allow staked assets to remain composable across DeFi while earning staking rewards. SuperMON is a curated yield vault built on top of sMON that optimizes DeFi yield strategies. The KSU governance token and DAO NFT system govern validator delegation and protocol evolution. Kintsu Zap enables cross-chain transfers into sHYPE on Hyperliquid. The protocol is DAO-governed with a permissionless validator registry and is audited by Spearbit and Nethermind.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- sMON: Liquid staking token (LST) that users receive when staking MON through Kintsu. Represents staked MON that continues to earn protocol staking rewards while being transferable and usable across DeFi applications.
- superMON
- sHYPE
Products and services
- sMON Liquid Staking Token Reward-bearing liquid staking token (LST) issued by Kintsu when users stake MON tokens. sMON accrues value relative to MON through each era as staking and MEV rewards flow into the pool, and remains composable across DeFi applications for trading, lending, pooling, futures, and gaming.
- SuperMON Yield Vault On-chain curated vault that maximizes yield on Monad by deploying sMON into strategic DeFi opportunities, curated by high-frequency traders and risk management professionals.
- sHYPE Liquid Staking Token Liquid staking token for the Hyperliquid blockchain, representing staked HYPE tokens that can be used across HyperEVM DeFi while earning staking rewards.
- KSU Governance Token Governance token of the Kintsu DAO. KSU holders vote on validator registry weights and control protocol evolution. KSU is staked into a DAO NFT to participate in governance, earning yield while exercising voting rights.
- Kintsu Validator Registry On-chain, permissionless validator registry governed by KSU token holders through the Kintsu DAO. Validators compete for stake delegation based on performance, and the DAO allocates weight to trusted validators.
- Kintsu Zap Cross-chain transfer feature powered by Mayan and Wormhole that streamlines moving assets into sHYPE on Hyperliquid, connecting DeFi liquidity across HyperEVM.
Quantifiable outcome
- 0% APY shown on dashboard (varies by network rewards)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Kintsu
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Kintsu technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration47 records
Feature6 records
Kintsu partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- BackpackcorePrimary wallet partner for accessing Kintsu liquid staking protocol. Backpack provides secure self-custodial gateway with real-time scam protection, hardware wallet support, and 24/7 support.
- CurvancecoreAmplifies sMON utility on Monad, offering enhanced staking rewards, liquidity opportunities, and advanced DeFi strategies for users within Curvance's yield platform.
- HedgemonycoreDeFi partnership integrating sMON into Hedgemony's trading platform. Supports sMON trading within EOA and EIP4337 programmable account frameworks. Enables quickswapping, limit orders, and cross-protocol yield delegation.
- HashKey CloudcoreStrategic partnership for blockchain infrastructure. HashKey Cloud manages and optimizes Kintsu's technical infrastructure on Monad, ensuring smooth operations, maximum uptime, and security. Leverages HashKey Cloud's expertise as node operator and infrastructure provider.
- InfStonescoreCollaboration to bolster Monad DeFi infrastructure scalability and reliability. InfStones provides enterprise-grade blockchain infrastructure, staking solutions, API services, and node management to support Kintsu's liquid staking protocol.
- Primex FinancecoreIntegration of sMON into Primex v2 Universal Leveraged Portfolio solution. Users can use sMON for leveraged operations, looping strategies, and as collateral while earning staking rewards. Enhances Monad DeFi ecosystem liquidity.
- SumercoreLending platform integration allowing users to lend sMON for interest, borrow MON or USDC with up to 93% LTV, and loop strategies for capital efficiency.
- Water Cooler Studios, Inc.coreDevelopment company that created the technology underlying the Kintsu protocol. May receive certain fees related to Kintsu protocol usage and SuperMON partnerships.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Kintsu competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Lido Finance: Lido is the dominant liquid staking protocol with stETH on Ethereum and multi-chain expansion. It is the benchmark for LST economics and the primary competitor Kintsu's model is differentiated against via DAO governance.
- Ankr: Ankr provides staking infrastructure and liquid staking tokens across multiple chains, including ankrETH and similar products. Comparable as a multi-chain LST infrastructure provider with broader Web3 developer tools.
Direct peers
- Marinade Finance: Marinade is a liquid staking protocol on Solana offering mSOL with delegated validator selection. Closest analogue to Kintsu's model on a high-throughput L1, with similar focus on validator optimization and DeFi composability.
- Jito Labs: Jito operates the leading MEV-enabled liquid staking protocol on Solana (jitoSOL). Directly comparable to Kintsu's staking+MEV yield model and SuperMON-style yield optimization on a high-performance chain.
- Rocket Pool: Rocket Pool is a decentralized Ethereum liquid staking protocol with rETH. Comparable in its decentralized validator marketplace model and DAO-governed architecture, though on a different chain.
- Stader Labs: Stader is a multi-chain liquid staking protocol offering LSTs across multiple networks with delegated validator sets. Closest peer to Kintsu's multi-chain playbook (sMON + sHYPE) targeting emerging PoS chains.
- Stride: Stride is a Cosmos-native multi-chain liquid staking protocol offering stTokens across IBC-connected chains. Comparable model of liquid staking primitive distribution across emerging ecosystems.
- Quicksilver: Quicksilver is a Cosmos liquid staking protocol with permissionless validator delegation. Comparable in its lightweight validator marketplace approach to Kintsu's DAO-governed registry.
- pSTAKE Finance: pSTAKE is a multi-chain liquid staking protocol offering stkTokens across Cosmos, Ethereum, and BNB Chain. Comparable multi-chain LST distribution model targeting emerging PoS networks.
Regional players
- Everstake: Everstake is a non-custodial staking-as-a-service provider operating validators across 70+ networks. Functions as a backend infrastructure partner to Kintsu (similar to HashKey Cloud, InfStones) and operates a competing validator offering.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights8 records
Customer concentration
Kintsu social profiles
Digital presenceKintsu compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Kintsu financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Kintsu leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Kintsu funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors10 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Kintsu M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Kintsu
What does Kintsu do?
Kintsu operates a composable liquid staking protocol on the Monad (and Hyperliquid) blockchains that enables users to stake MON/HYPE and receive reward-bearing liquid staking tokens (sMON/sHYPE) which remain composable across DeFi applications while earning staking and MEV yield. The protocol features a DAO-governed validator registry, automatic yield compounding, a curated yield vault (superMON), the KSU governance token, and cross-chain transfer functionality (Kintsu Zap).
Is Kintsu a public or private company?
Kintsu is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Kintsu founded?
Kintsu was founded in 2021. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Kintsu based?
Kintsu is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Kintsu make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Validator Commission Fees are the primary driver. The others are protocol Fees and superMON Vault Fees.
Who are Kintsu's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Lido Finance and Ankr. Direct peers are Marinade Finance, Jito Labs, Rocket Pool, Stader Labs, Stride, Quicksilver and pSTAKE Finance. Everstake is listed as a regional player.
Does Kintsu have an API?
Yes. Kintsu offers a public API with endpoints for Points and APY data, as documented in their public API section. The documentation is available at docs.kintsu.xyz with dedicated pages for Points and APY endpoints. Developer documentation is at docs.kintsu.xyz.
What industry is Kintsu in?
Kintsu's product category is Liquid Staking Protocol. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSADAOAL, Liquid Staking Protocols & Liquid Staking Tokens (LST), with a secondary code of FSADAMAE, Liquid Staking & Restaking Protocols. Its NAICS code is 52316 and its SIC code is 6200.