Fragmetric vs Solayer: Restaking, Standardization, and the Battle for Composability on Solana
At a glance, Fragmetric and Solayer appear to be building similar things—staking optimization, DeFi yield, and new financial primitives on Solana. But beneath the surface, their philosophies diverge. One is designed for flexibility and user autonomy. The other prioritizes vertical control and validator throughput.
In this comparison, we’ll unpack both models and explain why Fragmetric’s approach may be the more future-ready choice for developers, stakers, and the broader Solana DeFi ecosystem.
Protocol Design: Modular Foundation vs Vertically Integrated Stack
Fragmetric is built around FRAG-22, a modular token standard that simplifies restaking, reward accrual, and yield generation. It’s a framework—not a single product—that lets users bring any supported LST, normalize its value, and plug it into an open yield mesh across Node Consensus Networks (NCNs) and DeFi platforms.
Solayer, in contrast, is more of a tightly packaged product suite. Its hardware-accelerated InfiniSVM engine delivers extremely high TPS, but it also creates dependence on Solayer-specific validators and execution environments. Restaking is introduced via sSOL and channeled into AVS layers under the control of Solayer’s validator stack.
Fragmetric enables open composability. Solayer delivers closed-loop performance.
Restaking: Yield Network vs Yield Pipeline
The core difference lies in how restaking is architected.
With Fragmetric, restaking is flexible. Users deposit their LSTs, receive normalized fragAssets, and deploy them across yield-bearing services. These services—called NCNs—span bridges, oracles, and computational networks. Rewards flow from multiple sources, and each is tracked transparently.
Solayer narrows the restaking path. Users convert SOL into sSOL, then delegate it into AVS layers—each tied to Solayer’s validator ecosystem. While this boosts throughput and transaction quality for dApps using swQoS (stake-weighted Quality of Service), it also concentrates yield into a single execution path.
- Fragmetric is protocol-agnostic—letting yield come from anywhere in the network.
- Solayer is validator-centric—with restaking tied directly to its infrastructure.
Reward Tracking: Transparent Contribution vs Inferred Estimation
Reward logic is often hidden in staking protocols, but not in FRAG-22.
Fragmetric calculates user contributions in real-time based on token balances and time held. Transfers, deposits, and withdrawals all trigger recalculations. These rewards are then batched into settlement blocks, and users claim them directly from the protocol—every distribution is auditable.
Solayer estimates sSOL returns using redemption ratios and regression over recent epochs. While the approach is efficient for estimating APY, it lacks per-user transparency and on-chain proof-of-yield mechanisms.
Fragmetric provides precision accounting. Solayer provides performance estimates.
Liquidity Architecture: Unified Standards vs Ecosystem Routing
Liquidity is another major differentiator.
Fragmetric’s normalized token architecture lets users pool various LSTs under a common interface. These pooled assets maintain 1:1 redemption proportionality, are composable with DeFi strategies, and optimize capital efficiency across protocols.
Solayer aggregates liquidity into the sSOL-SOL pair, centralizing swap logic to support fast, low-slippage conversions for its AVS infrastructure. While this is efficient for users who stay within Solayer’s ecosystem, it makes cross-ecosystem composability more difficult.
So while both address liquidity fragmentation, only Fragmetric does it through standardization, rather than route control.
DeFi Integration: External Composability vs Internal Optimization
Fragmetric supports external integrations through wrapped assets (e.g., wFRAG). These tokens allow use in DeFi vaults, DEXs, and lending protocols—without losing track of rewards. The FRAG-22 module monitors vaults and redistributes yield fairly, even when tokens leave the core protocol.
Solayer is more siloed. AVS tokens, sUSD, and staking flows primarily circulate within Solayer-built rails. They support advanced execution, but not composability outside Solayer’s architecture.
Fragmetric supports yield farming, LPing, vault stacking, and protocol overlays. Solayer focuses on boosting dApp performance inside its system.
Governance and User Participation
Fragmetric introduces the concept of SANGs—Solana Network Guards. These are not just stakers, but community members who contribute to security, research, and protocol evolution. SANGs operate at the same level as core team members, creating a bottom-up governance culture.
Solayer emphasizes performance and infrastructure, but user governance plays a smaller visible role. Most system upgrades and integrations appear driven by the core team and validator partnerships.
So while both engage their communities, Fragmetric invites co-ownership. Solayer offers curated access.
Looking Forward: Stability vs Control
Solayer is expanding with sUSD, an interest-bearing stablecoin backed by tokenized T-bills and TradFi mechanisms. It bridges real-world yield into crypto, but with dependencies on external providers and off-chain wrappers.
Fragmetric is preparing its own stablecoin—likely natively integrated into the FRAG-22 logic, offering DeFi-native yield, seamless accounting, and open interoperability. It aligns more with composability than custody.
Once again, Solayer moves toward performance and control. Fragmetric moves toward modularity and transparency.
Final Take
Solayer has the speed, the throughput, and the engineering muscle. It delivers performant infrastructure with clear control over every layer.
But Fragmetric offers something just as powerful—a modular, user-driven DeFi fabric that rewards participation, enables real-time accounting, and connects capital across services.