sMON in Action: How Liquid Staking is Powering Monad DeFi Across Sumer, Purps, and Sherpa
Posted May 12, 2025
Kintsu’s vision for liquid staking goes beyond passive yield. With sMON, users gain access to a capital-efficient, composable asset that unlocks real utility across the Monad ecosystem, even during the testnet phase.
Our newest visual campaign, the Kintsu Water Park, highlights how users can actively put sMON to work across three integrated protocols: Sumer, Purps, and Sherpa. Each protocol represents a different DeFi use case: borrowing and looping, liquid staking management, and advanced trading execution. Together, they demonstrate what it means to build with liquid staking at the core.
What is sMON?
sMON is the LST users receive when they stake MON through Kintsu. It represents staked MON that continues to earn protocol staking rewards, while also being transferable and usable across DeFi applications.
By holding sMON, users maintain exposure to staking yield while gaining access to lending markets, trading venues, and strategy execution tools.
Where can you use sMON today?
All three integrations below are already live on Monad testnet, and each allows users to deploy sMON into DeFi strategies without giving up staking rewards.
Sumer: Lend, Borrow, and Loop with Capital Efficiency
Lend sMON: Supply sMON to Sumer’s markets and earn interest on top of your staking rewards — a passive yield layer with no lockups.
Borrow MON or USDC: Borrow against your sMON with up to 93% LTV for MON or 75% LTV for USDC, giving you powerful access to liquidity.
Loop and stack yield: Use borrowed assets to restake and redeploy, compounding exposure and enhancing capital efficiency.
Why it matters: Sumer turns sMON into a productive asset for both passive and active strategies — supporting everything from conservative lending to aggressive yield loops.
Stake MON via Kintsu directly within Purps: Users can access the Kintsu staking flow from the Purps interface.
Aggregate LST management: Purps allows users to compare and manage all major LSTs on Monad, including sMON.
Track and optimize yield: A single dashboard helps users assess performance and staking positions across providers.
Why it matters: As more LSTs emerge on Monad, Purps provides a unified interface for discovery, strategy, and execution, giving sMON greater visibility and more seamless access for users.
Swap MON <> sMON instantly: Users can access fast, reliable conversions between sMON and MON.
Set limit orders: Execute trades with custom price targets, allowing precise market entry or exit without constant monitoring.
DCA into sMON: Gradually build a staking position through dollar-cost averaging tools, automated and efficient.
Why it matters: Sherpa makes sMON easier to access and grow, especially for users looking to accumulate yield-bearing assets with timing precision. This strengthens sMON’s presence in active trading flows.
Why this matters now
Kintsu setting expectations: Sumer, Purps, Sherpa
This campaign isn’t waiting for mainnet to demonstrate value. All of the above use cases are live today on testnet, and importantly, sMON is already earning staking rewards.
