Jito Labs Cuts Mempool Function Amid Surge in MEV Attacks on Solana

Jito Labs, a developer in the Solana network, has decided to discontinue the mempool function offered through the Jito Block Engine following a recent increase in MEV (Maximum Extractable Value) attacks targeting Solana users.

According to a report by Yahoo Finance, the decision to axe the mempool function was posted on their X page.

MEV Attacks and Their Impact

MEV attacks, commonly referred to as “sandwich attacks,” entail advanced bots leveraging pending transactions to gain profits to the detriment of individual retail traders.

Although Ethereum frequently experiences such attacks, Solana previously lacked its own native mempool. Nevertheless, the implementation of the Jito Block Engine by Jito Labs led to the creation of a Solana mempool, unintentionally enabling similar attacks, although contrary to Jito’s terms of service.

One notable MEV attack in January saw a Solana-based bot generate $1.8 million in profit within seconds by exploiting a memecoin trader seeking to acquire the coin “dogwifhat” (WIF). Uniswap Labs rolled out a new swap protection feature on its mobile app in early February, to shield users from MEV.

Jito Labs Takes Action Against Negative MEV Impact

In a recent statement, Lucas Bruder, a contributor at Jito Labs, revealed the team’s ongoing efforts to mitigate the adverse effects of negative Miner Extractable Value (MEV) on the Solana ecosystem.

According to Bruder the team’s proactive approach involved collaborating with other protocols to enhance user interfaces, alerting applications about MEV leakage, and advising on more precise pricing mechanisms to minimize price slippage settings.

Despite these efforts, Jito Labs encountered challenges in combating sandwich attacks and other forms of negative MEV. Consequently, in light of the detrimental impact of negative MEV on the Solana ecosystem, Jito Labs made the difficult decision to suspend the mempool.

Jito Labs’ Strategic Response and Commitment to Solana’s Future

Jito Labs detailed their decision in a comprehensive thread on X, highlighting the thorough consideration taken with their team and key stakeholders in the Solana network. They reaffirmed their dedication to the enduring prosperity of the Solana network, encompassing its applications, users, validators, and stakers.

In December, Jito Labs garnered attention by introducing its governance token, which saw substantial trading activity, hitting $1.1 billion on its debut day. Regrettably, the onset of the New Year brought unfavorable developments for Solana (SOL), as the Jito token witnessed a 19% decline in value.