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Version: v1.10

Create a Lido stVault

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Lido V3 introduces stVaults — customizable staking vaults that unlock stETH liquidity for institutional stakers and asset managers. Obol Distributed Validators offer the most capital-efficient way to deploy an stVault, unlocking the highest minting capacity and the end game staking configuration.

Create a Lido stVault​

Target audience: Node operators and capital allocators looking to deploy stVaults with maximum capital efficiency and institutional-grade security.

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I'm a Node Operator
Show me how to implement a DV-backed stVault.
Open the Node Operator Guide

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I'm a Capital Allocator
Why should I use DV as infrastructure for my stVault.
Open the Capital Allocator Guide

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I Want Help from Obol
Connect with the Obol team or explore our Cluster-as-a-Service offering.

Who This Kit Is For​

Node operators who are:

  • Being asked to deploy, and operate an stVault for a fund, DAO, protocol, or other allocator
  • Building that vault on top of a multi-operator Obol DV rather than a single operator / single client setup

Capital allocators who:

  • Need to understand why a DV-backed stVault can support more favorable risk assessments and reserve ratios
  • Want a clear checklist for vetting operators and understanding what strong DV cluster operations look like

Why Obol DVs Are the Best Way to Deploy an stVault​

Lido V3's stVault design unlocks new levels of capital efficiency for node operators and institutional stakers. Obol Distributed Validators are the most capital-efficient way to run a vault on Lido V3.

One of Lido V3's key innovations is the Reserve Ratio (RR), which determines how much ETH must be kept as a reserve buffer relative to minted stETH. Lido is proposing a 2% Reserve Ratio tier for verified multi-operator DV vaults, allowing up to 98% stETH minting capacity. This is the most favorable tier. By comparison, the next-highest default tier for identified operators proposes a 5% RR with only 95% minting capacity.

Obol Distributed Validators unlock the highest minting capacity available on Lido V3.

Key Benefits​

  • Unlock the highest capital efficiency
    Multi-operator DV vaults qualify for the 2% Reserve Ratio tier, offering 98% stETH minting capacity, the most capital-efficient configuration on Lido V3.
  • Distribute responsibility across multiple operators
    Reduce reliance on any single infrastructure provider, company, or jurisdiction. Multi-operator setups distribute private key shares across many entities.
  • Maximize client and implementation diversity
    Run multiple consensus and execution client combinations inside the same vault, strengthening the vault's resilience and reducing correlation risks.
  • Superior liveness and fault tolerance
    Obol's fault-tolerant infrastructure means your validators keep performing even if individual operators experience downtime or failures.
  • Enterprise-grade security
    Leverage best-in-class security that institutional stakers and asset managers require for managing significant stake.

📚 How This Integration Kit Is Organized​

For Node Operators – Implementation Guide​

A practical guide to designing, deploying, and operating an stVault using Obol DVs, including:

  • What to collect from the vault owner
  • How to design your DV cluster (operators, clients, geos)
  • How to rehearse on testnet and prepare for mainnet launch
  • How this integrates into the Lido V3 stVault flow

👉 Read the Node Operator Guide →

For Capital Allocators – Design & Risk Overview​

A higher-level walkthrough of:

  • What you are optimizing for (safety, yield, minting capacity, counterparty risk)
  • Why multi-operator DVs are different from "just another node operator"
  • How Obol's Cluster-as-a-Service offering can help guide your decisions
  • What to ask from your operators or from Obol directly

👉 Read the Capital Allocator Guide →

Support & Services for stVault Builders​

How to:

🔗 Quick Links​

Future Extensions​

As Lido's DeFi wrapper and more advanced strategies roll out, we will extend this kit with:

  • End-to-end reference architectures that combine stVaults, wrappers, and multi-operator DV clusters
  • Config and deployment examples taken from real-world vaults
  • Case studies, including the "Ethereum client team vault", once it is live

For now, this page gives you the map. The linked sections show you how to actually build and run the vaults behind it.