Jito Foundation Rolls Out New System for Solana Block Building
The Jito Foundation just introduced something called the Block Assembly Marketplace—BAM for short. It’s a fresh approach to how blocks get built and transactions get ordered on Solana. If it works as intended, it could shake things up in a good way.
According to details shared with CoinDesk, BAM aims to make transaction sequencing more transparent. Or at least, that’s the goal. It also tries to give developers more flexibility in how blockspace is used, which might open up new ways to earn from it. Plus, it’s supposed to curb some of the negative side effects of Maximal Extractable Value (MEV), a persistent headache in blockchain networks.
How It Works (Or At Least, How They Say It Works)
BAM isn’t starting from scratch—it builds on Jito’s existing tools, like its validator client and Block Engine. The key piece here is something called Trusted Execution Environments, or TEEs. Think of them as locked-down, secure boxes where transaction bundles get simulated and ranked without exposing sensitive details. Searchers can submit their strategies, but the actual logic stays hidden. Validators still get to check the results, so there’s a balance between privacy and accountability.
The system itself is split into three parts. First, there are BAM Nodes, which handle the behind-the-scenes work of organizing transactions securely. Then, BAM Validators—running updated Jito-Solana software—take those pre-ordered transactions and push them on-chain. Finally, Plugins act as a sort of middle layer, letting developers and traders tweak how transactions are handled.
Interestingly, those plugins could also become a money-maker. Developers might charge for custom logic, and validators, node operators, and stakers could get a cut of the value they help create. Whether that plays out in practice is another question, but the idea’s there.
What’s Next
The team says BAM will hit Solana’s mainnet in the next few weeks, with a handful of validators already signed on. Names like Figment, Helius, and Triton One are in the mix, which suggests some big players are willing to give it a shot.
Lucas Bruder, CEO of Jito Labs, called it a “new design space” for developers. His pitch is that BAM lets builders do things they couldn’t before—more control, new revenue streams, and maybe a healthier blockspace economy overall.
Of course, like any new system, the real test comes when it goes live. If it delivers, it could be a big deal for Solana. If not? Well, back to the drawing board. Either way, it’s worth keeping an eye on.
