Mantle Staked Ether (mETH) is part of the Mantle Liquid Staking Protocol, which allows Ethereum (ETH) holders to stake their ETH and receive a tokenized representation called mETH. This token is an ERC-20 non-rebasing liquid staking derivative, meaning its value relative to native ETH gradually increases as staking rewards are generated. These rewards come from the regular earnings of the Ethereum network such as block issuance, transaction fees (priority fees), and Miner Extractable Value (MEV), which are shared among stakers, the protocol itself, and the node operators who validate the network.

A unique feature of this protocol is its "Double-Dose Drive" program, which offers rewards double the market rate, but only until a certain cap of 600,000 ETH is staked. This additional yield is derived from extra ETH rewards attained by ETH staked from the Mantle Treasury. Liquid staking, as used here, refers to a system where the staked funds remain liquid, allowing holders to trade or use their derivative tokens (mETH) in other decentralized finance (DeFi) applications while still earning staking rewards.

Mantle Staked Ether, also known as mETH, is part of the Mantle Liquid Staking Protocol (LSP) launched by Mantle on the Ethereum mainnet. The protocol focuses on providing an ether liquid staking solution while allowing staked tokens to be used for other economic activities. Mantle LSP was introduced to increase decentralization in Ethereum staking and includes a governance structure facilitated by Mantle DAO.

Key details regarding the project's history:

• Launch Date: December 2023 on Ethereum mainnet source.
• Conceptual Origin: Developed as a part of Mantle's expansion initiatives, focusing on Layer 2 scaling and governance solutions.
• Governance: Managed by Mantle DAO, which uses community-driven decisions for its protocol management and enhancements.

There is no specific mention of individual founder names tied to the Mantle Staked Ether project separately from the parent organization, Mantle. The project is a continuation and expansion of Mantle's efforts rather than a distinct new entity requiring distinct founding members.

Yes, you can natively stake tokens in the Mantle Staked Ether project. Here’s a breakdown:

• Tokens You Can Stake: Native ETH can be staked in the Mantle Liquid Staking Protocol.
• Staking Process: When you stake native ETH, you receive mETH, an ERC-20 non-rebasing liquid staking derivative token. The exchange rate between mETH and native ETH increases as ETH staking rewards accumulate.
• Staking Rewards: Stakers earn ETH rewards from issuance, priority fees, and MEV (Maximal Extractable Value). Rewards are shared among stakers, the Liquid Staking Protocol, and node operators. Additionally, Mantle’s "Double-Dose Drive" program offers double the market rate yield, up to a cap of 600,000 staked ETH, which is sourced from ETH rewards earned by ETH staked from the Mantle Treasury.

The Mantle Staked Ether project was indirectly affected by a significant security breach at the Bybit cryptocurrency exchange in February 2025. In this incident, nearly $1.4 billion worth of various cryptocurrencies—including Mantle Staked Ether (mETH) and Lido Staked Ether—were compromised when a hacker exploited the Ethereum cold wallet of Bybit using a masked URL to authorize a malicious transaction. However, it is important to note that this incident was related to the centralized exchange rather than a direct exploit of the Mantle Staked Ether protocol itself source.

The Mantle Staked Ether project adopts several sophisticated security measures to safeguard its operations and user assets:

1. Protocol Audits: Mantle has conducted extensive audits on its liquid staking protocol by multiple firms to ensure robustness and security, particularly focusing on preventing vulnerabilities such as fraudulent transactions and unauthorized asset access Source.

2. Partnerships for Enhanced Security: Mantle collaborates with BlockSec to enhance protocol-level security, providing a secure and reliable environment for users. It also partners with Chainlink to implement Price Feeds and Proof of Reserve Secure Mint, ensuring tamper-proof price data and transparent minting processes State of Mantle Q4 2024.

3. Phishing and Impersonation Mitigation: Proactive measures include issuing warnings about phishing attempts and impersonation accounts targeting its community, aiming to protect users from scams and misleading entities State of Mantle Q4 2024.

4. Layer 2 Security Advantages: Mantle operates as an optimistic rollup, inheriting Ethereum’s security for transaction finality. This framework builds confidence in transaction legitimacy due to its verifiable optimistic nature, reducing potential fraud risks State of Mantle Q4 2024.

5. Fraud Proof Mechanisms: To maintain transaction integrity, Mantle employs fraud proofs, ensuring that fraudulent transactions are identified and nullified efficiently within the network Understanding Mantle.

6. Advanced Multi-Signature Solutions: The integration of Safe{Core} and Safe{Wallet} multi-signature solutions introduces advanced asset management tools, enabling high-value transaction security through multiple authorization layers State of Mantle Q4 2024.

Vulnerabilities:

Despite these measures, the Mantle Staked Ether project does have some vulnerabilities:

• Centralized Exchange Risks: Significant hack incidents, like the breach at Bybit where $1.4 billion, including Mantle Staked ETH, was stolen, underscore the vulnerability of centralized systems to social engineering and security exploits Bybit Security Breach.
• Smart Contract Exploits: The inherent risk in DeFi protocols where smart contract bugs can be exploited by malicious actors, although audits aim to minimize these risks Mantle Security Architecture.

In summary, while the Mantle Staked Ether project employs a robust security framework, continual vigilance and improvements are necessary to mitigate inherent risks, especially relating to centralized exchange integrations.

Mantle Staked Ether has undergone several audits to ensure its security and functionality. Here are the audits in chronological order with details where available:

• Secure3: February 2024 - Mantle V2 Tectonic Audit
• Mixbytes: November 2023 - Mantle Network METH Security Audit Report
• OpenZeppelin: July 2023 - Mantle Token and Bridge Audit
• Secure3: July 2023 - Mantle Network Smart Contracts
• Sigma Prim: July 2023 - Mantle Layer-2 Rollup Security Assessment
• Quantstamp: July 2023 - Token Migration Audit
• Quantstamp: July 2023 - Bridge Contracts Audit
• Zellic: July 2023 - Smart Contract Security Assessment

These audits have been pivotal in ensuring the robustness and security of the Mantle Network and its associated components.