Raiku

Raiku is a coordination layer built on Solana that addresses the uncertainty of transaction inclusion during network congestion. Its core business offers two execution modes: Ahead-of-Time (AOT) compute reservation, where users pay upfront to secure block space in advance, and Just-In-Time (JIT) bidding, where time-sensitive transactions compete in real-time auctions. Additionally, Raiku operates a block auction mechanism that allows validators to sell block space to the highest bidder, creating a transparent market for transaction priority.

The core value proposition is transforming block space from a probabilistic resource into a programmable, guaranteed commodity. By separating transaction scheduling from execution, Raiku enables applications to achieve deterministic outcomes—transactions either land within a specified slot or are safely rejected, eliminating the need for complex retry logic. This is particularly critical for high-frequency trading, DeFi arbitrage, and institutional settlement where timing precision directly impacts profitability.

The market pain point Raiku solves is Solana's occasional inclusion failures during peak demand, where transactions can be dropped or delayed without recourse. This unpredictability forces developers to build defensive mechanisms that add latency and complexity. Raiku's scheduling layer turns this into a predictable market where users explicitly pay for the level of inclusion certainty they require.

In the past six months (March to September 2026), Raiku has progressed from testnet to mainnet candidate. In March, it opened public testnet access with AOT reservation functionality. By May, the team published performance benchmarks showing sub-100ms inclusion times under sustained load. In July, the JIT auction mechanism went live on testnet, demonstrating competitive pricing dynamics. As of August, Raiku has been running a mainnet candidate program with a small set of validators, processing real-world transactions. One notable technical challenge documented in June involved optimizing the block auction algorithm to prevent bid sniping, which was resolved through a commit-reveal scheme. The project has also published a formal specification for its scheduling protocol, inviting community review.