Sharps Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: STSS) is best known for its cutting-edge medical devices, but now it’s diving headfirst into blockchain.
On January 12, 2026, the company announced a new partnership with Coinbase Institutional, rolling out an institutional-grade validator on the Solana network. This isn’t just a minor update; it’s a big shift in how Sharps handles digital assets, making it one of the first U.S.-listed companies to take an active role in running Solana’s decentralised network.
Before this, Sharps mostly focused on building up a large stash of Solana (SOL). Back in 2025, they had over two million SOL tokens, putting them among the biggest corporate holders of Solana’s native coin.
But instead of just sitting on those tokens, Sharps is shifting gears. Now, they’re putting some of their SOL to work by delegating it to their new STSS Validator, which runs on Coinbase’s institutional infrastructure.
What This Partnership Means
With this new partnership, Coinbase Institutional will take charge of the validator’s technical and day-to-day operations.
They’ll handle everything by keeping things running, making sure the setup stays secure, and meeting all the strict infrastructure standards institutions expect.
Coinbase already has a solid rep in staking and validator services, running nodes on lots of networks and doing it reliably.
Sharps wants to get more involved in the Solana ecosystem and help make the blockchain more decentralized and secure.
“Launching the STSS Validator is really the next step for STSS to support Solana’s growth, decentralization, and security,” said James Zhang, who advises Sharps Technology.
Over at Coinbase, their leaders see this partnership as part of a bigger shift. More and more institutions are jumping on-chain, and they want to do it faster and with more confidence.
“Institutions are moving on-chain with greater speed and conviction, and our job is to make that transition easy and secure,” said Ryan Ballantyne, who heads corporate client strategy at Coinbase Institutional.
“By running validator operations for Sharps Technology, we’re showing our commitment to building infrastructure that matches what institutions need: real security, compliance, and reliable performance.”
More News: Coinbase Exits Argentina: Peso-to-USDC Trading Ends 2026
Strategic Shift: From Treasury to Infrastructure
This move shows how public companies with digital assets are starting to do more than just diversify their treasuries; they’re stepping up and actually helping to build the infrastructure.
Validators are a big deal in proof-of-stake networks like Solana. They help keep everything running smoothly by verifying transactions and keeping the network secure.
And for companies sitting on a lot of tokens, running a validator isn’t just about helping out; it’s also a way to earn steady staking rewards, which means more long-term revenue.
In the past, most firms just held onto digital assets, treating them like a safety net and hoping prices would go up.
Sharps launching a validator marks a shift. They’re not just watching from the sidelines anymore; they’re getting involved, helping to secure and decentralize the networks where they have real money at stake.
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