Coin stake required.
This also means that those who hold solana (sol) can keep it in their wallet and receive interest on the holdings (similar to other PoS coins like NEO and ARK). The maximum stake rate is not stated, but I am guessing it will take months before we see significant dividends if we ever do. This particular reward schedule might change depending on how many people decide to go for this feature. I expect the max percentage of earnings would drop over time, especially with Solana's target market being businesses rather than individuals.
No mining required.
What most blockchain enthusiasts love about Proof-of-Stake consensus algorithms is that they are environmentally friendly -- you don't need expensive hardware or ludicrous amounts of electricity to secure a blockchain. I believe Solana will run on a hybrid Proof-of-Work/Proof-of-Stake model , but if their whitepaper states otherwise, please let me know in the comment section.
Speed and security.
Proof of Work has been very controversial lately since it is an environmental hazard, consumes insane amounts of energy for little reward, and tends to centralize mining power towards large players with deep pockets who can afford more hardware and electricity consumption. Proof of Stake makes mining possible without consuming huge amounts of power (or burning coins), thus eliminating concern over global warming or human health issues induced by mining rigs . It also seems like PoS algorithms are not as prone to 51% attacks.
Independent governance.
Solana's whitepaper mentions the possibility of running on a Proof-of-Stake algorithm that does not allow more than one active block producer at any given time . This means that if someone was to obtain 51% of Solana's total supply, he would be able to stop the network dead in its tracks until he is dealt with (and probably banned from the community). In PoS consensus algorithms, there are many validators who each take turns producing blocks and signing off on them. If you have over 50% of all coins staked , then everyone else has to wait for your turn to produce a block -- which makes it very easy for other validators to detect a hostile takeover attempt.
Radical transparency.
Because of Satoshi's whitepaper , blockchain technology has often been referred to as the next most transparent form of organization in human history . It can be very difficult for you or I to tell whether a business with its own blockchain is trustworthy or not, but having everything done on the public ledger does give me confidence that it will be blatantly obvious if any organization tries to pull off an evil stunt -- especially when it comes to Solana, because they are committed towards radical transparency. This means they will have full disclosure when it comes to their company structure, future development goals, financial records/statements, staff information/reviews, salaries paid out by percentage -- every single bit of data they have will be available to the public.