Starknet Gears Up for the Next Phase of Staking Rollout Set for Q2

Ethereum Layer 2 network Starknet The announcement indicates that the second phase of its gradual staking rollout is likely to unfold in the upcoming quarter. A recent post on the social media platform X emphasized that this stage’s main goal is to actively engage validators in staking practices and assess their performance prior to their active involvement in network consensus, which is slated for Phase 3 due in the last quarter of 2025.

To facilitate this, Starknet plans to introduce a block attestation system for validators. Moreover, there’s a proposed feature that might enable an increase in validator commission rates, contingent upon an upcoming governance vote open to STRK token holders.

Starknet is unwavering in its commitment to a gradual transition towards decentralization, a key aspect of any public blockchain. Currently, validators are expected to manage full nodes, but with the onset of public validation, their effectiveness and reliability will be evaluated with greater accuracy. It has also been noted that the current economic incentives need to be fine-tuned. Thus, two major upgrades are on the table for Staking v2: validator block attestation, which has already received confirmation for implementation, and a framework allowing validators to modify their commission structure for their delegators, which is another likely addition.

Before Starknet’s validators can be entrusted with roles influencing the network consensus—scheduled for late 2025—it’s crucial to confirm that their operational metrics align with the necessary standards. Ensuring validators are consistently active will also provide delegators the opportunity to assess the trustworthiness and responsiveness of various validators, aiding them in making informed staking choices.

Validator block attestation will necessitate validators to recognize randomly selected blocks in every epoch, ensuring they stay actively involved in network functions. This approach directly links rewards for validators to successful attestations, fostering ongoing participation. The incorporation of epochs into this framework marks another stride towards establishing a fully decentralized protocol.

This upgrade also acts as a practical evaluation to observe how validators respond to protocol modifications. By collecting real-world performance metrics, the network can refine its methods prior to these adjustments being permanently applied, ultimately contributing to Starknet’s stability.

The decision to rollout this version prior to the formal consensus responsibilities of validators is driven by the necessity to ensure their active participation and operational metrics are established well ahead of time. This priority highlights the strong drive for launching these functionalities before the conclusion of Q2.

Additionally, Starknet’s current commission model restricts rates to only decrease. While this method may be beneficial short-term, it carries potential risks if validator operational expenses rise. Should this happen, validators might find it economically unfeasible to sustain their roles, leading to their withdrawal from the network and consequently disrupting the participation of delegators.

There are several reasons which may lead to increased validation costs in the future. For instance, as the network expands, validators might have to upgrade to more robust hardware. Furthermore, Starknet’s path towards decentralization involves moving from simple block production to also creating cryptographic proofs, which could heighten operational demands.

Starknet’s STRK Staking: A Gradual Implementation Plan

The first phase of Starknet’s gradual staking initiative introduced permissionless STRK staking with options for stake delegation. This phase has witnessed significant involvement, boasting over 150 million STRK staked, participation from more than 100 validators, and engagement from over 60,000 delegators. The main aim during this stage was to trial the core staking mechanics and evaluate the system’s economic dynamics. In the next phase, validators will take on the task of block attestation. Phase 2 Looking ahead to Phase 3, validators are set to assume an even more vital role, with responsibilities for validating and voting on blocks sequenced by the network's sequencer. Ultimately, they will be accountable for the network’s integrity by producing, attesting, and proving blocks.

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