Starknet Prepares For Phase 2 Of Staking Implementation, Coming In Q2
In Brief
Starknet announced that Phase 2 of its staking implementation is expected to launch in Q2, aiming to involve validators in staking and assess their performance before they take on a role in network consensus.
Ethereum Layer 2 network Starknet announced that Phase 2 of its gradual staking implementation is expected to launch in the second quarter of this year. As shared in a recent post on the social media platform X, the primary objective of this phase is to actively involve validators in staking and evaluate their performance before they assume an official role in the network consensus, which is planned for Phase 3 in the fourth quarter of 2025.
In order to achieve this, Starknet intends to introduce validator block attestation. Additionally, there is a possibility of implementing a feature that would allow for an increase in validator commission, subject to an upcoming governance vote in which STRK token holders can participate.
Starknet remains committed to its gradual shift toward decentralization, a fundamental requirement for any public blockchain. At present, validators are expected to operate full nodes, but with the introduction of public validation, their performance and reliability can be more effectively assessed. Furthermore, there is a recognition that the existing economic incentives require refinement. To address these aspects, two key improvements are planned for Staking v2, including validator block attestation, which is confirmed for inclusion, and a mechanism allowing validators to adjust commission rates for their delegators, which is also likely to be introduced.
Before Starknet’s validators are entrusted with responsibilities that impact the network’s consensus—scheduled for implementation by the end of 2025—it is essential to verify that their liveness metrics meet the required standards. Ensuring validators maintain active participation will also benefit delegators by allowing them to compare the reliability and responsiveness of different validators, helping them make well-informed staking decisions.
Validator block attestation will require validators to confirm randomly selected blocks within each epoch, ensuring they remain actively engaged with network operations. This mechanism directly ties validator rewards to successful attestations, promoting continuous participation. The introduction of epochs as part of this framework is another step toward achieving a fully decentralized protocol.
This upgrade also serves as a practical test to assess how validators adapt to protocol changes. By gathering real-world performance data, the network can refine its approach before these changes are permanently integrated, ultimately safeguarding Starknet’s stability.
The decision to introduce this version ahead of the validators’ formal consensus role stems from the need to establish their active participation and liveness metrics well in advance. This priority underscores the strong motivation to launch these features before the end of Q2.
Furthermore, Starknet’s commission structure only permits commission rates to decrease. While this approach may be practical in the short term, it poses a potential risk if the cost of operating as a validator increases. In such scenarios, validators may find it financially unsustainable to continue their role, which could lead to their exit from the network. This, in turn, would disrupt delegators by automatically removing them from participation.
Several factors could drive up validation costs over time. For example, as network usage grows, validators may need to upgrade to more powerful hardware. Additionally, Starknet’s decentralization roadmap includes a shift from merely producing blocks to also generating cryptographic proofs, which could further increase operational demands.
Starknet’s STRK Staking: A Gradual Rollout Approach
Phase 1 of Starknet’s gradual staking rollout introduced STRK staking through a permissionless staking protocol with the option for stake delegation. This phase has seen notable engagement, with over 150 million STRK staked, participation from more than 100 validators, and involvement from over 60,000 delegators. The primary goal of this phase was to test the fundamental staking mechanics and assess the economic parameters of the system. In the upcoming Phase 2, validators will take on the responsibility of attesting to blocks.
Looking ahead to Phases 3, validators will play an even more critical role by validating and voting on blocks sequenced by the network’s sequencer. At the final stage, they will bear full responsibility for maintaining and securing the network by producing, attesting, and proving blocks.
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About The Author
Alisa, a dedicated journalist at the MPost, specializes in cryptocurrency, zero-knowledge proofs, investments, and the expansive realm of Web3. With a keen eye for emerging trends and technologies, she delivers comprehensive coverage to inform and engage readers in the ever-evolving landscape of digital finance.
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Alisa, a dedicated journalist at the MPost, specializes in cryptocurrency, zero-knowledge proofs, investments, and the expansive realm of Web3. With a keen eye for emerging trends and technologies, she delivers comprehensive coverage to inform and engage readers in the ever-evolving landscape of digital finance.
