Starknet announces that STRK staking v2 is set to launch in Q2

Starknet has announced a major update regarding the second phase of staking for its native token, STRK. The Ethereum layer-2 scaling solution revealed that the next phase, STRK Staking v2, is scheduled to go live as early as the second quarter of 2025. This comes after the successful rollout of Phase 1 of staking, which was launched in September 2024.

Phase 1 of Starknet staking focused primarily on laying the groundwork for the staking mechanism, allowing validators to earn rewards for performing basic tasks such as running full nodes. This initial phase served as a testing ground for the network’s fundamental staking functions and economic parameters. It also provided the team with critical feedback from the community to refine the process.

Starknet’s upcoming Staking v2 promises to introduce more active participation for validators. The second phase will introduce “validator block attestation,” which will require validators to play a more integral role in maintaining network integrity and security. This change aims to further decentralize the network and enhance its robustness. Validators will now need to validate blocks, ensuring the network’s liveness metrics are met before moving forward into Phase 3, where they will take on a more formal role in the consensus process.

The Starknet team is also exploring potential changes to the staking rewards system in Staking v2. One such proposed change includes the possibility of increasing validator commission rates, giving them a greater incentive to participate actively in securing the network. This change is expected to bolster the decentralization of the network by incentivizing more validators to engage in the process.

During Phase 1, more than 150 million STRK tokens were staked, and the network saw the participation of over 60,000 delegators, with the number of validators growing to 100. This significant participation in the initial phase demonstrates the community’s confidence in Starknet’s staking model.

Looking ahead, Starknet has laid out a roadmap for additional phases. After the launch of Staking v2, the next step will be Phase 3, where validators will begin voting on blocks, a crucial function in ensuring the proper functioning of the network. By Phase 4, validators will assume full control over block production, including the critical tasks of producing, attesting, and proving blocks.

The development of Starknet’s staking mechanism is pivotal for the continued growth and decentralization of the network. With the introduction of more complex roles for validators in each phase, Starknet is working towards creating a more secure, decentralized, and efficient layer-2 solution for Ethereum. As the network progresses through these phases, the involvement of validators will become increasingly important in ensuring the network’s reliability and scalability, ultimately supporting Starknet’s vision of enhancing Ethereum’s performance through its innovative layer-2 approach.