Solana Foundation shifts validator strategy to push forward self-sufficiency and decentralization

The Solana Foundation (SFDP) is introducing a new validator onboarding and offboarding policy to reduce centralized influence and strengthen the network's resilience. Ben Hawkins, head of the staking ecosystem, explained that the SFDP's delegation program will now exclude three validators who have failed to attract sufficient external support over the past 18 months when adding a new one. 

This initiative is intended to diminish validators' dependence on foundation and encourage greater decentralization. However, critics, including EigenLayer leader Kydo (a pseudonym), argue that a significant number of nodes in the chain rely heavily on SFDP, and without this support, many would collapse. 

In response to these concerns, Max Resnick, senior economist at Solana-focused R&D firm Anza, stated they are gradually phasing out the SFDP. Numerous nodes are now becoming self-sufficient, he said. The expert also noted there were too many small validators, which could potentially hinder network performance.

The reform underscores Solana's focus on improving decentralization and transparency, especially amid rising concerns over the sustainability of blockchain systems, Decrypt reported.