Validator is a participant in the network who locks up MATIC tokens in the system and runs Heimdall validator and Bor block producer nodes in order to help run the network. Validators stake their MATIC tokens as collateral to work for the security of the network and in exchange for their service, earn rewards.
Rewards are distributed to all stakers proportional to their stake at every checkpoint with the exception being the proposer getting an additional bonus. User reward balance gets updated in the contract which is referred to while claiming rewards.
Stakes are at risk of getting slashed in case the validator node commits a malicious act like double signing which also affects the linked delegators at that checkpoint.
tip
Those who are interested in securing the network but are not running a full node can participate as delegators.
Validators on the Polygon network are selected through an on-chain auction process which happens at regular intervals. These selected validators participate as block producers and verifiers. Once a checkpoint is validated by the participants, updates are made on the parent chain (the Ethereum mainnet) which releases the rewards for validators depending on their stake in network.
Polygon relies on a set of validators to secure the network. The role of validators is to run a full node, produce blocks, validate and participate in consensus, and commit checkpoints on the Ethereum mainnet. To become a validator, one needs to stake their MATIC tokens with staking management contracts residing on the Ethereum mainnet.
Core components
Heimdall reads the events emitted by the staking contracts to pick the validators for the current set with their updated stake ratio, which is used also by Bor while producing blocks.
Delegation is also recorded in the staking contracts and any update in the validator power or node signer address or unbonding requests comes into effect when the next checkpoint gets committed.
Validators set up their signing nodes, sync data and then stake their tokens on the Ethereum mainnet staking contracts to be accepted as a validator in the current set. If a slot is vacant, the validator is accepted immediately. Otherwise, one needs to go through the replacement mechanism to get a slot.
danger
There is limited space for accepting new validators. New validators can only join the active set when a currently active validator unbonds. A new auction process for validator replacement will be rolled out.
Block producers are chosen from the validator set where it is the responsibility of the selected validators to produce blocks for a given span.
Nodes at Heimdall validate the blocks being produced, participate in consensus and commit checkpoints on the Ethereum mainnet at defined intervals.
The probability of validators to get selected as the block producer or checkpoint proposer is dependent on one’s stake ratio including delegations in the overall pool.
Validators receive rewards at every checkpoint as per their stake ratio, after deducting the proposer bonus which is disbursed to the checkpoint proposer.
One can opt out of the system at any time and can withdraw tokens once the unbonding period ends.
Economics
See Rewards.
See Validate.
See Also
FAQs
Validator is a participant in the network who locks up MATIC tokens in the system and runs Heimdall validator and Bor block producer nodes in order to help run the network. Validators stake their MATIC tokens as collateral to work for the security of the network and in exchange for their service, earn rewards.
What is a validator role? ›
They are responsible for various functions in the ecosystem, such as verifying and validating transactions, maintaining the integrity and security of the network, and ensuring consensus among participants.
What do you need to be a validator? ›
To become a validator, a network participant must lock up a specific amount of the network's native cryptocurrency. This is called crypto staking. They provide this amount as collateral to ensure their honesty.
What is the difference between a validator and a delegator? ›
Key Differences Responsibilities: Validators actively run a node, validate transactions, and actively participate in securing the network. Delegators, on the other hand, do not run a node themselves but entrust their tokens to a validator to participate on their behalf.
Is a validator the same as a node? ›
The terms Validator and Node Operator are somewhat synonymous. Validator is the term used more commonly in the Cosmos documentation when referring to a Node Operator that is validating transactions on a blockchain.
What is a validator person? ›
It means answering in a way that shows the other person you believe their experience or statement is valid, and you don't intend to change their view or correct them for being “wrong.” But validation goes beyond simply listening. It's about showing you really hear someone and understand why they feel the way they do.
How is a validator chosen? ›
Validators are chosen randomly by the protocol to propose blocks, and only one validator can propose a block for each 12-second slot. There are 7200 slots each day, so each validator has 7200 chances-per-day to propose a block. If there are 500,000 validators, each validator will average a block proposal every 70 days.
How much do you earn as a validator? ›
The average ETH staking APY is roughly 4% for validators that do not utilize MEV-Boost. Validators with MEV-Boost enabled average roughly 5.69%.
What are the benefits of being a validator? ›
Benefits of Being a Blockchain Validator
Validators are rewarded with cryptocurrency for verifying transactions and adding new blocks to the blockchain. Being a validator can be a passive income source for those with the necessary technical skills and infrastructure.
How much do you need to be a validator? ›
You'll need 32 ETH to activate your own validator, but it is possible to stake less.
A good quality validator should also keep their nodes updated to prevent any loopholes for an attack that could lead to a penalty on their stake. The best validators have a website or presence on social media to provide frequent updates to their delegators.
What is validator effectiveness? ›
Validator Effectiveness
Effectiveness of an active validator will usually be somewhere between 95% and 100%, the higher the better as it maximizes both network security and validator rewards. A low effectiveness suggests a validator has been offline for an extended amount of time.
What is the opposite of validator? ›
Opposite of to make or declare legally valid. invalidate. reject. revoke. nullify.
Is it profitable to be a validator? ›
Based on the example above, if you become a solo validator on the Ethereum network, the estimated income earned is 4.58% a year. This means that by staking 32 ETH, the validator will earn around US$ 2,594.33 per year, assuming the ETH price is at US$ 1,700.
Is Coinbase a validator? ›
You'll stake assets to a Coinbase Custody public validator, a Coinbase Cloud public validator, or to a Coinbase Cloud dedicated validator. Some assets require you to delegate to specific validators when staking on Coinbase Prime.
What are the two types of validator functions you can use? ›
Validator functions can be either synchronous or asynchronous. Synchronous functions that take a control instance and immediately return either a set of validation errors or null . Pass these in as the second argument when you instantiate a FormControl .
What is the role of validator in research? ›
As such, the purpose of validation is to ensure that each phase of the chosen research methodology rigorously adheres to the highest standards of quality. This level of quality in planning, executing, and evaluating research is measured as validity.
