Validator
MarketsDefinition
In proof-of-stake blockchains, the equivalent of a miner. Stakes capital (32 ETH on Ethereum) to participate in consensus, validate transactions, and earn protocol rewards. Penalties (slashing) for offline behavior or misbehavior.
Ethereum has ~1M validators. Solana has ~2,000 (much higher hardware requirements). Validator centralization is a long-running concern — large staking pools (Lido, Coinbase, Kraken) increase systemic risk.
Ethereum has ~1M validators. Solana has ~2,000 (much higher hardware requirements). Validator centralization is a long-running concern — large staking pools (Lido, Coinbase, Kraken) increase systemic risk.