Solana Foundation’s Bold Move to Enhance Network Decentralization

The Solana Foundation has announced a significant reduction in delegation support for around 150 validators, specifically those with less than 1,000 SOL in external stake. This strategic decision aims to promote greater network self-reliance and decentralization. Helius Labs founder Mert Mumtaz has hailed the move as "extremely bullish," suggesting it could have far-reaching implications for the Solana ecosystem. If the program is entirely discontinued, up to 900 validators might be affected. This development underscores Solana’s commitment to fostering a more robust and independent validator network, potentially strengthening its position in the competitive blockchain landscape.

Solana Foundation Cuts Support for 150 Validators in Decentralization Push

The Solana Foundation is slashing delegation support for approximately 150 validators—those with less than 1,000 SOL in external stake—as part of a broader strategy to incentivize network self-reliance. The move, described by Helius Labs founder Mert Mumtaz as "extremely bullish," could eventually affect 900 operators if the program is discontinued entirely.

Validators relying solely on Foundation delegation now face existential pressure. The decision underscores Solana’s high-stakes gamble: sacrificing short-term validator participation for long-term decentralization. market observers will watch whether reduced support strengthens organic network participation or inadvertently compromises security.

Solana Foundation Overhauls Validator Policy to Encourage Decentralization

The Solana Foundation has implemented a significant policy shift in its validator onboarding process, aiming to reduce reliance on Foundation-backed delegation while fostering growth among independent validators. For every new validator added to the Solana Foundation Delegation Program (SFDP), three existing validators meeting specific criteria will be removed.

Ben Hawkins, Head of Staking Ecosystem, announced the changes via Discord, with Helius CEO Mert Mumtaz sharing the update on X. Validators with less than 1,000 SOL in external stake and those eligible for mainnet delegation will be prioritized for removal. This strategic move underscores Solana’s commitment to network decentralization and validator self-sufficiency.

Solana DEX Battle Ignites as Pump.fun Challenges Raydium and Orca

Solana’s decentralized exchange (DEX) market is witnessing a fierce competition among Raydium, Orca, and the rising contender Pump.fun. The latter’s recent $2.5 billion surge has intensified the rivalry, despite ongoing legal challenges.

Raydium continues to lead in weekly trading volume, but Pump.fun’s rapid growth since launching its own DEX, PumpSwap, in March has disrupted the status quo. The platform previously relied on Raydium for liquidity before the split. In response, Raydium introduced LaunchLab, its meme coin infrastructure.

Solana’s prominence as a blockchain for meme coins and low-cost transactions has fueled this battle for dominance. The outcome could reshape the DEX landscape on one of crypto’s most active networks.

Solana Nears 400 Billion Transactions as SOL Reclaims $150

Solana’s native token, SOL, has surged over 1400% from its January 2023 low of $9.98, reclaiming the $150 mark for the first time since early March. The rally coincides with the network approaching 400 billion total transactions—a milestone now within 2 billion transactions of being reached.

Decentralized exchange volume on Solana has outpaced all other chains, hitting nearly $16 billion in weekly trading activity. Ecosystem projects like PumpFun and Jito are driving adoption, while technical indicators suggest bullish momentum could propel SOL toward $500 by 2025.