Solana Foundation Implements Stricter Validator Delegation Rules to Boost Organic Growth
The Solana Foundation has announced significant changes to its validator delegation program, aiming to encourage organic community support and improve network decentralization. Under the new policy, three existing validators will be removed for every new addition, with a focus on phasing out validators that have less than 1,000 SOL in external stake. Blockworks Research estimates that around 150 validators could lose foundation backing as a result of these changes. The foundation’s substantial SOL holdings have historically provided crucial support to smaller validators, but this restructuring signals a shift toward fostering self-sustaining participation. This move aligns with Solana’s long-term vision of creating a more robust and decentralized ecosystem, potentially strengthening its position in the competitive blockchain space as of April 2025.
Solana Foundation Tightens Validator Delegation Rules
The Solana Foundation is restructuring its validator delegation program, removing three existing validators for every new addition. Validators with less than 1,000 SOL in external stake will be phased out to encourage organic community support.
Blockworks Research estimates approximately 150 validators could lose foundation backing under the new policy. The foundation’s significant SOL holdings have historically supported smaller validators through a KYC-based program, but the shift aims to decentralize stake distribution.
Paradigm Backs Decentralized AI on Solana with $50M Investment in Nous Research
Venture capital firm Paradigm has committed $50 million to Nous Research, a decentralized AI startup building on Solana. The investment marks a significant push into AI by blockchain-native investors, historically overshadowed in the artificial intelligence sector.
Nous Research plans to develop open-source large language models as alternatives to centralized offerings like ChatGPT and Llama. Early technical papers from the team address distributed GPU training methods—a potential breakthrough for decentralized compute networks.
The Solana blockchain’s high throughput and low fees position it as a viable infrastructure layer for AI model deployment. This partnership signals growing convergence between decentralized networks and next-generation machine learning applications.
Solana (SOL) Price Stuck at a Major Resistance—Can it Reach $180 in May 2025?
Solana’s SOL token has surged past $150 this week, defying broader market volatility. The rally reflects robust ecosystem metrics and technical strength, with on-chain data confirming bullish sentiment.
After opening the week NEAR $134, SOL rebounded decisively to test $140 resistance. Analysts now watch for a potential breakout toward $180 by mid-2025, though current price action remains constrained by key technical barriers.
Solana Community Gathers in Istanbul Amid Crypto Conference Circuit
The Solana ecosystem continues its global expansion as builders converge at Crossroads Istanbul, marking another stop in the relentless crypto conference circuit. Despite geographic dispersion, attendees largely comprise the same New York and San Francisco cohorts who will reunite at upcoming events in Dubai and New York.
Solana’s conference presence underscores its growing dominance, with the network riding a year of parabolic growth. The Step Finance-sponsored gathering precedes critical industry touchpoints including TOKEN2049 and Solana Accelerate, suggesting sustained institutional interest in layer-1 alternatives.
While broader crypto adoption questions persist, the unshakable demand for industry events reveals a maturing ecosystem. Istanbul’s gathering spotlights Solana’s positioning at the vanguard of blockchain development, even as the space searches for killer applications beyond speculation.
