In the past three years, the number of Solana validators has dropped by more than 68%, and differing opinions have emerged within the ecosystem.

Odaily Planet Daily reports that the number of active validators on the Solana network has significantly decreased over the past three years: from more than 2,500 active nodes in March 2023 to about 800 currently, a drop of over 68%. Validators are responsible for running nodes, participating in block signing, and maintaining network security. Changes in their number are often seen as an important indicator of the degree of decentralization. Ecosystem participants have offered varied interpretations of this significant contraction. Some community members believe that this decline is mainly due to the exit of “sybil nodes,” arguing that “having 800 reliable validators is healthier than having 3,000 sybils,” and pointing out that reducing non-contributing nodes actually helps improve network quality. However, some infrastructure teams hold different views. Developers from Layer 33 stated that they know many teams who recently shut down their nodes, and that “the vast majority of these exits are not sybils,” but rather teams that stopped operating for economic or technical reasons. Therefore, the decline in the number of validators cannot simply be equated to an improvement in decentralization; its real impact depends on the independence and power distribution of the remaining nodes. The report notes that related discussions will continue, and Solana will remain committed to reducing node operating costs and improving tooling support to enhance the sustainability of network validators. (criptonoticias)