What validators do
Network validators verify all user transactions. If all validators reach consensus that a transaction is valid, it is included in the blockchain. Invalid transactions are rejected.
Rewards
Users send a small surplus amount of Toncoin to their transaction that represents a reward to validators for their work. This amount is distributed proportionally to the stake of validators elected in the given validation cycle.
Additionally, new coins are generated during validation. These also go to validators. Overall annual coin inflation is about 0.5%.
Average income daily generated by validator node with average stake as of April 2023 is ~120 Toncoin / per day.
To get a reward Validator should
1. Win Validator election to validation cycle
- Successfully submit election — you need to have minimum 300k TON
- Win the election with a minimum of 400k TON, and also don’t be excluded because the maximum validator quantity on the election reached
2. Successfully validate blocks the whole Validation Cycle
Penalties
There are two ways validators can be penalized: idle and malicious misbehaving; both of which are prohibited and may result in being fined for their actions.
If a validator does not participate in block creation and transaction signing for a significant amount of time during a validation round, it is potentially fined. As of April 2023, the Standard fine accrued is 101 TON.
Any network participant can file a complaint if they believe a validator is misbehaving. During this process, the participant issuing the complaint must attach cryptographic proofs of misbehavior for Elector submission. All validators operating on the network check the validity of complaints and vote whether they will pursue the complaint collectively. Upon reaching 66% validator approval, a slashing penalty is deducted from the validator and withdrawn from the validator’s total stake.
How to become a Validator
Becoming a validator requires access to high-performance hardware on a highly available network, as minimum 300 000 TON as a stake. Validators stake Toncoin for a fixed specific term, and the stake is refunded with interest after the completion of a validation round.
Use MyTonCtrl, a convenient open-source tool for validators. Upon installation you can use the CLI or Web UI to manage your node.
Nominator pools
Nominator pools
Although operating as a validator requires a large amount of Toncoin, individuals with smaller amounts can contribute to network security by participating in validator pools.
