Core Validator FAQs

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1. What is a Validator in the Core ecosystem?

In the Core ecosystem, "validator" refers to nodes or participants in the blockchain network that are responsible for verifying, validating, and adding new transactions to the blockchain. Validators play a crucial role in maintaining and securing the network.

2. How to Become a Validator?

• 1. To register as a validator on Core, you must be running a full node in validator mode. Please read the guides on validator nodes requirements and setting up validator nodes for information on how to set this up.
  2. Once that’s finished, the easiest way to register a new validator is by using one of our staking websites:
     1. Mainnet stake website
     2. Testnet stake website
  3. Connect your wallet by selecting Connect Wallet in the top right.
  4. Once connected, the register button should appear on the top right. Selecting register opens the following input form:

Provide information for each of the form's fields:

• Consensus address: the validator address you set when you initialized your validator full node.
• Fee address: the address used to collect commission fees.
• Commission: Revenue is split between the validator and its delegators, with the commission determining the percentage of delegator revenue allocated to the validator as compensation.
• Total deposit: the refundable CORE deposit locked up while performing validator services. On testnet, the minimum amount is 10,000 tCORE2. Whereas, on the mainnet, the minimum amount is 10,000 CORE.
  1. Once you've entered the required information, select Register to complete the registration process as a validator.
  2. A quick way to check that you've successfully registered your full node as a validator is to open the log file and search for the error message "unauthorized validator". This error occurs when this node is registered as a validator but not yet elected to the validator set.

3. What are the Hardware/Software Requirements for running a validator node on Core?

Validators are crucial for securing the network by producing blocks and validating transactions within the Core blockchain’s Satoshi Plus consensus framework.

Software Requirements: Currently, a Core Full Node can only run on macOS X and Linux.

Core Testnet Full Node Hardware Specifications

Requirements	Details
Storage	1 TB of free disk space, solid-state drive (SSD), gp3, 8k IOPS, 250MB/S throughput, read latency <1ms.
CPU	4 CPU cores
RAM	8 Gigabytes
Internet Speed	A broadband Internet connection with upload/download speeds of 10Mbps

Core Mainnet Full Node Hardware Specifications

Requirements	Details
Storage	1 TB of free disk space, solid-state drive (SSD), gp3, 8k IOPS, 250MB/S throughput, read latency <1ms.
CPU	8 CPU cores
RAM	32 Gigabytes
Internet Speed	A broadband Internet connection with upload/download speeds of 10Mbps

For more details, refer to Full Node Configuration Guide

4. What is the minimum amount of CORE tokens required to stake to become a validator?

On the Core network, validators are required to stake a certain minimum amount of CORE tokens, which are locked up for the duration that a validator node provides its services. On testnet, the minimum amount is 10,000 tCORE2. Whereas, on the mainnet, the minimum amount is 10,000 CORE.

5. How are validators rewarded in the Core ecosystem?

Validators earn rewards for their role in processing transactions, creating new blocks, and maintaining the blockchain's integrity. These rewards are critical for compensating Validators for their efforts and operational costs. The Core validators operate in a round-robin manner, and each active validator receives nearly the same amount of rewards every round. There are two categories of validator rewards:

1. Base rewards; i.e. newly minted CORE tokens;
2. Fees collected from transactions in each block;

Both Base rewards and Transaction fees are calculated and distributed when the last block of a round is mined. Currently, 90% of the rewards are allocated to the validators, and 10% of the rewards are allocated to the System Reward Contract. Of the 90% paid to validators, some percentage is taken as a commission by the validator before they pay out to their delegates. The portion validators' keep for themselves (commission fees) will be distributed directly to their fee addresses at the end of each round. Validators are required to share rewards with the delegators who staked Bitcoin, CORE, or delegated Bitcoin hash power to them. Each validator has an equal probability of producing blocks, so in the long run, all stable validators should get a similar portion of the reward.

6. When are rewards paid out?

Cycle time for Core to distribute rewards is currently set to 1 day. Each day, 27 validators with the highest hybrid scores are elected to the validator set, thereby becoming responsible for producing blocks on the Core network for the entire round. At the end of each round, the accumulated rewards for that round are calculated and distributed.

7. What are the risks/penalties involved in being a validator?

Here's a condensed overview of the potential risks and penalties for validators in the Core ecosystem:

1. Slashing Risks: Validators face slashing for actions like double signing or failing to perform their duties, resulting in a loss of a portion of their staked CORE tokens.
2. Stake Lock-up and Liquidity Risk: Validators must lock up CORE tokens as collateral, which cannot be accessed during the lock-up period, thereby posing a liquidity risk during market volatility.
3. Jailing of Validators: Underperforming or protocol-violating validators can be temporarily removed from the validator set, preventing them from participating in consensus and earning rewards.
4. Loss of Delegation: If validators perform poorly or are frequently penalized, delegators may withdraw their support, significantly reducing the validator's earning potential.
5. Operational and Security Risks: Validators must maintain secure and efficient operations around the clock. Operational failures or security breaches can result in significant financial and reputational damage.

8. How does the validator election process work in the Core ecosystem?

The Validator election process in Satoshi Plus on the Core network involves several key steps, integrating both Proof of Work (PoW) and Proof of Stake (PoS) elements:

1. Stake Delegation: Holders of CORE and Bitcoin tokens delegate their tokens to validator candidates, influencing the election with their staked tokens.
2. Hash Power Delegation: Bitcoin miners contribute to validator selection by allocating a portion of their hash power, specified in the Bitcoin blocks they mine.
3. Validator Selection and Scoring: Validators are chosen based on a hybrid score combining delegated hash power from Bitcoin and staked tokens (CORE and Bitcoin). The hybrid for each validator is calculated based on:

$$S = rHp/tHp × m + ((rSp + rBp × n))/((tSp + tBp × n) ) × (1-m)$$

Where,

• rHp and tHp represent the hash power delegated to a validator and the total hash power, respectively.
• rSp and tSp represent the CORE tokens staked for a validator and total staked CORE tokens, respectively.
• rBp and tBp are the Bitcoin tokens delegated to a validator and total staked Bitcoin tokens, respectively.
• m and n are dynamic factors adjusting the weights of hash power and the voting power of Bitcoin versus CORE tokens.

4. Validator Set Formation: The top 27 validators, based on hybrid scores, are selected for the next round.

9. What is slashing, and what are the different slashing fees charged on the Core blockchain?

"Slashing" is a penalty applied to validators in a blockchain network for misconduct or failures in their duties. In the Core network, slashing can affect both potential rewards and deposited stakes.

• Rewards Slashing: If a validator fails to mine 50 consecutive blocks during their turn, all CORE token rewards accrued up to that point are lost. The impact is more significant if the failure occurs later in the round, as more rewards would have been accumulated by then.
• Deposit Slashing and Jailing: Failing to mine 150 consecutive blocks results in losing 10% of the validator's deposit and a three-day jailing, during which they cannot be elected to the validator set.
• Permanent Ban for Double Signing: Double signing, i.e., signing two different blocks at the same height, results in severe consequences, including the slashing of all rewards, the entire validator deposit, and a permanent ban from the network, effectively rendering the validator permanently ineligible.

10. When do validators get jailed? What is the duration?

There are two scenarios in which validators can be jailed.

1. Failing to mine 150 consecutive blocks results in losing 10% of the validator's deposit and a three-day jail term, during which they cannot be elected to the validator set.
2. Double signing can result in the slashing of all rewards, the entire validator deposit, and a permanent ban from the network, i.e., being jailed forever.

11. How frequently do Validators need to be online?

Validators are generally expected to be online and actively participating almost continuously.