While the first phase of staking is already live on Starknet Sepolia, it’s important to emphasize that this is just the beginning of a broader plan to transform Starknet into a fully decentralized PoS network.

Here’s how we envision this transition:

💠 Phase 1: Introduction of staking with a permissionless staking protocol and stake delegation. Validators are expected to run a full node in preparation for the next phases.

💠 Phase 2: Validators will begin attesting to blocks, i.e., signing blocks when their turn is randomly selected.

💠 Phase 3: Validators will validate and vote on blocks sequenced by the sequencer, and their consensus will be proved to L1.

💠 Phase 4: Validators will be fully responsible for maintaining and securing the network by producing, attesting, and proving blocks.

We’ve chosen a gradual implementation for several reasons. This phased approach allows us to carefully roll out staking and make adjustments over time to meet the evolving needs of the community. The first phase in particular will provide valuable insights, enabling us to test, learn, and adapt based on community activity, feedback, and usage patterns. Additionally, this gradual rollout ensures a smooth experience for stakers, giving them time to prepare for their new responsibilities.

Please note that this is not a rigid or static plan; it may evolve based on what we observe along the way.