The number of validator nodes on the Solana blockchain has significantly decreased from a peak of 2,560 in March 2023 to 795, marking a 68% reduction. According to PANews, this decline has raised concerns about the network's decentralization, as increased operational costs and zero-fee competition make it challenging for smaller node operators to sustain their operations.
Independent validator node operator Moo expressed on the X platform that many small validators are contemplating shutting down their nodes, not due to a lack of confidence in Solana, but because of economic difficulties. Moo highlighted that large validators charging 0% fees leave smaller validators unprofitable, turning decentralization into a "charitable act."
Furthermore, Solana's decentralization metric, the Nakamoto Coefficient, has dropped from 31 in March 2023 to 20, a decrease of 35%. This metric assesses the degree of decentralization in a blockchain, and its decline indicates a more concentrated distribution of Solana's staked supply, reducing the network's decentralization.
The surge in operational costs is likely a major factor behind the reduction in validator nodes. According to technical documentation from Solana validator node Agave, validators must hold at least 401 SOL annually to cover voting fees, in addition to hardware and server costs, requiring an initial investment of approximately $49,000 in SOL tokens to maintain operations. The Solana Foundation has yet to comment on the situation.