Solana unveils onchain governance with stake-weighted voting

Solana launches onchain governance, enabling validators with 100,000+ SOL to propose and vote on changes. Proposals need 15% stake support, and delegators can override validator votes. Voting is stake-weighted and Merkle-verified.

Solana has introduced Solana Governance Proposals (SGPs), an onchain governance system featuring stake-weighted voting for protocol decisions. Validators with at least 100,000 SOL delegated can propose changes. For a proposal to advance to a formal vote, it must first receive support from at least 15% of the total staked SOL. Voting occurs onchain, with each validator's influence proportional to their stake. The process uses Merkle proofs to ensure transparency and verifiability. A key feature is the delegator override, which allows SOL delegators to override their validator’s vote or abstention, ensuring delegators maintain direct influence over governance outcomes. SGPs are intended for high-level decisions about the network’s direction, while technical upgrades remain under separate improvement documents. This governance model aims to boost community engagement, decentralize decision-making, and make Solana more responsive to its participants.