Polkadot Shakes Up Staking with 10,000 DOT Self-Stake Requirement

Polkadot is making significant changes to its staking system, aiming to remove two major barriers to staking for everyday users. A recent governance vote, Referendum 1890, has required every validator to post a self-stake of at least 10,000 DOT by May 31. This move shifts all slashing risk away from ordinary stakers and onto the validators themselves.

Once enacted, nominators will become unslashable, and the unbonding period will shrink from 28 days to 24-48 hours. The change is a key step towards Polkadot's staking redesign, with new validator rewards set to be introduced by mid-June. These rewards will be tied to validators' self-stake and will come with a one-year vesting period.

The shift in slashing risk is seen as a major improvement for everyday users, who were previously exposed to the economic risks of staking. By forcing validators to carry this exposure, Polkadot aims to make its staking system more attractive and user-friendly.