Polkadot Validators Must Post $3 Million Self-Stake by May 31

Polkadot's staking system is getting a major overhaul as validators face a new requirement to post a self-stake of at least 10,000 DOT. This change, which will be implemented by May 31, aims to shift the slashing risk from ordinary stakers to validators themselves.

The move comes through a governance vote, known as Referendum 1890, which has already received 100% support on OpenGov, Polkadot's governance system. Validators who fail to post the bond risk being removed from the active set.

Once implemented, nominators will become unslashable and the unbonding period will be reduced from 28 days to 24-48 hours. The change is part of a broader redesign aimed at making staking more accessible and rewarding for validators.