What are PulseChain Validators? (Hardware Requirements, Yield, Decentralization and More)

If you're interested in becoming a validator on the PulseChain network, it's essential to understand the role, responsibilities, and requirements of a validator. 

In this article, we'll delve into what a PulseChain Validator is, how to become one, the importance of staking, rewards and penalties, and much more. 

Let's start by understanding the basics.

What are PulseChain Validators?

A PulseChain Validator, also called a PulseChain Validator Node, is a crucial component of a consensus mechanism used to confirm and validate transactions on the PulseChain network. 

Each validator is represented by a balance, public key, and other properties.

Validator nodes play a pivotal role in maintaining the integrity and security of the blockchain system.

In just a few months after the PulseChain launch, over 33,000 PLS validators have been initiated. 

They are currently earning 18% APR and have staked over 1 Trillion PLS.

For updated stats visit https://launchpad.pulsechain.com/en/

How Do PulseChain Validators Work?

Validators are incentivized through a combination of rewards and penalties for their actions in the PulseChain network.

Rewards are given to validators for proposing and attesting to blocks that are included in the chain, contributing to the network's consensus.

Penalties are imposed on validators for being offline or behaving maliciously, such as attesting to invalid or contradicting blocks.

Validators also receive unburnt gas fees when proposing blocks, adding an additional incentive for active participation.

The size of rewards and penalties depends on various factors, including the total amount of stake in the network and the validator's balance.

Block rewards are calculated using a sliding scale based on the total amount of PLS staked, encouraging more validators to join the network.

Slashing serves as a deterrence mechanism against malicious behavior, making it expensive to attack the network and ensuring validators fulfill their duties.

The severity of penalties for being offline depends on the supermajority of validators online, with harsher penalties if more than 1/3 of validators are offline simultaneously.

Validators with uptime greater than 50% are expected to be net profitable, encouraging active participation without extreme backup measures.

Slashing prevents slashed validators from further participation in the protocol and forcibly exits them from the network.

How To Become a PulseChain Validator

Becoming a validator will require a financial investment as well as a significant learning period. Follow these steps:

1. Learn the Validator Responsibilities. 

The success of the PulseChain upgrades relies on validators understanding their risks and responsibilities. Refer to the Validators FAQ for more information.

2. Prepare Your Validator Nodes.

To become a PulseChain validator, you need to run both an execution client and a consensus client. Ensure you are fully prepared by following the hardware checklist.

3. Practice on a PulseChain Testnet v4.

Before staking real PLS, it is highly recommended to practice the entire process on testnet v4. This allows you to get comfortable with the procedures without risking actual funds.

4. Beware of Phishing.

Be cautious of phishing attacks. Familiarize yourself with the signs and learn how to avoid falling victim to them. Review the provided phishing guide for useful information.

5. Initiate the Deposit.

Once you are confident and ready, proceed with generating your keys and depositing your PLS to become a validator.

6. Wait for Activation.

After completing the setup and deposit, your validator will not become active immediately. Utilize this time to tick off items on the checklist and gain extra practice on a testnet.

Who Runs the PulseChain Validators?

The PulseChain Validators are operated by a distributed network of individuals, organizations and potentially institutions in the future. 

Any entity that has 32,000,000 PLS and the necessary software can run a PulseChain Validator. 

What are the PulseChain Validators Hardware/Software Requirements?

To become a PulseChain validator, you need to ensure your hardware/software meet certain requirements. 

Firstly, you must run both an execution client and a consensus client, as third-party providers for execution layer responsibilities are no longer viable options since the Merge. The Mainnet execution chain data alone requires around 1TB of storage as of May 2022 and is growing rapidly at more than 1GB per day. 

Additionally, PulseChain's size will continue to increase over time, especially with the introduction of sharding, which will further increase storage, memory, and bandwidth demands. It's crucial to use SSD storage to maintain the necessary read/write speeds and ensure your drive has enough space until you run node maintenance.

Checking the CPU and RAM requirements is also essential. Different clients have varying resource usage, so it's vital to research the specific client you plan to use, especially if you have resource constraints.

A reliable and uninterrupted internet connection is crucial for validators. Ideally, your internet should be available 24/7 without interruptions. Additionally, ensure your bandwidth is not throttled or capped, as this can affect your node's ability to stay in sync with the network and be ready to validate when needed. 

Adequate upload bandwidth is also necessary, which as of May 2022, is approximately 1.2-1.3 GB download and 0.9-1 GB upload per hour, and these figures may increase over time. Having a stable internet connection is vital to fulfill your validator's duties effectively.

How Much Can You Make as a PulseChain Validator?

The reward calculation for validators depends on the number of validators and the total amount of PLS staked in the network. In general, the more PLS staked in the network, the lower the individual validator's reward rate. Conversely, with fewer validators, the reward rate may be higher.

The annual return rate for a validator can fluctuate significantly, and it's difficult to provide an exact figure. Depending on the network's circumstances, the annual return rate for a validator can vary anywhere between 2% to 20%.