Validator

A node that participates in consensus — proposing or attesting to blocks in exchange for rewards.

In Proof of Stake systems, validators stake collateral (tokens) as security deposit. Honest behavior earns rewards; misbehavior triggers slashing (loss of stake). In Proof of Work, the equivalent role is “miner” — competing through computational work.

Systems Connection

Validators are the active components in blockchain governance. They perform the function of state transition: deciding which transactions to include and in what order. The mechanism design of validator incentives determines whether the system achieves decentralization or concentrates power.

Key Dynamics

• Block production — validators propose new blocks
• Attestation — validators vote on block validity
• Reward/slashing — feedback aligning incentives

See Also

• Cryptoeconomics — parent domain
• Node — validators are a node type
• Consensus Mechanism — what validators participate in
• Tokenomics — economics of validation rewards