The network supports a maximum of 105 active validators at any time(PIP-4). New validators can join the active set only when an existing validator unbonds or is removed for poor performance.To apply for a validator slot, submit an application at the Polygon validators hub. Submitting an application does not guarantee a slot.
What validators run
To participate as a validator, you must operate two types of nodes:- Sentry node: a Heimdall node and a Bor node, open to all peers on the network. Acts as a public-facing entry point.
- Validator node: a Heimdall node and a Bor node, accessible only through its sentry node and closed to the rest of the network.
StakeManager contract’s minDeposit parameter and set by governance proposal PIP-70. An earlier proposal, PIP-4, had called for raising the minimum to 10,000 POL, but that figure was never enforced on-chain; minDeposit stayed at 1 POL until PIP-70. This higher threshold applies to validators onboarding going forward.
What each layer does
Heimdall (consensus layer):- Monitors staking contracts on Ethereum mainnet.
- Verifies all state transitions on the Bor chain.
- Submits Bor chain state checkpoints to Ethereum mainnet.
- Elects the single block producer for each span (see below) and manages producer rotation on failure.
- Produces blocks on Polygon Chain.
- Since PIP-64 (Validator-Elected Block Producer / VEBloP), each span has a single elected block producer chosen by a stake-weighted validator vote, with designated backup producers on standby. If the active producer goes offline or misbehaves, Heimdall automatically rotates the span to a backup producer. This replaced the earlier model where any of ~20 producers per span could produce a block.
Validator responsibilities
Node operations
Node operations that happen automatically:- Block production by the validator-elected producer pool (VEBloP) — currently Anonymous 91–94, with one active producer per span and automatic rotation to a backup on failure.
- Stateless block verification on Bor by all non-producing validators (PIP-72).
- Checkpoint proposal and signing by every active validator: the proposer rotates via stake-weighted CometBFT selection, each checkpoint requires signatures for more than 2/3 of total stake, and its inclusion on Ethereum is confirmed back on Heimdall via
ack/no-ack. - State sync from Ethereum to Bor: Heimdall relays
StateSyncedevents once the Ethereum block is finalized, and Bor commits them at each sprint boundary (every 16 blocks).
Daily manual operations
- Maintain high uptime. A checkpoint transaction must be signed by every validator roughly every 15-20 minutes on average (the exact interval varies with network conditions). Missed signatures reduce your performance score.
- Check Heimdall and Bor services and processes daily. Prune nodes regularly to reduce disk usage.
- Monitor node health using Grafana dashboards (for example, Matic-Jagar) or your own tooling.
- Keep an ETH balance of 0.5 to 1 ETH on your signer address. You need ETH to sign and submit checkpoint transactions on Ethereum mainnet. Running low causes delays in checkpoint submission and downstream finality.
Delegation
- Accept delegation from the community. Each validator sets their own commission rate. There is no upper limit.
Communication
- Report issues early via Discord, Forum, or GitHub.
- Monitor Polygon forum announcements for node and validator updates.
Join the network as a validator
Use one of these guides to set up and run your validator node:Maintain your validator nodes
Community assistance
Related
- Polygon Chain overview: the dual-layer Heimdall + Bor architecture validators are securing.
- Run a node: hardware requirements and prerequisites for full or validator nodes.