P2P.org to Support Vara Network as Core Validator

<p>P2P.org is delighted to announce our strategic partnership as large-scale alpha-testers with Obol Network. This collaboration aligns us with a company that shares our vision for revolutionizing the decentralized staking landscape and driving the institutional adoption of ETH staking. <br></p><p>In this blog, we'll explore who Obol Network are, their groundbreaking contributions to Distributed Validator Technology (DVT), and how our united mission and values are redefining the standards for institutional Ethereum staking.<br></p><p><strong>Our Collaboration on Mainnet Alpha Distributed Validators</strong><br></p><p>Alongside Obol Network, we have been an integral part of a pivotal testing phase in the Ethereum staking community. Obol Network launched their Alpha phase in April this year, deploying the first set of Mainnet Distributed Validators initiated by the staking community. With their core team having laid the foundation in December 2022 by deploying the very first Mainnet DV, the participation since April has been nothing short of phenomenal. Over 45 organizations are now running Distributed Validators (DVs) on the Ethereum Mainnet in either solo or multi-org clusters.<br></p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/OjSs_U9tzrjilyZ-liIGwhIU14ut0KYn6P_BgomZrLnile1PYmWE5Oo-4jSthTgotkcaw7GlUO2LPzpfJkDQYQ12VldyBOWPNnnvKISrpZKWAWt7vxgExYJ35igfJCAuoxtaJmRLCEJHqCIrzc34uZg" class="kg-image" alt loading="lazy" width="602" height="339"></figure><p><br></p><p><strong>Who is Obol Network?</strong><br></p><p>The Obol Network is an ecosystem for trust-minimized staking that enables people to create, test, run &amp; coordinate distributed validators, focusing on Ethereum staking solutions. <br></p><p>According to their website, their mission is to foster trust minimized staking through multi-operator validation. This will enable low-trust access to Ethereum staking, which can be used as a core building block in various Web3 products.<br></p><p>With their open-source ethos and commitment to public good, Obol is breaking the norm. Fee collections from Obol V1 will be funneled into retroactive public goods funding, embodying a regenerative circular economics model. In simple terms, Obol is about as trust-minimized as it gets, using advanced cryptography to eliminate the need to trust any single staking operator.<br></p><p><strong>A Deep Dive into the Testing Structure</strong><br></p><p>Our collaborative efforts have also extended into in-depth testing structures. Currently, we're actively involved in deploying distributed validator clusters on the Görli testnet, with varying node counts and scaling up to thousands of validators per cluster. These comprehensive tests assess various key metrics, including the effectiveness of validator duties, missed duties, and inclusion distances, among others. Additionally, the studies are focused on evaluating the operational cost efficiencies of running Distributed Validator clusters and the impact of MEV-boost on these configurations.<br></p><p>Obol Labs, the core research and development team for the Obol Network, is working closely with us and other participants to compile performance reports, making the data accessible for further insights. These collaborative research efforts are pivotal for understanding the cost per validator in different infrastructural setups and assessing the impact of DVT on enterprise validator profitability.<br></p><p>Through this extensive and rigorous testing, both P2P.org and Obol Network are gathering the critical data needed to deploy distributed validators on the Ethereum mainnet with complete confidence. We are committed to helping our partners optimize their infrastructure, better understand DV's capabilities, and share key performance insights with the broader community.<br></p><p><strong>What is DVT? </strong><br></p><p>So, what's all the fuss about Distributed Validator Technology? Traditional validator nodes in the Ethereum network present a critical weakness—they are all single points of failure. Obol DVs eliminate this Achilles heel by allowing multiple nodes to perform the duties of an Ethereum validator as a cluster. This innovation leads to an exceptional boost in resilience, fault tolerance, and—most importantly—security. To illustrate, each node within a DV cluster operates with a key share. Obol's DV middleware, Charon, collects the individual signatures from each node within a cluster and uses threshold signing to generate the full validator signature for attesting and producing blocks. For each cluster, as long as more than 66% of the nodes are live (i.e., 3 of 4, 5 of 7, etc.), the cluster will function normally. Key advantages of DVs include improving fault tolerance, since you can have some nodes down without the validator going offline, and improving security as the full private key never exists in one place, making it exceedingly difficult for attackers to compromise the system. DVT also allows for increased decentralization as operators can now collaborate in multi-operator validation.<br></p><p><strong>Joint Mission and Values between P2P.org and Obol Network</strong><br></p><p>As we transition into this partnership, we must note that our core values resonate deeply with Obol's principles. We both harbor a steadfast commitment to decentralized validation and trust minimization. Our shared focus on transparency, security, and regenerative economics makes this collaboration more than just a business arrangement—a unified vision for the future of Ethereum staking.<br></p><ol><li><strong>Open Source &amp; Transparency:</strong> P2P.org and Obol Network adhere to open-source philosophies. This transparency ensures the broader community can engage, contribute, and benefit from our joint efforts.<br></li><li><strong>Public Good:</strong> Obol's commitment to channeling fees into public goods resonates with our belief in fostering a decentralized ecosystem that benefits everyone, not just a privileged few.<br></li><li><strong>Trust Minimization:</strong> In a world filled with centralized traps, P2P.org and Obol Network are bastions for trust-minimized, decentralized platforms. We aim to reduce reliance on any single operator, making the staking process as secure as possible.<br></li><li><strong>Innovation &amp; Security: </strong>Our collaborative work aims to push the envelope in DVT, improving key distribution, fault tolerance, and geographic redundancy.<br></li></ol><p>By converging our strengths in these areas, P2P.org and Obol Network are collectively accelerating the development and adoption of next-gen decentralized staking solutions. <br></p><p>As always, we pledge to uphold our core values, summarized by the acronym STATS:<br></p><p><strong>Security:</strong></p><p>Our top concern is safeguarding your staked resources and personal information. By utilizing a non-custodial staking model and fortified systems, we aim to provide unmatched security and operational excellence.<br></p><p><strong>Transparency:</strong></p><p>We're committed to being transparent in all our endeavors and governance choices. We consistently disclose essential financial details and project updates to keep our community well-informed.<br></p><p><strong>Asset Rewards:</strong></p><p>Our goal is to amplify returns and value for our clientele. We apply our vast industry know-how to back thriving networks and make informed governance decisions.<br></p><p><strong>Technology:</strong></p><p>We take great pride in our extensive understanding of the staking networks we support, underscored by a staking infrastructure with an average network uptime exceeding 99%.<br></p><p><strong>Smart Governance:</strong></p><p>We're staunch believers in the decentralizing power of blockchain technology, which we see as the cornerstone of the digital age. We act as your proxy within each network, advocating for your interests when you can't.<br></p><p>As we journey through this exciting chapter, we'd like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to our community for their unwavering support. Stay tuned for more updates on this synergistic partnership that promises to redefine what's possible in Ethereum staking.<br></p><p>Join us as we pioneer the future for a more decentralized future for everyone.<br></p>

<p></p><h3 id="introduction"><strong>Introduction</strong><br></h3><p>Since 2018, we have dedicated ourselves to creating the pinnacle of secure staking solutions, especially within the Ethereum ecosystem. As of June 2023, our operations span over 50 networks, managing staked assets exceeding $1.6B. Recent enhancements to our Platform bolster our enterprise-level staking service, enabling easy integration for custodians, wallets, and neo-banks through a streamlined API. P2P.org stands as a vanguard in the drive for non-custodial staking at the institutional level, consistently pioneering methods to boost its widespread acceptance.<br></p><p>We're now pleased to announce further enhancements as P2P.org and SSV Network are collaborating to bring an upcoming integration of SSV distributed validators staking within the P2P.org staking platform. This enhancement will become a significant milestone for us, making it easier for institutions to manage their portfolio of digital assets and staking strategies utilizing DVT technologies.<br></p><h3 id="dvt-the-institutional-bridge"><strong>DVT, the institutional bridge</strong><br></h3><p>Our vision is to provide institutional investors, their preferred custodians, and B2B wallets with a single integration point to the staking-related services.<br></p><p>We've been working closely with custodians, self-custody services, and wallets and collected the following understanding of their key concerns:<br></p><ul><li>Being risk-averse, a need for comprehensive controls for all the risks associated with staking, including counterparty and slashing risks, is needed.</li><li>They need the ability to use multiple staking providers based on the staker's preference and decentralization considerations.</li><li>They have little appetite for maintaining multiple integrations with these providers, so ease of use and integration are critical.<br></li></ul><p>DVT technology represents an excellent opportunity to create a compelling offer for institutional investors that would address these needs. Once integrated with SSV, the P2P.org staking platform will also receive an additional differentiation that will help its positioning as a single integration point across various staking services, including direct and liquid staking across multiple networks and DVT-based staking. <br></p><p>While many can only offer staking across various providers as a part of a liquid staking option, P2P.org will provide a unique opportunity to stake directly to multiple institutional node operators.<br></p><h3 id="considering-institution-requirements"><strong>Considering institution requirements</strong><br></h3><p>Institutional staking solutions need to reflect important aspects of how hedge funds, VCs, Family Funds, and other similar entities operate in various technical and legal environments:<br></p><ul><li>Funds are typically managed via custody, a B2B wallet, or a crypto-friendly bank.</li><li>These intermediaries would typically be very risk averse and require explicit controls for counterparty risk, slashing risk (e.g., insurance), and legal risk, including OFAC compliance with the MEV relays.</li><li>They would often employ highly skilled professionals requiring control of the specific MEV relays in use and access to quasi-real-time monitoring.<br></li></ul><p>With these points in mind, we envision the Platform built with the following approach:<br></p><ul><li>API first: building for easy integration with the custodians and wallets</li><li>Whitelisted node operator set: Pick the locations and partners that would be capable of supporting each specific institutional requirements</li><li>Built-in reporting capabilities for better tax reporting and rewards management for their specific jurisdictions<br></li></ul><h3 id="payment-simplification"><strong>Payment simplification</strong><br></h3><p>SSV Network operates on a tokenomics model where SSV tokens are essential for availing the validator services. On the other hand, institutional stakers are familiar with two prevalent fee structures: monthly billing and an automatic deduction of validator fees from their cumulative staking rewards. In the latter case, stakers receive slightly diminished rewards, for instance, 95% of the total if there's a 5% validator commission, ensuring a hassle-free payment process for the validator.<br></p><p>P2P.org will keep this arrangement as much as possible within the SSV integration, so we must navigate the discrepancy between the clients' preferred pay method and the SSV tokenomics model.<br></p><h3 id="only-trusted-operators-need-to-apply"><strong>Only trusted operators need to apply</strong><br></h3><p>Due to the Platform's emphasis on institutional needs and the additional demands this places on node operators, we anticipate that the Platform will function with a pre-approved list of node operators, at least in the immediate to medium future. The P2P.org team will oversee the management and integration of node operators, drawing from the expertise we've gained through various partnerships with similar technical requirements. <br><br>Essential criteria for node operators will encompass the following:<br></p><ul><li>Reputable providers with proven track records for managing large amounts of stake and working with institutions</li><li>High-performance track record, as measured by rated network or similar tools</li><li>Consent to operate with the standard SSV fees assigned by the Platform</li><li>Commitment to providing the infrastructure that would be diversified geographically, as well as client software-wise, and MEV relay-wise</li><li>Potentially, commitment to providing slashing insurance<br></li></ul><p>In the future, node operator participation can be opened to a broader group of node operators.</p>