Specification
## Abstract This MIP proposes an increase to the maximum active validator set from 200 to 300. The current active validator set is capped at 200. Raising the cap expands participation without introducing abrupt load changes to the consensus layer (MonadBFT) or execution pipeline. ## Specification ### Parameters | Parameter | Current Value | Proposed Value | |---|---|---| | `ACTIVE_VALSET_SIZE` | 200 | 300 | `ACTIVE_VALSET_SIZE` SHOULD be increased from 200 to 300. ### Consensus and Execution Layer Impact This MIP affects the consensus layer (MonadBFT). The active validator set size directly governs the number of participants in each consensus round. The execution daemon is unaffected unless validator set membership is read by on-chain contracts, in which case any such contracts SHOULD be reviewed for compatibility. The consensus daemon enforces `ACTIVE_VALSET_SIZE` as an upper bound on the number of validators eligible to participate in block proposal and voting at any given epoch. The selection mechanism for which validators fill the active set (e.g., by stake) is unchanged by this MIP. ## Rationale An increment of 100 represents a meaningful expansion (~50%) without dramatically altering the message complexity in MonadBFT's voting rounds. Larger single-step increases carry higher risk of unforeseen performance degradation; smaller increments would add process overhead without proportionate benefit. The increase allows for greater decentralization in the active set, enforcing stronger fault tolerance and economic security. ## Backwards Compatibility This MIP does not introduce backwards incompatibilities. The change is additive: existing validators in the active set are unaffected. The hard-coded `ACTIVE_VALSET_SIZE = 200` MUST be updated to `300` to support the new parameter values prior to activation. ## Security Considerations **Consensus scalability**: Increasing the active validator set increases the number of messages exchanged per consensus round in MonadBFT. **Sybil risk**: Expanding the set without changes to the stake-based selection mechanism does not meaningfully increase Sybil risk. No additional mitigations are required. ## Copyright Copyright and related rights waived via [CC0](../LICENSE.md).
Forum discussion
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mip 9 title Active Set Increase description Increase the `ACTIVE_VALSET_SIZE` from 200 to 300. author Jackson Lewis ( @jacksononchain ) status Draft type Standards Track category Core created 2026-03-19 Abstract This MIP proposes an increase to the maximum active validator set from 200 to 300. The current active validator set is capped at 200. Raising the cap expands participation without introducing abrupt load changes to the consensus layer (MonadBFT) or execution pipeline. Specification Parameters Parameter Current Value Proposed Value ACTIVE_VALSET_SIZE 200 300 ACTIVE_VALSET_SIZE SHOULD be increased from 200 to 300. Consensus and Execution Layer Impact This MIP affects the consensus layer (MonadBFT). The active validator set size directly governs the number of participants in each consensus round. The execution daemon is unaffected unless...
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Please note the details have been adjusted, and the proposed change is to increase active set to 300.
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“As ‘Devnads’ and a potential validator, I support any developments that will help foster the Monad ecosystem.” Thank you for the information @jacksononchain
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In support of MIP-9, with a suggestion to use testnet more aggressively This MIP is well-scoped. The 50% increment is a reasonable step and the rationale is sound. One observation worth noting: the primary cost of increasing ACTIVE_VALSET_SIZE in MonadBFT is not bandwidth — it is signature aggregation latency at the leader. MonadBFT operates on O(n) message complexity in the happy path; each validator sends a signed vote directly to the next leader, who must aggregate those into a QC before proceeding. At 300 validators and 400ms block times, this is unlikely to be the bottleneck under nominal load. Under sustained peak throughput, however, the relationship between n and round latency has not been empirically characterized at this scale on a live network. A proposal for the testnet phase: rather than validating 300, CONSIDER targeting 500 as the testnet ceiling. Additionally, it wo...
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We agree with the updated proposal and are glad to see the active set increase to 300. We believe this is a positive step for the network, as it strengthens decentralization and broadens validator participation while still keeping the change measured and reasonable from a performance standpoint. We’re happy to support this decision and believe it will benefit the long-term health of the network.