The Validator Connect Call featured a packed agenda, including key updates on Casper 2.0, Validator participation in governance, new validator tools, and ecosystem developments. Our comprehensive recap provides detailed insights to ensure you stay informed about the latest progress in the Casper ecosystem.
You can access the full recording of this latest Validator Connect Community session on YouTube.
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Presented by Michael Steuer (CTO, Casper Association)
Michael began the session with key updates. The integration of CSPR into Ledger Live enables users to purchase CSPR directly through the Ledger app. Michael noted this as a leap in accessibility, especially for retail users.
He then shifted focus to COWL Network, a Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Network (DePIN), which will rely on partnerships with Casper validators. He emphasized that COWL utilizes Casper’s unique infrastructure for real-world applications.
A new liquid staking protocol is being built alongside Casper 2.0, Michael explained. The protocol will capitalize on the new functionality introduced in Casper 2.0, allowing contracts to stake and un-stake directly on the network.
Michael highlighted increasing activity within Outlaw Dogs and APOC, both of which are NFT initiatives gaining traction within the Casper ecosystem. Both projects have partnered with XP Network.
“XP.Network’s cross-chain NFT bridge integration with Casper is expanding and is opening the Casper ecosystem to broader DeFi and blockchain applications,” he said.
Michael provided a detailed update on progress in governance. The Casper Validator Governance Forum and the Validator Guild Telegram Channel has become a focal point of discussions on key proposals like the Community Delegation Program, which aims to formalize parameters for delegation by the Casper Association, and ensure clear expectations for all validators involved.
Notably, the first on-chain vote for the testnet incentive program was recently conducted. The next governance vote is expected in early December, to determine the outcome of ongoing discussions about formalizing the Community Delegation Program. Michael encouraged validators to remain engaged and actively shape these governance processes.
The Community Delegation Program is the next governance milestone. “Discussions are ongoing in the Governance Forum to formalize parameters for this initiative, which will define how Casper Association’s stake is rotated among validators. Validators are expected to vote on these parameters in early December, and the association has committed to adhering to the outcome of that vote.
Michael also outlined plans to expand the Casper Association’s General Assembly membership to include community stakeholders. Currently, membership is limited, but the Association is working with legal advisors to define criteria and ensure compliance with Swiss governance regulations. Once finalized, General Assembly members will have direct influence over decisions like board elections and critical governance topics. This initial legal advisory process is expected to conclude by the end of the year.
“It’s crucial that delegators feel their voice is represented in network decisions,” said Michael. Validators will eventually report their voting intentions, and delegators will have the option to re-delegate based on alignment with their own governance priorities.
Finally, updates to the Casper Association’s Articles of Association will be drafted to give legal weight to on-chain votes.
“These milestones are part of a long-term process that aims to fully decentralize Casper’s governance framework by 2025,” Michael highlighted.
He closed by thanking the validator community for its participation and collaboration. He expressed optimism about the path forward, noting that Casper’s 2.0 upgrades will strengthen both its technological foundation and community governance.
Presented by Ed Hastings (Head of Engineering, Casper Association)
Ed Hastings provided a comprehensive overview of Casper 2.0. He confirmed that Release Candidate 5 (RC5) is expected to be finalized this week and will mark Casper 2.0 as feature-complete. This will enable the team to shift focus toward extensive internal testing. The testing will scale from 5 to 120 nodes to ensure that RC5 is robust and performs optimally across various network setups.
Another key improvement is the separation of delegator bids from validator data. “In the existing 1.x system, delegator bids were embedded within validator records, and this resulted in inefficiencies and increased computational overhead,” said Ed. The redesign lays the foundation for future improvements, including the ability to increase delegator limits beyond the current threshold of 1,200.
The introduction of pruning capabilities at the global state level will allow the system to remove records that no longer serve any purpose. While Casper 2.0 supports pruning dead bids and other obsolete data, more aggressive pruning capabilities are planned for subsequent releases.
Finally, Casper 2.0 introduces a redesigned rewards mechanism, promoting fairness and efficiency. The new system splits rewards into two components:
“The idea is to ensure underperforming validators no longer have an outsized impact on the network,” said Ed. “If a validator fails to participate adequately, their missed contribution becomes a linear issue rather than a scalar problem affecting the entire network.”
He also highlighted additional features that will be introduced in future iterations based on network readiness: “As of the first block of 2.0, we’re pruning global state to retain only relevant records going forward, reducing disk usage while maintaining efficiency.” He noted that variable block times and increased validator limits are gated behind chain spec settings and will be activated when the network is ready.
Ed encouraged validators to review the detailed breakdown of these updates in the Casper 2.0 Documentation.
Presented by Joe Sacher (Engineer, Casper Association)
Joe Sacher introduced the Sidecar as a core component of Casper 2.0, designed to externalize RPC functionality from the node. Since the Sidecar acts as a “circuit breaker” for the node, this architecture provides an additional layer of protection against potential DDoS attacks.
The Sidecar ensures that RPC iterations can occur without disrupting node operations. Previously, changes to RPC endpoints required full node updates, increasing complexity and downtime risks. By separating these processes, validators can now independently manage RPC, event streams, and speculative execution, improving system efficiency.
Joe described the Sidecar as a “circuit breaker” that isolates nodes from potential overload caused by high RPC traffic. Validators can run the Sidecar on the same machine as the node or deploy it on separate hardware for additional resilience.
The Sidecar offers customizable components that validators can enable or disable based on their needs:
Joe emphasized the flexibility of the Sidecar’s architecture also allows validators to optimize resource allocation:
For more information visit the Sidecar Repository.
The session wrapped up with an open Q&A, where Michael, Ed, and Joe addressed technical and governance-related questions from the community. Please note that most of the questions were already answered during the presentations.
Q: Are there any plans to integrate CSPR onto networks like Base?
Router Protocol, which connects Casper to over 35 other networks including Base, is finalizing security audits for its Casper integration. The integration enables seamless cross-chain interactions, including wrapped CSPR and more complex operations like bridging USDC to Casper and swapping it into a liquid staking token.
Q: Are there benchmarks comparing Casper 1.x and 2.0 performance?
Ed noted that Casper 2.0 reduces network pressure by sending fewer messages and using raw byte mechanisms for faster serialization. While storage demands depend on usage patterns, efficiency improvements in pruning and delegator bid management mean that the system requires less space for equivalent operations. Performance enhancements in transaction processing and new native transaction types will increase throughput for specific use cases.
Q: What is the realistic timeline for Casper 2.0’s mainnet launch?
Joe outlined the roadmap: RC5 is expected to cut this week, followed by extensive Devnet and testnet testing. The testnet phase will likely be extensive to ensure a smooth transition for node operators and developers. When a critical mass of readiness is established amongst the ecosystem, the validators can vote to launch Casper 2.0 on mainnet.
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