❌ What is Slashing?
⚠️ What Is Slashing?
Slashing is an automatic penalty mechanism that removes a portion of a validator’s staked QIE coins — including both their own stake and their delegators’ stakes.
This penalty is enforced when a validator violates protocol rules or behaves in a way that harms the network.
Why Does Slashing Exist?
Slashing helps to:
Discourage harmful or careless behavior
Protect the security and integrity of the network
Align incentives so validators remain honest and active
Common Reasons for Slashing
Validators can be slashed for:
💤 Downtime: Being offline or missing block validations
⚔️ Double Signing: Signing two conflicting blocks at the same height (a serious fault)
🧊 Inactivity in Governance: (Optional) Failing to participate in on-chain governance votes if configured
🔒 Not Maintaining Minimum Self-Delegation: Validators must keep a minimum amount of their own coins staked to remain active
How Slashing Affects Delegators
When a validator is slashed, delegators’ stakes with that validator are also partially penalized
This creates a strong incentive to choose reliable and trustworthy validators
Summary
Slashing is a crucial security feature that:
Protects the network from bad actors
Encourages validators to perform their duties responsibly
Ensures delegators’ stakes are backed by honest participation
Last updated