👥 Validators vs Delegators

In the QIE network, both validators and delegators play essential roles in securing the blockchain and participating in its economic and governance systems. However, their responsibilities, risks, and rewards differ.

Below is a side-by-side comparison:

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🧑‍⚖️ Validators

Role	Actively participate in block production, consensus, and governance.
Responsibilities	- Propose and validate blocks - Secure the network via staking - Distribute rewards - Vote on governance proposals - Maintain node infrastructure
Rewards	Earn block rewards, transaction fees, and commissions from delegators.
Risks	Subject to slashing and jailing for: - Downtime - Double signing - Misbehavior
Requirements	- Run a full validator node - Maintain high uptime - Technical expertise - QIE self-stake
Governance	Full voting rights on proposals. Their votes influence network decisions.

🙋 Delegators

Role	Stake QIE coins with a trusted validator to earn passive rewards.
Responsibilities	- Choose trustworthy validators - Monitor validator performance - Redelegate or unbond as needed
Rewards	Receive a share of validator rewards after commission is deducted.
Risks	Can lose part of their stake if the validator is slashed.
Requirements	No need to run a node. Only requires holding QIE and choosing a validator.
Governance	Indirect. Delegator voting power is passed to the validator they stake with.

Feature	Validator	Delegator
Stake Required	Yes (self-stake)	Yes (delegated to validator)
Node Operation	Required	Not required
Reward Source	Block rewards + fees + commission	Share of validator rewards
Risk of Slashing	Yes	Yes (if validator misbehaves)
Technical Skill	High	Low
Governance Power	Direct	Indirect (via validator)

Validators and delegators work together to maintain network health. Validators secure and govern the chain, while delegators provide support and decentralization through their stake.

🤝 Choose your role based on your technical skills, risk tolerance, and level of involvement you want in the QIE ecosystem.