Ronin on a mix of Proof of Authority (PoA) and Delegated Proof of Stake (DPoS) to gradually become more decentralized with more PoA and less of DPoS.
Consensus mechanism
Initial setup: Proof of Authority (PoA)
Ronin initially employed PoA where transactions are verified by pre-selected validators, providing fast but centrally controlled validation.
Transition to Delegated Proof of Stake (DPoS)
To advance decentralization, Ronin has integrated DPoS, allowing token holders to delegate their stakes to validators, enhancing the democratic and decentralized validation process.
DPoS features:
- Validator selection: Validators are chosen through token holder votes, increasing their stakes and potential to be selected as validators.
- Validator roles: Consists of Governing Validators (selected through PoA) and Standard Validators (chosen through DPoS by token stake).
- Block production: Validators take turns producing blocks, maintaining elements of PoA for continuity.
Validator dynamics
- 22 Validator slots: 12 are Governing Validators, and 10 are open to any qualifying Standard Validators.
- Daily updates: Validator stakes are updated daily, with the top 10 by stake becoming Standard Validators.
- Delegation: Token holders can delegate stakes to influence validator selection.
Staking and rewards
- Token: RON.
- Minimum stake: 250,000 RON to become a Validator Candidate.
- Reward distribution: Validators earn rewards from transaction fees and a portion of the staking rewards, distributed daily via smart contracts.
Security measures
- Clone attack prevention: Requires a supermajority to confirm transactions, minimizing the risk of block height duplication attacks.
- Slashing mechanisms: Penalties for validators engaged in malicious activities, enhancing network integrity.
Governance and operations
- Bridge operators: Manage asset transfers between Ronin and other EVM-compatible chains, with specific rewards and penalties.
- Maintenance and unavailability: Systems in place for maintenance modes and slashing for non-performance, ensuring operational continuity.
Transition to Ethereum L2
Ronin is migrating from an independent sidechain to an Ethereum Layer 2 using Optimism’s OP Stack with EigenDA for data availability and RON as the custom gas token.
The Saigon testnet completed its L2 migration on February 5, 2026, at block 45,528,550. The testnet chain ID changed from 2021 to 202601. The mainnet migration is planned for Q1–Q2 2026, with the mainnet chain ID remaining 2020.
For details on how the migration affects RPC queries on Chainstack nodes, see the Ronin tooling page.
Ronin’s hybrid consensus approach, combining PoA and DPoS, aims to balance efficiency with increased decentralization, reflecting the evolving landscape of blockchain governance. Last modified on February 14, 2026