Cardano Open SPO Vote on k=1000

Cardano don move the k=1000 debate go on chain through one Info Action wey dem submit on September 17 during epoch 656. The proposal carry deposit of 100,000 ADA.

The vote no fit change the protocol parameter. E dey meant to measure whether enough SPO support dey for later Parameter Change Governance Action.

SPOs Go Decide Whether k=1000 Suppose Move Forward

The proposal dey ask whether stakePoolTargetNum, wey people sabi as k or nOpt, suppose increase from 500 to 1000.

Under the voting method wey dem declare, Yes must pass 50% of the applicable active stake wey registered SPOs dey control. Explicit Abstain votes no go count, but registered stake wey no vote still remain inside the calculation and e go therefore count against the Yes threshold.

DReps fit participate and publish voting reasons, but their votes no go count for the SPO result.

Because na Info Action, the 50% threshold no be wetin the protocol go enforce. Na the proposer talk say na the method dem go use interpret whether the poll show enough support to prepare separate parameter change proposal.

The action go expire for epoch 663 on October 21, 2026.

Wetin Raising k Go Change

The k parameter no dey determine the exact number of stake pools wey go operate. E define the network target number of fully saturated pools and e influence how stake and rewards go distribute.

For k=500, the indicative saturation point dey around 0.2% of the delegated supply, or approximately 75 million ADA under current conditions. If dem raise k to 1000, that level go reduce to around 0.1%, or roughly 37.5 million ADA.

Stake wey pass the saturation point still fit contribute to block production, but e no go generate extra maximum rewards. Because of that, delegators fit get stronger reason to move funds from saturated pools go smaller ones.

The change no go increase the total reward pool. Wetin e go change na how rewards go distribute across stake pools.

People wey support the move argue say lower saturation point fit spread delegation across wider pool base. Critics point out say large operators, exchanges and institutions fit create extra pool identities, meaning say k=1000 no go automatically produce more independent operators. Existing delegators too fit need to recheck their choices if their pools come saturate under the new limit.

Voting Rules Don Trigger Procedural Dispute

The submitted action build on top one earlier community draft wey dem associate with Cerkoryn, Ryan Wiley and other contributors. The on chain version keep some parts of that work but e change the voting methodology and governance framing.

The earlier approach focus on votes wey people actively cast and e exclude stake wey no participate. The submitted version follow standard CIP-1694 voting semantics, under which silence make am harder for Yes to cross the stated threshold.

Chris from the STR8 stake pool, wey submit the action, argue say the vote suppose use the established governance rules instead of custom calculation.

Contributors wey dem associate with the earlier draft don dispute both the revised methodology and the process wey dem use to move the proposal go on chain.

The disagreement therefore pass the value of k. E also concern whether nonparticipation suppose influence the result of nonbinding poll and how shared governance drafts suppose dey revised before submission.

Cardano don previously consider k=1000 for one 2023 SPO poll wey also include changes to the minimum pool cost. Options wey support k=1000 receive 69.64% by pool count but only 41.1% by delegated stake. Options wey keep k=500 receive 21.08% by pool count and 44.2% by stake.

Because that vote combine two parameters and e produce different results depending on the measurement wey dem use, e no establish clear standalone position on k.

The new action separate the question and e record the result through Cardano governance. The outcome no go directly change staking conditions, but e go determine whether the proposer fit claim enough SPO support to bring formal k=1000 parameter change forward.