Validator Slashing
A penalty mechanism in PoS networks: when a validator breaks the rules, part of its stake is destroyed automatically. On TON slashing applies to missed blocks, double-signing and prolonged downtime.
Aliases: slashing, validator penalty
Validator slashing is an automatic penalty in a PoS network that destroys part of a misbehaving validator’s stake. It is the economic guarantee that running a validator honestly is more profitable than cheating.
What gets you slashed
Rules differ by chain, but the standard triggers are:
- Double signing. Signing two different blocks at the same height — a finality-attack signature.
- Long downtime. Validator node unreachable for an extended window, reducing throughput.
- Failure to vote on finality. Under BFT finality, missing the votes equals withholding consensus.
Slashing on TON
TON slashing is milder than on Ethereum. Basic rules:
- Validators must sign blocks in catchain consensus.
- Block misses lower rating and reduce reward share; extreme cases withhold part of the stake.
- Slashing is intentionally restrained — TON Foundation has opted not to scare validators with harsh penalties in the network’s early years.
What this means for nominators
If you delegate TON through a nominator pool or liquid staking (e.g. stTON), you carry a proportional slashing risk. This matters especially for LRT holders, where slashing can cascade across layers.