Stellar Development Foundation engineers and ecosystem validators discuss network decentralization, node operations, and tier one validator requirements at Meridian conference. Speakers cover quorum set configuration, incentive structures, and the path to becoming a tier one validator.
Day one of Meridian's technical track features a panel on Stellar network decentralization with Marta Lakova from SDF's Stellar Core team, Konstantin Richter (Blockteeman CEO), and Torsten Stuber (SatoshiPay CTO). The discussion covers what decentralization means beyond node count, including infrastructure diversity, software vulnerabilities, and geographic distribution. Tier one validators currently number seven organizations running 23 nodes across multiple continents. The panel explores challenges in quorum set configuration, which is mathematically complex (NP-complete), and discusses informal processes for joining tier one. Key topics include lack of financial incentives for node operators compared to proof-of-stake networks, the role of transaction fees, regulatory considerations, and how infrastructure providers like Blockteeman balance centralization concerns with operational reliability.