Avalanche is strengthening its partnership with the Beam Network by minting $500,000 worth of Beam Node Tokens and committing to operate validator nodes.
The announcement follows Avalanche’s recent Etna upgrade, which introduced permissionless validation across its ecosystem. This upgrade enables subnets like Beam to gain greater autonomy and scalability.
Looking ahead, the Beam Network’s Horizon upgrade, expected in early 2025, will further decentralize the network by transitioning to a permissionless proof-of-stake system, allowing a broader range of participants to contribute to the network’s security and operations.
Source: BeamSupporting Decentralization with Beam Node Tokens
A key aspect of Avalanche’s contribution is the minting of Beam Node Tokens, introduced in December 2024. These tokens play a vital role in supporting decentralization by enabling users to run validator nodes. Validator nodes are crucial to maintaining a secure and efficient blockchain, as they process transactions and uphold the integrity of the network.
To operate a validator node on the Beam Network, participants must stake both ERC-721 Node Tokens and Beam’s native $BEAM tokens. This staking model encourages broader participation whilst maintaining network stability. Validator rewards, drawn from transaction fees, protocol incentives, and grants, provide additional incentives for contributors.
Avalanche’s decision to run its own validator nodes after the Horizon upgrade is complete will further enhance the network’s resilience. By increasing the number of active validators, the collaboration aims to distribute control and strengthen the Beam Network’s infrastructure.
Source: BeamGreater Flexibility for Beam Network
The groundwork for these developments was laid by Avalanche’s Etna upgrade, which was approved earlier this year. Etna introduced permissionless validation, enabling subnets to evolve into independent Layer-1 blockchains with customizable consensus mechanisms and governance structures.
The Horizon upgrade builds on these advancements, transitioning the Beam Network to a permissionless proof-of-stake system. This upgrade is designed to improve scalability, decentralization, and network resilience, making it more accessible to validators and developers.
Avalanche’s support for these upgrades highlights a shared commitment to advancing blockchain technology for gaming. Together, the two networks are laying the foundation for a decentralized and scalable infrastructure tailored to the unique demands of the gaming industry.
