How To Choose a Validator for Staking

Choosing good validators is crucial for both your staking returns and the health of the Sei Network. Here are the key factors to consider when making your selection:

Key Validator Metrics to Evaluate

1. Commission Rate

   • This is the percentage of staking rewards the validator keeps
   • Lower commission rates mean more rewards for you
   • Typical range: 1-10%
   • Be cautious of 0% commissions as they may not be sustainable long-term

2. Voting Power

   • The percentage of the network's total stake that this validator controls
   • For network health, consider delegating to validators with lower voting power
   • Spreading stake across many validators improves decentralization

3. Uptime / Performance

   • Look for validators with 99%+ uptime
   • Check if they've been recently jailed for downtime
   • Consistent performance means better security and fewer missed rewards

4. Security Practices

   • Research the validator's infrastructure setup
   • Established validators often share their security measures publicly
   • Look for mentions of redundancy, monitoring, and disaster recovery

5. Governance Participation

   • Active participation in governance shows commitment to the network
   • Check their voting history on past proposals
   • Some validators publish their governance positions and reasoning

6. Community Contributions

   • Does the validator contribute to Sei's ecosystem?
   • Contributions can include running infrastructure, developing tools, creating educational content
   • Active community members are more likely to remain committed long-term

How to Research Validators

Using SeiScan

1. Visit SeiScan
2. Navigate to the "Validators" tab
3. Sort by various metrics (commission, voting power)
4. Click on individual validators to see detailed profiles

Checking Validator Websites and Social Media

• Many validators maintain websites explaining their operations
• Check their Twitter/Discord for engagement with the community
• Look for transparency in their communications

Risk Management Strategies

Diversification

• Consider spreading your stake across 3-5 validators
• This reduces the impact if one validator faces issues
• Also improves network decentralization

Regular Review

• Periodically check your validators' performance
• Be prepared to redelegate if a validator changes commission or has performance issues

Monitor for Changes

• Commission rates can change (usually with notice)
• Validators can become inactive or be slashed
• Stay informed about your chosen validators

Common Questions

Q: Is it better to choose validators with higher or lower voting power?
A: From a network health perspective, choosing validators with lower voting power helps improve decentralization. However, larger validators may have more resources for reliable infrastructure.

Q: How important is the commission rate?
A: While important for your returns, it shouldn't be the only factor. A reliable validator with slightly higher commission might be better than an unreliable one with low commission.

Q: What happens if my validator gets slashed?
A: A portion of your staked tokens (up to 5% depending on the infraction) could be slashed if your validator double-signs or commits other serious violations.

Q: Can I move my stake if I choose poorly?
A: Yes, you can redelegate your stake to a different validator without waiting for the unbonding period. However, you can only redelegate from the same validator once every 7 days.