Validator network
A jury you can't see, can't bribe, and can't outrun.
Sudo's validator network is the impartial layer behind escrow disputes, attendance proofs and high-trust actions across the protocol.
412
Active validators
5,000
Min bonded SUDO
11h
Median verdict time
0
Successful collusion attempts
5 validators selected from the active set. Identities hidden. Votes revealed only after the commit window closes.
Tally
commit window 14:23
Majority threshold reached — funds will be released to seller on window close.
Inside a dispute
A live look at the panel.
When a dispute is filed, a 3-of-5 (or 5-of-7) panel is drawn at random. Each validator commits a hashed vote, then reveals it after the window closes. Majority wins — funds release immediately.
- VRF-based selection — provably fair, can't be gamed
- Identities hidden until after the reveal phase
- Commit-reveal voting prevents copying or bandwagoning
- All votes & reasons posted on-chain after settlement
Properties
Why this network is hard to attack
Randomly selected
Each dispute draws a fresh panel using on-chain VRF, weighted by stake.
Hidden until reveal
Identities are sealed via commit-reveal. No collusion, no targeted bribes.
Odd-numbered panels
Always 3, 5 or 7 validators. Majority rules. No ties.
Slashable stake
Vote against majority or miss the window — your stake is slashed.
Earn fees + emissions
60% of escrow fees and a slice of token emissions flow to active validators.
Open onboarding
Bond 5,000 SUDO + pass the validator onboarding quest. No allow-lists.
Lifecycle
The journey of a single dispute
- 01
Dispute filed
Either party hits 'Dispute' in the escrow card. The contract freezes funds and emits a DisputeOpened event. - 02
Panel selected (VRF)
Chainlink VRF + on-chain entropy pick 3, 5 or 7 validators weighted by stake. Identities are encrypted to each chosen validator. - 03
Evidence shared
Both parties post evidence encrypted to the panel. Validators have 24h to review. - 04
Commit phase
Each validator submits a hash(vote, salt). Nobody knows anyone else's vote. 12-hour window. - 05
Reveal phase
Validators reveal vote + salt. The contract verifies, tallies, and releases or refunds funds. 6-hour window. - 06
Reward & slash
Majority validators earn the case fee. Minority validators are slashed proportionally — bigger stake, bigger slash.
Validator dashboard
412 active
Median bond: 28,400 SUDO · Average APY: 14.6%
- v.helena.eth↑ 99.4%
- arc.dao↑ 98.1%
- 0x21a…b9c↑ 96.7%
- node.shibuya↑ 99.0%
Becoming a validator
Anyone with skin in the game can apply.
Bond at least 5,000 SUDO, complete the validator onboarding quest, and you'll start receiving disputes within 24 hours. There are no allow-lists, no committees, no Sudo-team approvals.
- Bond from 5,000 to 250,000 SUDO — bigger bonds = more dispute weight
- Onboarding quest covers protocol rules, evidence weighting and red flags
- Optional: anonymise your identity behind a Sudo-issued zk-credential
- Withdraw your bond after a 14-day cool-down — no permission needed
Threat model
What we protect against
Sybil attack
Stake-weighted selection makes spinning up fake validators economically irrational.
Bribe attack
Hidden identities + commit-reveal voting means a briber doesn't know who to bribe.
Lazy quorum
Validators that miss the reveal window are slashed and rotated out automatically.
Sudo team coercion
Selection is on-chain VRF — Sudo Labs literally cannot influence the panel.
Fork-and-flip
Vote-tracking is recorded with timestamps; double-voting is provably slashable.
Censorship
Disputes can be filed from any wallet; the relay can be self-hosted via the open-source dispatcher.
FAQ
Validators, answered
How much can I earn?+
Are validators KYC'd?+
What if I disagree with the rules?+
Can I run multiple validator nodes?+
What happens to slashed funds?+
Can validators see my chats?+
Become part of the network