Vote for a BPoS Node
Voting for nodes is how the Elastos community decides which validators secure the network. First you stake ELA (lock it); then you vote by pledging that stake to a node. Rewards come from that vote (pledge), not from staking alone. Together, voters help determine the active validator set that produces blocks.
How Voting Works
- You stake (lock) ELA, then vote by pledging that stake to a BPoS node (see Stake ELA)
- Your vote weight depends on the pledged amount and the pledge duration
- The top nodes by total staking rights become active validators
- You earn rewards when your pledge is active and your chosen node is eligible—voting earns rewards, not merely locking ELA
Staking Rights
Your voting power is calculated using the staking rights formula:
Staking Rights = E x log(T / 720)
Where E is the amount of ELA pledged in the vote and T is the pledge time in blocks. Longer pledge durations give proportionally more voting power, which increases reward potential while that vote is active.
Choosing a Node
When evaluating nodes, consider:
| Factor | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Uptime | High uptime means the node is reliable |
| Commission rate | Lower rates mean more of the voter share stays with pledgers |
| Community reputation | Known operators with transparent communication |
| Total staking rights | Nodes need 80,000+ staking rights to be eligible for validation |
Browse all available nodes at staking.elastos.net/nodes or through the Essentials wallet.
Voting in Essentials
- Open Essentials and go to the BPoS Voting section
- Browse the list of BPoS nodes
- Select the node you want to support
- Set your stake amount and pledge duration
- Confirm the transaction
Changing Your Vote
After your pledge expires, re-vote to continue earning—cast a new pledge (same or different node). That is a new vote/pledge flow, not “re-staking” in the sense of restarting rewards without voting. Pledge periods cannot be shortened once set, but they can be extended while active.
Reward Distribution
When your pledge is active and the node is earning, rewards from the BPoS allocation are split:
- 75% goes to voters (pledged stake—this is your share as a voter)
- 25% goes to the validator (node operator)
APR varies by network conditions. Use the Staking Calculator to estimate your rewards.
Active Validator Set
The Elastos BPoS network has a validator count that is variable under BPoS. There are typically ~70 BPoS validators plus 12 Elastos Council nodes operating under the Elastic Consensus model, which combines three mechanisms (see nodes.elastos.net for the live set):
- AuxPoW (Auxiliary Proof of Work): merge-mining with Bitcoin for security
- BPoS (Bonded Proof of Stake): staking-based validation for decentralization
- Proof of Integrity: Elastos Council oversight for governance
Validators must meet technical requirements and accumulate at least 80,000 staking rights from community delegators to become eligible for block production.