Polygon Rio Hardfork Launched for Stablecoin Transactions
Polygon’s Rio hardfork launched on Oct 8, adding stateless validation and VEBLoP system to improve stablecoin payment processing and transaction finality.
Polygon deployed the Rio hardfork on Wednesday, October 8, implementing network upgrades aimed at increasing throughput and reducing transaction reversals. The upgrade introduces stateless validation and a Validator-Elected Block Producer (VEBloP) system to handle block production more efficiently.
Stateless validation allows validators to confirm blocks without maintaining the full blockchain history, which can include gigabytes of data. By eliminating the need to store the complete chain state, the network can process transactions faster and at lower cost.
The VEBloP system designates a single validator to produce blocks for a fixed period. This replaces the previous setup where multiple validators could produce blocks simultaneously, which sometimes resulted in chain reorganizations. Chain reorganizations occur when blocks of the same height are created at the same time, temporarily splitting the network and reversing transactions in orphaned blocks. In one recent case, a Monero reorganization reversed 118 transactions, illustrating the impact on transaction finality.
Polygon appointed John Egan, formerly Head of Crypto at Stripe, as Chief Product Officer. Egan will manage product and payment development on the network. He stated that the Rio hardfork reduces transaction reversals caused by chain reorganizations and enables autonomous on-chain activity.
According to Polygon developers, protocol upgrades similar to Rio have previously reduced failed or reversed transactions by more than 90 percent. With stateless validation and the VEBloP system, the network can confirm transactions more quickly while handling higher transaction volumes.
The Rio hardfork also introduces improved capabilities for stablecoin payments. Historical data shows that similar upgrades increase throughput and reduce block reorganization risks. The update benefits both retail and institutional users, allowing stablecoin transfers to execute with fewer errors.
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