Dec 13, 2025
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Firedancer Launch Boosts Solana by 5% Amid Network Upgrade
Solana's network advanced as Firedancer, a validator client by Jump Crypto, began operating on the mainnet. The move from a testing phase to real-world validation prompted an approximately 5% increase in SOL, reaching near $140.
Firedancer Mainnet Launch
- After over 100 days of testing, Firedancer produced more than 50,000 blocks without downtime.
- Built in C and C++, it aims to manage heavy workloads and minimize network interruptions.
- Test environments recorded processing capabilities of over 1 million transactions per second.
- This performance is experimental, not indicative of everyday capability.
Solana co-founder Anatoly Yakovenko described this as moving out of a prolonged beta phase.
Early Adoption and Stake
- Initial adoption is low, with under 1% of total staked SOL on Firedancer nodes. This is expected to grow.
- Over 20% of validators shifted from older clients following the rollout, indicating rapid change among operators.
- Running multiple validator clients provides a safety net against software bugs, mirroring other large proof-of-stake chains.
Validators and developers may benefit from improved capacity for high-transaction apps. The network's real-world load will indicate true performance.