Solana Proposal to Reduce Inflation by 80% Fails to Pass

A proposal to change Solana’s inflation system has been rejected in a governance vote. The proposal, called SIMD-228, suggested adjusting inflation based on staking participation instead of following a fixed schedule. While the proposal did not pass, some see the large voter turnout as a sign of strong governance within the Solana ecosystem.

How the Vote Played Out

The vote on SIMD-228 saw participation from 74% of Solana’s staked supply, with 910 validators involved. Of those who voted, 43.6% supported the proposal, while 27.4% opposed it, and 3.3% abstained. The proposal needed 66.67% approval from participating votes but fell short, securing only 61.4%.

Solana’s official X account posted that voter turnout was higher than in any U.S. presidential election in the last 100 years.

What Was Solana’s SIMD-228 Proposal?

SIMD-228 proposed a new inflation model that would adjust based on staking participation. Under Solana’s current system, inflation starts at 8% annually and decreases by 15% each year until it reaches 1.5%. The proposed system would have replaced this fixed schedule with a flexible model, allowing inflation to increase when staking participation drops and decrease when participation is high.

Currently, Solana’s inflation rate stands at 4.66%, with only 3% of the total supply staked. Some estimates suggested that the proposed model could have reduced inflation by as much as 80%.

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Arguments For and Against the Proposal

Supporters of SIMD-228 believed it would have created a more responsive inflation system, helping to stabilize the network. They argued that adjusting inflation in real time based on staking levels would improve security and encourage greater participation in Solana’s decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem.

Critics, however, raised concerns that the new model would have added complexity and create instability. They warned that sudden changes in inflation could impact smaller validators, making it harder for them to operate profitably. Opponents also feared that the unpredictable nature of the system might discourage long-term investors.

Despite the proposal’s rejection, Solana’s price showed little reaction. SOL dipped 1.5% on the day, trading just below $125 at the time of writing. However, the token has suffered a major decline in recent months, dropping nearly 60% in two months after the memecoin trading boom faded. Solana’s network revenue has also fallen by over 90% since the peak of memecoin minting and trading activity.