$SOL In the Solana network, a large-scale update Alpenglow Consensus (SIMD-0326) has been proposed to accelerate block finalization. This move was a response to the sharp increase in transactions on the network, which has already propelled Solana to the forefront compared to most global stock exchanges.

Alpenglow: a new era of block finalization

If the proposal is accepted, the Alpenglow protocol will replace the current Solana system, which is based on Proof-of-History and TowerBFT mechanisms. According to the developers, the existing protocol has a number of limitations, including long confirmation times and a lack of formal security guarantees.

The new update introduces Votor — a simplified voting protocol capable of finalizing blocks in just one or two rounds, depending on the state of the network. Alpenglow is expected to reduce block finalization time from the current ~13 seconds to 100–150 milliseconds, as well as significantly reduce the load on the network by eliminating redundant messages.