TLDR
- Solana’s Alpenglow upgrade has moved toward public testnet testing as developers target faster transaction finality.
- The upgrade aims to cut finality from about 13 seconds to roughly 0.15 seconds.
- Alpenglow replaces TowerBFT with Votor, allowing validators to reach agreement in one or two voting rounds.
- Validators joining the test need Agave 4.3, while Firedancer and Frankendancer do not yet support Alpenglow.
- Solana has not confirmed a mainnet launch date, and the Sept. 28 schedule relates to Agave 4.3 feature activation.
Solana is preparing to test the Alpenglow upgrade on its public testnet as developers target transaction finality. The change aims to reduce finality from about 13 seconds to roughly 0.15 seconds. Finality marks the point when a transaction can no longer be reversed.
Alpenglow Upgrade Moves Toward Public Testnet
Solana currently uses TowerBFT to reach agreement among validators. Validators place votes onchain and build enough support across 32 slots before the network finalizes a block. Alpenglow replaces that process with Votor, which sends votes directly between validators.
Votor can finalize a block after one or two voting rounds. Applications will continue processing transactions in the same way. Wallet users will not need to change how they send funds. Developers expect the Alpenglow upgrade to change consensus without changing normal transaction execution.
Agave 4.3 Leads Initial Network Testing
Developers ran Alpenglow on a smaller network for more than four months. Moving to the public testnet will test whether a broader group of validators and services can switch together. Validators joining the test need Agave 4.3.
Anza recommended Agave 4.3 for mainnet use on Sept. 21. The rollout followed earlier adoption by validators representing 10%, then 25%, of staked SOL. During the same week, SOL reached a seven-month high above $110 as market activity around Solana increased.
Firedancer and Frankendancer do not yet support the Alpenglow test. Without them, the first migration will rely on Agave. These alternative validator programs aim to reduce dependence on one software client across the network.
Market data showed that SOL climbed to its highest level since January after reaching $117.23 on Sept. 21. That price move remained separate from the technical testing process.
Mainnet Date Remains Unconfirmed
Anza lists Sept. 28 as a tentative date for enabling Agave 4.3 features on mainnet. The schedule does not confirm that date as the Alpenglow upgrade launch. The public testnet switch also remained pending early Wednesday.
Solana has continued making other network changes while preparing Alpenglow. Earlier this week, SOL recovered above $100 as traders watched key support levels amid wider crypto market moves.
The testnet phase will let developers check migration steps, identify faults, and restart the network without risking user funds. A successful test would provide more data before Solana considers activating Alpenglow on mainnet.
