It is true setting up 1 validator is much much easier than running a node but there are also much less node operators with a significant number of validators than operators and while an operator (with a good enough traction of validators) can stand to earn hundreds of SSV, someone setting up a validator will earn less than 1 (without holding SSV).
Corrected, check your account.
I disagree here. One of the objectives of this whole thing is to create accountability between validators and operators. If a validator stand to lose rewards because >1 operators don’t do their work then I’d expect that validator to reach out and demand better performance from the operator. If we can get to there it’s an amazing preparation for mainnet.
The current status of the testnet is that most verified operators perform well but some not, most don’t event know that they don’t because there is hardly anyone demanding them to do so.
I agree, if you look at the current testnet structure + reward allocation you’ll see that verified operators get rewards from both verified and non verified operators, that will mean they will get a very significant cut. Which they should.
Also we raised the rewards from 32K to 64K, overall the rewards pool for operators is greater.
If you’ll take a look at the rewards calculator and adjust the parameters to current network status you’ll find that the rewards are very significant.
If I’ll take your operator, with 300 validators, it will earn close to 500 SSV tokens during the 4 months (~$4,000) which I think is significant.
SSV holders are the governing body of this protocol, saying they just take rewards is the same as saying big ETH holders can take all the staking rewards from ETH.
The goal of this program is not to have as many validators as we can, if that was the case we could have spun 15K of them tomorrow.
The goal of this program is to mimic the relationship between validators who stake capital and operators who provide a service.
The only way to do that is to actually have something at stake because otherwise this relationship doesn’t exits.
Rewards are a really good way to do that but there is nothing preventing someone with a big pile of goerli to steal all the rewards as well. That’s why we introduced holding SSV as medium for both creating the feel you have a “skin in the game” and reduce abuse.
Another point is that you can hold a bunch of SSV but your rewards depend on how many validators you run. If some whale dedicates time and registers a validator per day for the entire duration + continuously monitoring their performance then he should get rewarded. That’s a great community member which will likely be active in other community activities like governance.
This program tries to be balanced between different network actors and the goals of the program, if you disagree with the goal I’d be more than happy you write what you think the goals should be (for example maximizing validator number).