What is a validator node ?

• A validator node is a special type of full node that participates in “consensus.” By participating in consensus, validator nodes become responsible for verifying, voting on, and maintaining a record of transactions.

• Validator nodes underpin the security of any blockchain or DLT network. That is why it is of vital importance to ensure that validator nodes remain both performant and trustworthy. With regard to blockchains such as Bitcoin and Ethereum 1.0 that use a proof-of-work (PoW) consensus mechanism, validators are computers dedicated to maintaining a blockchain's integrity.

• As transactions on the blockchain are initiated by users, they are queued on the network for subsequent validation. Validator nodes then batch individual transactions into a block to verify it. Each blockchain has its own rules pertaining to the number of transactions per block. When the block has been completed, validators process it to add it to the blockchain as a permanent record.