Every rule is on the table.
COCKROACH stakers decide how the chain changes: reward rates, fee burn, upgrades, the community pool and emergency freezes. Every vote is on-chain and every result is enforced by the protocol.
From idea to enforced rule.
Discuss
Post the idea on the forum. Gather feedback from validators, builders and holders before anything goes on-chain.
Submit
Any holder submits a proposal with a deposit. Once the deposit reaches the minimum, voting opens.
Vote
Stakers vote Yes, No, Abstain or No with veto. Delegators can override their validator’s vote at any time before it closes.
Execute
If it passes, the chain applies it automatically at the end of the voting period. No one can block a passed proposal.
The numbers that decide a vote.
Voting power equals staked COCKROACH. Tokens that are not staked cannot vote, so security and governance stay with the people who carry the risk.
Parameters below are set at genesis and can themselves be changed by governance.
| Parameter | Standard | Expedited |
|---|---|---|
| Voting period | 5 days | 1 day |
| Quorum | 33.4% of staked supply | 33.4% of staked supply |
| Pass threshold | 50% of non-abstain votes | 66.7% of non-abstain votes |
| Veto threshold | 33.4% burns the deposit | 33.4% burns the deposit |
| Minimum deposit | Coming soon COCKROACH | Coming soon COCKROACH |
| Deposit period | 2 days | 2 days |
Stakers control the levers.
Everything that shapes the economy and safety of the network is a governance parameter. A few hard limits, such as the 3% reward cap and the fixed 10% commission, can only change through a software upgrade that itself needs a vote.
Reward rate
Raise or lower the monthly staking rate at any time, never above the 3% hard cap written into the code.
Fee burn share
Set what share of every gas fee is destroyed, from 0% to 100%. It starts at 50%.
Software upgrades
Schedule chain upgrades at a set block height. Validators upgrade together, with no hard fork drama.
Community pool
Spend from the on-chain treasury on grants, audits, liquidity and public goods.
Validator rules
Change the active set size, standby set size, slashing amounts and the standby minimum stake.
Address freezes
Freeze addresses tied to exploits, stolen funds or sanctions. A freeze stops future transfers; it never reverses past ones.
Pick the right kind of proposal.
| Type | Use it for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Text | Signalling and non-binding decisions | Adopt a brand policy for ecosystem projects |
| Parameter change | Adjust any module parameter | Lower the monthly reward rate to 1.8% |
| Software upgrade | Coordinated chain upgrade | Upgrade to cockroachd v1.2 at block 2,400,000 |
| Community pool spend | Pay grants and services from the treasury | Fund an independent audit of a DEX |
| Freeze / unfreeze | Stop or restore transfers from an address | Freeze the address that drained a bridge |
| Expedited | Urgent security fixes and freezes | Freeze funds during an active exploit |
Live proposals appear here.
On-chain proposals are shown here once the public testnet is running. Until then, ideas are discussed on the governance forum. You can also follow every proposal in the explorer and in Keplr or Leap.
Governance questions.
Do I need to stake to vote?
Yes. Voting power comes from staked COCKROACH. If you delegate, your validator votes for you unless you cast your own vote, which then replaces theirs.
What happens to my deposit?
It is returned when the proposal reaches the voting stage and is not vetoed. If more than 33.4% vote No with veto, or the deposit never reaches the minimum, the deposit is burned.
Can the team override a vote?
No. Passed proposals execute automatically. The team holds no special keys over governance.
Can governance take my tokens?
No. Governance can freeze an address so it cannot send, but it cannot move, seize or reverse funds.
How do I vote?
Connect Keplr or Leap to a governance dashboard or the explorer, open the proposal and sign a vote transaction. It costs a small gas fee.
Have an idea for the network?
Start a discussion on the forum. Good proposals begin with good conversations.