Introducing the Validator Gateway: Boost Your Ethereum Validator Rewards
At bloXroute, we continually strive to innovate and improve our cutting-edge MEV & DeFi solutions.
We’re excited to announce the upcoming release of a new feature: the Validator Gateway, to optimize the performance of Ethereum validators and increase their rewards.
Until January 31st, we’re offering the Validator Gateway free of charge to all Ethereum validators.
Key Takeaway:
Sometimes being DeFi’s fastest provider works against us.
bloXroute’s MEV Relay often returns its highest bid long before other relays even receive the request. By the time other relays receive the request, they might also receive higher bids than those returned by bloXroute.
The Validator Gateway leverages (i) bloXroute’s BDN, and (ii) a dedicated gRPC connection, to continuously improve the highest bid we offer to proposers.
Note that the Validator Gateway does not delay the proposer, it merely utilizes the time that is allotted for relays to respond which was deemed a safe default in the PBS design.
What is the Validator Gateway?
The Validator Gateway is a product feature tailored for users running Ethereum validators. By integrating this tool into your system, you’re unlocking a path to significantly higher rewards. The Validator Gateway works seamlessly with our MEV Relay services, ensuring that validators have access to the most profitable and efficient block proposals.
Designed to optimize Annual Percentage Yield (APY) for validators, the Validator Gateway consists of two main components for enhancing validator efficiency: the Relay-Proxy and the BDN Gateway.
Relay-Proxy: Using a dedicated gRPC connection, the Relay-Proxy is responsible for handling a range of tasks from registration to ‘getHeader’ and ‘getPayload’ requests. The relay-proxy is designed to work in tandem with MEV-Boost on the same server, which helps in reducing latency between the validator and the relay.
BDN Gateway: As part of bloXroute’s Blockchain Distribution Network (BDN), the BDN Gateway helps maintain node synchronization and improves validator performance through faster block and transaction propagation. This is achieved by facilitating better network connectivity and data flow, a feature especially impactful in lower-performing regions.
The Validator Gateway enhances Ethereum validator rewards by optimizing the block proposal process and improving attestation effectiveness. It achieves this through faster global block propagation via the BDN and selecting the most profitable block for the validator with the Relay-Proxy. This leads to increased APY and more efficient operations.
How does it work?
The core strengths of the Validator Gateway lie in its two key components: the BDN Gateway and the Relay-Proxy. The BDN Gateway plays a crucial role in ensuring rapid block propagation, a vital aspect for the timely and accurate attestation of validators. This faster block propagation directly translates to enhanced effectiveness in validators’ attestation processes. On the other hand, the Relay-Proxy brings a tactical edge by utilizing all the time allocated (and deemed safe!) for relay communication to optimize the most profitable block without introducing new delays.
The Relay-Proxy substantially increases APY by streaming block headers from our MEV relays to the Relay-Proxy. By delivering headers to locations with low latency and close proximity to the validator, the Relay-Proxy enables validators to benefit from higher bids proposed in the last moment without risking missed slots.
Together, the BDN Gateway and Relay-Proxy form a potent combination that propels the Validator Gateway’s functionality. By improving block propagation speeds and optimizing block selection, the Validator Gateway is set to emerge as an indispensable tool for validators aiming to stay competitive.
Configuring the Validator Gateway
To get started with implementing the Validator Gateway, simply complete this form and our team will guide you through each step, making the process seamless and straightforward.
Step 1) Setup the Relay-Proxy
When you connect your validators to the bloXroute hosted Relay-Proxy, it should be positioned strategically in close proximity to your validators. This setup ensures minimal latency, enhancing efficiency while eliminating the need for additional infrastructure on your validator servers.
Connecting to the Relay-Proxy is quick and straightforward, simply add it as an additional relay to the mev-boost -relays startup argument and choose your relay type.
Below are sample startup arguments for reference:
Max Profit Relay
Regulated Relay
Step 2) Connect to the BDN Gateway
The next step in the Validator Gateway configuration is to connect to the BDN Gateway. For additional information on connecting the BDN Gateway configuration, please refer to this page of our bloXroute documentation.
After contacting our support team, this hosted gateway will be added as a peer to your validator node, designed specifically for your location and setup for optimal performance. Adding this peer to your node connects you to bloXroute’s Blockchain Distribution Network (BDN), the fastest global block propagation network, and helps maintain node synchronization.
Limited-Time Free Access
By adding our two new relays to your validator setup, you stand to see a substantial increase in your validator rewards. These relays are engineered to enhance the efficiency of block proposals, leading to more profitable outcomes for validators.
Understanding the importance of firsthand experience, we are offering the Validator Gateway free of charge for a limited period. Until January 31st, you can integrate and utilize this feature without any cost, allowing you to witness its impact on your operations directly.
As we move closer to the release date, we invite all Ethereum validators to prepare to embrace this exciting new addition. The Validator Gateway is not just a tool; it’s your gateway to maximizing the potential of your Ethereum validator operations.
Thank you for being a part of this journey with us. Here’s to enhanced rewards and a brighter future for Ethereum! Stay tuned for more updates.
