Solana’s 150-millisecond settlement upgrade reaches second public test network
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Summary
Solana's Alpenglow upgrade, which aims to reduce transaction settlement time from 12.8 seconds to about 150 milliseconds, is now active on its developer network (devnet) and testnet. The upgrade modifies how validators agree on transactions by exchanging votes directly rather than recording votes inside blocks. The mainnet launch date for Alpenglow has not been scheduled, and the targeted speed has not yet been demonstrated in live market conditions.
Why it matters
The upgrade could significantly shorten transaction finality times, potentially speeding up processes such as exchange deposits and merchant payment confirmations. However, removing validator votes from blocks will reduce reported transaction totals on Solana activity charts, requiring data providers to adjust their metrics. The Foundation notes that some applications will need to manage competing candidate blocks separately to maintain accurate records.
Key context
Solana currently finalizes transactions in about 12.8 seconds. Alpenglow changes the consensus mechanism by having validators exchange votes directly, which can reach agreement in one or two voting rounds rather than including votes as transactions. Developers use the devnet for application testing with valueless tokens, while the testnet is used for stress-testing software and validator operations. The speed target is based on simulations, not yet validated under live conditions, and additional delays may arise from wallet and exchange processing.
Key numbers and entities
The upgrade targets a settlement finality time of approximately 150 milliseconds, down from 12.8 seconds. Anza, the company building Solana’s core software, announced the devnet activation on September 25, 2026. The Solana Foundation manages the upgrade and has issued guidelines for affected applications.
What remains unclear
The exact date for Alpenglow’s mainnet deployment remains unannounced. It is uncertain when the upgrade will consistently achieve the 150-millisecond finality target in real-world conditions. The impact on user experience regarding wallet and exchange delays has not been detailed.