- VeChain launched the Hayabusa devnet to test upgraded tokenomics and a move to Delegated Proof of Stake.
- Developers can trial VIP-253 and VIP-254 mechanics before a public testnet and a mainnet target at end-December 2025.
VeChain has activated the Hayabusa devnet to let builders test a new token model and a shift to Delegated Proof of Stake on VeChainThor. The rollout follows an all-stakeholder governance vote and comes with public tooling for immediate experimentation.
VeChain opens Hayabusa devnet with public faucet, explorer and StarGate staking preview
The devnet release includes a custom network configuration, a token faucet, a block explorer and Thor API endpoints so teams can simulate transactions, reward flows and validator interactions under the proposed rules.
It also exposes StarGate’s delegator and validator reward mechanics, which are central to the forthcoming staking design. VeChain frames the goal as delivering a more versatile protocol for builders and users while reinforcing decentralization and security through incentive alignment.
VIP-253 and VIP-254 test stake-based VTHO issuance and a validator set under DPoS
The upgrade is anchored by two VeChain Improvement Proposals. VIP-253 transitions VeChainThor from Proof of Authority to Delegated Proof of Stake with validators producing blocks and delegators staking VET to those validators.
VeChain’s documentation describes a validator set of 101 nodes, with broad participation enabled through delegation via StarGate. In the devnet brief, validators are shown with a minimum 25 million VET bond and a defined reward split between validators and delegator pools.
VIP-254 alters VTHO economics by replacing the static daily issuance rate with a dynamic model tied to staking and block rewards. Under this change, only active stakers generate VTHO, which redirects issuance to participants that secure the network and can lower aggregate VTHO inflation compared with the legacy schedule.
Exchange notices describing the vote highlight the same shift toward stake-linked issuance and the alignment of rewards to participation.
— VeChain (@vechainofficial) September 2, 2025
VeChain states that the devnet precedes a public testnet and a planned mainnet release window at the end of December 2025. External updates during the governance process indicated an early September opening for the broader testnet phase, with the governance vote achieving quorum prior to today’s devnet announcement.
The cadence gives developers a staged path to validate application behavior, model gas outlays under dynamic VTHO, and prepare migration steps for existing node holders.
For ecosystem participants, the immediate tasks are practical. Teams can benchmark validator performance characteristics, evaluate delegator yield under the trial reward split and assess how stake concentration might affect block production probabilities.
Enterprises integrating VeChain can test throughput and cost predictability as issuance and consumption rebalance. Community members can also review governance touchpoints that accompany the staking platform and validator lifecycle.
These steps will inform configuration choices once the public testnet opens and the mainnet upgrade window approaches.
At the time of press, VeChain (VET) was trading at $0.02367994, down $0.00015, or +0.61%, compared with the previous close—reflecting a marginal decline over the last 24 hours.
