This proposal could reshape the way Solana processes transactions. If approved, Alpenglow would slash block finality from today’s average of 12.8 seconds to just 150 milliseconds. For context, finality is the point at which a transaction is locked in and cannot be reversed.
Reaching it faster means quicker confirmation for users and more reliable performance for developers. The vote runs from epoch 840 to 842 and marks the most ambitious consensus upgrade in Solana’s history.
Why Alpenglow Matters
Consensus protocols are the rules that let computers on a blockchain agree on what happened and in what order. Right now, Solana’s finality speed is solid but still leaves room for improvement when compared to real-world needs. Think of buying a cup of coffee with crypto. If you had to wait 13 seconds to know the payment was secure, that would feel awkward at the counter. Cutting that wait to a fraction of a second makes blockchain payments as smooth as tapping a card.
Voting has now kicked off for SIMD 326: Alpenglow, a new consensus protocol for Solana 🌄
Join @TheWattenhofer for a Reddit AMA in 10 minutes today August 27th on r/solana related to all things Alpenglow!
Drop your questions below 👇 pic.twitter.com/i6f7ESpDFV
— Solana Developers (@solana_devs) August 27, 2025
The upgrade also follows a broader trend across blockchain networks. Ethereum’s recent push to improve its finality speed through proposals like EIP-7044 highlights how finality has become a critical benchmark. Investors see faster finality as a sign of lower risk and greater efficiency. Developers see it as a chance to build more complex apps, like high-frequency trading systems or instant settlement platforms, that rely on near-instant confirmation.
The Bigger Picture
Speed alone does not tell the full story. Alpenglow aims to strengthen security while improving responsiveness. According to Solana Foundation data, the network already processes over 2,000 transactions per second with low fees. Bringing finality down to 150 milliseconds would position Solana as one of the fastest and most reliable blockchains in the industry. This Dune dashboard has some updated info about it:
Source: Dune
For beginners, it helps to compare this to internet browsing. Imagine clicking a link and waiting 13 seconds for the page to load. It works, but it’s frustrating. Now imagine the page loads instantly. That is what Alpenglow promises for blockchain interactions. Faster confirmations not only improve user experience but also give institutions more confidence to adopt onchain systems for real-world assets, payments, and gaming.
Disclaimer
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