A blockchain is a ledger shared by computers that do not have to trust one another. Someone still has to be allowed to write the next page, the next block. Without a rule for that choice, two conflicting histories can both look valid.
Proof of work and proof of stake
Bitcoin uses proof of work. The first participant to solve a costly computing puzzle writes the block and receives newly issued bitcoin. Electricity and hardware are the cost of entry. Ethereum, Polygon and Solana use proof of stake. Instead of a computing race, the protocol picks block producers from people who have locked coins.
The stake is collateral
Validators lock a set amount of coins. Honest checks earn a reward. Pushing an invalid block, or trying to spend the same coins twice, can destroy part of the lock. That penalty is called slashing. The network hands the ledger to people who have something to lose.
- Honest validation is paid with new coins and a share of fees.
- Breaking the rules can burn part of the stake.
- A server that stays offline can lose rewards or draw a penalty.
Where the rewards come from
There are two sources. One is coins the protocol issues. The other is fees users pay to transact. Rates differ by network. When more people stake, the same reward pool is split more ways, so an individual's rate can fall.
Why running a validator is hard
Ethereum asks for 32 ETH per validator and a server that almost never goes down. Polygon and Solana still need hardware, upgrades and key management. People without that capital or that operations work join through a staking service.
What the service takes on
폴리젠 runs validator operations and tracks the term. You choose the asset, the amount and the lock. Two things remain yours: you cannot take the assets out during the term, and a falling price is not offset by the reward. For the length of the lock the operator holds the coins, so you are looking at operational risk as well as protocol risk.
