Solana Reduces Slot Time to 350 Milliseconds
The network marks its first slot time reduction since inception, with plans to reach 300ms next.
Quick Look
- Solana has successfully reduced its slot time to 350 milliseconds, down from 400ms, as part of a multi-stage plan to improve network latency.
- The update, approved via SIMD-0525, aims for further reductions toward a 200ms target.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The Solana Foundation announced plans in June to reduce slot times from 400ms to 200ms to improve network efficiency. The change was formalized through the approval of SIMD-0525 on May 14.
Solana reduced its slot time to 350 milliseconds, marking the first such reduction since the inception of the network, according to the Solana Foundation’s vice president of technology, Jacob Creech.
“We’re in a new era of 350ms. Next stop, 300ms,” Creech said in a Friday X post.
Average slot times on Solana stood at 360ms at press time, down from the network’s original 400ms target, according to the Solana slot time explorer.
In June, the Solana Foundation shared plans to reduce slot times from 400ms to 200ms, arguing that it would improve latency and accelerate confirmations on the blockchain network. Three further 50ms reductions are planned.
All four stages are targeted for mainnet activation in Agave v4.2, a validator client developed by Anza, though the schedule is tentative.
SIMD-0525, the proposal establishing the shorter slot times, was approved and merged on May 14.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Network will target 300ms slot time.
Likely · Within months
Open Questions
- When will the 300ms target be reached?
- What is the final timeline for the 200ms goal?
