The name Hayabusa was chosen carefully. Like the Japanese spacecraft that overcame daunting challenges to deliver asteroid samples back to Earth, VeChain undertook this phase of the Renaissance to unlock radical improvements; empowering people, reinvigorating our tokenomics and unlocking the next phase of growth for the VeChainThor protocol. Precision. Endurance. Continuous iteration. Our guiding philosophies.
Hayabusa is the eighth hard fork in VeChain’s history, and the product of sustained engineering and careful testing. It prepares the network for a future that better aligns values across every stakeholder, rebuilding the engine that, to date, has delivered the most results in terms of real-world utility for blockchain and 100% uptime since launch in 2017.
Two protocol upgrades define Hayabusa, the second of VeChain Renaissance’s three phases.
The transition to Delegated Proof of Stake (DPoS) sees every VET holder become an integral cog in the machine - helping secure VeChainThor by staking and delegating their collateral in exchange for protocol-level rewards. Additionally, we are embracing a dynamic rewards model in which VTHO generation is tied to staked VET, distributed through block rewards from the protocol to those who help secure the network.
These changes upgrade our economic model, reducing VTHO inflation while actively increasing economic security. As activity grows, more VTHO is burned; more value is accrued at the protocol level, and transaction costs remain predictable for builders and partners.
In this article, we explain what is changing, why it matters, and how to prepare as activation approaches.
What Is Changing
Hayabusa reshapes two core elements of VeChainThor.
Firstly, consensus. With DPoS, VET holders (Delegators) can stake their tokens and delegate them to Validators – the backbone of the network. Total weighted stake helps determine who produces blocks – more VET delegated equals greater overall likelihood of being the next block producer.
With this shift, the Validator set becomes dynamic and performance-driven rather than probabilistic, with operators competing on uptime, transparency, and service. This expands decentralization, enables community growth, and raises the cost of attacks considerably, enhancing network security.
Secondly, tokenomics. VTHO generation becomes a function of staked VET, distributed through block rewards to those who secure the network. Rewards move closer to measurable activity; idle VTHO generation is eliminated, and deflationary pressures decrease. VTHO issuance, at launch, will shrink to approximately 60-70% of current levels, with users, builders, and partners continuing to benefit from low, predictable transaction costs while benefits increase among active participants.
Together, these changes accrue to create a stronger foundation for utility, growth, and value creation.
Unlocking VeChainThor’s Potential
Growth is a byproduct of ease, connectedness, and interoperability. Hayabusa moves VeChain to a state that welcomes seamless cross-chain collaboration, while enhancing the differentiating factors that make the blockchain unique in today’s market. JSON RPC and full EVM equivalence enhance developer readiness, while tools like VeChainKit, VeWorld, and thorough documentation shorten the distance from prototype to production.
Enterprises gain reliability at scale without adding complexity for customers. Third-party fee delegation and multi-task transactions help teams ship consumer-grade experiences while back-office systems benefit from clear, auditable processes. Operational efficiency improves, while deterministic execution lowers friction.
StarGate sits at the center of this experience, representing a bold departure from what was. The entry point for participation, StarGate connects the economics of Hayabusa with a clear user path, so activity can scale without adding complexity.
Interoperability remains strategic. It connects our mission to global movements in tokenization, sustainability reporting, and digital transformation. By making VeChain easier to build on and easier to integrate, Hayabusa sets the stage for durable adoption.
Participation and Governance
The move from Proof of Authority to DPoS broadens participation in meaningful ways. Every VET holder can now help secure and guide the network by staking their tokens. Performance and reputation matter in this new epoch. Validators compete to earn and retain delegations by operating transparently, maintaining high standards, and actively engaging their communities.
This structure improves accountability and resilience. More stake behind consensus raises cryptoeconomic security. A dynamic validator set adapts to the needs of the network. Individuals gain a direct role in stewardship while enterprises retain the predictable cost model required for production systems.
The result is a governance framework designed for scale, long-term health, and sustainable value creation.
Alignment of Stakeholders
Hayabusa aligns incentives across the ecosystem, with growth reinforcing growth.
Enterprises benefit from stable fees. Applications become easier to deploy and maintain across existing processes. Validators and Delegators earn rewards that track real activity. VTHO is generated dynamically and distributed to those who secure the chain. As on-chain usage increases, VTHO burn increases. The loop between participation and measurable outcomes becomes tangible.
Builders can ship faster on a predictable, value-accelerating platform. Familiar tooling, sponsored gas options, and reliable costs help applications reach mainstream users with a simple and familiar user experience (UX).
These dynamics strengthen one another. Useful applications drive transactions. Transactions drive VTHO burn and user rewards. Greater rewards attract more staking. More staking increases security and confidence for the next wave of deployments.
Trust, Compliance, and Institutional Backbone
Adoption requires trust. Hayabusa advances VeChain’s readiness for evolving regulation and mainstream technology requirements.
The shift to DPoS makes participation rules transparent and auditable. Greater decentralization ensures VeChainThor meets the standards necessitated. Stake determines representation. The VeBetter app ecosystem shows how open participation and accountability can operate side by side.
VeChain aligns with European and wider global regulation, including MiCA. VeChain and VeBetter’s whitepapers are confirmed and listed in ESMA’s interim MiCA register. For businesses and users alike, this means traceable records, predictable costs, and reporting that maps to ESG and compliance needs. For institutions, it means clearer risk models and integration paths that respect custody, audit, and oversight.
Scale also depends on robust operations. Institutional validators and infrastructure providers such as BitGo, Redeno, and Keyrock bring experience in custody, key management, monitoring, and incident response. Uptime targets, controlled change management, and well-defined recovery procedures create confidence for larger deployments. Community validators and institutional operators together widen the base of security and resilience.
How to Get Involved
Participation is central to this phase. Hayabusa opens staking to every VET holder through DPoS, and StarGate is the gateway. It provides a clear flow to stake or delegate and to monitor rewards tied to real activity when activation begins.
Keep an eye on VeChain channels over the coming weeks. Everything you need to know about this next phase of the Renaissance upgrades will be shared, including how to make the most of staking through StarGate.
Go to StarGate now, stake your VET, and enjoy boosted rewards as Hayabusa approaches.