Inference.net Epoch 3: Solana protocol, stake-weighted routing, and more
On June 6th, 2025, Inference.net will launch Devnet Epoch 3, introducing significant protocol changes designed to improve network scalability, operator experience, and economic alignment. This post details the technical improvements, new staking mechanisms, and operational changes that will define this next phase of Inference.net.
The Inference.net Staking Protocol is being tested on Solana Devnet with test tokens. These tokens have no monetary value and should not be used for real-world transactions or bought or sold by anyone.
All of these test features are deployed on Solana Devnet, so you’ll need to configure your wallet to use Solana Devnet.
This step is very important. If not completed correctly you will experience issues trying to submit transactions to our programs.
If you are using a different wallet, or a mobile wallet, please refer to the wallet’s documentation for instructions on how to switch to Solana Devnet. It’s recommended to only use one of the above wallets via a desktop browser.
Epoch 3 will be rolled out in phases, with each phase bringing new features and improvements to the network. Please see the timeline below for more details.
Date | Features | Description |
---|---|---|
June 6, 2025 | Network Upgrade | • Auto-update system activation for all node types • Enhanced GPU detection and validation • Unified inference engine • New simplified node deployment instructions • Unknown GPUs blocked from joining network |
June 13, 2025 | Economic Layer | • $INT-DEV token airdrop to eligible operators • Staking protocol goes live • Stake-weighted job routing begins • Operator pool creation enabled • Delegation functionality activated |
June 20, 2025 | Extended Features | • Bonus point system for community contributions • Additional point-earning opportunities • Enhanced monitoring and analytics • Reputation system testing begins |
Late June 2025 | Advanced Features | • Full reputation scoring activation • Performance-based routing adjustments • Slashing mechanism testing (devnet only) • Advanced operator pool management features |
Based on overwhelming operator feedback from previous epochs, we’ve implemented a comprehensive auto-update system for the Inference.net node software. This system works across all deployment types - CLI, Docker, and Desktop applications - and handles minor version updates without operator intervention.
The auto-update mechanism performs health checks before and after updates, ensuring nodes remain operational throughout the process. In the event of an update failure, nodes automatically rollback to the previous stable version and report the issue to our monitoring systems. This significantly reduces the operational burden on GPU operators who previously needed to manually update nodes during each release cycle.
Previous versions of Inference.net required operators to select and deploy specific Docker containers based on their intended inference engine (SGLang or vLLM). This created complexity for operators who needed to understand the technical differences between engines and make deployment decisions based on their hardware capabilities.
In Epoch 3, we’ve consolidated these into a single container that automatically detects hardware specifications and selects the optimal inference engine. The selection algorithm considers:
This abstraction layer reduces setup complexity while ensuring optimal performance for each hardware configuration.
Starting June 6th, the network will enforce strict GPU detection requirements. Only GPUs that can be properly identified by our detection system will be permitted to join the network. This change from Epoch 2’s permissive approach ensures:
Common detection failures typically stem from outdated drivers or incorrect permissions. Operators experiencing detection issues should ensure they’re running the latest GPU drivers and that their Inference.net node has appropriate system permissions. If you’re having trouble identifying your GPU, please open a ticket on our Discord.
The cornerstone of Epoch 3 is our new stake-weighted routing system, which fundamentally changes how inference jobs are distributed across the network. This system creates economic incentives for reliable operation while ensuring efficient resource utilization.
Each instance operating on the network receives a priority score that determines its probability of receiving inference jobs. The priority score is calculated as:
Where:
The parameter k
dynamically adjusts to optimize network efficiency:
k = 0
: Routing becomes round-robin, giving equal probability to all instancesk
is large: Routing heavily favors staked operatorsk
increases to reward staked operatorsk
decreases to leverage all available capacityFor operators, this means that during periods of low demand, having stake becomes increasingly important for receiving jobs. During peak demand, even operators with minimal stake can contribute and earn rewards.
Since operators manage varying numbers of GPUs with different VRAM capacities, the routing system normalizes stake based on VRAM. For example:
Despite equal stake, Operator A’s individual 4090s each receive: 100,000 × (24/96) = 25,000 effective stake per device, while Operator B’s A100 receives the full 100,000 stake allocation.
The Inference.net staking protocol is implemented as a Solana program using the SPL token standard for $INT-DEV tokens. The protocol manages:
Each operator can create a staking pool with the following configurable parameters:
Operators must maintain the minimum stake amount to ensure alignment between pool performance and operator incentives. Pool creation requires a one-time registration fee and each wallet can create at most one operator pool.
Token holders can delegate $INT-DEV to operator pools to earn a share of rewards without running hardware. The delegation process operates as follows:
This design encourages stable, long-term delegation relationships while preventing rapid stake movements that could destabilize routing.
Token delegators are not exposed to any slashing risk, in the event a slashing event occurs.
During Epoch 3, operators will interact with two distinct reward mechanisms:
The Inference.net Staking Protocol is being tested on Solana Devnet with test tokens. These tokens have no monetary value and should not be used for real-world transactions or bought or sold by anyone.
While stake-weighted routing launches on June 13th, the reputation system will be enabled later in Epoch 3 after validating the base routing mechanism. The reputation score will incorporate:
Operators are grouped into performance tiers based on successful request completion rates over a rolling multi-day window:
Performance buckets based on tokens per second relative to model-specific benchmarks:
The architectural changes in Epoch 3 establish the foundation for Inference.net’s evolution from a points-based test network to a fully decentralized, economically sustainable inference protocol. The stake-weighted routing system creates a market mechanism for quality assurance, while the delegation system enables broader participation beyond hardware operators.
As we progress through Epoch 3, we’ll gather data on:
This data will inform the eventual transition to mainnet, where $INT tokens will replace the current devnet implementation.
We encourage all operators to thoroughly review the new documentation, prepare their systems for the June 6th launch, and participate actively in testing these new features. Your feedback during this phase is crucial for refining these systems before our eventual mainnet deployment.
For technical support, detailed documentation, and community discussions, please visit: