Key Takeaways
- • Bitwise's latest staking research finds 72.8% of all SOL staked on the Solana network is concentrated among validators located in Europe, ahead of North America at 16.2%, Asia at 10.6%, and South America at 0.4%.
- • The European concentration is centered on the Amsterdam, Frankfurt and London corridor, which the report characterizes as a notable degree of geographic centralization in Solana's infrastructure.
- • Solana cut slot times from 400 milliseconds to 250 milliseconds between August and September 2026 to speed processing and shorten finalization, and Bitwise links this change to wider regional disparities.
- • The source notes that neither Bitwise nor the Solana Foundation has assessed the direct MiCA regulatory implications of the European staking concentration, while ESMA states that staking and custody providers must comply with MiCA.
Summary
Crypto asset manager Bitwise, in its latest research, reports that Solana's staking base is heavily concentrated in Europe. According to the firm's Staking Report, 72.8% of all $SOL staked on the Solana network is held by validators located in Europe. North America accounts for 16.2%, Asia for 10.6%, and South America for 0.4%. The source article describes the European concentration as particularly evident in the region spanning Amsterdam, Frankfurt and London, a pattern it characterizes as a remarkable picture of geographic centralization and connection delays within Solana's network infrastructure.
According to the Bitwise report, the reduction in slot times has intensified these regional disparities. Solana gradually lowered its slot time from 400 milliseconds to 250 milliseconds between August and September 2026, a change designed to increase network processing speed and reduce finalization times. Bitwise says the change has contributed to faster transaction finalization, but it also shortens the time validators have to receive blocks, verify them and submit votes, which favors validators with low-latency connections in the same region.
The concentration raises questions about the regulatory treatment of staking services under the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework. The article notes, however, that the mere presence of a validator in Europe does not automatically require licensing. According to ESMA, companies offering staking and custody services must comply with the relevant MiCA rules. Neither Bitwise nor the Solana Foundation has provided an assessment of the direct regulatory implications of the European concentration. The source article carries a standard disclaimer that it is not investment advice.
According to the Bitwise report, the reduction in slot times has intensified these regional disparities. Solana gradually lowered its slot time from 400 milliseconds to 250 milliseconds between August and September 2026, a change designed to increase network processing speed and reduce finalization times. Bitwise says the change has contributed to faster transaction finalization, but it also shortens the time validators have to receive blocks, verify them and submit votes, which favors validators with low-latency connections in the same region.
The concentration raises questions about the regulatory treatment of staking services under the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework. The article notes, however, that the mere presence of a validator in Europe does not automatically require licensing. According to ESMA, companies offering staking and custody services must comply with the relevant MiCA rules. Neither Bitwise nor the Solana Foundation has provided an assessment of the direct regulatory implications of the European concentration. The source article carries a standard disclaimer that it is not investment advice.
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