Alpenglow is one of the largest updates to the Solana blockchain since its launch. This update replaces the consensus mechanism in the network, which is expected to significantly impact performance and block finalization speed.
This is reported by Business • Media
According to the developers’ vision, these changes will accelerate block finalization to 100-150 milliseconds. This will help eliminate bottlenecks in the blockchain architecture, bringing its response speed closer to Web2 standards.
Criticism and Changes in Alpenglow
Despite optimistic claims about efficiency improvements, the new mechanism has already raised concerns among experts. The main criticism revolves around the increased level of centralization and dependence on large validators in the network.
On May 19, 2025, the Anza team introduced Alpenglow — an updated protocol that they believe will be an important step in the development of Solana. The update radically changes the core logic of block finalization and transmission.
Potential of the New Mechanism
Alpenglow aims to eliminate the architectural limitations faced by the current version of the network. From the moment a block is created to its final confirmation, it takes about 13 seconds, making blockchain operations predictable but not instantaneous. With the implementation of the new mechanism, delays could be reduced to a hundred milliseconds.
“Alpenglow is an attempt to eliminate the architectural limitations of Solana”
The Incrypted team conducted an analysis of the innovations, gathering key facts about Alpenglow and opinions from experts in the field.