- In this exclusive interview, Collin Brown of Crypto News will sit down with Vechain CEO Sunny Lu to discuss the highly anticipated launch of Stargate, a new set of staking upgrades to rebuild the Vechain ecosystem.
- Together, they explore how the upgrade will affect daily veterinarian holders, address changes in regulations, and open new doors for both retail and institutional participants.
Colin Brown: What are the main benefits of the new Stargate staking program for daily veterinarian holders?
Sunny Lou: Stargate reduces friction and increases profits for existing veterinarian holders. The upgrade will allow more users to access staking by reducing the minimum requirement to 10,000 veterinarians. It also introduces expanded APYs through a $15 million bonus pool and can participate directly from independence using NFT-based staking. Everyday owners can now earn meaningful rewards without resorting to third parties.
Colin Brown: How did VeChain prepare for SEC’s latest Crypto staking guidance?
Sunny Lou: The SEC guidance that clarifies that staking activities in the protocol do not constitute a securities offering is consistent with the model VeChain designed with Stargate. An NFT-based approach supports independents, removes intermediaries and aligns with regulatory expectations.
Colin Brown: Why did you choose NFTS as a way to participate, participate and receive rewards?
Sunny Lou: NFT allows for a flexible, transparent and safe expression of staking positions. They simplify the staking process, ensure that rewards are directly linked to network participation, and create a clear structure that appeals to both users and regulators.
Colin Brown: What do you want to achieve in the first six months of $15 million bonus phase?
Sunny Lou: The bonus phase aims to promote rapid adoption of new staking systems, migrate existing node holders and attract new participants. It creates strong incentives to participate early, contributing to network decentralization and security.
Colin Brown: How do you work with agencies as ETFs’ interest in staking grows?
Sunny Lou: Vechain’s infrastructure is built to support institutional participation. With new SEC guidance and banks entering the validator space, the NFT-based model provides a compliant and scalable way for institutions to engage in protocol staking.
Colin Brown: Does lowering the staking minimum to 10,000 veterinarians present a security risk?
Sunny Lou: No, proof of a new weighted delegated stake mechanism maintains strong network security while allowing for wider participation. Lowering the threshold increases decentralization without compromising the integrity of the underlying protocol.
Colin Brown: What are the next major steps after upgrading this protocol?
Sunny Lou: Stargate is part of the broader Vechain Renaissance roadmap, including features such as EVM equivalence and JSON RPC compatibility. The next steps could include upgrading governance, expanding the staking ecosystem, and continuing developer and institutional adoption.
Colin Brown: Can traditional banks and asset managers join Vechain staking immediately?
Sunny Lou: Yes, the infrastructure is ready for institutional adoption. With independent staking and regulatory alignment via NFTS, Vechain offers a model that traditional financial institutions can use to securely and directly raise cryptographic materials.
Colin Brown: How do you support users moving from swapping veterinarian to independence?
Sunny Lou: Vechain outlined a clear path for users to participate by moving the veterinarian into an independent wallet. Tools like Vechainstats and Redeno help users model rewards and select the right staking layer.
Colin Brown: Will the new staking model also help us advance Vechain’s sustainability goals?
Sunny Lou: Yes, the staking model supports the Vebetter ecosystem that encourages sustainable behavior through tokenization. By encouraging long-term holdings and active network participation, Stargate directly contributes to Vechain’s mission to create positive social and environmental impacts.
Colin Brown:Thank you to Sunny Lu for sharing insights into Stargate’s launch and Vechain’s evolving vision. As protocols expand access and deepen their sustainability mission, both everyday users and institutions look forward to much in the next chapter of Vechain’s Journey.
