Smart Node v1.​15.​4 Release Update

**Rocket Pool continues to hold its position as the largest fully permissionless Ethereum liquid staking protocol.** The protocol, which pioneered liquid staking on Ethereum in 2019, has maintained its status as the only major platform that has been completely permissionless since launch. **Key Points:** - Rocket Pool invented liquid staking on Ethereum in 2019 - Only protocol that has been fully permissionless from day one - Supports thousands of node operators worldwide - Recent SEC clarity confirms liquid staking is not a security in the US - rETH token provides compliant gateway to Ethereum staking The protocol's decentralised approach allows individuals and institutions to participate in Ethereum staking while supporting network values of credible neutrality and censorship resistance.

Rocket Pool has deployed its Saturn upgrade to the Hoodi testnet, marking a significant milestone for the protocol. **Key Features Now Available:** - 4 ETH validators (reduced from previous requirements) - MEGAPOOL functionality - Smart Node v1.19.0-rc1 required for testing The upgrade comes as the deposit pool has accumulated over $30 million worth of ETH, ready for allocation to MEGAPOOL validators. Node operators can now test the new features on testnet before the mainnet launch scheduled for next month. [View the full announcement and technical changes on GitHub](link)

Rocket Pool is encouraging its community to audit their governance participation. **If you've delegated voting power to an inactive participant, the protocol recommends either voting directly or switching to an active delegate.** The reminder emphasizes that Rocket Pool's onchain governance system works best when more node operators actively participate in decision-making. **Key points:** - Check if your delegate is actively voting - Consider direct participation if your delegate is inactive - Rocket Pool uses quadratic voting to prevent concentration of power - Hundreds of node operators currently participate in governance The protocol's governance model is designed to give individual node operators meaningful influence while preventing large parties from dominating decisions.

The Rocket Pool DAO is voting on **RPIP-77**, which would require minipools to use the latest delegate version. **Key Details:** - Active vote: [RPIP-77 proposal](https://vote.rocketpool.net/#/proposal/0x0f82693c42d491f8a74fe0584a1d503e30ab8c27a3800bc0c257d0f35340bcc5) - Forum discussion: [dao.rocketpool.net](https://dao.rocketpool.net/t/require-minipools-to-use-latest-delegate/3844) - Voting guide: [docs.rocketpool.net](https://docs.rocketpool.net/guides/houston/participate#voting-on-a-proposal) This follows recent governance activity, including a vote to increase the deposit pool maximum and RPIP-74's proposal to temporarily close the minipool queue before Saturn 1 launch. **Vote now** if you're a Rocket Pool node operator.

**Prysm users experiencing mainnet attestation issues** should upgrade to patch release v7.0.1, which is strongly recommended by the development team. **Key details:** - Addresses ongoing attestation problems on mainnet - Available now for immediate download - Full documentation in Rocket Pool Discord **Before updating:** - Always verify patch details on GitHub - Double-check compatibility with your setup - Review release notes thoroughly This follows previous network upgrades including Smart Node v1.15.5 for the Pectra hard fork.