ONINO Network: Next Steps on the Path to True Decentralization

Over the past months, many of you have asked an important question:

“When will the ONINO network become truly decentralized?”

Today, we’re announcing the next concrete step in the decentralization of the ONINO Layer-1 network.

As the network matures, we are transitioning from a validator set currently operated exclusively by ONINO to a model that actively includes external partners and the community.

This transition will take place in a structured, transparent way.

🌐 Validator Set Transition

Until now, the ONINO network has been operated exclusively by ONINO itself, with a total of 10 validator nodes running under our control. This setup allowed us to ensure stability, performance, and security during the early phases of the network.

Now, this will change as external validators join the network and the next phase begins.

What’s happening:

• Our long-term infrastructure partner CIDT (Consider It Done Tech) will begin operating the first external ONINO Validators in the upcoming weeks
• A public node operator guide will be released, enabling anyone to run an ONINO validator
• In addition, CIDT will soon launch TradeVibe, a no-code solution to operate ONINO nodes without technical knowledge
• As external validators come online, ONINO will reduce its own validator footprint to:
  • ONINO Validator 1 (AWS)
  • ONINO Validator 6 (DigitalOcean)

This marks the beginning of a shared validator ecosystem consisting of ONINO, partners, and the community.

⏱️ Validator Sunset & Migration Window (Important)

Other ONINO-operated validators will be sunset on a fixed date, and delegations to those validators will need to be migrated to the remaining validators.

Key dates:

• Validator sunset date:
• 📅 20.02.2026, 16:00 CET
• Starting from this date, the affected ONINO validators stop generating rewards
• Reimbursement window:
• 📅 27.02.2026, 16:00 CET
• All early-unlock penalties and rewards during this period will be reimbursed

🧭 Why This Transition Is Happening

Validator decentralization is a natural next step for the ONINO network.

With external operators joining:

• consensus becomes more distributed,
• infrastructure risk is reduced,
• and validator participation becomes fully permissionless.

The temporary need to unlock and re-delegate is simply part of moving from a foundation-operated network to a multi-operator ecosystem - and we’ve designed the process so that delegators can participate without economic disadvantages.

💡 What Delegators Need to Do: Tutorial

The ONINO Validators 1 and 6 will remain unchanged. If you have delegated your stake with these validators, there is no action from your side needed. If you currently have a delegation (locked or unlocked) with a validator that will be sunset, here’s what you need to do to safely migrate your stake.

Alternatively or in addition, you can also simply follow our Staking Guide.

1️⃣ Early Unlock in the ONINO Web Wallet

1. Open https://wallet.onino.io/staking and go to the “Stake” section.
2. Select the validator you are currently delegated to that will be retired.
3. Click “End Boost Early”.
   • This action will trigger the penalty charged by the SFC staking contract (per the protocol rules).
   • This penalty is expected and will be reimbursed automatically later, you will receive an airdrop to your wallet within few days.

2️⃣ Create a Withdrawal Request

1. After unlocking, navigate to the “Unstake” tab in the ONINO Web Wallet.
2. Submit a withdrawal request.
3. Your undelegated tokens will enter a cooldown period of 7 days (standard for most EVM networks, in order to increase stake stability) before becoming available for withdrawal.

As usually, during this 7-day waiting period you will not be earning rewards on that stake.

3️⃣ Claim Your Stake

⚠️ After the cooldown period has fully passed:

1. Return to the Unstake section
2. Finalize the withdrawal - your tokens will then be released to your wallet balance

4️⃣ Re-Delegate to a New Validator

Once your tokens are available in wallet balance:

You can immediately re-delegate to:

• ONINO Validator 1 (AWS)
• ONINO Validator 6 (DigitalOcean)

And soon also:

• CIDT-operated partner validators
• Community-run validators

This lets you continue earning staking rewards without waiting for the sunset date.

🗓️ What’s Coming Next

• Publication of the official ONINO node operator guide
• Gradual onboarding of partner and community validators
• Launch of TradeVibe by CIDT

🙌 Thank You

ONINO is entering the next stage of its lifecycle - one where the network is no longer just operated by ONINO, but secured together with and by its ecosystem.

Thank you for staking, supporting, and helping decentralize the network!

Team ONINO

______________________

❓ FAQ: Validator Transition & Delegation Migration

Which validators are affected by the sunset?

All ONINO-operated validators except:

• ONINO Validator 1 (AWS)
• ONINO Validator 6 (DigitalOcean)

Delegations to the remaining ONINO validators should be migrated before the sunset date.

What happens if I don’t unlock and migrate my delegation in time?

After the sunset date (📅 20.02.2026, 16:00 CET), affected validators will no longer participate in consensus and therefore also not generate any new rewards.

To avoid any disruption to rewards or staking status, we strongly recommend unlocking and re-delegating to another validator before the sunset date.

Further instructions will be communicated if edge cases arise, but acting within the migration window ensures the smoothest experience.

Why do I have to early-unlock at all?

The ONINO network uses a smart contract stack that enforces lock periods at the protocol level.

Because the validator itself is being retired, delegations must be unlocked so they can be re-delegated to active validators. This is a technical requirement of the staking system, not a discretionary decision.

To ensure fairness, ONINO fully reimburses the penalty.

How does the penalty reimbursement work? Do I need to do anything?

No action required beyond unlocking and re-delegating.

• Early-unlock penalties are publicly visible on-chain
• ONINO automatically tracks all affected addresses
• Reimbursement is sent automatically after detection

No forms, no claims, no manual review.

What exactly will I receive back?

Eligible delegators will receive back 100% of the early-unlock penalty.

The reimbursement applies to all unlocks performed within the migration window (until 📅 27.02.2026, 16:00 CET).

When will the reimbursement be paid out?

Reimbursements will be processed regularly.

Exact timing and transaction details will be communicated ahead of payout.

Where can I re-delegate my stake?

Immediately available:

• ONINO Validator 1
• ONINO Validator 6

Coming shortly:

• CIDT-operated partner validators
• Community-run validators

We encourage delegators to diversify across validators as the set expands.

Is ONINO still involved in securing the network?

Yes.

ONINO will continue operating two validators and remain actively involved in:

• protocol development,
• network monitoring,
• ecosystem support.

The key change is that ONINO is no longer the sole operator.

Does this affect token holders who are not staking?

No.

This change only affects active delegations to specific validators.

Is this a one-time migration or something I should expect again?

This is a structural transition, not a recurring event.

Once the validator ecosystem includes multiple independent operators, future growth will not require mass delegation migrations of this kind.

Is this safe?

Yes.

• The process uses existing, battle-tested staking mechanics
• All actions are performed via the official ONINO Web Wallet
• Reimbursement logic is on-chain verifiable

As always, never interact with unofficial tools or links.

Where will updates and reminders be posted?

All updates will be shared via:

• Official ONINO announcement channels Discord and X
• Follow-up blog posts where needed

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