VeChain Launches Hayabusa Upgrade, Introducing Weighted DPoS and Overhauling VTHO Tokenomics

VeChain has successfully activated its Hayabusa upgrade on the VeChainThor mainnet, marking the blockchain's most significant network shift since 2018. The upgrade, which went live on December 2, 2025, fundamentally changes the consensus mechanism and economic model of the network.

The core change is the transition from a system of 101 approved authority nodes to a Weighted Delegated Proof-of-Stake (DPoS) model. This allows any VET holder to participate by staking or delegating their tokens to validators through the new StarGate 2.0 platform. The network now features 101 validator slots, with a First-In-First-Out (FIFO) entry queue and a requirement of 25 million VET for validator activation. This shift is designed to increase decentralization and community involvement.

Concurrently, the upgrade introduces a major overhaul of the VTHO tokenomics. Under the new system, VTHO generation is now exclusively tied to staked VET, ending the previous model of passive VTHO minting across all wallets. This change is expected to reduce overall VTHO inflation by up to 40%. Furthermore, the model implements a 100% burn of the base gas fee, directly linking VTHO supply to on-chain activity levels.

The upgrade also brings technical enhancements, including new developer APIs, a streamlined Staker contract, and improved storage handling. A key focus is alignment with the European Union's Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulatory framework, with provided documentation for validator rights and token issuance.

Major cryptocurrency exchanges, including Binance, Coinbase, KuCoin, Crypto.com, Bithumb, and Revolut, have prepared for the transition. Coinbase notably included VET in its Coinbase 50 index ahead of the activation. A migration window for staking is open from December 2 to December 9, 2025, during which validators must complete onboarding for the first reward cycle.