VeChain’s Hayabusa Mainnet Goes Live, Unlocking Higher Rewards

VeChain has activated its Hayabusa upgrade on the mainnet, marking a significant step in the blockchain's evolution. The upgrade went live on December 2, 2025, at block height 23,414,400, initiating a seven-day transition phase that concludes on December 9. 

During this period, validators update their nodes and complete the first rewards cycle, allowing users to begin earning through new staking mechanisms. This development follows months of preparation by VeChain's core team and builds on community governance, including a unanimous stakeholder vote in August 2025.

Background on the VeChain Renaissance Roadmap

The Hayabusa upgrade forms the second phase of VeChain's Renaissance roadmap, which the project unveiled in January 2025 to refine the VeChainThor protocol. Structured around three cosmic-themed stages—Galactica, Hayabusa, and Intergalactic—the roadmap addresses tokenomics, staking, interoperability, and governance over a quarterly timeline in 2025, with extensions into 2026. 

Galactica, the first phase, completed its mainnet rollout on July 1, 2025, introducing features like a dynamic gas fee model that adjusts based on network demand, compatibility with Ethereum's Shanghai hard fork for improved smart contract execution, and full burns of base fees to manage token supply. These changes laid the groundwork for enhanced performance and developer accessibility.

Hayabusa shifts focus to economic and consensus improvements, transitioning from Proof-of-Authority to Delegated Proof-of-Stake (DPoS) while overhauling how rewards are distributed. The phase incorporates feedback from Galactica, with VeChain Improvement Proposals finalized over the summer of 2025. 

A testnet launched in early September, paving the way for the mainnet activation. The upcoming Intergalactic phase, planned for 2026, will emphasize cross-chain interoperability through JSON-RPC integration and full Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) alignment, enabling broader connections to other blockchains and supporting tokenized assets in enterprise applications.

What are the Key Features of the Hayabusa Upgrade?

Hayabusa redefines VeChain's two-token system, where VET serves as the value storage token and VTHO handles transaction fees. Passive VTHO generation from holding VET in wallets has ended, replaced by an activity-based model that requires staking and delegation to earn rewards. 

This change aims to reduce overall VTHO inflation by eliminating idle generation, such as from tokens held on exchanges, and instead pools rewards among active participants. Unclaimed or transaction-related VTHO now faces burns, creating a deflationary pressure tied to network usage.

The upgrade introduces full DPoS consensus, where users with at least 25 million VET can become validators, and others delegate their stakes to contribute to network security. Rewards adjust dynamically based on transaction fees, with portions burned and redistributed to stakers. 

VeChain reports that this setup boosts economic security, decentralization, and governance impact, as users' actions directly influence the protocol. Partnerships with entities like BitGo for custody, Crypto.com for liquidity, and Keyrock as a validator support the ecosystem's growth. Technical enhancements include better EVM compatibility and tools like Hardhat for developers, making it easier to build applications in areas such as supply chain management, sustainability reporting, and luxury goods tracking.

Navigating the Transition Phase

VeChainThor entered the transition phase immediately upon Hayabusa's activation, giving validators time to update software and harvest initial blocks. The process is nearing completion, with rewards set to resume fully on December 9 after one cycle. Users who had pending rewards from the prior StarGate version found them automatically claimed, requiring no further action. However, to participate in the new system, individuals must delegate their StarGate NFTs to a chosen validator.

The process involves downloading the VeWorld wallet—available as a mobile app or Chrome extension—transferring VET tokens, and using the "Earn" function to mint a Delegator NFT. Delegation can occur now via the updated StarGate platform at stargate.vechain.org, though claims remain unavailable until the transition ends. 

VeChain has shared updates on its X account, including tutorials on delegation and node tiers, to guide users through these steps. Exchanges like Bybit and Biconomy have confirmed support for the upgrade, ensuring smooth handling of VET and VTHO during this period.

StarGate 2.0: A Revamped Staking Platform

StarGate 2.0, launched alongside Hayabusa, offers an improved interface with at-a-glance metrics on total VET staked, VTHO distributed, and node APYs. It features tiered economic nodes: Dawn at 10,000 VET for baseline rewards, Lightning at 50,000 VET with a 1.15x multiplier, and Flash at 200,000 VET offering 1.3x. These tiers allow flexible combinations, lowering barriers for participation and encouraging broader involvement in securing the network.

A 5.3 billion VTHO reward pool, with 2.3 billion front-loaded for the first six months, incentivizes staking. Validators, now accessible via bio pages on the platform, can be reviewed before delegation. This model aligns incentives, rewarding builders and long-term holders while tying VTHO value to actual network activity.

What Does this Mean for Users and Developers?

For users, Hayabusa promises higher annual percentage yields (APYs) through active staking, predictable low-cost fees, and reduced inflation, making VET holdings more efficient. 

Developers benefit from EVM alignment and tools like transaction programmability, facilitating applications in recycling automation, marketplace services, and product passports. VeChain provides resources through docs.vechain.org and grants via vebetter.com, supporting projects in the VeBetter ecosystem—a Web3 app store focused on real-world utility. Recent campaigns, such as one with GimiApp rewarding content creation about the upgrade, highlight community engagement.

As Hayabusa stabilizes, VeChain positions itself for the Intergalactic phase, which will enhance cross-chain capabilities and attract institutional adoption in supply chains and sustainability.

Sources:

• _{Coinmonks on Medium: "Hayabusa Mainnet Goes Live - Foundations for the Tokenized Economy" (2025).}
• _{VeChain News: "The VeChain Renaissance 2025 Roadmap: Evolving Greatness".}
• _{Investopedia: "What Is the Ethereum Shanghai Upgrade?".}