Solana's Alpenglow upgrade entered its mainnet activation process on October 21, with the Solana Foundation listing its activation switch as active. The change introduces a new way for the computers running the network to agree that transactions are final.
What faster finality means for users
For users, the goal is to have a shorter wait before a payment is settled. Alpenglow targets about 150 milliseconds, or 0.15 seconds, instead of the 12.8 seconds that the previous system has.
A transaction appearing in a wallet does not mean it has become final. Finality is when the network considers that the transaction is settled and cannot be reversed.
The Foundation says that the figure is what is expected based on testing, but actual performance will depend on network conditions.
Activation comes before the completed handover
The system in place before will still continue to operate for a while before the new process then takes over.
Another change is that validator votes will not count as transactions recorded in blocks again. This means the total transactions that are reported could fall without user activity falling.
SOL approaches a nearby recovery hurdle
SOL traded around the $106.85 price area at the time of this writing, up 0.39%.
It had pulled itself from the $100–$102 price levels that it was, and this was after it fell from the $124 price level. What this showed was that buyers were coming back, but prices were still not feeling the impact yet.
The price area it needs to cross is around the $108–$109 price area. If it is able to hold above that area, the recovery case will become stronger, and traders can then look at the $112 price area.
If the rebound fails, the $100–$102 price area remains the recent area where buyers previously stepped in.
Final Summary
Alpenglow's mainnet activation has begun for transaction finality of around 150 milliseconds.
SOL traded near the $106.85 price zone, with the $108–$109 looking like the next recovery area.
