An Ethereum whale has recently asserted a claim over the anticipated Starknet airdrop. This solo node operator, aiming to participate in the Starknet (STRK) reward program, has taken the monumental task of independently running a whopping 1000 validators.

The validators managed by the lone whale were mistakenly identified as a Centralized Exchange (CEX), causing confusion about their eligibility for the airdrop due to the sheer size of the operation.

Solo Operator Runs $90 Million Worth Of Validators

In a recent X (formerly Twitter) post, a cryptocurrency community member disclosed that a Genesis solo staker, identified as ‘Sullendef,’ on GitHub, single-handedly manages 1000 validators. The X community member revealed that these 1000 validators hold a cumulative value of around $100 million in Ethereum (ETH).

Typically, validators play a significant role in securing and maintaining blockchain networks. Although they contribute to the overall consensus mechanism of a blockchain, they can also be considered highly difficult to manage. 

Running a validator demands high technical expertise and requires acquiring complex and often costly hardware specifications. Consequently, it’s not unusual for many developers to express astonishment at the prospect of a node operator successfully running 1000 validators autonomously. 

The solo operator has openly shared on GitHub that he has been running these validators using his personal computer at home, underscoring his high dedication and technical prowess when navigating blockchain technology.

While there is no hard limit to the number of validators one can manage on a single machine, the significant resources and expenses required to run 1000 remain substantial. 

Lone Operator To Claim Massive STRK Airdrop

In a post on GitHub, Sullendef revealed that his 1000 validators may have been mistakenly associated with a prominent cryptocurrency exchange, Kraken. The solo Staker has expressed apprehensions about the possibility of their earned STRK airdrop rewards being unintentionally redirected to Kraken due to misidentification. 

Sullendef has disclosed his participation as one of the stakers eligible for the airdrops. He has remained actively involved in the community, expressing frustration over a message received while attempting to set up a withdrawal address. 

Presently, the Starknet Foundation, a nonprofit start-up, plans to launch a provisions program, acknowledging contributions from Ethereum developers, stakers, and Starknet towards advancing the network. The foundation has announced its intention to distribute over 700 million STRK to almost 1.3 million addresses.

Rated, one of the organizations helping Starknet in the airdrop process is looking into the case. The organization’s CTO, Ari Koliopoulos, replied to the mysterious whale. 

Starknet has stated plans to reward Ethereum stakers who engaged in staking ETH before the Proof of Stake (PoS) merge. The foundation has stated it would reward approximately 22% of the total STRK provision allocation to these stakers. 

“You are eligible to receive more than one million STRK, to be distributed further to your stakers. The Starknet Foundation will be in touch with someone from your organization,” the message read.

The lone node operator has stated that he has never initiated communication with the Starknet Foundation, urging a swift resolution to prevent misdirection of his airdrop rewards. It remains to be seen if the whale will received compensation. 

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