The introduction of Partial Set Security (PSS), also known as ICS 2.0, in the recent Gaia v17 software upgrade for Cosmos Hub, brings forward a more complex economic framework for network participants. To address this transition and provide further network support, Hypha Worker Co-operative, renowned for its management of testnets and governance improvements, has secured two grants, one for the ISLE testnet with a funding of $50,000 in USDC to provide incentives for testnet participation, and a second for the “day-to-day” Testnet Incentives program with a funding of $77,000 in USDC. [note: by time of publication, only $30k of the $50k for ISLE testnet was used, with the remaining $20k being returned back to AADAO.]
ISLE testnet aimed to prepare the Cosmos Hub for this transition through comprehensive education and incentivized participation in the testnet.
Through this effort, Hypha sought to raise awareness about the positive effects of PSS and ISC 2.0 on the Atom Economic Zone (AEZ), enhancing validator and stakeholder confidence. The ISLE testnet has been successfully completed, find the results report here. After an already successful pilot program that began last year, the six-month Testnet Incentives Program aims to support Cosmos Hub validators’ participation in the Hub’s Interchain Security testnet — where new software is tested and new consumer chains are initially onboard — by incentivizing validators to reliably participate, providing feedback to consumer chain teams, helping other validators join the testnet, and more.‍
By leveraging their experience from past successful initiatives, such as the Game of Chains incentivized testnet, Hypha is poised to facilitate a smooth transition to PSS and increase overall mainnet validator participation, significantly supporting the advancement of the Cosmos Hub.
