Stellar: How Trust Works on the Stellar Network

Trust on the Stellar network is established through the Stellar Consensus Protocol, which requires validators to select other nodes they trust. The Stellar Development Foundation outlines a framework using eight dimensions to evaluate which nodes to trust, aiming to increase the network’s resilience by ensuring diversity among trusted organizations. A mismatch in configuration can lead to network issues like halts or forks if too many trusted nodes fail. SDF emphasizes an approach balancing risk through evaluating potential validators by severity and correlation of impact. Although an exact formula is not defined, discussions among SDF members culminate in consensus for node inclusion. These practices are meant to inspire other network participants to make well-informed trust decisions.