Operators

Operators are entities responsible for performing services on behalf of applications secured through Symbiotic. They register with the protocol, opt into applications, and receive delegated stake from Symbiotic vaults, which acts as economic backing for their commitments.

For infrastructure-focused applications, operators typically run software such as validators, sequencers, or other off-chain services that contribute to the security and decentralization of a network. In other use cases, including underwriting, financial guarantees, or liquidity provision, operators instead represent the entity responsible for delivering a specific service, with delegated vault collateral backing their obligations.

Becoming an Operator

Before participating in Symbiotic, operators must register with the protocol and opt into the applications they intend to support. Applications may define their own admission requirements, allowing operators to participate only after meeting the necessary criteria.

Once an operator has opted into an application, vaults may choose to delegate stake to it according to the strategy defined by their curator.

Responsibilities

Operators are expected to perform the tasks required by the applications they support while complying with each application's operational requirements.

Depending on the application, this may include maintaining reliable infrastructure, validating transactions, providing liquidity, issuing financial guarantees, or performing other specialized services. The exact responsibilities are determined by the application itself rather than by the Symbiotic protocol.

Economic Security

Operators do not provide collateral directly. Instead, they are backed by stake delegated from Symbiotic vaults, creating economic incentives for operators to perform their duties correctly.

If an operator violates an application's rules or fails to satisfy its obligations, the delegated collateral may be subject to slashing according to the application's slashing conditions.

As a result, operators should carefully evaluate the requirements and risks of every application they choose to support.

Supporting Multiple Applications

A single operator may participate in multiple applications simultaneously, provided it satisfies the requirements of each one and receives sufficient delegated stake from participating vaults.

This allows operators to efficiently utilize their infrastructure while supporting a diverse range of decentralized networks and services across the Symbiotic ecosystem.