Solana cuts slot time to 350ms for first time since network launch

Solana has reduced its target slot time from 400 milliseconds to 350ms for the first time since the network launched, starting a four-stage plan that could eventually bring slots down to 200ms. Summary Solana has reduced its target slot time from 400ms to 350ms for the first time since the network launched. The change is the first stage of SIMD-0525, which plans further reductions to 300ms, 250ms and 200ms. Shorter slots are designed to reduce confirmation latency while network resource limits are adjusted proportionally. The remaining stages are targeted for Agave v4.2, although the activation schedule remains tentative. Solana Foundation vice president of technology Jacob Creech announced the change on Aug. 21, saying the network had entered “a new era of 350ms” before adding, “Next stop, 300ms.” Average slot times were running at around 360ms at the time of writing, according to Solana’s slot time explorer, compared with the network’s original 400ms target. The change is the first step under SIMD-0525, a Solana improvement proposal that introduces four progressively shorter slot configurations at 350ms, 300ms, 250ms and 200ms. The proposal was approved and merged on May 14. Rath...