19.11.2025: Monthly Starknet Governance Call: Meeting Minutes

🏛 Governance
1

Hi all,

Thank you for attending our Starknet Governance Call on 19 November 2025. Hosted by @robertkodra (SNF), @Ohad-StarkWare (SW) covered the upcoming v0.14.1 upgrade, followed by a discussion on transaction fee increases and how the future voting process should be looking like with @henri.lieutaud and @starknet_rafael.
Below you will find a brief summary of the call.

We invite you to participate in our next governance call held on 17 December 2025 - sign up here.

Best,
Rafael
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Date: 19 November 2025

Host: Robert (SNF)

Discussants: Henri (SNF), Ohad (SW), Rafael (SNF)

Participants: 23

Covered topics

0.14.1 Upgrade Overview

  • Relatively minor version focused on stability vs 0.14
  • Two main features with significant efficiency improvements
    • Blake hash migration for compiled class hashes
      • 2-3x more efficient hash functions with opcode packing
      • Expected 8x improvement overall in hash calculations
      • Affects varying amounts of block space (negligible to 50%+ depending on usage)
    • Block timing changes for better congestion detection
      • Blocks close after 2 seconds if sequencer idle
      • Prevents false congestion signals from slow transaction arrival
      • Maintains 9-second maximum for complex transactions
  • Block size: 6 billion gas units proving metric
    • Typically expect 5.5 billion L2 gas maximum after improvements
  • Breaking changes minimal
    • Declaration transactions calculated differently (SDKs updated automatically)
    • Temporary migration overhead for large transactions post-upgrade

Fee Increase Justification

  • Current pricing moving from 3 gigawei to 8 gigawei per L2 gas
  • Cost pressures identified
    • 0.14 introduced unexpected 2-3x network bandwidth overhead from blob posting
    • Multiple sequencer operations increased infrastructure costs
    • Mindset shift from “break-even later” to sustainable pricing now
  • Stark price volatility creates additional complexity
    • Fees denominated in Stark but expenses in USD
    • Recent price increases affecting fee-to-cost ratios
    • Community feedback: Stark-denominated but USD-indexed pricing preferred
  • Validator impact concerns addressed
    • Delegation programs available from Starkware and Foundation
    • P2P network transition will increase operational costs regardless
    • Revenue/expense alignment improves when both in Stark
  • Mitigation programs available
    • Propulsion program for high-transaction projects (starts 100% coverage)
    • Validator delegation support for professional operators

Governance Process Changes

  • Moving to votes on every Starknet version starting 0.14.2
  • Current process lacks adequate community input
    • SNIPs published too close to implementation
    • No time for meaningful feedback or adaptation
  • Proposed timeline structure
    • 4 weeks: SNIP proposal and discussion period
    • 2 weeks: Finalization period (no content changes)
    • 1-2 weeks: Voting period
    • Implementation follows vote completion
  • Community testing encouraged during testnet phase
  • Foundation delegation changes coming
    • Reshuffling voting power distribution
    • Increased delegate communication requirements
    • Unused voting power will be withdrawn