NORS is expanding staking security accessibility with the launch of NORS Entry, a new certification tier built to broaden access to enterprise-grade standards for node operators across the blockchain ecosystem.
In addition, NORS has expanded its Risk and Control Matrix (RCM) framework to include Solana, extending comprehensive security assessments beyond Ethereum and establishing consistent assurance across the industry's leading proof-of-stake networks.
These milestones mark a major step forward in advancing decentralization, resilience, and institutional trust within blockchain infrastructure.
Elevating Industry Standards for Staking Security
The Node Operator Risk Standard (NORS) continues to serve as the industry's most rigorous, peer-reviewed framework for evaluating operational practices, reliability, and security in staking.
With the introduction of NORS Entry, we are expanding access to professional-grade security standards to all node operators while maintaining the same quality benchmarks that institutional stakeholders rely on.
Moving forward, node operators can pursue two certification paths: NORS Entry or NORS Certification.
NORS Certification remains the highest standard in the ecosystem, while NORS Entry establishes a strong foundation for smaller operators or those building toward full certification.
This tiered system—developed in response to community feedback—brings flexibility to the market, allowing operators of all sizes to demonstrate their commitment to secure and reliable staking.
NORS Entry: Democratizing Professional Staking Security
NORS Entry represents a major step toward making institutional-grade security standards attainable for more node operators.
It provides a clear, structured pathway for small operators to demonstrate their commitment to best practices, while also serving as a potential stepping stone toward full NORS certification as their operations scale in the future.
This new certification focuses on essential security controls and core operational practices, enabling smaller or emerging operators to build trust with networks and institutions. It allows single node operators or smaller teams to demonstrate their commitment to security and operational excellence without the extensive infrastructure and resources required for enterprise-level audits. For many smaller organizations, achieving the level of operational maturity expected in frameworks like SOC 2 is not practical or attainable—NORS Entry bridges that gap by providing a right-sized, credible pathway toward professional validation.
Previously, new participants or home operators lacked a formal mechanism to signal their commitment to security while scaling operations. NORS Entry changes that—providing an accessible, recognized standard that strengthens the entire validator ecosystem.
By enabling broader participation, NORS Entry enhances decentralization and network resilience. Smaller or home operators play a vital role in maintaining the geographic, technical, and organizational diversity that underpins censorship resistance and trustless network design.
Through NORS Entry, enterprise-grade assurance and meaningful decentralization can progress together.
"With the launch of NORS Entry and the expansion of NORS to support Solana, we're making staking security more accessible while strengthening consistency across ecosystems. These milestones ensure that operators of all sizes can align to the same trusted standards for security, reliability, and operational excellence across all major proof of stake networks."
— Evan Weiss, Alluvial NORS Working Group
Scope and Depth: Defining Two Levels of Assurance
The introduction of NORS Entry formalizes a clear distinction between foundational and institutional security assurance levels within the NORS framework.
NORS establishes a comprehensive framework tailored for institutional-grade node operators. It emphasizes formal governance and risk management, advanced cryptographic controls such as multi-signature key management and secure key handling, and operational maturity through independent evaluations, SOC reviews, and disaster recovery testing. Together, these measures provide broad risk coverage across personnel, vendors, and cybersecurity—ensuring the highest level of assurance in staking operations and rigor that can meet the needs of the world's largest institutions.
In contrast, NORS Entry focuses on establishing the essential foundation for secure and reliable validator operations. It introduces baseline security controls, encourages periodic self-assessments, and prioritizes practical resiliency measures aligned with the capabilities of smaller or emerging operators—providing a scalable, accessible pathway towards NORS compliance.
Solana Support: Expanding Beyond Ethereum
With Solana now integrated into the NORS Risk and Control Matrix, NORS extends its reach across the two largest proof-of-stake ecosystems. This expansion to Solana was realized in partnership with Marinade, one of the largest staking providers native to the Solana ecosystem.
The timing aligns with a major milestone for the Solana ecosystem: the launch of Solana-based ETFs. As these regulated products bring SOL into institutional portfolios, asset managers and custodians require consistent, verifiable standards to support operational excellence. By adapting the NORS framework to Solana's unique technical architecture, we ensure that operators and institutions can demonstrate trusted, peer-reviewed security practices across both Ethereum and Solana.
As staking activity and institutional investment scale, maintaining consistent standards across ecosystems is critical to preserving confidence and resilience. With Solana support, NORS continues to set the benchmark for secure, reliable, and decentralized network participation—meeting the needs of both decentralized communities and institutional stakeholders.
Marinade will be looking to leverage NORS Entry in its institutional offerings, such as Marinade Select—a Solana-based delegation program that empowers stakeholders to choose from a curated set of high-quality validators.
"By aligning with the NORS Entry framework, we're helping make institutional readiness more accessible to all Solana validators—including single operators who want to demonstrate high operational standards. NORS Entry promotes transparent, verifiable criteria for validator performance and security, strengthening trust among delegators and contributing to a more robust, decentralized network."
— Michael Repetny, CEO, Marinade Labs
Get Started
Node Operators: Showcase your commitment to secure, reliable staking. Learn more about NORS Entry and begin your certification journey.
Institutional Stakeholders: Discover verified, secure operators across Ethereum and Solana in our NORS Certified Directory.
Assessors: See how to become a Qualified Assessor in our Qualified Assessor process.