Starknet said in a post on the X platform that although the first phase of staking has been launched on Starknet Sepolia, it must be emphasized that this is just the beginning of a broader plan to transform Starknet into a fully decentralized PoS network. The vision for this transformation is as follows:
Phase 1: Introducing a permissionless staking protocol and staking for staking delegation, validators are expected to run a full node in preparation for the next phase.
Phase 2: Validators will begin to prove blocks, that is, sign blocks when their turn is randomly selected.
Phase 3: Validators will verify and vote on blocks sorted by the sorter, and the consensus will be proved to L1.
Phase 4: Validators will be solely responsible for maintaining and protecting the network by generating, proving, and attesting blocks.
This phased approach enables Starknet to launch staking cautiously and make adjustments over time to meet the changing needs of the community. In addition, the above four phases are not a rigid or static plan and may change based on what is observed during the process.