Mainnet · Live
Sui
Governance
Stake-weighted voting for emergency decisions on Sui—validators and stakers, on-chain, immutable.
Now live
The framework is on mainnet.
Sui on-chain governance is live for emergency stake-weighted votes. Discussed on the validator call, the governance contract is published and made immutable—the upgrade capability was destroyed. Source validation is available in the MystenLabs repository.
Lifecycle
From draft to decision in four steps
This mechanism is for unexpected, time-sensitive situations. It does not replace the SIP process. Design inspired by Cosmos on-chain governance.
- 01
Creation
Anyone can create a proposal with a text description. No fee is required. During the free pre-vote phase, validators and stakers can already cast votes so the proposer can gauge support before locking capital.
- 02
Activation
Only the original proposer can activate. Activation locks 1,000 SUI and opens a 14-day voting window. The fee is spam protection and is returned only if the proposal passes.
- 03
Voting
Options are Yes, No, Abstain, and No With Veto. Validators vote with their stake minus any stake their delegators vote with independently. Stakers wrap StakedSui into VotingStake to vote on their own. Stakers can change votes while active; validators cannot.
- 04
Finalization
Finalize after 14 days or earlier: early pass (Yes > 2/3), early veto (No With Veto > 1/3), or early fail (No + Abstain + No With Veto > 1/2). Results are Passed, Not Passed, or Vetoed.
How voting weight is counted
Voting power follows the active validator set’s stake distribution when progress or finalize is called. Each staker’s vote counts by their staked SUI. A validator’s remaining weight is their total stake minus the sum of their stakers’ independent votes—so delegators can diverge from their validator without double-counting.
Outcomes
Stake weight decides. Veto comes first.
Early resolution is possible if Yes exceeds 2/3, No With Veto exceeds 1/3, or No + Abstain + No With Veto exceeds 1/2 of total stake.
Passed
Yes > 2/3 of active validator stake, and not vetoed
Vetoed
No With Veto > 1/3 of active validator stake (veto wins even if Yes would otherwise pass)
Not Passed
Any other outcome after the window or an early-fail condition
Validator community
Where Governance Debate Happens
Recordings from Validator Community Calls that covered SIP-45, emergency protocol, module updates, and the live demo.
Previous governance-related calls
Call 16 · July 15, 2026Governance module demo
Damir walked through the live governance module, including a demo of the first on-chain proposal.
Governance module · Live demo
Call 15 · June 17, 2026Governance module discussion & feedback
Mark (Mysten) led discussion and feedback on the governance module with the validator community.
Module feedback · Validator input
Call 13 · April 8, 2026Governance module update
Damir (Mysten) shared the latest progress on the on-chain governance module.
Module update
Call 10 · January 14, 2026Governance module update
Damir presented an update on the governance module as implementation continued.
Module update
Call 6 · September 3, 2025Governance updates & next steps
Covered MEV on Sui and the emergency protocol direction alongside broader governance next steps.
MEV on Sui · Emergency protocol
Call 5 · August 20, 2025Sui Governance next steps
Sam shared Mysten’s next-steps update for Sui governance with the validator community.
Next steps · Mysten update
Call 4 · July 3, 2025Governance discussion
Validators discussed the current state of Sui governance and where the process should go next.
Current state · Future state
Call 3 · April 16, 2025Governance — SIP-45 & MEV
Review of SIP-45 and validator discussion of its implications, including MEV-related context.
SIP-45 · MEV
FAQ
Common questions about Sui governance
What is Sui on-chain governance?
Sui on-chain governance is a stake-weighted voting package for emergency situations on the Sui network. Validators and their delegators can vote on proposals. It does not replace the Sui Improvement Proposal (SIP) process.
Who can vote on Sui governance proposals?
Both validators and individual stakers can participate. Votes are weighted by staked SUI. Stakers vote independently by wrapping StakedSui into a VotingStake object; that stake is subtracted from their validator’s weight so there is no double-counting.
How does a Sui governance proposal pass or get vetoed?
A proposal passes when Yes exceeds 2/3 of total active validator stake and is not vetoed. It is vetoed if No With Veto exceeds 1/3 of total active validator stake. Veto takes priority over a passing Yes tally.
What does it cost to activate a proposal?
Creating a proposal is free during the pre-vote phase. Activating it locks a 1,000 SUI fee and starts a 14-day voting window. The fee is returned only if the proposal passes.
Is the Sui governance contract upgradeable?
No. The governance package is published on Sui mainnet and made immutable—the upgrade capability was destroyed—so the on-chain rules cannot be changed via package upgrade.
Resources