Polkadot cuts DOT issuance by 53.6%, sets 2.1B cap, and tightens validator rules in new economic model

Polkadot implemented a new economic model in April 2026 that reduced annual DOT issuance by 53.6% and introduced a hard supply cap of 2.1 billion DOT. Validators now must self-stake at least 10,000 DOT or face removal, raising network security standards. The update also separates slashing risks, protecting nominators from penalties due to validator faults. Ecosystem activity grew with Acurast surpassing 750 million on-chain transactions and new developer tools like Polkadot Docs MCP launching. Upcoming changes include dedicated rewards for validators from the Dynamic Allocation Pool, further refining incentives.