The community of Ethereum Layer 2 network Starknet has voted to implement the Alpha v0.13.0 upgrade on the Starknet mainnet. This upgrade will introduce the functionality of paying transaction fees using STRK tokens and Ether (ETH). Eli Ben-Sasson, a core contributor to Starknet, told the media outlet “The Block” that the network plans to eventually transition to exclusively using STRK for transaction fees.
The mainnet upgrade is scheduled to take place on Wednesday evening at 7 PM Taiwan time (10th). However, the functionality of paying with STRK tokens will be delayed until the token is transferable in the future.
This upgrade is also expected to reduce transaction costs and improve network performance, with the team estimating a possible decrease in fees by 25 to 50%.
The organization behind Starknet, the Starknet Foundation, plans to distribute 1.8 billion STRK tokens later this year as user rewards and rebates, which may include community airdrops. Initial distribution phases are reported to begin in the first half of 2024, with the foundation having previously announced the completion of the airdrop snapshot.