Solana is set to implement the Alpenglow upgrade by late 2025 or early 2026, aiming to lower the financial barriers for validators. Currently, running a Solana validator costs around $5,000 monthly, with $4,000 allocated to voting fees. The upgrade will significantly cut these fees, making it more accessible for participants to operate validator nodes. Beyond cost reductions, Alpenglow will enhance network performance by increasing bandwidth and reducing latency. This will improve block aggregation and curb malicious maximum extractable value (MEV) activities. However, the upgrade may require more advanced hardware for validators, according to Michael Repetny, CEO of Marinade Labs.