One of the biggest challenges for smaller Cardano stake pools is visibility.
Many pool operators invest significant time and resources into maintaining reliable infrastructure, supporting the community, and contributing to the decentralization of the network. Yet many of these pools remain largely unknown to potential delegators.
As a result, delegators often end up choosing from the same well-known pools, while many quality smaller pools struggle to attract attention despite doing everything right.
To help address this challenge, we recently launched a new community initiative focused on verified Cardano stake pools.
The idea is simple: make it easier for delegators to discover smaller pools, review public information, compare verified profiles, and learn more about the operators behind them.
Our goal is not to tell anyone where to delegate.
Our goal is to give delegators better information and help quality smaller pools become more visible, which ultimately supports a healthier and more decentralized Cardano ecosystem.
We recently published a guide explaining how the verification process works:
If you are a stake pool operator and would like your pool to be reviewed and included in the verified pool directory, we would be happy to hear from you.
You can submit your pool here:
Feedback from both SPOs and delegators is welcome.
What would be the difference between this system you’re proposing and existing stake pool verification or discovery tools in the Cardano ecosystem, such as https://pool.pm/? especially in terms of helping delegators discover smaller pools and access public information as mentioned in your explanation.
Will the certificates you plan to issue to registered pools be visible in stake pool views inside wallets or even on platforms like pool.pm, so that delegators can easily identify and delegate to those stake pools?
Pool.pm is an excellent resource for the Cardano ecosystem, but Blockiy is focused on something different: helping small stake pools gain visibility and survive.
Through initiatives such as the Delegation Rotation Program, Blockiy aims to help smaller pools produce blocks, build a track record, and become more visible to potential delegators.
The Verified Badge and Blockiy Score are also intended to help operators showcase their pools and encourage greater collaboration within the Cardano SPO community.
Blockiy is also designed to become a place where the Cardano community can easily discover smaller but dedicated and high-quality pools. If delegators specifically want to support decentralization, they can use the verified pool directory, scores, and public pool information to identify pools that may otherwise remain unnoticed.
The long-term goal is simple: make it easier to discover quality small pools, help them remain sustainable, and contribute to a stronger and more decentralized Cardano ecosystem.
I fully understand, especially since this could even enable more effective collaboration between SPOs and all other stakeholders in the staking space.
Unfortunately, as of June 2026, we have had to retire our Goma stake pool due to certain challenges, such as insufficient delegation. Otherwise, we would have been eager to be part of this solution as well.
We look forward to seeing this initiative succeed and serve the Cardano ecosystem, especially all stakeholders in the staking system.
Stories like yours are actually one of the reasons Blockiy was created.
Unfortunately, there are many dedicated operators who run reliable pools, contribute to the ecosystem, and still struggle because visibility and delegation are difficult to obtain.
It is always disappointing to see a pool retire not because of technical issues, but simply because it could not attract enough delegation to remain sustainable.
Hopefully, if the Cardano community can more easily discover and support quality smaller pools, fewer operators will find themselves in that position in the future.
Thank you for your support and kind words. We hope initiatives like this can make even a small contribution toward a healthier and more decentralized Cardano ecosystem.
And if you ever decide to restart your pool in the future, please let us know. We’d be happy to hear from you and help however we can.
