# Rocket Pool outlines proposed Saturn 2 withdrawal, penalty, and economic changes

> The proposed package would add protocol-level rETH withdrawals backed by validator exits, permissionless challenges and exits for underperforming validators, exit-request and minipool-penalty mechanics, higher megapool bond requirements, lower RPL issuance, and the end of ongoing RPL rewards for…

- URL: https://riadefi.com/on-chain/2026-07-30-rocket-pool-saturn-2-rpip-86/
- Type: Governance
- Stage: Proposed
- Evidence: developing
- Materiality: critical
- Event date: 2026-07-30
- Version: 1, published 2026-08-22 (first published 2026-08-22)
- Follow-up: 2026-08-31
- Advisor-relevant: yes
- Affects: Rocket Pool (protocol)

Developing. Some claims here are not yet confirmed; they are listed apart from the confirmed facts. A new version replaces this one when the primary evidence changes.

## What happened

Rocket Pool published RPIP-86 as an informational package describing the likely Saturn 2 scope and the draft RPIPs that would implement it. Formal voting had not started and the final package remained subject to pDAO decisions.

## What changed

The proposed package would add protocol-level rETH withdrawals backed by validator exits, permissionless challenges and exits for underperforming validators, exit-request and minipool-penalty mechanics, higher megapool bond requirements, lower RPL issuance, and the end of ongoing RPL rewards for node operators.

## What did not change

No component had been formally approved or executed. Existing rETH withdrawal, validator-selection, penalty, bond, and RPL issuance mechanics remained operative pending governance and deployment.

## Confirmed

- RPIP-86 was in an informal-sentiment and scoping stage; the underlying RPIPs were draft and not yet voted.
- RPIP-71 proposes an rETH withdrawal queue that can trigger validator exits.
- RPIP-71's first phase would have the oDAO select minipools for exit, while a later megapool selection rule remained undecided.
- RPIP-80 proposes penalties for minipools that do not respond to exit requests.
- The package proposes increasing megapool bond requirements, reducing RPL issuance to 2.5%, and ending ongoing RPL rewards for node operators.

## Still open

- The final Saturn 2 scope, vote structure, voting outcome, implementation parameters, and deployment date were undecided.
- The pDAO had not selected the final megapool exit criterion.
- The practical interaction between oDAO minipool selection and penalties for failed exit requests requires governance and control review.
- The effects on rETH withdrawal liquidity, operator participation, and protocol economics remain prospective.

## What it means for an advisor

- Open a Rocket Pool memo review now because the written criterion covers RPIPs that expand oDAO power over penalties, and the package plausibly links oDAO exit selection to minipool penalties.
- Do not treat the proposed withdrawal queue as available liquidity until governance approval, deployment, and live performance are confirmed.
- Monitor formal votes and executed parameters for withdrawal priority, validator selection, penalty discretion, bond requirements, and RPL economics.

## Sources

1. [RPIP-86: Saturn 2 Upgrade](https://dao.rocketpool.net/t/rpip-86-saturn-2-upgrade/4012) · Rocket Pool · 2026-07-30


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Published by Ketju Research on RIADeFi (https://riadefi.com). Educational research for financial professionals; not investment, legal, tax, or compliance advice.