To kick off this week's edition, we’re featuring a special guest post from one of our very own, long-time Tezos community member Cryptonio, who will guide us through the key differences between these proposals. Let’s explore what’s at stake and what these proposals mean for the next chapter of the Tezos journey!

Tezos Upgrade Showdown: The Key Differences Between Quebec A, B, and Qena

Tezos is once again presenting the community with a set of important protocol proposals: Quebec A, Quebec B, and Qena. Each of these proposals brings a set of technical improvements, but they also diverge when it comes to changes in Tezos’ economic model. Whether you’re a baker or a participant in the Tezos ecosystem, it’s essential to understand these differences, as the proposals have distinct implications for the network’s future, especially regarding inflation, staking, and delegation.

In this article, we’ll break down the technical upgrades common to all proposals and dive into the unique aspects of each one. Finally, we’ll look at who might prefer each proposal and why this variety of proposals is a win for the Tezos community.

What All Three Proposals Offer

Before we get into the specifics of each proposal, it’s worth noting that all three share a set of technical improvements. These upgrades focus on performance, user experience, and fairness, ensuring that regardless of the outcome, the Tezos network will see positive advancements.

Here are the core upgrades found in Quebec A, Quebec B, and Qena:

• 8-Second Block Times: All three proposals aim to reduce block times from the current 10 seconds to 8 seconds. This means faster transaction processing and a better user experience. Shorter block times reduce finality, meaning transactions are confirmed more quickly — helpful for both everyday users and developers working on dApps.

• Amended Delegation Computation: The proposals address an issue introduced in the Paris upgrade, which led to some unintended consequences for bakers. The new computation method ensures that large transfers between delegators don’t accidentally reduce a baker’s baking rights. This update should make the delegation system smoother and fairer for both bakers and delegators.

• Improvements to Delegation Rights Calculation: An updated formula makes it easier for bakers and delegators to understand their baking power throughout the cycle. This improvement reduces confusion and ensures everyone has a clearer idea of their potential rewards.

In short, no matter which proposal wins, Tezos will benefit from faster transaction speeds and a more straightforward delegation system. But what about the differences?

Quebec A: Controlling Max Issuance

Quebec A takes the shared technical improvements and adds a significant economic tweak: the adaptive maximum issuance bound. This mechanism adjusts the maximum amount of tez that can be issued based on how close the network is to its target staking ratio of 50%. The closer the network gets to the 50% target, the lower the maximum issuance allowed, preventing excessive inflation.

This is important because Tezos uses an adaptive issuance model where rewards adjust based on staking participation. When fewer people stake, rewards increase to incentivize more staking. But without this cap, if participation is near the target, the issuance might remain high even when it’s not necessary, leading to unnecessary inflation. The adaptive maximum bound solves this by dynamically lowering the maximum issuance as the target is approached, keeping inflation in check while ensuring the network has enough rewards to secure itself.

Why vote for Quebec A?
You want to reduce inflation and make tez more scarce. Quebec A is for those who think controlling the supply of new tez is essential for the network’s long-term growth and value.

Quebec B: More Staking, Less Delegation

Quebec B includes everything Quebec A offers — technical improvements and the adaptive maximum issuance bound — but takes the economic adjustments one step further. In addition to the adaptive maximum issuance bound, Quebec B proposes to reduce the power of delegated funds when calculating baking rights.

Currently, when you delegate tez to a baker, those funds count toward the baker’s overall staking power. Right now, delegated funds are weighted at 50% of their nominal value when calculating baking power. In Quebec B, that percentage is reduced to 33%. In other words, delegation becomes slightly less powerful, pushing people to stake their own tez instead of relying heavily on delegation.

This change is designed to push more people toward staking instead of delegating. By reducing the influence of delegated funds, Quebec B increases the incentive for users that have more “skin in the game.” Those who stake will see greater rewards relative to those who rely heavily on delegations.

Why vote for Quebec B?
You believe that the more direct participation and personal stake you have, the greater your rewards should be. Quebec B is ideal for those who want to encourage more staking rather than delegating.

Qena: Keep the Tech, Skip the Economics

Qena includes all the same technical upgrades as Quebec A and Quebec B — 8-second block times, smoother delegation calculations, and overall network improvements — but it skips the economic adjustments altogether.

Qena is for those who believe that it’s too early to introduce more economic adjustments. The Paris upgrade, which just activated two months ago, brought in a huge economic overhaul, and many think we should let that play out longer before making further changes.

In other words, Qena appeals to people who want to give the current system time to settle before adding more complexity to the economic model. It’s for those who think we should focus on the technical upgrades now and reconsider economic tweaks later once we’ve seen how things develop post-Paris.

Why vote for Qena?
If you believe it’s too soon to make more changes to the economic model after the big Paris upgrade and want to give the current system more time, Qena is the way to go. It’s for those who think the technical improvements are enough for now, and we shouldn’t rush into additional economic changes.

A Win for the Community

Regardless of which proposal wins, it’s important to recognize that having three different options — including one from the community itself (Qena) — is a victory for Tezos governance. It highlights the power of a decentralized, community-driven blockchain, where different voices can present their vision for the network’s future.

• Vote for Quebec A if you want to reduce inflation and make tez more scarce.

• Vote for Quebec B if you also want to reduce the influence of delegated funds and encourage more staking.

• Vote for Qena if you believe it’s too soon for more economic changes and think the technical upgrades are enough for now.

If you’re a baker, make sure to vote and help shape the future of Tezos. If you’re not a baker, engage in discussions with the community and your baker about their vote. The future of Tezos is shaped by the community, and every voice counts. Let’s continue to push Tezos forward — together.

Quick Comparison: Quebec A vs. Quebec B vs. Qena

Call to Action

With Quebec A, Quebec B, and Qena all on the table, the choice is in your hands, Tezos community! Each proposal offers a unique path forward, whether it's through faster block times, adjusting baking power, or focusing on economic stability. This is your chance to shape the next step for Tezos.

For bakers, now is the time to vote for your preferred protocol upgrade. Use the following commands to submit your proposal of choice:

Quebec A:

Quebec B

Qena:

Stay tuned and follow the voting progress on Tezos Agora, and learn more about each proposal: Tezos Agora Voting.

Let's keep the momentum going, Tezos! Every vote counts!

Robinhood offers XTZ in New York

As the Quebec upgrade proposals near the final hours of voting, the excitement in the Tezos ecosystem doesn't stop there. In another boost for Tezos accessibility, Robinhood has just announced that New York residents can now buy and sell Tezos (XTZ) on their platform. This addition means New York-based users can now buy, sell, and trade Tezos, bringing the total number of cryptocurrencies available through Robinhood in New York to 14.

Given New York's strict regulatory environment for digital assets, this is an awesome step for Tezos, showcasing its growing presence in one of the most challenging markets. Robinhood’s move to include Tezos not only broadens access for New York users but also demonstrates the increasing traction of Tezos in multiple verticals like gaming, DeFi, and art.

For anyone using Robinhood in New York, Tezos is now just a tap away.

Tezos Community Rewards Program: Only 3 Days Left to Nominate!

Lastly for the headlines this week, the clock is ticking, and there are just 3 days left to submit your nominations for the September edition of the Tezos Community Rewards Program! This is your chance to recognize and celebrate those who have made exceptional contributions to the Tezos ecosystem over the past month.

The Community Rewards Program is an initiative by Tezos Commons to foster growth, engagement, and support within the Tezos community. Up to 5,000 tez is rewarded every month to contributors who have demonstrated exceptional dedication, talent, and commitment to the ecosystem.

The categories for this month's rewards include:

• Assimilation Award: Recognizing those who welcome, connect, and support members of the Tezos community.

• Drill Sergeant Award: For the individuals who help others get up to speed, serve as mentors, or provide guidance in the ecosystem.

• Helping Hand Award: For assisting others in the Tezos community through acts of kindness or support.

• Influencer Award: For driving engagement, awareness, or adoption of Tezos through thought leadership, content creation, or social media presence.

• Patissier Award: Awarded to those who contribute to the baking community by educating, onboarding new bakers, or providing baking services.

• TEO Award: For outstanding efforts in furthering Tezos Education Outreach, whether through workshops, events, or educational resources.

• Tez Dev Award: For developers building or enhancing projects, applications, or tools on the Tezos blockchain.

• Tezos Tutor Award: Recognizing those who help others learn about Tezos through educational resources or tutorials.

• The Formal Verification Award: For engaging in constructive exchange in Tezos and setting the example for good argumentation, defining terms, reasoning from first principles, sharing evidence, and avoiding logical fallacies.

Don't miss this opportunity to nominate someone you believe has made a difference in the Tezos ecosystem. Visit tezoscommons.org/rewards to submit your nomination today!

This Week in the Tezos Ecosystem

Magic Hits a New High with 50K+ npm Downloads

Shifting to news and updates around the Tezos Ecosystem updates, This week a key achievement was celebrated with our friends at Magic. Magic has surpassed an impressive 50,000 npm downloads, with nearly 3,000 downloads in just the past few weeks! This milestone showcases the growing interest in Magic’s seamless authentication and wallet integration, making it easier than ever for developers to build on Tezos.

But that's not all—there’s been a surge of interest in Etherlink, with the Etherlink documentation page becoming one of the most visited blockchain pages for Magic’s developer community. It's clear signal that the Tezos ecosystem continues to attract attention, especially from developers eager to integrate blockchain based solutions.

If you’re ready to jump in and start building with Tezos and Magic’s wallet integration, check out their developer docs here 👉 Magic + Etherlink Developer Docs.

Game Spotlight: BattleRise

Step into BattleRise: Kingdom of Champions, a fantasy-themed role-playing game blending turn-based battles, immersive storytelling, and endless dungeons. Set in the world of Eos, you'll unite brave warriors to battle against ancient evils threatening all of creation.

• Dungeons: Make strategic decisions in dynamic dungeon runs where every choice influences your journey.

• Arena: Face off against other players in real-time PvP battles.

• Champions: Choose from a diverse roster of heroes from different factions, each with unique skills and synergies.

• Artifacts: Equip your champions with legendary weapons and artifacts to enhance their powers.

• Story Mode: Explore a rich fantasy narrative and embark on epic quests.

Learn more and download at battlerise.com

Also, Catch up on the recent X Space discussing the Etherlink Founders Pass, BattleRise's gaming NFT: Listen here

🔴 Now Streaming: Gaming on Tezos with Jeremy Foo

This week on TezTalks LIVE, we’re joined by Jeremy Foo, the Global Head of Gaming at TZ APAC, to dive into the latest developments in blockchain gaming, both in the Asia Pacific region and across the Tezos ecosystem.

🌟 Our special guest is Jeremy Foo, who brings his wealth of experience from the gaming industry to his mission of growing gaming on Tezos.

🔍 In this episode, we'll explore:

What is TZ APAC? Learn about TZ APAC’s role in driving Tezos adoption, especially in the gaming sector across the Asia Pacific region.

Jeremy's Journey: Hear about Jeremy’s path from consulting at McKinsey to leading strategic investments in gaming and how he became the Global Head of Gaming at TZAPAC.

Supporting Game Developers: Discover the resources and support TZ APAC offers to game developers building on Tezos, including funding, strategy, marketing, and technical guidance.

Upcoming Game Releases: Get the latest on exciting new games like Pike’s Arena and how they’re shaping the future of blockchain-powered gaming on Tezos.

Now Streaming:

YouTube | X

Events

Join us for the first annual Subjective Art Festival, taking place from September 27-29 at LUME Studios in Tribeca, NYC. Curated by Victoria West and sponsored by Tezos Commons, this event brings together over 150 artists and showcases cutting-edge art and technology across six floors of installations.

Location: LUME Studios, 393 Broadway, New York, NY 10013, USA

Sign Up Here