How Does a Validator’s Stake Act as a Security Bond in a PoS System?

A validator's staked tokens serve as a mandatory security bond, or collateral, that must be deposited to participate in block validation. This capital is locked up and acts as an economic commitment to honest behavior.

If the validator acts maliciously, such as attempting a double-spend or creating a conflicting block, the protocol automatically seizes (slashes) a portion or all of this stake. The potential loss of this bond is the primary economic incentive for the validator to maintain the network's integrity, ensuring their self-interest aligns with the network's security.