--- sidebar_position: 5 --- # Farming Economics Understanding how ThreeFold farmers earn money and the role of SPORE tokens in the ecosystem. ## What is SPORE? **SPORE** is the native token of the ThreeFold ecosystem. Think of it as your reward for providing compute, storage, and network resources to the decentralized grid. ### Key Facts About SPORE | **Feature** | **Details** | |-------------|-------------| | **Current Price** | $0.01 USD per SPORE (fixed until June 30, 2026) | | **Price After June 2026** | Will float based on market demand | | **What You Earn** | SPORE tokens for providing capacity | | **Maximum Supply** | 10 billion SPORE (capped) | | **Utility** | Payment for farmers, ecosystem growth token | ### Why SPORE Value Should Increase 1. **Burning reduces supply** - 10% of all revenue burns SPORE, shrinking total supply 2. **Demand increases** - As more users adopt ThreeFold, demand for SPORE grows 3. **Fewer tokens + more demand = higher price** --- ## How Revenue Works When users rent your node's resources, payments are distributed automatically: ```mermaid graph LR A[User Pays for Resources] --> B[80% to Farmer
SPORE Tokens] A --> C[10% Burned
Removed from circulation] A --> D[10% ThreeFold
Development] B --> E[Your SPORE Balance Increases] C --> F[Total SPORE Supply Decreases
Each token worth more] D --> G[Funds development
of the ecosystem] ``` ### Revenue Split Example **User pays $10 for compute resources:** | **Recipient** | **Amount** | **What Happens** | |---------------|------------|------------------| | **You (Farmer)** | $8 (800 SPORE) | Added to your balance | | **Burned** | $1 (100 SPORE) | Permanently destroyed | | **ThreeFold** | $1 (100 SPORE) | Funds development | --- ## What Happens When SPORE is Burned? Burning is like **removing tokens from circulation permanently**. Here's why this is good for farmers: ### The Simple Math **Price = Market Demand ÷ Available Supply** - **Without burning**: Supply stays constant, price rises slowly with demand - **With burning**: Supply shrinks, price rises much faster ### Example Over Time | **Year** | **SPORE Burned** | **Remaining Supply** | **Effect on Price** | |----------|------------------|---------------------|-------------------| | Year 1 | 1 billion | 9 billion | ↑ 10% scarcity | | Year 2 | 2 billion | 8 billion | ↑ 20% scarcity | | Year 3 | 3 billion | 7 billion | ↑ 30% scarcity | | Year 4 | 4 billion | 6 billion | ↑ 40% scarcity | *Your SPORE holdings become more valuable as supply decreases* --- ## Managing Your SPORE Earnings You have three main options with your earned SPORE: ### Option 1: Hold (Recommended) **Keep your SPORE to benefit from price appreciation** - ✅ **Price growth potential** - Burning reduces supply - ✅ **Long-term wealth building** - Early holders benefit most - ✅ **No action needed** - Just let it grow ### Option 2: Convert to Stable Currency **Swap SPORE for Cloud Credits (CC) for stability** - ✅ **Stable value** - CC pegged to gold - ✅ **Predictable budgeting** - No price volatility - ✅ **Can convert back** - Future flexibility ### Option 3: Sell for Real Money **Convert SPORE to USD, EUR, or other currencies** - ✅ **Immediate cash** - Use for other investments - ✅ **Liquidity** - Access to real-world money - ❌ **Miss appreciation** - Give up future growth --- ## Real Earning Scenarios ### Scenario 1: Mini 1 Node at 50% Utilization | **Parameter** | **Calculation** | **Result** | |---------------|-----------------|------------| | Hardware Cost | $350 one-time | - | | Monthly Revenue | 7 slices × $6 | $42/month | | Your Share (80%) | $42 × 0.80 | $33.60/month | | In SPORE | $33.60 ÷ $0.01 | 3,360 SPORE/month | | Annual Earnings | 3,360 × 12 | 40,320 SPORE/year | | At Current Price | 40,320 × $0.01 | $403.20/year | ### Scenario 2: Edge AI Node at Full Hosting | **Parameter** | **Value** | |---------------|-----------| | Purchase Price | ~$2,000 (varies) | | Monthly Earning | 6,667 SPORE (€66.67) | | Annual SPORE | 80,004 SPORE/year | | At Current Price | $800.04/year | | Break-even Time | ~2.5 years | ### Scenario 3: Nvidia 6000 at High Utilization | **Parameter** | **Value** | |---------------|-----------| | Hardware Cost | $15,000 | | Monthly Earning | 225,000 SPORE ($2,250) | | Annual Earnings | $27,000/year | | ROI | 180% annually | *Results vary based on utilization, market demand, and network growth* --- ## SPORE vs Other Options | **Investment** | **SPORE Farming** | **Traditional Server** | **Cloud Hosting** | |----------------|-------------------|----------------------|-------------------| | **Initial Cost** | $350-$15,000 | $2,000-$50,000 | $0 upfront | | **Ongoing Revenue** | SPORE tokens | None | None | | **Ownership** | Full control | Full control | None | | **Market Risk** | Token volatility | Hardware depreciation | None | | **Earning Potential** | Growing + appreciation | None | None | --- ## Benefits for Early Farmers ### Why Start Now? 1. **Fixed SPORE price** - $0.01 until June 2026 (predictable earnings) 2. **Network growth** - More users = more demand = higher prices 3. **Burning benefits** - Your holdings become scarcer over time 4. **First-mover advantage** - Lower competition for hosting demand ### Risk Considerations - **Hardware investment** - Nodes require upfront cost - **Token volatility** - SPORE price may fluctuate after 2026 - **Market demand** - Earnings depend on network adoption - **Competition** - More farmers = more supply to compete with --- ## Getting Started with SPORE ### Step 1: Set Up Your Node [Follow our setup guide](/getstarted/farming/setup) to get your node online and earning SPORE automatically. ### Step 2: Monitor Your Earnings - **Dashboard tracking** - View SPORE balance and earning history - **Monthly reports** - Track utilization and revenue trends - **Price monitoring** - Watch SPORE market developments ### Step 3: Manage Your Portfolio - **Start holding** - Benefit from early price stability - **Consider hybrid approach** - Keep some SPORE, convert some to CC - **Stay informed** - Follow ThreeFold developments --- ## Common Questions
When will I start earning SPORE? As soon as your node is online and starts providing capacity. The first earnings typically appear within 24-48 hours of going live.
Can I lose money farming? Your SPORE earnings depend on utilization. Even with minimal usage, bid tiers ensure some baseline revenue. Hardware costs are one-time, so long-term farming should be profitable.
What if SPORE price drops? The burning mechanism (10% of revenue) creates upward pressure on price. SPORE price is fixed at $0.01 until June 2026, providing stability during the early period.
How often do I get paid? SPORE accumulation is continuous and automatic. You can check your balance anytime in the dashboard.
--- ## Resources - **[Community Forum](https://forum.threefold.io)** - Discussions with experienced farmers - **[Farming Manual](https://manual.grid.tf/farmers/intro)** - Technical implementation details --- :::tip Ready to Start Earning? Set up your first node and begin earning SPORE today: **[Setup Guide](/getstarted/farming/setup)** :::