Files
docs_tfgrid_get_started/docs/farming/economics.md

7.5 KiB
Raw Blame History

sidebar_position
sidebar_position
4

Farming Economics & SPORE Token

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 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:

graph LR
    A[User Pays for Resources] --> B[80% to Farmer<br/>SPORE Tokens]
    A --> C[10% Burned<br/>Removed from circulation]
    A --> D[10% ThreeFold<br/>Development]
    
    B --> E[Your SPORE Balance Increases]
    C --> F[Total SPORE Supply Decreases<br/>Each token worth more]
    D --> G[Funds development<br/>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 ↑ 11% scarcity
Year 2 2 billion 7 billion ↑ 30% scarcity
Year 3 3 billion 6 billion ↑ 40% scarcity
Year 4 4 billion 6 billion ↑ 67% scarcity

Your SPORE holdings become more valuable as supply decreases


Managing Your SPORE Earnings

You have three main options with your earned SPORE:

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 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


:::tip Ready to Start Earning? Set up your first node and begin earning SPORE today: Setup Guide :::