- New Incentive Structure for LINK Stakers: Chainlink has launched the “Chainlink Rewards” program, offering LINK stakers tokens from other ecosystem projects instead of more LINK, aiming to boost participation and strengthen project connections.
- Space and Time Partnership: Space and Time is the first project to participate, allocating 4% of its SXT token supply for LINK stakers, with 2% available from May 8 and another 2% reserved for a future activation.
- Future Expansions and Market Impact: Chainlink hints at more Build projects joining the rewards pool, while LINK is trading at $13.66, up 8% over the past month but still 74% below its all-time high of $52.70.
Chainlink’s rolling out something new — a fresh incentive system called “Chainlink Rewards,” designed to pump up participation across its network. The twist? This program won’t just reward LINK stakers with more LINK tokens. Instead, they’ll get tokens from other projects within the Chainlink ecosystem. It’s a new spin on community engagement that could attract more users while giving smaller projects some much-needed exposure.
First Partner: Space and Time
Kicking things off, Chainlink has teamed up with Space and Time, a decentralized data provider that’s part of Chainlink’s Build program. Space and Time is setting aside 4% of its SXT token supply as rewards for LINK stakers. Half of that — 2% — will be up for grabs when the program officially launches on May 8. The other 2%? That’s being reserved for a future activation.
According to Chainlink’s Monday announcement, the “Season Genesis” pilot is an experimental run. The goal? To see how this new approach plays out and to gather insights for future iterations. Down the road, Chainlink plans to roll out a more advanced claiming mechanism involving other Build projects and their token supplies.
Who’s Eligible?
So, who gets in on the action? To qualify for the first SXT distribution, users had to be staking LINK before a March 31 snapshot. The idea here is to reward both long-term stakers and smaller participants, not just the big whales.
Starting May 8, eligible stakers can claim their share of the first 100 million SXT tokens, with the claim period running for 90 days. Any unclaimed tokens, along with the remaining 100 million SXT, could be released in future reward seasons, depending on how things go this time around.
How It Works
The Chainlink Build program isn’t just a charity gig. It’s a strategic partnership setup where projects get go-to-market support, priority access to Chainlink services, and other perks to help them grow. In return, those projects allocate a chunk of their token supply for distribution within the Chainlink ecosystem, including LINK stakers. It’s a give-and-take that’s designed to benefit all parties — the projects, the stakers, and Chainlink itself.
Space and Time joined the Build program back in September 2022 and has since rolled out a decentralized database solution that uses zero-knowledge proofs to feed verified data to smart contracts. Last year, the project integrated Chainlink Functions to deliver ZK-proven queries on-chain, setting the stage for this new incentive structure.
What’s Next?
Chainlink hasn’t given specifics, but it’s hinted that more projects in the Build program could jump into the rewards pool, offering their tokens to LINK stakers in future seasons. The idea is to create a tighter bond between active users and emerging projects, incentivizing network participation while also helping smaller projects gain traction.
Currently, Chainlink’s LINK token is trading at $13.66, down 2.8% in the last 24 hours but still up 8% over the past month. Despite the recent uptick, it’s still a long way from its all-time high of $52.70 set back in May 2021.
The “Season Genesis” claim period opens May 8, 2025, with eligible stakers able to access the rewards distribution through official Chainlink channels. Whether this new approach to rewards will be enough to keep the momentum going remains to be seen, but it’s a step toward shaking things up in the Chainlink ecosystem.
