Staking and Mining Program. Increasing remuneration for trusted nodes.


The Credits team prepared this detailed article to provide an explanation of the mechanism of choice and reward for trusted nodes at this moment and introduction to a new reward program for nodes.  

A proposal for this came from our loyal Credits community and node holders and we would like to hear your thoughts on this.

Introduction 

In order to attract new users to the blockchain, as well as strengthen decentralization, we propose to have a vote for the introduction of an additional system of remuneration for trust owners who hold a node and participate in the consensus and create new blocks.

We are aiming to achieve the following results:

  1. An increase in the number of nodes from 100 today to 1000-5000 in the coming year

  2. Increasing rewards for participating node runners

  3. Development of the staking program

  4. Creation of mining pools for those who can't run a node, or nodes and are ready to delegate their coins (through the Delegation tool)

The current mechanism of consensus

Decentralized environment

Credits Blockchain is a public open-source protocol based on the principles of complete decentralization and BFT.

There are rules of conduct within the protocol, but there are no selective restrictions or bias towards the participant. Everyone is equal. Note again; it is an open network that does not limit any new or previous users and node owners.

Anyone can use the source code provided on GitHUB https://github.com/CREDITSCOM/node to assemble a node to connect to the blockchain network and take part in maintaining the network.

The node can act in 2 roles:

  1. Regular node. Reading information from the blockchain. As a storage and synchronization node. Without participating in consensus.

  2. Trusted node. The node that participates in the consensus. This node takes part in the creation of a new block.

Trusted nodes are selected according to a number of criteria, among them: speed of operation, stability, quality of inter-node connection, the relevance of storage, the relevance of software, existing of the staking on account of at least 50 thousand CS coins, and others.

Consensus and choice of trusted nodes imply competition between nodes for the ability to create blocks. But at the same time, as with Bitcoin, it does not guarantee that this particular node/set of nodes will create that particular block. No one can influence the choice of the trusted node, including none of the Credits team. The implemented laws of the network are the same for all network participants.

See an article on how Credits consensus works https://credits.com/news/121-credits-blockchain-why-are-we-the-fastest.html

Choice of trusted nodes

In the Bitcoin network, one node creates a new block on the basis of selection who aggregates more resources. This node receives 100% of the reward. 

It's different with Credits. It is always attended by several nodes working on the principles of the collective agreement of participants on the principles of BFT, checking each other, and choosing trusted nodes. Therefore, the consensus we have developed is called Proof of Agreement.

This is an example https://monitor.credits.com/CreditsNetwork/block/40626082

In this block, there are 11 trusted nodes from a total of 141 nodes. All options: 


General (total) number of nodes

Number of trusted nodes

5-11

5

12 - 34

7

35 - 102

9

103 - 302

11

303 - 890

13

891 - 2624

15

2625 - 7737

17

7738 - 22809

19

22810+

21

A large number of trusted nodes, with an open network, makes blockchain Credits one of the most decentralized. Anyone who fulfills the requirements of the network can participate in the consensus and receive a reward. 

Reward

All fees from transactions and smart contracts that were in this block are distributed to all 9 trusted nodes that created this block. In the next round, they may be different. Everything is constantly changing based on the competition and openness of the blockchain.
At the moment, according to the community and node holders, the distributed commissions from transactions are not enough to cover the costs of maintaining the hosting and have some disadvantages:

Current disadvantages

  1. Transaction fees do not cover server hosting costs

  2. There is no motivation to attract new miners, of which there are a lot (all miners can be estimated around 500k-1M people) around the world

  3. If the company is rewarded from the coins, it creates a bias towards centralization 

  4. Rewards from team coins are limited

  5. All this is restricting the launch of an ample staking program 

New mechanism

This is a proposal from the community that the team brings up for general discussion.

We emphasize that Credits blockchain is a decentralized environment based on blockchain principles. That is, absolutely any node that meets the necessary rules and laws of the network specified earlier can become a trusted node.

Based on the above principles, it is proposed that everyone together consider introducing additional rewards for trusted nodes which created a new block. 

Please note that since this is a decentralized environment, all users and trusted owners will benefit from this. Everyone will benefit from mining.

Reward

We would like to propose the implementation of the following system of rewards for trusted nodes from the blockchain protocol. From the network system, all trusted nodes participating in the creation of the block will be rewarded with newly created coins, which will be divided into equal parts between all BFT participants by trusted nodes, which will average from 11 nodes and then will increase to 13 and 15 nodes. 

Halving

After every 100 million blocks, which should take about four years, the reward is halved. The total coin pool will last over 40 years and be about 199,804,688 coins. Starting with 1 CS for all trusted nodes for 1 block. In the first year, about 25 million coins will be mined (about 10% of the total coin supply in the first year), then from the 5th year, about 5% per year.

Calculation of remuneration

Pe 

ri 

od

Halving on 

block

Pool for 

Halving 

period

Years 

(in 

future)

Reward 

per 

Block*

Per Year 

Per 

Month

Per Day

200,000,000 

100,000,000 

1.00000 

25,000,000 

2,083,333 

69,444

300,000,000 400,000,000 

50,000,000 25,000,000 

12 

0.50000 

0.25000 

12,500,000 6,250,000 

1,041,667 520,833 

34,722 

17,361

500,000,000 

12,500,000 

16 

0.12500 

3,125,000 

260,417 

8,681

600,000,000 

6,250,000 

20 

0.06250 

1,562,500 

130,208 

4,340

700,000,000 

3,125,000 

24 

0.03125 

781,250 

65,104 

2,170









Limitations

We propose to introduce certain mechanisms that will limit the amount of performing node runners.

  1. Only those who have a volume of CS coins of at least 50K can participate. Some of them can be collected on a wallet from delegated funds.

  2. The reward will always be split between the trusted nodes in the round. The reward is always split between 11-15 and more nodes.

  3. Real costs are required for the server and its maintenance. The equipment must be powerful and the Internet must be fast.

  4. Delegation is a lock up period for which the moner locked his coins. The longer the delegation period of CS coins, the greater the advantage for the user in calculating the reward for their participation in the network.

    Not locked coins or delegated till revoke - 10% of basic 1CS per block

    Lock for 3 months - 25% of basic 1CS per block

    Lock for 6 months - 50%  of basic 1CS per block

    Lock for 9 months - 75%  of basic 1CS per block

    Lock for 12 months - 100%  of basic 1CS per block

    Thus, the longer a user keeps their CS coins in delegation, the higher their reward for participating in the blockchain network.

  1. To limit the cap value of the stake for participation in receiving rewards (mining) to no more than 500K CS for a node with staking. To motivate an increase in the number of nodes (requires public discussion).

  2. To limit the concentration of more frequent formation of a trusted node, it is proposed to discuss adding a factor of choosing a random selection of nodes from the number of large stacks (requires public discussion).

Despite the emission of new coins, all these factors should lead to the fact that the miner will be forced to spend real money on buying new coins and spending money on server hosting. Mining will not be free for node runners. Also, the reward will always be divided between the BFT trusted nodes by 11-15 trusted nodes (owners).

All this will lead to a significant increase in the motivation for holding coins.

Pools and staking program

At the moment, the blockchain implemented a mechanism for delegating its coins, so that another account can have a larger stake to participate in the consensus. In this case, there is no direct translation. This tool will provide an opportunity to develop pools. And pools will enable the holder, even with a small amount, to delegate them to another to receive a reward for keeping coins at the moment.

 A new ample staking program for CS holders is structured. 

Staking pool

The team is ready to use their coins to create a staking pool. Holders can join this pool and get a cut of the reward from what the pool earns. 

  1. The team will support them, advertise staking, run nodes, and transfer the coins earned.

  2. To offer people to lock for a long period of 3-9-12 and more months

  3. Pay them additional reward who are ready to lock for a longer period (limited) 

This is a great opportunity to create a DeFi lending project for CS. Users lend their coins and get almost guaranteed rewards.