XDC Network (XDC) Tokenomics

The XDC Network (formerly XinFin Network) is an enterprise-grade, EVM-compatible hybrid blockchain protocol. Its native utility token, XDC, is central to the ecosystem's settlement, security, and governance.

Issuance Mechanism

The supply of XDC is managed through a combination of pre-mining, minting, and burning mechanisms.

• Pre-mining: At the creation of the mainnet, 37.5 billion XDC tokens were pre-mined. A snapshot taken on May 30, 2019, showed these tokens were initially held in a single genesis wallet.
• Minting: The network uses a Delegated Proof of Stake (XDPoS) consensus mechanism. There are 108 Masternodes responsible for block creation. Each block, which closes approximately every 2 seconds, mints 5.5 XDC as rewards for Masternode operators. This results in approximately 86.7 million XDC minted annually, contributing to inflationary pressure.
• Burning: To counteract inflation, the network implements a deflationary mechanism where 20% of transaction fees executed via smart contracts are burned. As network utility and smart contract execution grow, the burn rate is expected to increase, potentially making the network deflationary over time.

Allocation Mechanism

The initial distribution of the pre-mined XDC supply was categorized to support various stakeholders and ecosystem growth:

• Founders/Team: Allocated to founders, advisors, core team members, and the community at launch.
• Ecosystem Development: Dedicated to developing the network, including bounty programs.
• Pre-Placement: Reserved for exchanges and early investors.
• Treasury: Allocated to the XDC Foundation for network maintenance and support.

Usage and Incentive Mechanism

The XDC token serves multiple utility functions within the hybrid blockchain ecosystem:

• Settlement: XDC is the primary means of settlement for decentralized applications (DApps) and transactions on the network.
• Transaction Fees (Gas): Users pay gas fees in XDC to perform transactions. These fees are extremely low, typically around $0.00001 (or less) per transaction.
• Staking and Rewards: Masternode operators are incentivized with block rewards (5.5 XDC per block) for validating transactions and maintaining network security.
• Governance: XDC 2.0 introduces streamlined governance, allowing token holders to participate in voting and decision-making for protocol upgrades.
• Smart Contract Interaction: XDC is used to interact with various token standards, including XRC-20 (fungible), XRC-721 (NFTs), and XRC-1155 (multi-token).

Locking Mechanism and Unlocking Time

The XDC Network utilizes specific locking and security protocols to ensure network integrity:

• Masternode Requirements: To participate in consensus, Masternodes must meet specific criteria, including being KYC-compliant.
• Slashing Conditions: XDC 2.0 features improved slashing conditions to detect and penalize malicious behavior, discouraging validators from compromising network stability.
• Vesting and Unlocks: While specific granular unlocking dates for all categories were not detailed in the provided data, the initial 15 billion XDC allocated to the Founders/Team was distributed at the launch of the mainnet.
• Incentive Programs: External programs, such as PrimeFi, offer additional incentive structures. For example, a program active until December 31, 2025, offers a 7% APY on XDC staking via PrimeStaking, where users mint psXDC to earn rewards and use it as collateral.