24H Volume $31.77B +25.38%
MarketCap $1.17T -1.21%
LINK is used as both a payments token and work token. As a payment token, LINK is used to pay Chainlink node operators for providing oracle services. As a work token, LINK can be staked by node operators as collateral to provide oracle services.
LINK's staking function is optional and specified by smart contract creators requesting oracle services. Failure to provide adequate oracle services would result in a node operator's LINK being deducted. The extent to which LINK is staked will depend on how willing contract creators are to utilize nodes without collateral.
LINK's staking function is currently not live, but is expected to launch in 2020.
The initial distribution of Chainlink (LINK) tokens is as follows:
LINK's outstanding supply is fixed. Although the Node operators rewards (35% of the total supply) haven't yet been distributed, they are nonetheless liquid as there are no signs that they are locked within any kind of contract. Nodes get rewarded to retrieve and provide data, and the rewards are determined by the contract creator.