SN21 — Rewards (daily stream)


Version	1.1
Audience	Miners
Status	Authoritative for daily-stream emissions
Last updated	2026-08-04
Update independently of	SN21_SCORING.md · SN21_STAKING.md · SN21_TRANSITION_PLAN.md

This document explains how emissions are allocated once you have a standing. It does not explain how individual predictions are scored — that is SN21_SCORING.md.

In one line

Your standing (moving-average score) is mapped through a published weight curve into on-chain weights; emissions flow continuously on Bittensor’s tempo from those weights. The model that runs live (champion) is chosen by a separate, stricter rule.

From standing to weight

Scoring produces a per-miner standing (SN21_SCORING.md).
Standings pass through the weight curve below.
Validators set weights on chain; emissions follow Bittensor’s own tempo (~every 72 minutes). There is no weekly payout event in the steady-state daily stream.

During cutover, bridge rules and indicative burn rates may temporarily modify who is paid — see SN21_TRANSITION_PLAN.md. Burn is not fixed; it may be adjusted at any time (see below).

The weight curve

Steep, but no winner-take-all cliff. Rank-based shares among earners; below the score threshold → zero weight. Hard ceiling on how many miners earn.

Rank	Share of miner emissions (before re-normalisation)
1st	50%
2nd	25%
3rd	10%
4th+	Geometric tail: each next rank gets 50% of the previous share
Cap	At most 20 earners
Floor	Standing below the published score threshold → 0 weight

If fewer than the full curve of earners qualify, shares are re-normalised so weights still sum to 1.0 (ratios preserved).

Ties break deterministically: higher standing first; equal standing → miner id ascending.

Published score threshold: starts at 0.0 (review-adjustable). At threshold or above earns; strictly below does not.

Placement eligibility

You need enough scored predictions in the standing window before the curve can place you:

250 scored predictions → eligible for placement
1000 → full standing confidence

(Details in SN21_SCORING.md.)

Champion vs earner (two different seats)

	Weights (who earns)	Champion (who runs live)
Decides	Emission share via the curve	Which model runs across real accounts
Changes when	Standings move through the curve	All three promotion tests pass

Champion promotion

The champion changes only when a challenger:

leads the incumbent’s moving average by at least 5% (relative), and
has held that lead for 7 consecutive days, and
has at least 14 scored days of history.

Miss any one → incumbent stays. Weights can shift gradually while the champion seat does not.

Quiet days

No special weekend multiplier. Thin baskets simply produce fewer scored predictions; your standing is per-prediction, so volume self-scales.

Worked examples

Example A — three earners (curve re-normalised)

Standings on a given day (all above threshold, all placement-eligible):

Miner	Standing	Rank
Alice	0.82	1
Bob	0.75	2
Carol	0.70	3

Raw curve shares: 50% / 25% / 10%. Sum = 0.85. Re-normalise:

Miner	Raw share	Weight after re-norm	Share of miner emissions
Alice	0.50	0.50 / 0.85 ≈ 0.588	~58.8%
Bob	0.25	0.25 / 0.85 ≈ 0.294	~29.4%
Carol	0.10	0.10 / 0.85 ≈ 0.118	~11.8%
Total	0.85	1.000	100%

There is no cliff: if Bob’s standing rises toward Alice’s, ranks can swap and weights move — but nothing jumps from 0% to 100% on a single tick.

Example B — five earners (geometric tail)

Rank	Miner	Standing	Raw share
1	Alice	0.84	0.50
2	Bob	0.78	0.25
3	Carol	0.72	0.10
4	Dave	0.68	0.10 × 0.5 = 0.05
5	Eve	0.65	0.05 × 0.5 = 0.025

Raw sum = 0.925. After re-norm: Alice ≈ 54.1%, Bob ≈ 27.0%, Carol ≈ 10.8%, Dave ≈ 5.4%, Eve ≈ 2.7%.

Miners outside the top 20, or below the score threshold, get 0.

Example C — burn during cutover (does not change the curve)

Burn rates are planned and indicative only — they may change at any time. Using the illustrative 30% burn from the transition plan on 12 August: if Alice’s curve weight is 0.588 of the miner pool after burn:

70% of subnet miner emissions are paid out under the curve
Alice receives 0.588 × 70% ≈ 41% of total miner-side emissions that day
The burned share is not redistributed through the curve

Stake hold is a separate gate: fail the alpha hold → 0 payout that day even with a high standing.

Example D — champion vs earner

Day	Alice standing	Bob standing	Bob lead vs Alice	Bob consecutive lead days	Bob scored days	Result
1–6	0.80	0.86	7.5% (≥ 5%)	1…6	20	Bob earns more via the curve if ranked higher; Alice stays champion (hold not yet 7 days)
7	0.80	0.86	7.5%	7	20	Bob promoted to champion (margin + hold + history all met)

If on day 7 Bob’s lead shrinks to 3% (< 5%), the hold clock resets — Alice remains champion.

What replaces weekly tiers / EMA

The daily stream does not use Elite / Competitive / Participating bands or four-week EMA pools. Those were weekly-epoch machinery. The curve + standing replace them.

Burn rate and stake

Burn during cutover is published as a plan only in SN21_TRANSITION_PLAN.md. Figures are indicative. Because Bittensor’s emissions-allocation methodology is changing significantly, SN21 may adjust burn at any time to protect and grow alpha value for all holders. Adjustments will be announced as soon as practical; do not treat the transition table as a locked schedule.
Alpha hold / staking requirements are in SN21_STAKING.md.

Neither changes how an individual prediction is scored.

Parameter reviews

Numeric curve parameters (threshold, shares, cap) are restated at four-weekly published reviews. Changes are announced in advance; nothing silent between reviews.

Rewards — daily stream