Chainlink Launches New Rewards Season for Active Supporters

Chainlink Rewards Season 1 Goes Live

Chainlink has launched Rewards Season 1, introducing a new Cube-based token allocation system to enhance engagement between Build projects and Chainlink ecosystem participants.

The program allows eligible LINK stakers and other community members to claim native tokens from participating projects directly through Chainlink Rewards. The first season will begin on November 11, 2025, with token unlocks starting on December 16, 2025, distributed linearly over 90 days.

What Is Chainlink Rewards Season 1?

Chainlink Rewards Season 1 builds upon the earlier Season Genesis, which debuted in May 2025. During that pilot season, Space and Time (SXT) made 100 million SXT tokens claimable for eligible LINK stakers, marking the first real-world test of Chainlink’s reward model.

Season 1 expands this concept significantly, featuring nine Chainlink Build projects:

• Dolomite
• Space and Time
• XSwap
• Brickken
• Folks Finance
• Mind Network
• Suku
• Truf Network by Truflation
• bitsCrunch

Each project will allocate a portion of its native tokens to participants within the Chainlink ecosystem. The program is designed to strengthen connections between builders, developers, and stakers who help secure and operate the Chainlink Network.

The Cube-Based Token Allocation System

A key addition in Season 1 is the Cube-based allocation mechanism—a structure that determines how tokens are distributed to participants based on engagement and eligibility metrics.

While Chainlink has not disclosed the full technical details, the Cube framework appears to introduce dynamic weighting for token distribution. Rather than distributing rewards equally, allocation depends on factors such as:

• The participant’s staking tier and duration
• Verified engagement with Build projects
• Historical participation in the Chainlink ecosystem

This model rewards active, long-term participants who contribute to Chainlink’s reliability and growth. It also allows Build projects to reach a more targeted and engaged audience rather than a random group of claimants.

Why Chainlink Rewards Matters

The Chainlink Build program, under which Rewards operates, is part of the network’s broader economics initiative. Build aims to help early and established projects gain traction by giving them access to Chainlink’s oracle services, technical resources, and support.

In return, these projects commit a percentage of their total token supply to the Chainlink ecosystem. This share goes toward LINK stakers and service providers who help secure Chainlink’s decentralized oracle network.

With Chainlink Rewards, that commitment becomes more transparent and accessible. Eligible stakers can now claim native tokens directly, making their participation measurable and rewarding.

This mutual exchange supports both sides:

• Build projects gain exposure and a larger user base.
• LINK stakers receive tangible benefits for helping secure the network.

According to Johann Eid, Chief Business Officer at Chainlink Labs:

“Season 1 is a powerful development enabling greater levels of engagement between Build projects and the Chainlink community. Momentum with the Build program continues to accelerate, and we’re proud to see how far it has come.”

The introduction of Season 1 builds upon Chainlink’s broader strategy to deepen community participation and create stronger incentives for securing decentralized infrastructure.

Key Features of Season 1

Chainlink Rewards Season 1 is structured around four main pillars that define its functionality and goals:

1. Token Claiming

Eligible participants, including LINK stakers, can claim tokens directly from Build projects via Chainlink Rewards. Claims will open on November 11, 2025, and unlock linearly over 90 days starting December 16, 2025.

2. Build Project Integration

Each of the nine projects integrates Chainlink services—ranging from price feeds and automation to data verification—demonstrating real use cases within the Chainlink ecosystem.

3. Cube Allocation Model

The Cube system introduces a structured, data-driven token allocation model. It improves fairness and engagement by weighting rewards according to activity and network participation.

4. Long-Term Staking Utility

The program further strengthens LINK staking utility by connecting rewards directly to ecosystem growth and token distribution.

How It Fits Into Chainlink’s Growth Strategy

Chainlink Rewards Season 1 fits into a broader plan to make participation in the Chainlink Network both technical and economic.

By combining staking, oracle operations, and token distribution in a single ecosystem, Chainlink moves closer to creating a self-sustaining network economy—one where builders and stakers continuously support each other’s success.

Season 1 also supports Chainlink’s long-term goal of onchain programmability. As more Build projects integrate Chainlink oracles, automation, and compliance tools, the network becomes an underlying layer for decentralized applications across finance, gaming, and enterprise use.

Chainlink’s Recent Collaborations

The Rewards Season 1 announcement comes amid a wave of new partnerships and infrastructure improvements across the Chainlink ecosystem:

• Ondo Finance Partnership: The collaboration aims to create cross-chain bridges between traditional finance (TradFi) and decentralized finance (DeFi), enabling large institutions to tokenize assets onchain.
• Chainalysis Partnership: This integration adds automated compliance features to Chainlink’s ACE framework, allowing onchain institutions to enforce policy controls automatically.
• Ecosystem Expansion: Chainlink Build now includes dozens of projects across DeFi, RWA, and data infrastructure, each committing part of their tokenomics to the Chainlink Network.

These partnerships illustrate Chainlink’s transition from a standalone oracle provider to a core middleware layer connecting multiple blockchain ecosystems.

Conclusion

Chainlink Rewards Season 1 represents the next step in connecting the Chainlink community with real project value. By using the Cube-based allocation system, the program ensures fair and transparent token distribution while rewarding active participants.

With nine Build projects, a clear unlock schedule, and growing institutional collaboration, Season 1 establishes Chainlink as a network that integrates economic incentives with technical reliability—supporting both developers and stakers in a single, measurable system.

Resources:

1. Press release - Introducing Chainlink Rewards Season 1: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/introducing-chainlink-rewards-season-1-302602000.html

2. Announcement - Introducing Chainlink Rewards: Season Genesis: https://blog.chain.link/chainlink-rewards-season-genesis/

3. Press release - Ondo and Chainlink Announce Landmark Strategic Partnership to Jointly Bring Financial Institutions Onchain: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ondo-and-chainlink-announce-landmark-strategic-partnership-to-jointly-bring-financial-institutions-onchain-302599151.html

4. Announcement - Chainlink and Chainalysis Enter Into a Strategic Partnership To Power Advanced Cross-Chain Compliance Workflows: https://www.chainalysis.com/blog/chainlink-strategic-partnership-power-advanced-cross-chain-compliance-workflows/