Chainlink

How to Participate in Chainlink Rewards Season 1

1. Check Your Eligibility
   • Visit Chainlink’s Rewards page to verify if you’re eligible based on the November 3, 2025 snapshot
   • Eligibility requires historical participation in Chainlink Staking v0.1 or v0.2
   • Your Cube balance is determined by your staked LINK amount and staking duration
   • Note that Cubes do not continue to accrue during Season 1
2. Research the Nine Build Projects
   • Review each project’s description and token utility on the rewards portal
   • Evaluate project sectors: DeFi (Dolomite, XSwap, Folks Finance), infrastructure (Space and Time, Mind Network), RWA tokenization (Brickken), payments (Suku), data/analytics (Truf Network, bitsCrunch)
   • Consider each project’s Chainlink integrations and backing (several are backed by Coinbase Ventures, Binance Labs, or Microsoft M12)
3. Complete Project Quizzes
   • Before allocating Cubes to any project, complete a brief quiz about that project
   • Quizzes ensure participants understand the projects they’re supporting
   • This requirement encourages informed allocation decisions
4. Allocate Your Cubes (November 11 – December 9, 2025)
   • Log into the Rewards page during the allocation window
   • Distribute your Cubes across one or multiple projects based on your preferences
   • Allocations are offchain and gas-free, so you can adjust them anytime before December 9
   • View real-time redemption rates on the UI, which fluctuate based on total allocations
   • Your final allocation determines your proportional share of each project’s token pool
5. Claim Your Tokens (Starting December 16, 2025)
   • Return to the rewards portal after claims open on December 16, 2025
   • Tokens unlock linearly over 90 days (every Ethereum block) until March 16, 2026
   • Submit claim transactions on Ethereum mainnet (gas fees apply)
   • You can claim multiple times as tokens unlock progressively
6. Decide on Early Unlock (Optional)
   • If you need liquidity before March 16, use the Early Unlock feature
   • The feature allows you to claim a percentage of your unlocked tokens immediately
   • Early unlocking forfeits your remaining locked tokens, which go to the Loyalty Pool
   • The claimable percentage increases over time, incentivizing patience
   • Tokens in the Loyalty Pool are redistributed to participants who wait until March 16, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I still earn Cubes during Season 1?

No, Cubes do not continue to accrue during Season 1. Your Cube balance was fixed based on the snapshot taken on November 3, 2025. The snapshot considered your LINK staking history in both v0.1 and v0.2 of the Chainlink Staking program, accounting for both the amount staked and duration of staking.

What happens if I don’t allocate my Cubes?

Any Cubes not allocated by December 9, 2025 at the end of the allocation period will expire. They cannot be used in future seasons or carried forward. Make sure to allocate your Cubes before the deadline to participate in the rewards program.

Can I change my allocation after submitting?

Yes, you can adjust your allocations anytime during the allocation period (November 11 – December 9, 2025). Allocations are recorded offchain and don’t require gas fees, so you can experiment with different strategies and respond to changing redemption rates without cost.

How often should I claim my tokens?

This depends on your gas cost tolerance and unlock schedule. Tokens unlock linearly over 90 days, so you could claim as frequently as daily or wait for larger accumulated amounts. Consider gas prices on Ethereum mainnet when planning claims. Some participants might prefer claiming weekly or bi-weekly to balance gas costs with regular access to unlocked tokens.

Is Early Unlock worth considering?

Early Unlock suits participants who need immediate liquidity and are willing to forfeit remaining locked tokens. The trade-off becomes more favorable later in the unlock period when the claimable percentage is higher. However, forfeiting tokens means missing potential Loyalty Pool bonuses. Calculate your specific situation: if you need funds urgently or believe you can generate better returns elsewhere, Early Unlock might make sense despite the forfeit.

Will there be future seasons?

The program is called “Season 1,” suggesting Chainlink may launch additional seasons. However, details about future seasons haven’t been announced. Future programs might have different eligibility criteria, participating projects, or mechanics based on learnings from Season 1.

What can I do with the tokens I claim?

Each project’s tokens have different utilities within their respective ecosystems. Some may offer governance rights, staking rewards, fee discounts, or access to platform features. Review each project’s documentation to understand how their tokens function. You can typically hold, trade, stake, or use tokens according to each project’s design.

Conclusion

Chainlink Rewards Season 1 represents a structured approach to distributing tokens from emerging Build projects to long-term LINK stakers. The program’s design encourages research and thoughtful allocation while providing flexibility to adjust strategies during the allocation window. With nine diverse projects spanning DeFi, infrastructure, RWA tokenization, and analytics, participants can customize their exposure across different blockchain sectors.

The linear unlock mechanism and Loyalty Pool create interesting dynamics that reward patience while accommodating those who need earlier liquidity. As the first season of what may become an ongoing program, this initiative strengthens connections between Chainlink’s staking community and the broader ecosystem of projects building on its oracle infrastructure. Whether you allocate to projects based on redemption rates, fundamental analysis, or sector preferences, understanding the mechanics and timeline ensures you can make the most of your participation.