NODES FOR SALE: It is the blockchain business’s newest innovation – not in expertise, however in learn how to spherical up money from buyers. “Node gross sales” contain promoting blockchain nodes on to buyers – a course of that brings in fast money whereas ostensibly giving initiatives a straightforward path to decentralization. Nonetheless a comparatively new phenomenon in fast-moving crypto, they’re changing into extra widespread: Aethir, a decentralized GPU cloud infrastructure supplier, disclosed final week that it had distributed greater than 73,000 node licenses valued at over 41,000 ETH ($126 million). Different blockchain initiatives elevating funds through node gross sales embody CARV, XAI Video games and Powerloom. The most recent to come back to market is Sophon, an entertainment-focused blockchain ecosystem primarily based on zkSync expertise, counting on Celestia for information. The mission attracted greater than $60 million in a node sale over the previous week, regardless that its founders are semi-anonymous. Sure mechanics of the gross sales seem designed to drive the concern of lacking out, or FOMO – reminiscent of a system of tiering, the place the value goes greater as extra nodes are offered, and the usage of unique whitelists that reserve early spots for sure customers. “Consumers hope to get top quality initiatives,” says Calvin Chu, a former Binance researcher who helped begin Unimaginable Finance, which has facilitated a number of the gross sales. As with many crypto-related investments, consumers additionally hope for juicy yields within the types of token rewards, and probably to qualify for eventual token airdrops.
