chainlink

#Chainlink has officially unveiled Rewards Season 1, a new initiative evolving from its existing Build program, designed to strengthen the feedback loop between protocol participants and ecosystem builders. The program introduces an innovative rewards framework that merges staking reputation, project participation, and token distribution, reinforcing Chainlink’s mission to make its oracle network the economic backbone of Web3.

The launch marks a clear transition from simple reward mechanisms to a more dynamic and merit-based model. Starting November 11, 2025, nine selected Build projects will open their native tokens for claims through Chainlink’s ecosystem. These include Dolomite, Space and Time, XSwap, Brickken, Folks Finance, Mind Network, Suku, Truf Network (by Truflation), and bitsCrunch — each a project already integrated or collaborating with Chainlink’s decentralized data and computation services.

What sets Rewards Season 1 apart is its allocation mechanism. Instead of direct airdrops or fixed claims, eligible LINK stakers will receive non-transferable “Cubes”, a new reputation-linked allocation unit. These Cubes represent staking history, engagement, and ecosystem participation — they act as a reflection of contribution rather than pure capital. Participants can allocate these Cubes across the listed Build projects to influence the final token distribution they receive from each.

This approach is significant for several reasons. First, it introduces an active decision-making layer into the reward cycle — turning passive staking into participatory governance of value distribution. Second, it ensures aligned incentives: the more committed and engaged a participant has been within the Chainlink ecosystem, the higher their influence and potential rewards. Finally, the model prevents speculative farming by making Cubes non-transferable, ensuring only genuine ecosystem actors benefit.

According to the official announcement, the claiming period will begin on December 16, 2025, with all distributed tokens unlocking linearly over a 90-day window. This controlled release structure prevents abrupt liquidity shocks and encourages long-term alignment between token recipients and Build project teams.

From a macro perspective, Rewards Season 1 represents Chainlink’s next major evolution in ecosystem economics. It merges proof-of-participation with protocol-level incentives, effectively creating a “staking-to-earn-ecosystem-influence” model. Rather than a simple staking reward, this system rewards participants for loyalty, engagement, and strategic allocation, mirroring how governance models could evolve across DeFi protocols in the future.

The inclusion of major Build projects like Space and Time (decentralized data warehouse) and Dolomite (DeFi liquidity protocol) underlines how Chainlink’s oracle and computation services are becoming the connective tissue for cross-domain blockchain functionality. These integrations demonstrate that Chainlink’s reach is no longer limited to price feeds — it’s moving toward being the infrastructure layer for data integrity, computation, and incentive distribution in the decentralized economy.

As the program kicks off, all eyes will be on how stakers distribute their Cubes — whether they favor long-term infrastructure partners like Space and Time or emerging innovators like Mind Network and Truf Network. This data will offer an early glimpse into how reputation-weighted distribution can shape community preference and ecosystem balance.

If successful, Rewards Season 1 could redefine how decentralized ecosystems reward genuine contributors — blending economic incentives with reputation-based access. It’s a model that doesn’t just distribute tokens; it distributes influence.
$LINK