SQD Network Just Killed Token Emissions. Here's What $16 Billion in DeFi TVL Pays Instead
\ SQD Network believes it has an answer. On December 29, 2025, the decentralized data infrastructure protocol announced a shift from emission-based incentives to customer-funded economics through two initiatives: Revenue Pools by parent company Rezolve Ai and the Portal Pool Rollout by SQD Network itself. The move affects how Deutsche Telekom, Morpho, PancakeSwap, and other enterprise customers pay for blockchain data services, and how SQD token holders get compensated.
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What Revenue Pools and Portal Pools Actually Do
SQD provides indexing and data access across 200+ blockchains. Think of it as the database layer that DeFi protocols, AI agents, and enterprise applications query when they need historical or real-time blockchain information. Until now, the network incentivized node operators through token emissions, which meant printing new SQD tokens to reward infrastructure providers. This created perpetual sell pressure as operators liquidated rewards to cover costs.
\ The new model works differently. Enterprise customers pay subscription fees in USDC or fiat to access SQD's data services through Portals. SQD token holders can lock their tokens into Portal pools to support infrastructure capacity. While locked, tokens cannot be traded or moved but remain owned by the holder. When customers pay their fees, 50% of the USDC generated may be distributed to pool participants as stablecoin rewards, according to the Portal Pool announcement.
\ The remaining portion funds SQD-denominated incentives for node operators and automated supply management mechanisms, including token burns. Dmitry Zhelezov, CTO of SQD Network, explains the reasoning,
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\ This creates a closed loop where customer demand drives revenue, which funds infrastructure, which attracts more customers. The beta launches with 1 million SQD capacity per Portal, expanding to 5 million and 10 million SQD as demand increases, targeting over 10% of total supply locked in Portals.
Why Enterprise Customers Matter More Than Token Holders
The shift acknowledges a problem most crypto protocols avoid discussing: token incentives do not scale with real business operations. When Deutsche Telekom needs continuous blockchain data for telecommunications infrastructure, or when DeFi protocols like Morpho (which manages billions in lending protocols) require real-time transaction indexing, they need reliability, not speculative tokenomics.
Daniel Wagner, Chairman and CEO of Rezolve Ai, explains,
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\ The practical effect is that enterprise customers can now pay for services without touching SQD tokens. They subscribe in USDC, just like any software-as-a-service product. Meanwhile, SQD holders provide the collateral capacity that backs these Portals. Dan Quirk, Chief Product Officer at SQD, describes the transformation:
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What Happens to Node Operators During the Transition
The announcement includes a critical detail often buried in protocol upgrades: node operator rewards will decline over time as emissions taper. SQD is explicit about this. Near-term rewards remain stable, but as Portal revenues grow, they replace emission-funded incentives. Node APR is expected to decrease in what the protocol calls a controlled manner.
\ This creates a predictable tension. Node operators who built infrastructure expecting inflationary rewards must now adjust to fee-backed income. The tradeoff is reduced sell pressure, since operators earning USDC from actual usage face less liquidation pressure than those earning newly minted tokens. The network is betting that higher token prices from reduced dilution and buybacks will offset lower APR percentages.
\ The capped capacity model adds scarcity mechanics. Portal pools are limited, not open-ended. Early participants access fee-bearing resources while latecomers wait for capacity expansion. This resembles traditional infrastructure economics more than typical crypto token models, where unlimited staking often leads to diminishing returns.
How This Compares to Other Data Infrastructure Models
SQD competes with The Graph, which also provides blockchain indexing but relies more heavily on query fees and delegated staking rewards. The Graph uses GRT tokens for indexer security deposits and curator signaling, but its fee structure primarily compensates indexers through query payments rather than locked collateral pools.
\ Covalent takes a different approach by offering unified API access across chains with volume-based pricing for developers. Neither competitor has announced comparable customer-funded pool models that directly distribute enterprise subscription fees to token holders.
\ The SQD model resembles real-world asset tokenization economics more than typical blockchain infrastructure. Platforms like Ondo Finance or Maple Finance create pools where capital providers earn yield from underlying business activity. SQD applies this to data infrastructure: customer payments become the yield source instead of lending interest or trading fees.
Final Thoughts
SQD Network's shift from emissions to customer revenue addresses blockchain infrastructure's core sustainability question. Can networks survive without perpetual token inflation? The model creates alignment between enterprise adoption and token holder returns, but it also introduces risks. If customer growth stalls, fee distributions dry up. If capacity remains artificially constrained, competitors may capture demand SQD cannot serve.
\ The beta launch with Deutsche Telekom, Morpho, and PancakeSwap provides immediate validation. These are not speculative protocols but established entities with measurable data requirements. Whether other blockchain infrastructure projects follow this model depends on execution. SQD is tradable on Coinbase and Binance, which means market participants can vote with capital on whether customer-funded economics outperform emission-based alternatives. The next 12 months will show if real revenue can replace printed tokens, or if crypto infrastructure still requires inflationary bootstrapping to function.
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:::tip This author is an independent contributor publishing via our business blogging program. HackerNoon has reviewed the report for quality, but the claims herein belong to the author. #DYO
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