AET Halving
The AET halving is the mechanism that steadily reduces the rate of new AET issuance, much like Bitcoin. Each halving cuts the block reward in half, so new supply slows down as the network matures.
How It Works
- Maximum supply: 33 million AET, fixed in the runtime
- Current block reward: 1.5 AET per block (one block every ~12 seconds)
- Current daily emission: about 10,800 AET per day
Triggered by Issuance, Not by Date
This is where AETRON differs from Bitcoin. Bitcoin halves on a fixed block-height schedule, which lands on a predictable calendar date. AETRON instead triggers a halving when total issuance crosses a threshold:
- First halving: when issuance reaches 16.5 million AET, half of the 33M cap
- After the first halving: the block reward drops to 0.75 AET, and daily emission falls to about 5,400 AET
- Each later threshold halves the reward again, approaching the cap over time
Because the trigger is an amount of AET rather than a date, there is no fixed halving calendar. The exact timing shifts depending on how fast issuance accumulates.
Why the Date Moves
AETRON recycles some AET back into the unissued pool, which slows how quickly issuance reaches the next threshold. Recycling happens when:
- A Neuronet pays its registration fee (most of it is recycled)
- A miner registration fee is paid
- Other fees are returned to the emission pool rather than burned
The more AET that gets recycled, the longer it takes to reach the next halving. This means the halving date is not a countdown but a moving target that responds to real network activity.
What Stays the Same After a Halving
A halving changes how much AET is created per block, not how it is divided. The split holds before and after:
- 90% of each block's emission goes to Neuronets, shared by verified useful work
- 5% goes to Block Validators
- 5% goes to the Treasury
Inside a Neuronet, the share is split 80% to miners, 10% to the Owner, and 10% to stakers. See Emission System for the full breakdown.
Effect on the Ecosystem
- Lower inflation: fewer new tokens enter circulation over time
- Scarcity: with a hard cap and a slowing issuance rate, AET becomes progressively harder to mine
- Mining economics: a halved reward means miners earn less per unit of work, which rewards efficiency and well-chosen Neuronets
Comparison with Bitcoin
| Metric | Bitcoin | AETRON AET |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum supply | 21M BTC | 33M AET |
| Halving trigger | Block height | Total issuance |
| First halving | At 50% issued | At 16.5M AET (50%) |
| Block time | ~10 minutes | ~12 seconds |
| Emission source | Mining hashes | Verified useful work |
Preparing for a Halving
For Miners
- Reassess profitability with a lower per-block reward
- Optimize operating costs
- Favor Neuronets with real demand and staked capacity, where your work earns
For Stakers and Owners
- Expect slower new issuance, which favors long-term holders
- Remember that returns track real usage, so a busy Neuronet remains worthwhile after a halving
The halving marks the network's shift toward a more mature economic model: a fixed supply, a predictable rule for slowing issuance, and rewards that always follow proven, useful work.