# Token Distribution & Vesting

The **QI token distribution** is designed to foster active participation and engagement within the BENQI protocol. By encouraging balanced growth in both borrowing and lending pools, the protocol aims to maintain high market utilization while gradually decentralizing governance over time.\
\
QI tokens will be distributed targeted via [Liquidity and Community Incentives](/benqinomics/liquidity-mining.md) to achieve a balance of high market utilization and a wide distribution of governance participants. This is subject to changes via governance as the protocol evolves and market conditions change. 

Tokens have been distributed amongst various key parties:

* **Core Contributors (720M):**  Reserved for team members. August 2022 unlock, 1-year cliff, followed by quarterly vesting over 3 years
* **Foundation (1.08B):** Allocated for growth initiatives, partnerships, and to ensure the protocol’s stability. May 2022 unlock, 9-month cliff, followed by quarterly vesting over 3 years.
* **Exchange Liquidity (360M)**: Provides liquidity for QI token trading on decentralized and centralized exchanges. Varied distribution to maintain exchange liquidity.
* **Seed Round (426.96M)**: Allocated to early investors who provided initial funding and support. August 2021 unlock, monthly release over 2 years.
* **Private Sale Round (869.04M)**: Reserved for strategic partners and investors to help scale the project.
* **Public Sale Round A (439.2M)**: Open to the public, helping to onboard a wider community of users and governance participants. August 2021 unlock, monthly release over 1 year.
* **Public Sale Round B (64.8M)**: Immediate liquidity provided through a fully unlocked public sale. August 2021 unlock, fully unlocked at launch.

45% or 3,240,000,000 QI tokens will be distributed to the community and partners through BENQI's Liquidity Mining program, which uses QI to incentivize the platform’s growth.  This is now fully unlocked.

This is illustrated in the following chart:

<figure><img src="/files/TjKxiw4Gqs947iZ5veVE" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

<table><thead><tr><th width="145">Category</th><th width="171">Total Amount (QI)</th><th width="153">Lockup Amount (QI)</th><th width="148">Unlock Amount (Aug 2024)</th><th width="153">Initial Unlock Date</th><th width="161">Unlock Schedule</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Core Contributors</strong></td><td>720,000,0000</td><td>720,000,0000</td><td>Fully unlocked</td><td>Aug 2022</td><td>1-year cliff, quarterly vesting over 3 years</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Foundation</strong></td><td>1,080,000,000</td><td>1,080,000,000</td><td>Fully unlocked</td><td>May 2022</td><td>9-month cliff, quarterly vesting over 3 years</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Community Incentives</strong></td><td>3,240,000,000</td><td>3,240,000,000</td><td>Fully unlocked</td><td>Aug 2021</td><td>Varied (dependent on incentive programs)</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Exchange Liquidity</strong></td><td>360,000,000</td><td>360,000,000</td><td>Fully unlocked</td><td>Aug 2021</td><td>Varied (depending on market needs)</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Seed Round</strong></td><td>426,960,000</td><td>426,960,000</td><td>Fully unlocked</td><td>Aug 2021</td><td>Monthly release over 2 years</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Private Sale Round</strong></td><td>869,040,000</td><td>869,040,000</td><td>Fully unlocked</td><td>Aug 2021</td><td>Monthly release over 1 year</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Public Sale Round A</strong></td><td>439,200,000</td><td>439,200,000</td><td>Fully unlocked</td><td>Aug 2021</td><td>Monthly release over 1 year</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Public Sale Round B</strong></td><td>64,800,000</td><td>64,800,000</td><td>Fully unlocked</td><td>Aug 2021</td><td>Monthly release over 1 year</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Total</strong></td><td>7,200,000,000</td><td>7,200,000,000</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>


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