PAYG & Stake

Ignite has three different products. On this page, we provide an overview of two:

• Pay As You Go (PAYG): No AVAX is required upfront, there are minimal rewards, and it is perfect for short-term users or experimenters like MEV Solvers looking to test validators without large capital commitments.

• Stake: Users can stake a combination of AVAX and QI, with BENQI supplying the remaining AVAX needed to launch a validator. Rewards are earned proportionally based on the user’s AVAX stake.

Pay As You Go (PAYG)

PAYG is ideal for teams optimizing their operating expenses. There is a one-time fee, no staking requirement, and pricing begins at 4 AVAX per week.

The PAYG option lends AVAX to users, reducing the capital requirements for launching an Avalanche validator. Users can rent the AVAX needed for validation by paying a weekly fee, without providing a large upfront stake.

Users simply pay the required fee (in AVAX, USDC, or QI), input their NodeID, and select the staking duration. BENQI will provide the entire 2,000 AVAX needed to launch a validator, while the user earns no staking rewards but gains full access to the validator’s operation for the duration of the rental period.

This option is ideal for users who want to experiment with running a validator for a short period or do not have the full AVAX required to operate a validator. For example, MEV Solvers or projects testing out the market.

• Minimum Stake: 0 AVAX

• Minimum Fee: 4 AVAX per week. Charged weekly based on the staking duration, with a 5% discount for payments made in QI.

Two examples include:

• 1-week rental: Pay 4 AVAX upfront, and BENQI will provide the full 2,000 AVAX required for validator staking for one week.

• 4-week rental: Pay 16 AVAX upfront, and BENQI will provide the 2,000 AVAX for validator staking over a month.

Stake

Stake is any interested in running a Validator. While staking requires 2,000 AVAX, users can deposit a minimum of 500 AVAX if they prefer, with BENQI covering the rest. This would also require partial payment in QI.

The Stake option allows users to launch validators by combining AVAX and QI collateral in a combination of their preference (with a minimum of 500 AVAX), with no fees involved.

This option is best suited for users who may wish to run a validator for whichever reason, including contributing to the network's decentralization, earning passives fees, chasing airdrops, or chasing validator Whitelist entry into launchpads like avalaunch.app.

• Minimum Stake: Users need at least 500 AVAX plus 150 AVAX worth of QI to start.

• Earnings: Staking rewards are earned pro rata based on your AVAX stake, allowing users to benefit from network rewards without paying fees.

Users can claim their AVAX + QI stake and network rewards (including delegation fees) at the end of the staking period.

Two examples include:

• Stake 500 AVAX + 150 AVAX worth of QI: As 2,000 AVAX is required for a validator, BENQI would provide the remaining 1,500 AVAX. AVAX rewards would be earned based on a 3:1 ratio.

• Stake 1,000 AVAX + 150 AVAX worth of QI: As 2,000 AVAX is required for a validator, BENQI would provide the remaining 1,000 AVAX. AVAX rewards would be earned based on a 2:1 ratio.