How are emissions calculated for Validators?
How we got here
VTrust
- Validators test miners and create a weighted list of scores. These are submitted to Yuma Consensus.
- These scores are compared to the other validators — each validator is judged to be in consensus with the rest of the validators.
If a validator is judged to be out of consensus, their VTrust (validator trust) decreases. VTrust is a value between 0 and 1, where 0 is terrible and 1 is perfect.
The other input to validator emissions is stake weight. Validators with higher stake weight receive higher emissions.
- root_stake: TAO staked to a validator on root.
- tao_weight: defined on chain as 0.18.
- alpha_stake: alpha staked to a validator on the subnet.
- total_stake: the value used to determine emissions.

Dividends
Dividends are the percentage of total validator emissions awarded to each validator. They are calculated from VTrust and total_stake. High stake and high VTrust lead to high dividends, and high dividends yield high emissions.
- The sum of all dividends on a subnet is 1.
- The dividend score is calculated once per tempo (360 blocks for most subnets).
Calculating Validator Emission

- Validators receive 41% of the
alpha_outsubnet emission. - The validator's dividend score gives the fraction of the validator alpha that is awarded.
Emission math exampleA subnet receives 1
alpha_outper block.In 1 epoch: 1 × 360 = 360 alpha.
Validators receive 41% of the subnet's emissions: 360 × 0.41 = 147.6 alpha.
Validator X has dividends of 0.006: 147.6 × 0.006 = 0.8856 alpha per epoch.
If this validator has parent hotkeys, this is divided amongst the validators based on stake (see Emission for Parent/Child Hotkeys).
It is then divided into root emission (converted to TAO) and alpha emission — see Emissions: Root vs. Alpha Stake.
Validator rewards
The validator's subnet emission is further split by several factors:
- Parent hotkeys receive their percentage of the stake.
- The validator may take a
child_takefrom this emission.
- The validator may take a
- Each subnet has a root:alpha proportion that divides the emissions.
- Both alpha and root proportions may have a validator take.
- This is the reward for the validator.
- The remaining root and alpha reward is divided amongst stake nominators.
Next Steps
- Emission for Parent/Child Hotkeys — dividing dividends to parent/child hotkeys.
- Emissions: Root vs. Alpha Stake — dividing between root & alpha proportions.
- Stakeholder Emissions: Root & Stakeholder Emissions: Alpha — distribution of emissions to stakeholders.
Updated about 15 hours ago
