Incentive Testnet: The Key Driver of Successful Blockchain Protocols

In recent years, Proof of Stake (PoS) Blockchains have become increasingly popular. This trend is mainly reflected in the following aspects: Ethereum's transition from Proof of Work to the PoS mechanism, the thriving development of the Cosmos ecosystem, and the emergence of new PoS public chains such as Aptos and Sui.

The PoS mechanism relies on the operation of a validator network, which presents two major challenges for the project: first, the value of internal testing is limited because the network relies on decentralized external parties to execute consensus; second, the operational costs for nodes are high, requiring specific maintenance skills and energy investment.

These factors contributed to the emergence of the incentive Testnet. Cosmos pioneered this testing mechanism through its Game of Stakes project, aiming to test Blockchain core functions in a decentralized and low-risk manner.

Definition and Role of Incentive Testnet

The incentive Testnet is a gamified project that encourages external validators, developers, and other users to participate in testing the Blockchain network and earn rewards. Historically, this type of Testnet has been mainly used for testing proof-of-stake infrastructure. A successful incentive Testnet can:

1. Build a strong network of node operators to ensure stability and decentralization when the project goes live.
2. Simulate a decentralized PoS network environment, test the underlying infrastructure, and identify potential issues.

To attract participants to invest time, funds, and expertise in operating nodes, project teams often provide incentives, such as issuing native tokens or stablecoins.

Recently, the application scope of the incentive Testnet has expanded to multiple aspects such as smart contract deployment, governance voting, trading, cross-chain infrastructure, security measures, and the use of general protocols.

Incentive Testnet Construction Ideas

Although the scale, goals, and timelines of different projects vary, some key considerations help ensure that the Testnet provides appropriate incentives and achieves success.

Clearly define goals

Deploying the incentive Testnet can set multiple goals. The primary task is to identify the key protocol components that need to be tested in a decentralized manner, and then consider factors such as project scale, access conditions, and success metrics. Most projects focus on the performance and security of node infrastructure, but other goals can also be set.

For example, certain trading and lending protocols utilize Testnet to educate early users and test the performance of exchanges and lending mechanisms. A successful case is a DEX project that recruited over 11,000 traders, which not only validated the ability to create market efficiency and ensure adequate liquidity but also discovered and fixed some significant vulnerabilities.

set threshold

Entry requirements ensure that applicants meet minimum participation standards. For validators, common requirements include having the necessary hardware, validator experience, and technical capability, and sometimes geographical diversity is also considered to ensure widespread distribution of nodes. At the same time, attracting a sufficient number of participants is also an important factor in achieving sufficient decentralization of the network.

The thresholds for testing exchange functions and lending protocols are usually low, as the risks of participation are relatively small, and rewards can also have caps based on performance.

KYC is almost a universal requirement for all incentive Testnet projects, both for compliant distribution of rewards and to prevent witch attacks.

Incentivize Correct Behavior

The core of the incentivized Testnet is to ensure that through project design and reward distribution:

1. Conduct comprehensive testing on all functions
2. Help participants (i.e., the community) gain appropriate experience to prepare for the mainnet launch.

The Testnet is usually carried out in phases, gradually testing various parts of the network. For example, the Testnet of a certain L1 public blockchain is divided into at least three stages: first focusing on the construction of validators and code deployment, then the economic mechanisms (such as staking delegation) and DeFi primitives, and finally the performance of validators.

Testnet rewards are usually given in the project's native tokens, while some projects also use stablecoins. Many recent projects have allocated about 1% of the token supply for the testnet.

The reward methods are mainly divided into two categories: milestone/task-based and performance-based. The former rewards participants based on the completion of specific tasks or the discovery of key issues, while the latter (such as validator uptime, transaction performance, or TVL maximization) helps to enhance the community experience.

The project also needs to consider whether the testnet leans towards adversarial or cooperative. Adversarial projects encourage participants to coordinate attacks within a specific scope, applying stress tests to the game theory mechanisms, which is crucial for validating the resilience of the network against real attacks.

Promote mainnet launch

The community building and experience accumulation driven by the Testnet project are key factors for the successful launch of the network. Validators gain operational experience, developers become familiar with tools and documentation, and community contributors compile learning content and provide support, all of which help establish a high-quality community.

Some projects distribute additional grants in the Testnet to incentivize tool development. Some projects provide Testnet validators with the opportunity to obtain token authorizations from the project treasury. There are also projects that launch multiple Testnets over the years, continuously offering incentive testing opportunities to keep the community active.

In summary, the incentive testnet plays an increasingly important role as an innovative mechanism in the successful implementation of blockchain projects. Through careful design and effective execution, it can not only thoroughly test the protocol functions but also foster an active community ecosystem, laying a solid foundation for the long-term development of the project.