$SAHARA Tokenomics
Introduction
$SAHARA is the native utility token that powers all interactions within the Sahara AI ecosystem. It facilitates seamless value exchange between data providers, AI developers, compute suppliers, and end users, creating the economic framework for a collaborative AI economy.
Rooted in our mission of “Your Knowledge. Your AI.”, Sahara AI was built to unlock fair and open access to global knowledge capital. What started as decentralized data collection and labeling has grown into a full-stack ecosystem, with a Data Services Platform, an AI Developer Platform, a decentralized AI Marketplace, and an active global community. And $SAHARA connects it all, supporting everything from data annotation and agent deployment to governance and infrastructure operations.
This collaborative approach stands in stark contrast to the centralized AI development model that currently dominates the industry. Instead, $SAHARA enables a more collaborative ecosystem where innovation comes from everywhere and economic benefits flow to all contributors based on their actual participation and value creation.
Core Token Utilities of $SAHARA
1. AI Asset Access and Licensing
$SAHARA serves as the primary medium of exchange within our ecosystem, enabling users to access or license datasets essential for training AI models, acquire rights to use existing models, and secure computational resources necessary for model development, deployment, and inference. This creates a fluid marketplace where data providers, model developers, and users can efficiently exchange value.
2. Per-Inference Payments
Our granular, usage-based pricing model allows users to pay with $SAHARA for each agent inference they make, enabling precise cost control and new business models. This system ensures AI services remain accessible while fairly compensating agent creators, as well as upstream contributors of those agents, through automatic fee processing and distribution.
3. Network Operations
As the native token of the Sahara blockchain, $SAHARA powers all network operations through gas fees. These fees serve multiple critical functions: preventing network spam and denial-of-service attacks, compensating validators for transaction processing, and maintaining overall network security with a predictable and economically viable fee structure.
4. Validator Staking and Network Security
Our proof-of-stake system requires validators and delegators to stake $SAHARA tokens as collateral, creating strong economic alignment between network security and token holder interests. Validators earn $SAHARA rewards for processing transactions and maintaining consensus, while careful slashing conditions ensure high operational standards.
5. Ecosystem Incentivization
$SAHARA plays a crucial role in bootstrapping the network's utility-driven AI economy. We have allocated $SAHARA to reward high-quality contributions to the ecosystem, including valuable datasets, innovative models, and essential infrastructure development. This utility-driven incentive structure attracts talented developers and researchers while rewarding genuine value creation over speculative activities.
6. Governance and Protocol Decisions
$SAHARA holders have a voice in the platform's future through our on-chain governance system. Token holders can propose and vote on protocol decisions, ensuring that Sahara AI's evolution truly reflects the community's vision and needs.
Token Distribution
The $SAHARA token distribution schedule reflects our commitment to sustainable ecosystem growth and fair value distribution.
Community-Focused Allocations (64.25%)
The majority of our token supply—over 64%—is dedicated to community growth, ecosystem development, and public participation, reflecting our deep commitment to empowering real users and building a sustainable, collaborative AI economy.
Airdrops (8.15%)
Allocated to reward early contributors and expand the community, these tokens were distributed through targeted airdrop campaigns designed to reward meaningful participation and support token liquidity across the ecosystem. Airdrops consist of:
Knowledge Drop for Early Contributors (5.00%): Through our $SAHARA Knowledge Drop, we're recognizing the early contributors who helped bring Sahara AI to life. This includes participants in Data Services Platform who earned Sahara Points, Sahara Legends participants who earned Shards, and ecosystem builders who helped develop foundational infrastructure. Check your eligibility here.
Sahara AI x OKX Airdrop (0.40%): We partnered with OKX for an exclusive airdrop that gave extra rewards to TGE participants and helped expand awareness of Sahara AI across Web3. It introduced Sahara AI to a broader audience while remaining grounded in the support of our early community.
Binance HODLer Airdrop (2.75%): This campaign rewarded eligible Binance users with a phased airdrop: part unlocked at launch, with more coming at the 6-and 9-month marks. It was structured to enhance broader access while supporting long-term ecosystem liquidity
Buidlpad Community Distribution (1.42%): This campaign rewarded early platform adopters, UGC creators, and core contributors who have helped shape Sahara AI’s community and ecosystem.
Ecosystem Development (33.93%): Roughly a third of our supply will fuel ecosystem growth through developer grants, incubation programs, hackathons, validator rewards, liquidity incentives, and ongoing platform development. This investment ensures continuous innovation and adoption.
Community Incentives (20.75%): These tokens power future community initiatives including quality dataset contributions, agent development rewards, global ambassador programs, local meetups, and region-specific growth initiatives that expand Sahara AI’s global reach.
Core Team & Contributors (15.00%)
This allocation is reserved for the core team at Sahara Labs, the builders behind Sahara AI, as well as trusted advisors and early contributors. All allocations are governed by long-term vesting schedules designed to align incentives with the network’s sustained growth and integrity
Early Backers (19.75%)
This allocation recognizes the early partners who supported Sahara Labs with strategic guidance and capital during its formative stages. Early investors who provided financial and strategic support to Sahara Labs receive this allocation, enabling Their commitment enabled the foundational research, technical development, and early market expansion that made Sahara AI’s vision possible.
Liquidity & Market Stability (1.00%)
This allocation is reserved for liquidity provisioning across market-making activities on both centralized and decentralized exchanges. This portion aims to enable smoother transactions, improve accessibility tighter spreads, and provide a more seamless experience across the ecosystem.
$SAHARA Unlock Schedule
The $SAHARA unlock schedule balances immediate utility with long-term ecosystem stability while fostering sustainable, organic growth:
Immediate Utility at TGE: A portion of tokens unlocks immediately at launch, ensuring the network has sufficient liquidity for core operations and early adopters can begin using the platform right away.
Graduated Release for Long-Term Alignment: Most allocations follow a structured release schedule with cliff periods and linear unlocks. This phased approach serves multiple strategic purposes:
Encourage sustained contribution from team members, advisors, and early backers through long-term vesting. These core stakeholders follow a 4-year schedule with a 1-year cliff: 25% unlocks at 12 months, followed by monthly vesting over the next 36 months.
Ensure that token supply grows in step with actual platform usage, helping to maintain economic balance as the network matures and adoption increases.
Provide a balanced release for early community contributors through the $SAHARA Knowledge Drop and support phased liquidity through the Binance HODLer Airdrop. This structure ensures contributors can immediately engage with the ecosystem, while giving tokenomics and utility time to be tested, validated, and fully realized. It’s a long-term approach designed to support meaningful participation across the AI economy.
Launching on Ethereum and BNB Chain
$SAHARA is live on both Ethereum Mainnet and BNB Chain:
Ethereum: Robust infrastructure and liquidity
BNB Chain: Faster and lower-cost transactions
By launching on both chains, Sahara AI follows a proven path used by other leading projects, delivering immediate functionality while preparing for the full capabilities of our own AI-optimized blockchain.
Conclusion
$SAHARA is the cornerstone of Sahara AI’s mission to build a collaborative, transparent AI economy. With real-world utility, thoughtfully structured incentives, and community-driven governance, $SAHARA supports a system where innovation and rewards are accessible to all.
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