More details on our node license sale.

TL;DR:

Hemi is launching a node license sale to support the decentralization and scalability of its network. Participants can purchase Validator Passports, which serve as licenses to operate nodes, earning rewards while securing the network. The sale will take place via Impossible Finance at https://passport.hemi.xyz/, with early access available to testnet users who have performed Proof-of-Humanity authentication via Demos OnlyMeID.

A whitelist sale for verified testnet users runs from February 3-6, 2025, followed by a public sale from February 10-13, 2025. Participants must complete KYC to finalize their purchases. Validator Passports will become transferable one year after purchase.

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(Ed. note 2025-01-31-1630UTC — The total number of nodes available for sale was listed as 22,000 when this was originally published. This has been corrected to 24,200.)

(Ed. note 2025-02-03-1130UTC — Additional details added regarding whitelisting and discounts in the Eligibility section.)

As we noted earlier this week, Hemi is launching a node license sale to accelerate the growth of its network. This sale enables participants to run network nodes and earn rewards while contributing to the decentralization and scalability of the Hemi network. 

The sale will take place via Impossible Finance at https://passport.hemi.xyz/, and all testnet users who have minted a Demos OnlyMeID will be eligible to participate in the early-access whitelist sale. Validator Passports serve as your license to operate a node.

Why Validator Passports?

Validator Passports serve as your license to operate a node. Validator Passport holders play a key role in decentralizing Hemi’s infrastructure while earning rewards for running nodes that contribute to network security and scalability. In the initial phase, participants will operate a decentralized RPC cloud of nodes that provide scalable, resilient infrastructure for users and developers interacting with Hemi.

Once Hemi’s decentralized sequencing protocol launches later in 2025, Validator Passport holders will transition to sequencing transactions. This ensures stronger anti-censorship guarantees compared to centralized sequencers used in other layer-2 networks. It also introduces an extra layer of intermediate consensus security before achieving full Bitcoin-level security (Superfinality) through Hemi’s Proof-of-Proof (PoP) consensus.

Sale Details

A total of 24,200 Validator Passports will be available between the whitelist and public sale in three tiers, each offering different benefits, reward opportunities, and distribution schedules:

Pathfinder

• Validator Passports Available: 1,100
• Price Per Validator Passport: $500 USD
• Rewards Unlocked at TGE: 10% upon successful setup and operation of the node
• Reward Distribution Schedule: Evenly distributed over 48 months upon continued successful operation of the node
• Bonus Rewards (upon successful operation of the node): 
  • Upon successful decentralization of the sequencer (estimated Q3 2025):
    • 10% of sequencing base fees collected by the protocol to start (capped at 2x the Validator Passport purchase price)
    • All of sequencing tip rewards for transactions the validator incorporates into blocks they sequence (capped according to the tier’s reward distribution schedule)
      

Voyager

• Validator Passports Available: 3,300
• Price Per Validator Passport: $620 USD
• Rewards Unlocked at TGE: 20% upon successful setup and operation of the node
• Reward Distribution Schedule: Evenly distributed over 24 months upon continued successful operation of the node
• Bonus Rewards (upon successful operation of the node): 
  • Upon successful decentralization of the sequencer (estimated Q3 2025):
    • 8% of sequencing base fees collected by the protocol to start (capped at 1x the Validator Passport purchase price)
    • All of sequencing tip rewards for transactions the validator incorporates into blocks they sequence (capped according to the tier’s reward distribution schedule)

Explorer

• Validator Passports Available: 19,800
• Price Per Validator Passport: $750 USD
• Rewards Unlocked at TGE: 30% upon successful setup and operation of the node
• Reward Distribution Schedule: Evenly distributed over 12 months upon continued successful operation of the node
• Bonus Rewards (upon successful operation of the node): 
  • Upon successful decentralization of the sequencer (estimated Q3 2025):
    • All of sequencing tip rewards for transactions the validator incorporates into blocks they sequence (capped according to the tier’s reward distribution schedule)

Hemi will sell Validator Passports in USDC on Arbitrum, and buyers will receive an NFT as proof of ownership for the Validator Passport License. One year after purchase, Validator Passport holders can transfer their Validator Passports freely.

Eligibility

The private whitelist Validator Passport sale will go live at 2:00p.m. UTC on https://passport.hemi.xyz.

Everyone who minted a Demos OnlyMeID before January 29th 2025 at 23:59:59 UTC is whitelisted to participate in this private sale.

Note that, when claiming your Validator Passport, you will need to complete KYC, and there is a list of restricted countries/jurisdictions which will not be able to complete this claim process: United States, Cuba, North Korea, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Sri Lanka, Venezuela, Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk or any other state, country or region that is subject to sanctions enforced by the United Nations.

Users who own a Hemi Hatchling (Air, Earth, Water, or Fire) will be eligible for an extra 5% discount, and users who interacted with Hemi before September 9th 2024 (either sending a Hemi testnet transaction or performing PoP Mining) will be eligible for an extra 3% discount. These discounts stack, meaning a Hemi Hatchling owner who interacted with Hemi before September 9, 2024, will get an 18% discount.

To check your whitelist and discount status, you can lookup your address on https://whitelist.hemi.xyz/.

Participants will have to successfully clear KYC before receiving their purchased Validator Passports. No refunds will be provided if the purchaser cannot pass KYC.

Sale Dates and Structure

The following are on a first-come, first-served basis: 

• Private Whitelist Sale: February 3, 2025, 2:00 PM UTC until February 6, 2025, 2:00 PM UTC
• Public Sale: February 10, 2025, 2:00 PM UTC until February 13, 2025, 2:00 PM UTC
• Mainnet Launch: Q1 2025

Validator Passport Limits

For both the private whitelist and public sales the following node limits will apply:

Tier	First 6 Hours of Private Sale First 16 Hours of Public Sale	After 6 Hours of Private Sale After 16 Hours of Public Sale
Pathfinder	10	100
Voyager	30	300
Explorer	180	1,800

Participants in both rounds can purchase up to these limits in each sale independently.

Hemi Testnet User Campaign: How to Be Whitelisted

Hemi has always prioritized building an engaged and authentic community, and this approach extends to the Validator Passport sale. By ensuring that only verified users can participate, the goal is to create a fair and inclusive process that rewards those who have actively contributed to the ecosystem. Many of these verified users have played a key role in Hemi’s growth—not just by testing the network, but also by fostering discussions in Discord, sharing insights on social media, and helping onboard new participants. Their ongoing engagement has strengthened the community and shaped the direction of the project.

All approximately 83,000 Hemi testnet users who have demonstrated Proof-of-Humanity by minting an OnlyMeID on Demos before January 29th, 2025, at 23:59 UTC will be whitelisted for participation in the private/whitelist sale (note: eligibility requirements still apply). All whitelisted users will be eligible for a 10% discount.

Testnet users will also be eligible for up to an additional 8% discount (18% total) for meeting certain criteria. Details on qualifying for this additional discount will be provided in the coming days.

Users who qualify for the additional discount will see a dedicated sale card on the sale website displaying the full 18% discounted price.

Validator Passport Node Operation Rewards

Holders of Validator Passport licenses will receive a portion of their total token rewards upon token launch, ranging from 10-30% of their total Passport lifetime value, for setting up their node. The remaining rewards will be distributed over the 12-48-month lifespan of the license, contingent on continued operation and maintenance.

Additionally, Voyager and Pathfinder tiers will receive a portion of the protocol’s base fee revenue up to a specified limit, upon successful continued operation of the node. All nodes will collect transaction tips from the transactions they sequence.

How to Run a Validator Passport Node

Hemi will release more details regarding the required installation packages and server hardware requirement in the coming week.

Up to 100 Validator Passports can be staked to one validator node in operation. This limit may be increased once decentralized sequencing is live.

Hemi is working with third-party validators to reduce the frictions to operate the node and will provide a list of third-party validators in the coming weeks.

Validator Passport Transferability

One year after purchase, license holders will have the option to transfer their Validator Passport freely.

For More Information

Follow @hemi_xyz and @impossiblefi on X for further details and updates. The sale will take place at https://passport.hemi.xyz/.