Introducing the Antseed Foundation Provider Staking Program

Apply here: Foundation staking application

We're backing eligible providers to help them earn more and keep delivering better AI services to their buyers.

Through the Antseed Foundation Provider Staking Program, the Foundation stakes ANTS behind selected providers. That additional stake can increase their earning potential, supporting the work that makes their services worth using: reliable operation, useful models and better protection for users' data.

We also want promising smaller providers to have a better chance to compete with pools that already have substantial backing.

How the additional stake helps

Providers on Antseed earn USDC from paid requests and can earn ANTS rewards from qualifying usage. The stake behind a provider's pool helps determine its share of those ANTS usage rewards.

Foundation staking adds backing to that pool, giving qualifying activity more weight in the reward calculation. Actual earnings depend on network activity, reward rules and caps.

The program uses the existing framework defined in AIP-2: Recognized Usage Trust, which has reached Final status.

The Foundation retains ownership of its tokens and staking position. Providers benefit through the additional pool power and its effect on their usage rewards. The staking guide explains how these differ from rewards earned by the owner of a staking position.

Supporting better AI services

The program supports providers that serve real demand, stay reliable and keep improving. Milestones might include maintaining availability, improving response times or serving more independent buyers.

We also give additional consideration to providers making these contributions:

• Free models: giving people a way to try AI and explore use cases at no charge. Offering a free model is optional, and free requests do not themselves qualify as paid usage for ANTS rewards.
• Trusted Execution Environments: using hardware protections to help safeguard data during processing. Antseed's verification tools let buyers check supported attestation evidence. Learn how TEE verification works.
• Local AI infrastructure: operating independently, joining a local provider pool or helping organize one.

For buyers, these efforts mean more useful services to choose from, dependable access and more options for handling sensitive workloads.

Giving smaller providers room to grow

A smaller provider might offer a model that works particularly well for a language, a specialized task or a local community, while still having limited stake behind its pool.

Foundation backing can help promising operators compete as they build a track record and attract buyers. We want more independent providers to have a chance to grow, bringing a wider range of AI services to Antseed.

Who can apply?

Providers offering inference, agents, routing services or other useful AI capabilities on Antseed can apply for consideration.

Applicants need a registered provider identity and compatible seller pool, must complete identity, business and technical checks, and need a full data and privacy policy or use of a TEE.

For selected providers, the Foundation sets a staking amount, lock period and milestones suited to their services. Progress is reviewed over time, and strong performance can lead to additional backing or a longer period of support. Providers may also be considered for separately approved grants.

Support is temporary and depends on continued performance and eligibility. Meeting milestones does not automatically guarantee more stake or a grant.

Apply for Foundation staking support

Tell us what you offer, who uses it and what you want to improve next. Include your provider details, current activity and any contributions through free models, TEE infrastructure or local AI projects.

Apply for Foundation staking support

New to Antseed? The provider setup guide explains how to connect your service.