Developers Forum for XinFin XDC Network

XDC Masternode, Protector & Observer Nodes Explained: The Complete XDC 3.0 Staking & Rewards Guide (2026)

Rushabh Parmar — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 11:02:27 +0000

A complete community guide to XDC Network's node architecture — what masternodes are, the upcoming Staking, Rewards & Burning upgrade (now live on Apothem), the new three-tier node structure, and rewards.

The XDC Network is entering one of the most significant phases in its history. The XDC 3.0 Staking, Rewards & Burning upgrade introduces a new three-tier node architecture — Core Validator (Masternode), Protector Node, and Observer Node — along with a redesigned reward mechanism and a token-burning model to control inflation.

The upgrade is currently live on the Apothem Test Network, and a security audit is in progress before the mainnet rollout which is scheduled in October. This is the right time for every community member, node operator, and prospective staker to understand what's changing, why it matters, and how to prepare.

This article covers everything: what a masternode is, the current node structure, the upcoming node roles and their rewards, KYC requirements, node setup, and infrastructure options.

What Is a Masternode?

A masternode is a full node on the XDC Network that does far more than simply store a copy of the blockchain. Masternodes are the backbone of the network — they:

Validate transactions and produce (mine) blocks
Participate in consensus via XDC's Proof of Stake mechanism
Guarantee uptime, security, and decentralization for the entire ecosystem

To operate a masternode, an operator must lock 10,000,000 XDC as self-bond collateral. This economic stake ensures that every validator has real skin in the game.

In return, masternode operators earn block rewards and participation incentives, making it both a service to the network and a yield-generating activity.

Key requirements at a glance:

Requirement	Detail
Stake	10,000,000 XDC
Uptime expectation	100% — dedicated or cloud server infrastructure
KYC/KYB	Mandatory for all node operators
Rewards	Block rewards + incentives, distributed per epoch

The Current Node Structure: Masternodes and Standby Nodes

Today, the XDC Network operates with two node categories:

Masternodes (Validators)

The active set of 108 validator nodes that take turns producing and validating blocks. These nodes participate directly in consensus and earn the highest rewards.

Standby Nodes

Nodes that have staked the full 10M XDC and meet all requirements, but are outside the active 108 validator set. They remain synced and ready to step into the validator set when a slot opens, and earn a slightly lower reward rate for maintaining readiness.

This two-tier model has served the network well — but XDC 3.0 takes it much further.

What's Changing: The XDC 3.0 Three-Tier Node Architecture

Under the Staking, Rewards & Burning upgrade, the network moves from the Masternode/Standby model to a layered, three-role consensus architecture. Every role still requires the same 10M XDC stake — what changes is the function each node performs and the reward it earns.

1. Core Validator (Masternode)

The most critical node type on the network.

Contributes 10,000,000 XDC
Validates transactions and produces blocks
Ensures network uptime, security, and decentralization
Earns block rewards and incentives for active participation
Must maintain 100% uptime on dedicated or cloud server infrastructure
Capped at 108 Core Validator slots

2. Protector Node (New in XDC 3.0)

A brand-new role designed for fault tolerance.

Contributes 10,000,000 XDC
Acts as a backup for Core Validators — from the next update, the architecture targets 4 Protector Nodes for every Core Validator (432 Protector slots)
Enables seamless block production during disruptions — if a Core Validator fails, Protectors keep the network producing blocks without downtime
Earns proportional rewards from the reward pool based on the number of associated Protector Nodes
Adds a redundancy layer that meaningfully strengthens network resilience

3. Observer Node (New in XDC 3.0)

The entry point into the validator ecosystem.

Contributes 10,000,000 XDC
Non-block-producing — observes consensus and broadcasts transactions
Ideal for individuals and organizations that want to contribute to decentralization today and move up to Protector or Core Validator roles as slots open
Receives 50% of the Protector Node reward — passive earning without active consensus duties
No cap on the number of Observer Nodes

How role assignment works: The 108 Core Validator slots fill first, then the 432 Protector slots. Once Protector capacity is full, new qualifying nodes automatically become Observer Nodes.

Reward Structure Under XDC 3.0

Rewards are calculated from fixed protocol emissions relative to the 10,000,000 XDC self-bond. Reward pools are allocated per epoch and shared among the nodes in each tier — Core Validators earn the highest rate for producing blocks, Protector Nodes earn proportional rewards from their pool, and Observer Nodes receive 50% of the Protector reward rate.

Per-Epoch Reward Distribution

Based on the current configuration, each node role earns a fixed reward every epoch. A Core Validator (Masternode) earns 63.4196 XDC per epoch, a Protector Node earns 50.7357 XDC, and an Observer Node earns 25.3678 XDC — exactly half the Protector rate, as designed. From each reward, a 10% foundation cut is deducted to support ongoing ecosystem development, which means the net per-epoch reward received by operators comes to 57.07764 XDC for a Core Validator, 45.66213 XDC for a Protector Node, and 22.83102 XDC for an Observer Node. Since rewards are distributed every epoch, earnings accumulate continuously throughout the day rather than in monthly or quarterly payouts.

Node Role	Gross Reward / Epoch	Foundation (10%)	Net Reward / Epoch
Core Validator (Masternode)	63.4196 XDC	6.34196 XDC	57.07764 XDC
Protector Node	50.7357 XDC	5.07357 XDC	45.66213 XDC
Observer Node	25.3678 XDC	2.53678 XDC	22.83102 XDC

Want the exact percentage-based calculations? Ask an AI assistant like Claude or ChatGPT to calculate the approximate APR for each node role based on the fixed protocol emissions and the 10,000,000 XDC self-bond — they can walk you through the per-epoch and annualized math step by step.

Per-epoch view: An epoch is 900 blocks/rounds. Reward pools are allocated per epoch and shared among the nodes in each tier — for example, 108 Core Validators sharing the validator pool and the Protector Nodes sharing the protector pool.

How rewards are paid today: Until the next network update — planned around October 2026 — node rewards are distributed from the XDC ecosystem wallet. Once the upgrade goes live on mainnet, reward distribution moves to the new on-protocol mechanism described above.

The Burning Mechanism

Alongside restructured rewards, XDC 3.0 introduces token burning to reduce inflation. A portion of network fees/emissions is permanently removed from circulation, making the reward model economically sustainable long-term rather than purely inflationary.

⚠️ Important: Reward parameters reflect the current proposal and testnet configuration. Final mainnet values are subject to governance approval and may be refined based on audit findings and Apothem results. Always verify against official XDC announcements before making staking decisions.

KYC / KYB Requirements (New Format Drafts)

All new node operators must complete identity verification. New draft formats have been published for both individuals and organizations:

Individual (KYC) — new format draft: KYC Document Format — Individual
Organization (KYB) — new format draft: KYB Document Format — Organization

Complete the applicable document before (or alongside) your node registration. Each masternode requires its own separate KYC.

How to Set Up a Masternode

Setting up an XDC masternode is straightforward with the official tooling. Provision a reliable dedicated server or cloud VM, then clone the official node repository from github.com/XinFinOrg/XinFin-Node and follow the Docker-based setup guide at xinfin.org/docker-setup — the recommended path for most operators. Once your node is synced, lock your 10,000,000 XDC via the official masternode DApp, submit your KYC/KYB documents, and register your node's coinbase address. From there, keep the node updated and monitored to meet the 100% uptime expectation.

Prefer to test first? Spin up a node on the Apothem Test Network (Chain ID 51) to get familiar with the flow before committing on mainnet (Chain ID 50).

Infrastructure Operators & Trusted Institutions

The network is currently secured by leading infrastructure operators and trusted institutions including: SBI VC Trade (SBI VC Japan), Cumberland (a DRW company), Deutsche Telekom, GSR Markets, HashKey Cloud, Republic, UOB Venture Management, Animoca Brands, Clearpool, RedStone, stakeFi, BCW Group, SettleMint, Bitrue, InvestaX, IXS, Hivemind Capital, Blueprint, CertiK, StorX, NTT DOCOMO GLOBAL, DSRV, and Bridge (a Stripe company).

Third-Party Masternode Services

If you don't have the resources to maintain a masternode yourself, a number of third-party services and community providers offer managed node infrastructure, including: IndSoft, Node Forge, Zeeve, Blockdaemon, Tatum, NOWNodes, Asternodes, Ankr, thirdweb, and Goldsky.

Disclaimer: XDC Network does not officially endorse third-party services. Please perform due diligence before proceeding.

Conclusion

The XDC 3.0 Staking, Rewards & Burning upgrade is more than a reward reshuffle — it's a structural evolution of how the network achieves security, resilience, and decentralization:

Core Validators keep producing blocks with the strongest incentives
Protector Nodes add a fault-tolerance layer the network has never had before
Observer Nodes open a passive on-ramp into the validator ecosystem
Token burning keeps the economics sustainable

With the upgrade live on Apothem and the audit progressing, mainnet is on the horizon. Whether you're a current masternode operator, an institution evaluating XDC infrastructure, or a community member preparing to participate — now is the time to understand the architecture and get ready.

Questions about node setup, role assignment, or rewards? Drop them in the comments or post on xdc.dev — happy to help.

XDCE To XDC

James Williams — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 16:47:41 +0000

Hello Developers,

I'm interested in information on how to redeem my XDCE which I purchased years ago on metamask as XDC. I couldn't see it in my wallet for a long time and now it has apparently been changed to XDCE. I googled information concerning they change from one to another. Please let me know if it's possible to change it on metamask. I don't want to lose money invested and I didn't receive any information concerning a change deadline confirmation concerning my XDC to XDCE. Please help me with a solution. I also use willj1968@outlook.com as contact
information. Thank you in advance!!

How to Generate a Seed Phrase Using Dice: A Complete BIP39 Guide

Rushabh Parmar — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 07:12:49 +0000

If you've ever created a crypto wallet, you've seen it happen: 12 or 24 words appear on your screen in a couple of seconds, and you're told to "write them down safely." That phrase is the master key to everything in that wallet — every coin, every token, every transaction history, forever. And yet almost nobody who uses one knows exactly how those words were chosen, or whether the process that chose them can be trusted.

This guide shows a different way to generate that phrase: using ordinary six-sided dice, offline, with a free open-source tool you can inspect line by line. No app store download, no account, no server involved at generation time.

Tool used in this guide: dice-to-seed — a free, open-source, single-file HTML generator.

Why Trust Dice Over Your Wallet's Built-In Generator?

Every crypto wallet app generates your seed phrase using a random number generator (RNG) running on your phone or computer. That RNG needs to produce numbers that are truly unpredictable — because if anyone could guess or reproduce them, they could reconstruct your seed phrase and steal everything the wallet holds.

The problem is that you can't see or verify that RNG. You're trusting:

That the wallet app's code has no bugs affecting randomness
That the device's operating system hasn't been compromised by malware
That no one tampered with the app before you downloaded it
That the hardware itself has no hidden flaws

Software RNG failures aren't theoretical. There is a well-documented history of wallets, apps, and cryptographic libraries shipping with weakened or predictable random number generation — sometimes by accident, sometimes not. Once a weakness like that is found, every wallet ever created with that flawed generator is retroactively at risk.

Physical dice sidestep this entire category of risk. A die sitting on your desk isn't running software. It can't be hacked, backdoored, or silently weakened by an update. Its randomness comes from physics — the chaotic, unpredictable way it tumbles and bounces — not from code you have to trust blindly.

This is the same principle used by high-security systems like Cloudflare's LavaRand which uses a wall of physical lava lamps as an entropy source specifically because physical, real-world randomness is harder to manipulate than anything purely computational.

What Problem Are We Actually Solving?

Three things, specifically:

1. Verifiable randomness. With dice, you watch the entropy get created. There's no black box between "the random event" and "the number you wrote down."

2. Air-gapped generation. The seed phrase never has to exist on a device connected to the internet at the moment of creation, closing off remote attack vectors entirely.

3. Auditable software. The tool that converts your rolls into words is a single open-source HTML file — anyone can read the code, verify it does exactly what it claims, and confirm nothing is sent anywhere.

What we are not solving: safe storage of the phrase afterward, protection against someone watching you roll, or protection against a compromised device that's used to display the words later. Dice generation is one link in the security chain — a strong one, but not the only one that matters.

The Standard Behind It: BIP39

The 12–24 word phrase format itself follows a specification called BIP39, used by virtually every major crypto wallet (Bitcoin, Ethereum, XDC, and most EVM-compatible chains included). BIP39 defines:

A standardized list of 2048 English words
How raw randomness (called "entropy") is mapped to those words
A built-in checksum so a typo during recovery gets caught instead of silently creating the wrong wallet

Because it's a shared standard, a phrase generated by our dice tool restores correctly in any BIP39-compatible wallet — hardware wallets, MetaMask, Trust Wallet, and XDC-native wallets alike.

Step-by-Step: Generating Your Seed Phrase With Dice

What you need

A fair six-sided die (a casino-grade die with sharp edges is ideal — avoid rounded "fun" dice, which can be subtly biased)
A computer you can safely disconnect from the internet for a few minutes, or one that's genuinely air-gapped
Pen and paper to record the final phrase
The dice-to-seed tool: github.com/RushabhParmar12/dice-to-seed

Step 1 — Download the tool

Go to the dice-to-seed GitHub repository and download dice-to-seed.html. Because the tool is fully open-source, you (or anyone) can read through the code before running it — there's nothing hidden.

Step 2 — Move to an offline environment

Transfer the file to the computer you'll actually use to generate the phrase, then disconnect Wi-Fi and any Ethernet cable. This step matters: it guarantees the phrase can't leave the machine even if something unexpected happens.

Step 3 — Open the file in your browser

No installation needed — double-click dice-to-seed.html and it opens directly. The page will show a warning if it detects you're still online, as a reminder to disconnect first.

Step 4 — Choose your phrase length

The tool supports both:

24 words (256 dice rolls) — the maximum security level
12 words (128 dice rolls) — still fully secure and BIP39-standard, just a shorter phrase

Step 5 — Roll the die and enter each result

Roll your die and type the number (1–6) into the page as you go. Do this for all 256 rolls (or 128, for a 12-word phrase). As you type, a live grid on the page fills in — this is your entropy being generated in real time, so you can visually confirm the process is working correctly.

Behind the scenes, each roll becomes a single bit: odd numbers (1, 3, 5) become 0, even numbers (2, 4, 6) become 1. Since a die has exactly three odd and three even faces, this gives a perfectly balanced 50/50 result every roll — no bias toward any outcome.

Step 6 — Let the tool calculate your phrase

Once all rolls are entered, the tool automatically:

Runs a standard checksum calculation over your entropy (this step uses your browser's built-in cryptographic function, not randomness — it's the same every time for the same rolls)
Looks up each 11-bit group in the official BIP39 word list
Displays your full recovery phrase

Step 7 — Write it down by hand

Copy the words onto paper — never a screenshot, never a note app, never a password manager during this step. There is no copy button in the tool, deliberately, to keep the phrase off the clipboard.

Step 8 — Verify independently before funding a wallet

This step is not optional if real funds are involved. Restore the same phrase on a hardware wallet, or a second independent BIP39 tool, and confirm both produce identical wallet addresses. Only fund the wallet after two independent methods agree.

Step 9 — Close the browser

The tool stores nothing — no history, no cache, no saved state. Closing the tab clears everything from that session.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is dice-generated randomness actually better than my wallet app's randomness?
It's not necessarily "better" in a mathematical sense — a properly implemented software RNG can also produce excellent randomness. The advantage of dice is verifiability: you don't have to trust code you can't see. For high-value wallets, treasury keys, or long-term cold storage, that verifiability is worth the extra effort.

Does this work for Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XDC Network?
Yes. BIP39 is a shared standard across virtually all major chains, including EVM-compatible networks like XDC. The resulting phrase restores identically wherever BIP39 is supported.

What if I make a mistake typing a roll?
The tool only accepts digits 1–6 and shows your progress live, so mistakes are easy to catch before finishing. If you do notice an error after generating the phrase, simply start over — dice are free and the process only takes a few minutes.

Is a 12-word or 24-word phrase better?
Both are considered cryptographically secure by current standards. 24 words offer a larger security margin and are generally preferred for high-value or long-term storage; 12 words are still standard and widely used.

Can I trust an HTML file I downloaded from the internet?
That's exactly why the project is open source — the code is fully readable on GitHub, so you (or someone you trust) can review exactly what it does before running it, instead of taking a claim on faith.

Try It Yourself

The full tool, source code, and technical documentation are available on GitHub:

👉 github.com/RushabhParmar12/dice-to-seed

It's free, open-source, and designed to be read before it's trusted.

[Insights] July Edition: Key Highlights and Developments from Plugin’s Journey

Pooja Balaji — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 17:33:55 +0000

Plugin just got faster, wider, and more connected all in the same month. Data feeds now speak across chains, a cross-chain bridge that took weeks to earn our trust finally proved itself end-to-end, and Automation just got faster under the hood...here's the story behind the progress!

📰 News

⛓️ Plugin Data Feeds Step Into a Multi-Chain World

Plugin has taken its next step toward expanding its presence across multiple blockchain networks. Plugin Data Feeds are now live on testnet across multiple blockchains: XDC Apothem, Ethereum Sepolia, and BNB Smart Chain Testnet with each network reporting independently.

For developers, this means the same Plugin infrastructure that powers lending platforms, DEXs, stablecoins, derivatives, and RWAs on one chain can now be built with across ecosystems, using the same Plugin infrastructure across supported networks.

Supporting this expansion is PLI SWAP, a bridge connecting XDC and EVM-compatible chains, which has completed development and is now deployment-ready on testnet. With multi-chain data feeds live and the bridge ready to go, mainnet rollout is the next milestone on the horizon.

🔓 Major Milestone Unlocked

The Plugin CCIP bridge, providing a single communication lane between XDC and Base, is now fully operational end-to-end. Following extensive debugging across consensus logic, gas mechanics, RPC stability, and on-chain configurations, the team successfully validated the complete cross-chain flow from commit to execute, fully automated and verified on-chain.

Key milestones achieved include reliable message commitment from XDC to Base, automatic detection and execution by the Plugin oracle network without manual intervention, and successful completion of multiple full round-trip test messages. The team also identified and resolved infrastructure challenges, including message batching at scale and consensus edge cases, with every improvement verified across the full validator set. This milestone reflects the extensive protocol-level work to build more reliable cross-chain infrastructure.

🎙️ Weekly X Spaces with the Web3 Community

Plugin hosts an X Space featuring leaders and contributors from across the Web3 ecosystem to discuss emerging trends, share perspectives, and exchange insights on the latest developments in blockchain. These sessions provide an opportunity to showcase Plugin's decentralized infrastructure, engage with the broader Web3 community, and foster meaningful industry connections and potential collaborations.

Whether you're a developer, builder, or blockchain enthusiast, join us at 6 pm GST every Friday for new discussions, fresh perspectives, and the latest updates from the Plugin ecosystem.

Get latest updates: https://x.com/GoPlugin

🤖 Automation Gets Its Speed Fixed

Plugin has enhanced the performance of Smart Contract Automation network by optimizing coordination between nodes and reducing execution delays. These improvements ensure automated tasks are executed more quickly once on-chain conditions are met.

With faster transaction execution, improved monitoring, and more consistent performance, developers can build more responsive decentralized applications while users benefit from a smoother experience across DeFi protocols and other automated services.

🍽️ Food for Thought :

The most important infrastructure work rarely announces itself. Nobody notices a bridge until it fails, or a delay until it's gone. This month was a reminder that real trust in decentralized systems isn't built through big reveals it's built through the unglamorous work of finding the edge case, fixing the few extra seconds, and verifying it across every validator before calling it done.

🧠 Plugin Quiz :

Which token standard is commonly used for governance?

👉 Reply with your answer in the comments!

The $40M Cold Wallet Hack: Why Air-Gapping Alone Was Never Enough — and How Doru Air Gets Self-Custody Right

Doru Air — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 13:00:22 +0000

A Wake-Up Call for Everyone in Self-Custody

On July 31, 2026, the crypto community woke up to one of the most unsettling security incidents in Bitcoin's history.

In just 25 minutes, attackers drained roughly 594 BTC — around $40 million — from approximately 500 separate wallets. By later estimates, the total losses climbed even higher as more compromised wallets were swept.

Here is what makes this incident different from every exchange hack or phishing campaign you've read about:

These were cold wallets. Offline. Air-gapped. Hardware devices that people bought specifically because they believed their keys could never be touched.

There was no phishing link. No malware. No leaked seed phrase. No one clicked anything.

The attackers simply computed the private keys — because the keys were never truly random in the first place.

What Actually Went Wrong

The affected devices were Coldcard Mk3 hardware wallets running firmware versions released from March 2021 onward.

According to research published by Bitcoin engineering and security teams, a firmware build setting caused the devices to silently skip their hardware true random number generator (TRNG). Key generation quietly fell back to a basic software substitute — seeded from the chip's serial number and internal clock registers.

Neither of those values is a secret. A serial number is fixed factory metadata. Clock values can be narrowed down or measured by anyone with a similar device.

The result: seed phrases that should have carried 128 bits of entropy were generated with only around 40 bits — small enough for an attacker to brute-force offline, at their leisure, without ever touching the victim's device.

The flaw sat in the codebase, in plain sight, for more than five years. Then, one morning, someone ran the numbers. Wallets that had been dormant since 2021 were emptied in minutes.

And critically: a firmware update cannot fix this. If your seed was generated during the vulnerable window, the only remedy is to create an entirely new wallet with a new seed and move your funds.

The Uncomfortable Lesson: The Air Gap Is Necessary — But Not Sufficient

Here is the part of this story that too few people are talking about.

The compromised wallets were already offline. The air gap worked exactly as designed. The internet was never the attack vector.

The attack succeeded because cold storage is not a single feature — it is a chain of security guarantees:

Key generation — your keys must be created with true, unpredictable randomness
Key storage — your keys must never leave the offline environment
Transaction signing — signing must happen offline, with only the signed output leaving the device

If the first link in that chain is weak, nothing downstream can save you. A perfectly air-gapped device with predictable keys is just a very expensive way to feel safe.

This is the lens through which every self-custody solution should now be evaluated — including ours.

How Doru Air Approaches the Full Security Chain

Doru Air is a 100% air-gapped self-custody wallet that transforms a dedicated smartphone into an offline crypto signing device, supporting XDC, ETH, BTC, and XRP. It was built at XDC Innovation Labs, Dubai, with one principle at its core: security must hold at every layer, not just one.

Here is how Doru addresses each link in the chain.

1. Offline Key Generation with Strong Entropy

Doru Air generates your 12-word recovery phrase entirely on the offline device using a cryptographically secure pseudo-random number generator (CSPRNG) — the same class of randomness source trusted across modern security-critical software. Unlike the predictable, chip-metadata-based randomness that led to the Coldcard incident, a CSPRNG draws from high-entropy sources that cannot be reconstructed from public or guessable information like serial numbers or timestamps. Your keys are born offline, with full-strength randomness, and they never exist anywhere else.

Every wallet setup also includes mandatory mnemonic verification, ensuring your backup is accurate before the wallet is ever used.

2. Enforced Air-Gapping — Not Optional, Not Trust-Based

Many wallets recommend going offline. Doru Air requires it.

The application performs internal security checks on every launch and will not operate unless WiFi, mobile data, and Bluetooth are all switched off. If any connectivity is detected, the app simply refuses to proceed. The air gap is enforced by the software itself — not left to user discipline.

3. No Proprietary Hardware, No Hidden Supply Chain

The recent incident revealed another uncomfortable truth about hardware wallets: users depend on firmware, build configurations, and supply chains they can never fully inspect.

Doru Air takes a different path. It runs on standard smartphone hardware — ideally an old, factory-reset device dedicated solely to Doru. That means:

No custom chips whose behavior you cannot verify
No USB cables or Bluetooth pairing creating physical attack surfaces
No dependency on a single manufacturer's firmware pipeline
No additional hardware purchase at all

You repurpose a device you already own — and you control its entire environment.

4. QR-Only Transaction Flow

With Doru Air, the online and offline worlds never physically touch:

The transaction is prepared using an online device via doruair.com
Signing happens on the fully offline phone
Only the signed transaction leaves the offline device — as a QR code you can visually inspect before broadcasting

Even if your online computer is riddled with malware, your private keys remain unreachable. Nothing secret ever crosses the gap.

What Every Crypto Holder Should Do This Week

Regardless of which wallet you use, this incident carries lessons for everyone:

Know how your wallet generates entropy. If you cannot find a clear answer, that itself is an answer.
Add a strong BIP-39 passphrase on top of your seed for an additional security layer.
Consider multisig for significant holdings — every wallet drained in this attack was single-signature.
If you were affected: generate a completely new seed on patched software, verify it, send a small test transaction first, and only then migrate your funds. Do not rush, and never type seed words into a connected device.

Self-Custody Is Still the Answer — Done Right

It would be easy to read this incident as an argument against self-custody. Some commentators are already suggesting users retreat to custodians and ETFs.

We believe the opposite. The answer to a failure of implementation is not to abandon the principle. Not your keys, not your coins — that truth has not changed.

What has changed is the standard users should demand: security that begins at the very first moment your keys are created, enforced offline operation rather than optional offline operation, and an architecture transparent enough to reason about.

That is what Doru Air was built for.

True cold storage, in your pocket. Offline by design. Secure from the first key.

🔗 Get started: https://doruair.com
📖 Full setup guide: Doru Air: A Complete Guide to Offline Signing & True Self-Custody

Disclaimer

This article is intended for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or security advice. References to third-party products and security incidents are based on publicly available reports at the time of writing and are provided solely for context. Doru Air is a self-custody solution — users are fully responsible for securely storing their private keys and recovery phrases. Loss of a recovery phrase may result in permanent loss of access to digital assets. Always ensure your offline device remains disconnected from WiFi, mobile data, and Bluetooth when generating keys or signing transactions.

How XDC Masternodes Are Selected from Validators

Wanwiset Peerapatanapokin — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 09:05:28 +0000

This article gives a simple, quick understanding of Validators and how Masternodes are selected from them on XDC.

First, let's cover the terminology.

Terminology

Validator — an address that has staked a minimum of 10 million XDC on the XDCValidator contract (0x00...0088).
Masternode — a Validator in the active state, responsible for mining blocks and keeping the network alive.
Standbynode — a Validator waiting in reserve to become a Masternode when an active Masternode drops out.
Penaltynode — a Validator that has failed to perform its duties (e.g. an offline node) and has been temporarily removed from active duty.

Masternode Selection

Masternodes are selected from the pool of Validators by ranking them on stake amount — simply put, the top stakers get in. The maximum number of Masternodes is 108, so the top 108 Validators become active Masternodes. Every epoch (~900 blocks, ~30 minutes) the list is re-calculated.

When Validators have staked the same amount (for example, all sitting at the 10M minimum), the tie-break is decided by the sorting algorithm — the resulting order looks arbitrary but is deterministic.

A non-performing Validator (a Penaltynode) is excluded from this calculation.

You can view current staking numbers and rankings on the XDC Masternode Dashboard.

Reward Distribution

Every epoch (~900 blocks, ~30 minutes) a fixed reward of 5,000 XDC is shared among the active Masternodes — roughly 46 XDC per Masternode (90% goes to the node owner, 10% to the XDC Treasury). Over a year this works out to approximately 10% APY.

Note: The ~10% APY is not guaranteed. Rewards are tied to block production — they are only paid out as blocks are created.

Rewards are based on the fixed 10M stake only; staking more than 10M does not earn additional rewards. However, topping up above 10M can raise your ranking and therefore improve your chance of getting into the top 108 and becoming an active Masternode.

Standbynodes do not receive on-chain rewards today, but currently receive manual rewards monthly, funded by the XDC Treasury wallet. In the next protocol upgrade (ETA 2026), Standby nodes will be split into Protector and Observer nodes, and their rewards will be automated and paid out on-chain.

Penaltynodes do not receive any rewards.

FAQ

When are Masternode rewards paid?
Masternode rewards are paid automatically on-chain at the end of every epoch (~900 blocks, ~30 minutes).

When does the active Masternode set change?
At the epoch boundary — every ~900 blocks — the list is re-calculated and any changes take effect.

How are Validators with the same stake ranked?
Validators are ranked purely by stake, from highest to lowest. When several have staked the same amount (for example, all at the 10M minimum), the tie-break is decided by the sorting algorithm. The resulting order looks arbitrary and isn't based on anything a Validator controls, but it is deterministic — it's not random, and the network always arrives at the same order.

What is the limit to the number of Standbynodes?
No — there is currently no limit on the number of Standbynodes. In the next protocol upgrade (ETA 2026), Standby will be split into Protector and Observer tiers, which will have maximum limits.

How does a Penaltynode recover?
A penalised node rejoins by submitting signing transactions, which confirm it is back online and ready to resume its duties.

How do I become a Masternode from a Standbynode?
Stake additional XDC on top of your 10M so that your ranking rises into the top 108 Validators.

How do I stake on the Validator contract?
Staking requires locking 10M XDC and a KYC process. It's not covered in this article — see the Masternode Setup Guide and XDC Network Staking Portal (Governance).

XDCAI : Building Payment Rails for Millions of Autonomous AI Agents

Ritesh kakkad — Sat, 25 Jul 2026 10:59:39 +0000

Artificial intelligence is rapidly moving beyond answering questions. The next generation of AI agents will independently discover services, make decisions, execute purchases and settle payments with a just voice command.

Recently, At XDC Tech’s New York office, XDC Network Co-founder Atul Khekade presented a live demonstration of XDC AI—a new framework designed to combine agentic intelligence with programmable, blockchain-based compliance settlement. AI Assistants to Economic Agents

The commercial opportunity is enormous.

McKinsey estimates that AI agents could mediate between $3 trillion and $5 trillion in global consumer commerce by 2030, including as much as $1 trillion in the US B2C retail market alone. Gartner also predicts that by 2028, agentic AI will be included in 33% of enterprise software applications, compared with less than 1% in 2024, and will autonomously make approximately 15% of everyday business decisions. AI Agents will require more than intelligence. They will need wallets, spending controls, trusted payment assets, transparent records and an efficient settlement network.

What XDCAI.tech Brings to Agentic Commerce

XDCAI provides autonomous agents with a non-custodial smart wallet, Compliant and Regulated framwork and allows them to pay for APIs and digital services using stable coins like USDC on XDC Network.

Built around the open x402 payment standard, the framework enables:

Gasless USDC payments using EIP-3009
On-chain spending limits controlled by users
Pay-per-call API transactions
Agent-to-agent and agent-to-business payments
Machine-readable transaction records
Integration with ChatGPT, Claude, Codex, Cursor and other AI platforms

Instead of subscriptions, invoices or credit cards, an AI agent can pay the exact price of a service and receive an on-chain transaction record for every request using Stable coin like USDC on XDC Network.

Native USDC and Circle’s CCTP V2 are already live on XDC Network, supporting fast, ISO20022 Compliant messaging, low-cost payments and cross-chain transfers. Circle describes USDC issued in Europe as a MiCA-compliant regulated e-money token and states that USDC already meets core GENIUS Act standards while progressing toward full regulatory alignment in the United States. Payments ecosystem also supports projects that prioritise ISO 20022-aligned financial messaging, helping connect autonomous digital commerce with established financial infrastructure.

XDC Network has already processed more than 1.12 billion transactions since year 2019, demonstrating the scale and operational history required for enterprise applications. Trade finance, real-world asset tokenisation to regulated stablecoins and now agentic commerce, XDC continues evolving with every major technology cycle.

XDCAI.tech is not simply another AI application. It is being developed as a payment, control and settlement framework for a future in which millions of autonomous agents transact with one another.

Explore XDCAI's Market Place: https://xdcai.tech/marketplace

Build Your Quick Agent with XDCAI framework: https://docs.xdcai.tech/

Watch Atul Khekade’s live demonstration:
https://x.com/XDC_USA/status/2079602305528115673?s=52

Official XDC Network YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQaL6FixEQ80RJC0B2egX6g

Masternode Metrics

Will White — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 17:12:54 +0000

After a masternode becomes standby or is active are additional metrics exposed that enable tracking of consensus health and uptime? If not, what is the best way to monitoring the additional performance and health of the consensus operations undertaken by a masternode?

Empty Coinbase.txt

Will White — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 15:59:40 +0000

Hi, I'm working on setting up some new nodes and everything worked well in regards to exercising the steps at:

https://github.com/XinFinOrg/XinFin-Node

However, after the nodes have been at height and healthy for some time I came to grab the coinbase.txt data for staking processes and found that it is empty.

Any ideas?

Request for 10,000,000 Test XDC (Apothem)

kankyoku-ri — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 05:45:31 +0000

Hi team,
I planning to set up an XDC node and then conduct staking tests on the Apothem testnet.
I had planned to obtain test XDC by clicking on the following site:
https://faucet.apothem.network/
However, since a single click yields only 1,000 XDC, it would have required 10,000 clicks to acquire the 10 million XDC needed for the minimum staking amount.
Therefore, I decided to change my approach and obtain the test XDC in a single batch here instead.
Could you please send 10,000,000 TXDC to my address?
Address: 0xf23Ed13483e212977Bd73efd6973F1cA5F8Ef7B2
Thank you!

Implementing an Asynchronous 'Kill Switch' & Deterministic Rollbacks within a 2-Second Block Time

Sara Teller — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 23:56:11 +0000

To eliminate institutional counterparty risk, GovOn utilizes a 'Tripartite Kill Switch'. If the L2 physical execution data (ZK-Proof) doesn’t perfectly match the L0 banking fiat instructions down to the final decimal, the smart contract must trigger a hard rollback—zero capital moves.
My challenge with XDC’s extremely fast XDPoS (2-second finality): How do you orchestrate a deterministic rollback when querying an external banking oracle right before the state commits?
Do you rely on a two-step ⁠commit/reveal⁠ pattern, or are there specific Hook/WASM capabilities on XDC that allow a transaction to evaluate external conditions and revert gracefully without burning excessive gas for failed states?

How to Publish and Monetise Your API on XDC AI Marketplace.

Vinn — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 12:47:53 +0000

Introduction

AI is advancing past chatbots into autonomous agents that can discover services, make payments, and complete tasks on their own. This new economy, known as AI Commerce, enables AI agents to automatically purchase APIs without human involvement.

XDC AI Tech enables developers to publish APIs that AI agents can discover, pay for using gasless USDC payments and consume instantly using the x402 payment protocol, all powered by the XDC Network.

The Rise of Agentic AI Commerce

AI is no longer limited to assisting users; it can independently discover services, negotiate prices, make payments, and complete tasks. This shift is giving rise to Agentic AI Commerce, in which self-operating AI agents transact directly with digital services via programmable payments, rather than traditional user-driven workflows. Unlike conventional AI assistants, agentic systems can execute multi-step actions across applications with minimal human intervention, enabling a new machine-to-machine economy.

Challenges with Traditional API Monetisation

Traditional API businesses rely on:

API keys and manual authentication
Monthly subscription plans
Credit card payments and invoicing
Geographic payment restrictions
Human-managed billing

These models create friction for autonomous AI agents that need instant, pay-per-use access.

Why the API Economy Needs to Evolve

The API economy has grown into a multi-billion-dollar industry, but most APIs still rely on subscriptions, API keys, invoices, and manual onboarding. These models work well for humans but introduce friction for autonomous AI agents that need instant, pay-per-use access. As AI agents become capable of executing workflows independently, developers need infrastructure that provides automated discovery, authentication, and micropayments without calling for human approval for every transaction.

Industry Momentum Behind Agentic AI

Enterprises are rapidly investing in agentic AI. Gartner predicts that 60% of brands will use agentic AI to deliver one-to-one customer communications by 2028, while spending on supply chain software with agentic AI capabilities is expected to grow from less than $2 billion in 2025 to $53 billion by 2030. These forecasts highlight how AI agents are moving beyond experimentation into real-life business operations.

What is XDC AI Tech?

XDC AI Tech is an AI API marketplace where developers are able to list APIs and AI services for autonomous agents.

Primary features include:

AI API Marketplace
Pay-per-request monetisation
Gasless USDC payments
x402 payment protocol
Blockchain settlement on XDC Network

Why XDC Network?

XDC Network provides:

Fast transaction finality
Low transaction costs
Enterprise-grade blockchain infrastructure
EVM compatibility
Native support for gasless USDC payments

Understanding x402

x402 is an open payment protocol that enables APIs to charge users automatically.

Instead of API keys:

AI requests an API.
API returns HTTP 402 Payment Required.
AI signs a USDC payment.
Payment is verified.
API returns the requested data.

This enables true machine-to-machine commerce.

Why x402 Matters

Traditional internet protocols never included a native payment mechanism, forcing developers to rely on API keys, subscriptions, and third-party billing systems. The x402 protocol brings programmable payments directly into HTTP by enabling APIs to request payment before returning a response. This allows AI agents to pay for services automatically on a per-request basis, making APIs both discoverable and instantly monetizable without manual billing workflows.

The Shift Toward Machine-to-Machine Payments

One of the biggest barriers to autonomous AI has been payments. While AI agents can analyse data, generate content, and orchestrate workflows, they traditionally could not complete purchases without human involvement. Emerging payment standards such as x402 and blockchain-based settlement are changing this by enabling secure, programmable, machine-to-machine payments that support autonomous digital commerce.

Reference:

Gasless USDC Payments

With XDC AI:

Agents only need USDC.
No XDC is required for gas.
A relayer submits the blockchain transaction.
Providers receive USDC payments seamlessly.

How to Publish Your API

Step 1: Prepare Your API

Ensure your API is:

Publicly accessible (HTTPS)
Stable and production-ready
Well documented

Step 2: Integrate x402

Configure your API to accept x402 payments, so AI agents can pay per request.

Step 3: Prepare Listing Details

Keep the following ready:

API name
Description
Endpoint
Documentation
Pricing
Category & Tags
Contact details

Step 4: Submit Your Listing

Visit the XDC AI Provider Submission page and complete the listing form.

Step 5: Review & Approval

The XDC AI team reviews your submission before publishing it on the marketplace.

Step 6: Start Monetising

Once approved:

Your API becomes discoverable.
AI agents can access it.
Payments are settled in USDC for every successful request.

Best Practices

Write a clear API description.
Keep documentation up to date.
Use open pricing.
Maintain high uptime.
Choose accurate categories and tags.

FAQs

Q. What payment currency is used?

USDC.

Q. Do I need XDC for gas?

No. Payments are gasless for users.

Q. Can I charge per API call?

Yes. XDC AI supports pay-per-request pricing.

Q. Can I list an existing API?

Yes, as long as it meets the marketplace requirements.

Disclaimer

This article is for informational purposes only. Platform features and submission requirements may change. Always refer to the official XDC AI documentation before publishing your API.

The Future of AI Commerce

Industry adoption is accelerating across sectors. Financial institutions are already deploying agentic AI for wealth management, treasury operations, client onboarding, and trading workflows under human supervision. At the same time, organisations are building marketplaces and payment infrastructure that allow AI agents to discover and purchase digital services autonomously. Together, these developments point heading toward a future where software agents become active participants in the global digital economy.

Conclusion

XDC AI Tech simplifies API monetisation by combining AI Commerce, x402 programmable payments, gasless USDC transactions, and the XDC Network. Instead of relying on subscriptions and API keys, developers can earn revenue from every API request while making their services accessible to autonomous AI agents worldwide.

Developers Forum for XinFin XDC Network

XDC Masternode, Protector & Observer Nodes Explained: The Complete XDC 3.0 Staking & Rewards Guide (2026)

What Is a Masternode?

The Current Node Structure: Masternodes and Standby Nodes

Masternodes (Validators)

Standby Nodes

What's Changing: The XDC 3.0 Three-Tier Node Architecture

1. Core Validator (Masternode)

2. Protector Node (New in XDC 3.0)

3. Observer Node (New in XDC 3.0)

Reward Structure Under XDC 3.0

Per-Epoch Reward Distribution

The Burning Mechanism

KYC / KYB Requirements (New Format Drafts)

How to Set Up a Masternode

Infrastructure Operators & Trusted Institutions

Third-Party Masternode Services

Conclusion

XDCE To XDC

How to Generate a Seed Phrase Using Dice: A Complete BIP39 Guide

Why Trust Dice Over Your Wallet's Built-In Generator?

What Problem Are We Actually Solving?

The Standard Behind It: BIP39

Step-by-Step: Generating Your Seed Phrase With Dice

What you need

Step 1 — Download the tool

Step 2 — Move to an offline environment

Step 3 — Open the file in your browser

Step 4 — Choose your phrase length

Step 5 — Roll the die and enter each result

Step 6 — Let the tool calculate your phrase

Step 7 — Write it down by hand

Step 8 — Verify independently before funding a wallet

Step 9 — Close the browser

Frequently Asked Questions

Try It Yourself

[Insights] July Edition: Key Highlights and Developments from Plugin’s Journey

The $40M Cold Wallet Hack: Why Air-Gapping Alone Was Never Enough — and How Doru Air Gets Self-Custody Right

A Wake-Up Call for Everyone in Self-Custody

What Actually Went Wrong

The Uncomfortable Lesson: The Air Gap Is Necessary — But Not Sufficient

How Doru Air Approaches the Full Security Chain

1. Offline Key Generation with Strong Entropy

2. Enforced Air-Gapping — Not Optional, Not Trust-Based

3. No Proprietary Hardware, No Hidden Supply Chain

4. QR-Only Transaction Flow

What Every Crypto Holder Should Do This Week

Self-Custody Is Still the Answer — Done Right

Disclaimer

How XDC Masternodes Are Selected from Validators

Terminology

Masternode Selection

Reward Distribution

FAQ

Links

XDCAI : Building Payment Rails for Millions of Autonomous AI Agents

Masternode Metrics

Empty Coinbase.txt

Request for 10,000,000 Test XDC (Apothem)

Implementing an Asynchronous 'Kill Switch' & Deterministic Rollbacks within a 2-Second Block Time

How to Publish and Monetise Your API on XDC AI Marketplace.

Introduction

The Rise of Agentic AI Commerce

Challenges with Traditional API Monetisation

Why the API Economy Needs to Evolve

Industry Momentum Behind Agentic AI

What is XDC AI Tech?

Why XDC Network?

Understanding x402

Why x402 Matters

The Shift Toward Machine-to-Machine Payments

Gasless USDC Payments

How to Publish Your API

Best Practices

FAQs

Disclaimer

The Future of AI Commerce

Conclusion