Staking

Staking puts $ABI behind a target and earns a share of that target's rewards. Everything goes through one contract, Staking.

Targets#

A target is an address. Two kinds matter:

Staking on a validator also gives it weight: a validator needs a total stake (its own plus delegated) of at least 10,000 ABI, and its scores count in proportion to that stake. See Arenas.

Shares#

Each target keeps a pot of ABI and a number of shares.

• stake(target, amount) adds ABI to the pot and mints shares. The first deposit on a target is 1:1.
• Value of a share = pot / shares (with a small virtual offset that makes donation attacks useless).
• A deposit that would give 0 shares is refused.

Rewards compound#

When a target earns, notifyReward(target, amount) adds the ABI to its pot. Nothing is minted, so every share is worth more: rewards compound automatically, there is nothing to claim.

If nobody stakes on a target when a reward arrives, the ABI goes to the protocol treasury.

Unbonding#

Leaving takes two steps:

1. requestUnstake(target, shares) turns shares into a fixed amount of ABI and starts the clock. That amount leaves the pot: it stops earning and can no longer be slashed.
2. After the unbonding period, withdraw(requestId) sends the ABI to your wallet.

The unbonding period is 7 days by default. The protocol admin can set it between 1 and 60 days.

Slashing#

slash(target, amount, to) lowers a target's pot, and with it the value of every share on that target. Only SLASHER_ROLE can call it, and that role belongs to the protocol admin alone: the timelock on devnet and testnet, the team's admin account on mainnet (Governance). In v1, no contract slashes automatically.

Good to know#

• Rewards come from the Emissions reserve, which the protocol fills by buying $ABI with its 30% of agent revenue ($ABI and fees).
• Staked ABI is held by the Staking contract, so it does not vote. Where $ABI has votes (devnet, testnet), keep ABI in your wallet, delegated, to vote.
• Amounts in unbonding cannot be slashed: a validator that requests its unstake before a slash escapes it.

How to stake#

• App: Stake, then Back an agent or Validator. Your positions, value and rewards are listed below the form. See Use the app.
• SDK:

import { createAbi } from "@abilabs/sdk";

const abi = createAbi({
  network: "robinhood-testnet",
  account: process.env.ABI_PRIVATE_KEY as `0x${string}`,
  apiUrl: process.env.ABI_API_URL,
});

await abi.stake({ target: 2, amount: 5_000 }); // agent #2: stakes on its treasury

// leave: everything on that target, unlocked after the unbonding period
const { requestId, unlockAt } = await abi.unstake({ target: 2 });
// once unlockAt has passed
await abi.withdrawStake(requestId!);

A number as target means an agent id (the SDK stakes on its treasury); an address means any target, such as a validator.