TSM_BELIEVER

Miners are the economic engine of the DeepNode ecosystem.

They provide the network’s core utility by executing model tasks, running inference, and delivering verifiable compute. The quality and performance of miners directly determine the value generated across each network.

So how does mining on DeepNode work?

First, miners onboard to a network by depositing $DN as collateral. This collateral aligns incentives and establishes accountability from day one.

DeepNode is designed to stay open and accessible, not behind closed doors. To help make mining approachable for anyone, our partners behind the scenes from @ZanaVentures will be publishing state-of-the-art mining articles and step-by-step explainer videos for the public, lowering the barrier to entry and enabling more operators to participate with confidence.

Once onboarded, miners receive tasks from the network’s task queue. Each task represents a real workload defined by model creators and requested by users or applications. In Phase 1, mining is limited to inference-only tasks.

Miners execute the required computation, submit their inference output, and have their identity, trust score, and collateral position recorded by the network. The task and result are then forwarded to validators.

Validators evaluate whether the miner’s output is correct.

If the output is approved:

• The task is accepted

• Verified Work Units (VWUs) are assigned

• Miner rewards are unlocked

If the output is incorrect:

• The task is rejected or reassigned

• The miner’s trust score is reduced

• A collateral review is triggered

Once validation succeeds, rewards are distributed across the network. Miners earn rewards based on VWUs and task difficulty, while validators, creators, backers, and networks receive their respective shares. A portion of fees is routed to payment processors, and variable burn may be applied depending on governance.

Collateral plays a critical role. If a miner submits incorrect, fraudulent, or harmful outputs, they can be flagged. Depending on severity, part of their collateral may be slashed or partially returned, ensuring that misbehavior has real economic consequences. In Phase 1, slashing events are manually reviewed to reduce risk.

This system ensures miners cannot cheaply attack the network, honest operators earn more through higher trust, and performance and reliability are rewarded over time.

Why do miners matter?

They execute the work that creates real demand for $DN. They scale inference capacity across networks. They compete on performance, trust, and cost efficiency. They maintain collateral and reputation, creating strong long-term alignment.
$DN Without miners, DeepNode cannot deliver inference, serve workloads, or generate revenue.
Miners power the entire flywheel.