The F-Chains Program

Most blockchain infrastructure providers only support chains that generate enough volume to be commercially viable. High-traffic chains like Ethereum, Base, and Solana attract node coverage through market incentives alone. But hundreds of other chains — newer networks, niche L2s, Cosmos ecosystems, testnets — don’t generate enough relay volume to sustain a competitive market of operators.

The F-Chains program exists to solve this. It’s PNF’s mechanism for guaranteeing coverage on long-tail chains that market economics wouldn’t sustain on their own.

What F-Chains Is

F-Chains (Foundation Chains) operates on two levels simultaneously:

Application stake layer: PNF stakes POKT as Applications on-chain for each supported chain. These stakes generate the relay sessions that create demand for Supplier nodes to serve.

Operator layer (F-Chains II): PNF contracts with professional infrastructure providers to run subsidized Supplier nodes on chains where organic operator coverage is insufficient.

Together, these create a closed loop: Application stakes generate demand, and subsidized Supplier nodes fulfill that demand — ensuring every chain in the public portal has live, responsive nodes.

Program History

F-Chains I (Original Model)

The original program predated Shannon and made direct payments to node operators who committed to running nodes on low-traffic services. This approach worked short-term but proved unsustainable — ongoing DAO payouts depleted treasury resources, and the fixed-payment structure didn’t align incentives with actual performance.

F-Chains II (Current Model — Launched June 2025)

F-Chains II replaced direct payments with a staking-based model. Instead of spending DAO funds on recurring subsidies, PNF allocates DAO-held POKT as Supplier node stakes — putting treasury assets to work rather than consuming them.

How it works:

  • PNF stakes POKT as Applications for each supported chain → creates relay sessions
  • PNF stakes POKT on behalf of professional operators as Suppliers → fills sessions
  • Operators run the actual infrastructure (full nodes, RelayMiners)
  • Rewards flow back through the staking mechanism — self-sustaining

Each F-Chains II operator receives a customized package: 3–7 validator nodes and 22–32 Supplier nodes per chain, depending on traffic tier and geographic coverage requirements.

For Chain Foundations

F-Chains is how chain foundations ensure their network has reliable, decentralized RPC coverage through Pocket’s portal. If your chain is supported, it’s available at https://{chain-slug}.api.pocket.network to every developer using Pocket.

To get your chain added to F-Chains:

  • Contact directors@pokt.foundation
  • PNF evaluates chain compatibility, community demand, and technical requirements
  • PNF provisions Application stakes and coordinates operator coverage
  • Your chain goes live on the public portal

PNF’s partnership principle: proportional sponsorship commitment from chain foundations in exchange for dedicated coverage. See Partnerships for the framework.

For Suppliers

Any Supplier can earn from F-Chains-supported relay sessions by registering for the right services — no special access required. For the full guide, see F-Chains: How Suppliers Participate.

Current Coverage

The full list of F-Chains-supported services is available at api.pocket.network, covering 60+ chains across EVM, Cosmos, Solana, and other ecosystems.