Xandeum’s pNode Dutch Auction launches September 6, 2025, offering 49 Deep South Era pNodes for the Xandeum storage layer. Each pNode includes NFT-based boost logic that can affect Storage Income (STOINC) calculations when assigned according to the current rules. As CEO Bernie Blume shared in his latest YouTube video (Episode 395), pNode operators provide the storage infrastructure behind the network. This auction also supports continued Xandeum Foundation development. Xandeum is building a multi-chain storage layer for smart contracts, designed to offload large data from validators to pNodes.
Munich Release: Storage Layer Progress
The Munich release, our first South Era milestone, introduced a working pNode prototype for file hosting on Xandeum’s storage layer. This capability, built with Solana’s high-speed consensus and erasure coding, supports data-intensive dApps such as decentralized media or file-sharing applications. The updated XandMiner GUI, powered by Xandeum Pod software, offers stats on pNode performance and network health. At the time of the original update, around 300 pNodes were active in DevNet, with 147 upgraded to the Munich version.
pNode Dutch Auction: Understand the Boost Rules
Our Dutch Auction, starting September 6, 2025, releases 49 Deep South Era pNodes, each bundled with an NFT to boost STOINC calculations, as detailed in our STOINC page. STOINC estimates depend on factors such as qualifying pNodes, verified storage, performance, active stake, assigned NFTs, and protocol parameters. Each pNode first receives its own pNode Boost Factor. This is calculated by multiplying the boost multipliers of all NFTs assigned to that specific pNode. If one pNode has two assigned NFTs with boost multipliers of 1.2× and 1.5×, that pNode’s Boost Factor is 1.2 × 1.5 = 1.8×. After each pNode’s individual Boost Factor is calculated, wallet/operator-level aggregation is handled by the final backend/protocol implementation and should not be treated as a confirmed aggregation formula unless separately confirmed.
Current backend program code enforces up to 2 assigned NFT boost slots per pNode. This may change in future NFT sales or protocol updates, but current STOINC examples should assume 2 slots per pNode. Wallet/operator pNode caps are still under implementation review and should not be treated as confirming a final 12-pNode cap.
Important: STOINC calculations are formula-based estimates. Actual results depend on final implementation, assigned NFTs, active pNodes, storage contribution, performance, protocol parameters, and future governance updates.
The auction is a Dutch-style format where prices decrease from a ceiling over 48 hours, dropping every hour—it's like a game of chicken: bid early for higher multipliers at higher prices, or wait for lower prices but risk sell-out, as anyone (including whales) can buy multiple. While this may seem counter to decentralization, our priority now is fundraising for development; later, as we approach mainnet, measures like redistributing stake will ensure decentralization.
Pricing starts at $4,900 USDC + 490,000 XAND for a Titan NFT (11× multiplier) in the first two hours, decreasing over time.
- Titan NFT (hours 0-1): 11× multiplier
- Dragon NFT (hours 2-11): 4× multiplier
- Coyote NFT (hours 12-23): 2.5× multiplier
- Rabbit NFT (hours 24-35): 1.5× multiplier
- Cricket NFT (hours 36-47): 1.1× multiplier
- After hour 47: No NFT (1.0× multiplier)
For full pricing details and intervals, check Bernie's Episode 394 video. Earlier tiers include higher NFT multipliers, while later tiers reduce cost and may include lower or no NFT multipliers. If you have XAND staked in the DAO, note the 30-day unstaking period, so plan ahead. Review the current formula guidance at Xandeum.network/stoinc before making decisions.
Dutch Decider: Vote on the Start Time
With our global community spanning many time zones, the exact start hour on September 6, 2025 matters. It affects when each price tier falls during the 48-hour auction. Use the DutchDecider app to vote on the start time by pledging USDC to one of 24 dedicated wallet addresses, one per hour. Eligible start hours run from 17:00 PT on the previous day to 16:00 PT on the selected day / 00:00–23:00 UTC. Voting cutoff is September 4, 2025 at 17:00 PT / September 5, 2025 at 00:00 UTC, after which balances are snapshotted. The hour with the highest total pledges wins. All pledged funds go directly to the Xandeum Foundation for development. In case of a tie, a certified random generator will decide.
Herrenberg Release: Search Capabilities Ahead
We’re deep in development for the Herrenberg release, which will add crude search capabilities to our storage layer. This will enhance sedApp functionality, enabling developers to build applications with efficient data retrieval, from social platforms to research hubs. Herrenberg builds on Munich’s foundation, advancing our mission to solve the blockchain storage trilemma: scalability, smart contract integration, and random access.
A Storage-Enabled AI Application
The team is also working on a storage-enabled application for Large Language Model (LLM) use cases. While details remain limited, the application is intended to show how smart contract-integrated storage can support verifiable data workflows for Web3 applications.
