Grass Network, a protocol that collects web data using idle internet bandwidth from its users, officially opened its Season 2 reward claim window on July 22, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Instead of enthusiasm, the announcement triggered a wave of protests from node operators who have been running the Grass application for nearly two years.
Rewards Criticized as Pennies Compared to Revenue Claims
According to circulating reports, the total Season 2 reward pool stands at only around $3 million, paid entirely in the USDC stablecoin rather than GRASS tokens as in Season 1. The Grass Foundation explained that this move was intended to simplify the claim process while reducing regulatory risks across various jurisdictions.
However, that figure is widely seen as disproportionate to internal claims that the Grass network generated over $75 million in revenue over the last six months alone. Several long-time node operators directly compared the two numbers on social media, arguing that the reward distribution is far from adequate.
One widely circulated post noted that an operator with more than 1,600 referrals and roughly 94 million uptime points received only around $6 in USDC. While this claim has not been independently verified, it has become a recurring symbol of frustration across Discord and X comment sections.
Long Contribution Window Drives High Expectations
Season 2 rewards account for points accumulated over a lengthy period, spanning Epoch 1 through 19 from October 14, 2024, to June 8, 2026. This means some users contributed bandwidth and maintained node uptime for nearly two years before finally learning the exact payout they would receive.
Some node operators compared the Grass reward structure to a pyramid scheme, arguing that their sacrificed time and bandwidth were not worth the return. The GRASS token itself was trading around $0.37 with a market capitalization near $90 million ahead of the claim window opening.
Claim Deadline Set for Early 2027
The Grass Foundation emphasized that the claim process can only be completed via the official dashboard and the platform’s native non-custodial wallet, with a deadline of January 22, 2027, before unclaimed rewards expire permanently. Users were also urged to verify allocations exclusively through official pages, given the rise of fraudulent airdrop checkers acting as phishing traps.
The Grass incident serves as a reminder that a crypto project’s massive revenue claims do not always translate into proportional rewards for its community. For other Web3 projects relying on similar incentive models, such expectation gaps risk sparking a crisis of trust unless communication is handled carefully.
Reported via Hokanews.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational and educational purposes only, not financial advice. Cryptocurrency assets are highly volatile and carry significant risk. Always do your own research (DYOR) and never invest more than you can afford to lose.
