Rebeca Moen
Feb 16, 2026 17:58
VeChain’s StarGate staking platform now dwell with NFT-based positions beginning at 10,000 VET. Legacy node holders face March 15 migration deadline.
VeChain has rolled out complete documentation for StarGate, its staking platform that went dwell in July 2025 as a part of the Hayabusa section of the VeChain Renaissance. The system replaces the legacy node construction with an NFT-based framework that opens staking to any holder with a minimum of 10,000 VET—roughly $82 at present costs.
The timing issues. Legacy X Node and Financial Node holders face a tough deadline: March 15, 2026. After that date, the previous rewards system shuts down completely.
How the New System Works
VeChainThor runs on Delegated Proof-of-Stake with 101 validators producing blocks. Most customers will not run validator nodes—they will stake VET, obtain an NFT representing their place, and delegate to energetic validators who deal with the technical work.
The NFT method is value noting for merchants. Your staked place turns into a transferable asset you’ll be able to transfer between wallets, record on marketplaces, or commerce—all whereas preserving staking attributes and reward historical past. That is a significant departure from typical staking contracts the place your tokens disappear into a wise contract.
Entry tiers begin at 10,000 VET for a “Daybreak” node with a 2-day maturity interval. Greater tiers require extra capital and longer maturity waits. X Nodes, which carry greater reward multipliers, can solely be obtained by way of legacy migration or secondary market purchases—they can’t be created contemporary.
The Economics
Validators take 30% of block rewards plus 100% of transaction precedence charges. Delegators break up the remaining 70% proportionally based mostly on their stake weight. Your efficient weight is dependent upon your NFT tier, with X Nodes carrying boosted multipliers.
Do not wish to wait by way of maturity? A “Increase” characteristic permits you to skip the ready interval by burning VTHO—roughly 50% of what you’d have earned throughout maturity. The payment decreases as time passes, so partial ready reduces the price.
For anybody working the numbers: a holder with 60,000 VET would possibly generate extra VTHO by splitting into one Lightning Node (50,000 VET) and one Daybreak Node (10,000 VET) somewhat than a single Flash Node. The Daybreak NFT’s shorter maturity means earlier reward accrual.
Validator Necessities
Operating a validator requires minimal 25 million VET—adjustable as much as 600 million at every renewal—plus server infrastructure able to dependable uptime. No KYC required; the validator set is permissionless. Validators hold 100% of rewards when working solo, switching to the 70/30 break up as soon as delegators be part of.
What Legacy Holders Should Do
Migration is easy: declare pending legacy rewards, provoke migration by way of stargate.vechain.org, and your previous NFT burns whereas a brand new StarGate NFT mints. Migrated nodes skip the maturity interval solely and start incomes instantly.
One catch: take away any market listings earlier than making an attempt migration. Energetic listings block the method.
VET at present trades at $0.0082 with a $694 million market cap. The challenge ranked seventh in Santiment’s RWA improvement rankings earlier this month, and group dialogue has targeted on alignment with upcoming EU Digital Product Passport mandates—a possible 2026 catalyst for enterprise adoption.
The staking infrastructure is constructed. Whether or not the rewards justify the dedication is dependent upon your VET holdings and time horizon.
Picture supply: Shutterstock
