Hoster Economics
How Mycelium Hosts Earn SPORE and the Decentralized Marketplace
The Mycelium Network offers a unique opportunity for individuals, known as "hosters," to monetize their hardware by contributing to a global, decentralized cloud infrastructure. This document explains how hosters generate income in SPORE tokens and the role of the decentralized marketplace.
The Role of a Mycelium Host​
A Mycelium Host is an individual or entity that operates one or more nodes on the Mycelium Network. A node is a physical compute machine that provides resources like CPU, memory, and storage to the network. By making these resources available, Mycelium Hosts become service providers to the decentralized cloud, earning SPORE tokens as payment.
How Mycelium Hosts Earn SPORE​
Mycelium Hosts earn SPORE tokens by renting out "slices" of their nodes. Each node can be divided into multiple slices, with each slice having its own allocated resources (e.g., CPU cores, RAM, and SSD storage).
Step 1: Node Acquisition and Setup​
- Mycelium Hosts invest in hardware to set up their nodes (e.g., Mini 1 for USD 350, or Nvidia 6000 for USD 15,000)
- Nodes are connected to the Mycelium Network, making resources discoverable and available for reservation
Step 2: Resource Slicing and Pricing​
- Mycelium Hosts divide their nodes into multiple slices (e.g., a Mini 1 node can offer up to 25 slices)
- For each slice, Mycelium Hosts set their own price within a defined minimum and maximum range
- Pricing can be set per hour or per month
- Example: A Mini 1 slice ranges from USD 1.20/month (minimum) to USD 12/month (maximum)
Step 3: Earn SPORE When Users Rent​
When a user reserves a slice of a Mycelium Host's node:
| Payment Flow | Recipient | Amount | Form |
|---|---|---|---|
| Farmer | You (the farmer) | 80% | SPORE tokens |
| Burning | Destroyed from circulation | 10% | Removed |
| Protocol | Project Mycelium | 10% | Development fund |
Example:
- User pays for a Mini 1 slice at USD 1.20/month
- You earn: USD 1.20 × 0.80 = USD 0.96/month as SPORE tokens
- At USD 0.01 per SPORE, you receive: 96 SPORE tokens
Understanding Your SPORE Earnings​
What is SPORE?​
SPORE is the native token of Project Mycelium.
- Current Value: USD 0.01 USD per SPORE (fixed till June 30, 2026)
- After June 30, 2026: Price floats based on market demand
- Why You Earn It: Payment for providing compute, storage, and network resources
- What It Represents: Ownership stake in the growth of Project Mycelium
What Can You Do With SPORE?​
- Hold it: SPORE is designed to appreciate as the network grows and supply shrinks (tokens are burned)
- Swap to AUR: Convert SPORE to stable currency (AUR) for purchasing services within the marketplace
AUR (Gold-Backed Currency) is a stable currency for purchasing services within the Mycelium ecosystem.
- 1 AUR = 1/1000 gram of gold (0.001g)
- Stable value, pegged to gold price
- Used internally in marketplace
- NOT tradable on external exchanges
- Backed by physical gold reserves
- Swap to Digital Currency: Convert SPORE to USDC, BTC, ETH, or Digital Gold via the Liquidity Pool (Summer 2026)
- Use for Services: Pay for compute, storage, or network capacity from other hosters
How Burning SPORE Benefits the Ecosystem​
- Total SPORE supply decreases over time because 10% of revenue is burned
- When a SPORE is burned, each remaining SPORE represents a larger share of total network value
- Users must continue buying and burning SPORE in order to buy services from the decentralized cloud
Income Potential Examples​
Different node types generate different earnings based on hardware cost and slice count:
| Node Type | Hardware Cost | Monthly Cost (5-yr amortization) | Potential Monthly SPORE | At 0.01/SPORE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mini 1 | 350 | 6 | 1,000–12,000 SPORE | 10 - 120 |
| Mini AI 1 | 2,000 | 33 | 5,000–60,000 SPORE | 50 - 600 |
| Nvidia 6000 | 15,000 | 250 | 39,000–450,000 SPORE | 390 - 4,500 |
When no currency symbol it is assumed to be USD.
Note: Actual earnings depend on:
- How many slices you offer
- What price you set (within min/max range)
- How often users rent your slices
- Market demand for your node type
Conclusion​
As a Mycelium Host on the Mycelium Network, you:
- Invest in hardware (a one-time cost)
- Earn SPORE tokens consistently from node rentals (80% of customer payments)
- Benefit from burning (your SPORE becomes more valuable as supply shrinks)
- Participate in a global, decentralized internet while building wealth
The transparent marketplace ensures fair pricing and efficient resource utilization, making hosting a sustainable income opportunity.