Token Economy

The TRN token is the native utility and reward token of the ThisRightNow platform. It powers a self-regulating, interaction-driven economy where every view, repost, burn, or boost has token-based consequences. TRN is not just currency—it is attention, reputation, and signal encoded into value.

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🔍 Token Properties

Property	Description
Token Standard	Implemented as an ERC-20 compatible token or its equivalent on the host chain
Decimals	18 (to support microtransaction granularity)
Minting	Controlled by on-chain modules (ViewIndex, RetrnIndex, RewardVaults)
Burning	Triggered by moderation (BurnRegistry, FlagEscalator, AI agents)
Peg	1 TRN = 1 BRN via internal TRN↔BRN AMM, used for price stabilization and burn logic
Supply Model	Controlled inflation (via engagement rewards) offset by organic deflation (via burns)

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🔄 Distribution & Minting

🎁 Initial Distribution

The platform launches with an airdrop and early reward phase via MerkleDistributor. Early contributors, creators, or credentialed users can claim tokens using verifiable Merkle proofs.

🔧 Engagement Minting (Engagement Mining)

TRN enters circulation as earned micro-rewards from interaction events:

Action	Module	Reward Flow
View Post	ViewIndex	Creator receives TRN per view
Repost (reTRN)	RetrnIndex	Curator and creator split rewards
Bless/Boost	BoostingModule	Creator receives view-based TRN

These events trigger Merkle-tree batched updates to user vaults, executed daily to optimize gas use.

🪙 Vault Accrual

Rather than immediate transfers, all rewards are credited to internal vaults:

• PostVaultSplitter routes daily earnings per post

• DailyVaultSplitter summarizes user balances

• Users claim TRN manually or via automated claim triggers

• ContributorNFTs and InvestorNFTs must claim quarterly, or the vault burns their allocation and reroutes it

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🔥 Burn Mechanism

🧯 Burning Content

To burn a post (i.e. flag it for moderation), users spend TRN through the BurnRegistry. Each burn increases a post’s burn weight, with removal thresholds managed by FlagEscalator.

• Cost = 1 TRN (fixed for now; adjustable via governance)

• Each burn mints a 1:1 BRN token, which is staked until the next Merkle drop, then burned permanently

♻️ Compost Recycling

Burned TRN is not returned to circulation. It may either:

• Be fully burned

• Be recycled into the platform’s reward pools (i.e. "composted")

• Be converted into BRN, used to gauge reputation decay or stake-based moderation rights

This ensures that negative interaction generates future growth, aligning incentives.

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📈 Boosting, Utility & Visibility

🔼 Post Boosting

Users can spend TRN to increase post visibility. The BoostingModule manages boost pools:

• Boosting is optional but incentivized

• Boosted posts compete for limited feed slots

• Boost stakes can be recycled to reward pools if performance thresholds are met

🧠 AI Boosting

AI Agents may also boost or burn content by spending platform-assigned TRN budgets, distributed based on prior accuracy (see AIAgentNFT, SemanticRewardEmitter).

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⚙️ System-Level Governance

TRN also functions as a governance token:

• 1 TRN = 1 vote via VoterNFT

• Master and Council NFTs set agendas and veto power

• Users vote on:

  • Burn costs

  • Boost thresholds

  • Airdrop criteria

  • AI moderation limits

  • Treasury expenditures

Proposals are managed via ProposalFactory, routed through the CouncilNFT, MasterNFT, and ultimately to the broader holder base.

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💱 Pegging & BRN Logic

When TRN is burned:

• A BRN token is minted (1:1 peg)

• It is staked until the next Merkle drop

• A private AMM maintains the peg, enabling flash swaps and preventing manipulation

BRN is not used for spending—it exists only to track burn events and enforce moderation weighting.

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📊 Cross-Module Usage

Module	Role of TRN
ViewIndex	Rewards creators
RetrnIndex	Rewards curators
BoostingModule	Accepts TRN to increase visibility
BurnRegistry	Deducts TRN for moderation actions
MerkleDistributor	Disburses TRN to users
FlagEscalator	Burns trigger AI escalation
VaultSplitters	Handle allocation and accrual
ProposalFactory	Enables TRN-based voting

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🔐 Immutable Accountability

• All TRN flows are logged on-chain or Merkle-anchored

• No engagement is rewarded unless tied to real, deduplicated user actions

• Claim histories are stored and auditable

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⚖️ Economic Design

The system is not inflationary by default. Instead, it aims to maintain:

• Equilibrium between creation and destruction

• Meritocracy based on attention earned

• Trust through transparency

TRN’s value grows with quality engagement. Burn spam, abuse, or low-impact content not only lose visibility but also destroy tokens—curating value by subtraction.