State of the Network: December

December 2024 State of the Network Report

As 2024 came to a close, the network exhibited trends shaped by both seasonal and structural shifts. December data highlights notable changes across key metrics compared to November and earlier months, with some metrics stabilizing after sharper fluctuations earlier in the year. These insights provide a deeper understanding of network performance, participation, and reward distribution dynamics.

Network Total Monthly Rewards

This metric shows the total rewards distributed across the entire network for each month.

In December, total network rewards dropped to 36,521 xBZZ, a 32.4% decrease from November’s 54,053 xBZZ.

Monthly Median Win Values

This metric is the median reward amount for each win event, providing insights into the typical reward nodes can expect from a single win event.

Median win values fell to 9.93 xBZZ in December, marking a 43.1% drop from November’s 17.44 xBZZ.

Monthly Average Win Values

This metric calculates the average reward amount for each win event, showing the average amount of xBZZ distributed in a single win event.

In December, average win values dropped to 11.15 xBZZ, a 34.9% reduction from November’s 17.13 xBZZ.

Active Staking Node Monthly Average Earnings

This metric tracks the average monthly earnings for an active node.

Average monthly earnings per active staking node declined to 4.69 xBZZ in December, a 32% decrease from November’s 6.90 xBZZ.

Total Active Staking Nodes by Month

This metric shows the total number of active nodes.

The number of active nodes decreased slightly from 7,830 in November to 7,793 in December, showing a marginal 0.5% decline. This indicates relative stability in active participation despite the declining rewards environment.

Total Reachable Full Nodes Regardless of Active Status

This metric counts all unique full nodes reachable at any point during the month, providing a broader picture of network activity beyond just active committers.

In December, the number of reachable full nodes increased to 15,007, a 6.6% rise from November’s 14,075. This marks the first month-over-month growth since August, indicating a mild resurgence in network growth.

Total Winning Nodes by Month

This metric tracks the number of unique staking nodes that won the redistribution game at least once during the month.

The total number of winning nodes rose slightly to 2,611 in December, compared to 2,588 in November. This 0.9% growth suggests a marginally more distributed reward landscape.

Conclusion

December 2024 demonstrated a continuation of declining reward trends, with reductions in total network rewards, win values, and average node earnings compared to November. However, node participation remained relatively stable, with only minor changes in the total number of active staking nodes and winning nodes, and even minor increases in certain metrics. This suggests continued trust and engagement from node operators in the Swarm network’s long-term potential. These participation metrics highlight the resilience and commitment of the node operator community amid shifting reward dynamics.