> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.routor.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Holder Rewards

> How the reward pool is funded, how AI credits reach holders, and what is still being decided.

\$ROUTOR holders earn **Routor AI credits** from a reward pool. The pool is funded by Routor's profit from paid usage, so rewards grow when real people pay for real AI requests.

***

## What You Get

| | |
| - | - |
| **Reward type** | Routor AI credits, added to your Routor balance |
| **What you can spend them on** | Any request routed through Routor, at any tier |
| **What you do to earn** | Hold \$ROUTOR. Nothing to list, sell, or stake |
| **Cash value** | None. Credits are not withdrawable as money |

Credits from rewards behave like credits you bought. They draw down the same way, at the model's published rate plus the routing margin described in [Plans & Pricing](/plans-pricing).

***

## Where the Pool's Money Comes From

```mermaid theme={null}
flowchart LR
    U(["Paid AI requests"]):::step --> REV["Credits charged\nmodel cost + routing margin"]:::step
    REV --> PROV["Paid to model providers"]:::warning
    REV --> PROFIT["Routor profit\nwhat Routor keeps"]:::positive
    PROFIT -->|"a share"| POOL[("Reward pool")]:::positive
    PROFIT -->|"the rest"| OPS["Running Routor\ninfra, team, growth"]:::step
    FEES["$ROUTOR token fees\nproposed"]:::warning -.-> POOL

    classDef step fill:#0d0d0d,stroke:#9ca3af,color:#d1d5db
    classDef positive fill:#0d0d0d,stroke:#f3f4f6,color:#ffffff,stroke-width:2px
    classDef warning fill:#0d0d0d,stroke:#6b7280,color:#9ca3af,stroke-dasharray:3 3
```

| Source | What it is | Status |
| - | - | - |
| Routor profit | A share of what Routor keeps after paying model providers | At launch |
| Token fees | Fees on \$ROUTOR directed into the pool | Proposed, not decided |

**Routing savings stay with the person who made the request.** Under current pricing, buyers pay the model's own rate plus a routing margin. When Routor picks a cheaper model, the buyer pays less. The pool is funded from Routor's profit, not from buyers' savings.

***

## From Pool to Your Balance

```mermaid theme={null}
sequenceDiagram
    participant Buyer
    participant Routor
    participant Provider as Model provider
    participant Pool as Reward pool
    participant Holder as $ROUTOR holder

    Buyer->>Routor: Send paid AI request
    Routor->>Provider: Route to the right model
    Provider-->>Routor: Response
    Routor-->>Buyer: Response, credits charged
    Note over Routor,Pool: Each reward period
    Routor->>Pool: Share of the period's profit
    Pool->>Holder: AI credits to eligible holders
    Holder->>Routor: Spend credits on routed requests
```

The pool only pays out what it holds. If a period's profit is small, that period's rewards are small. Rewards are never paid ahead of funding.

***

## Worked Example

<Warning>
  **Illustrative numbers only.** The real pool share, period length, and distribution rule have not been set. This example shows the mechanics, not a promise.
</Warning>

Suppose, in one reward period:

| Step | Value |
| - | - |
| Routor profit from paid usage | \$10,000 |
| Share going to the pool (example) | 20% |
| Pool for the period | \$2,000 in AI credits |
| Your share of eligible holdings (example) | 0.5% |
| **Your reward** | **\$10 in AI credits** |

At an average of \$0.002 per routed request, \$10 in credits covers about 5,000 requests. Because Routor routes routine work to low-cost models, the same credits cover more requests than they would on a frontier-only setup.

***

## Still Being Decided

These parts of the design are not final. This page will be updated when they are.

| Question | Status |
| - | - |
| What share of profit goes to the pool | Not set |
| How long a reward period is | Not set |
| Eligibility (minimum balance, holding period, snapshot timing) | Not set |
| How credits are split between holders (pro rata or other) | Not set |
| Whether token fees also fund the pool | Proposed |
| Which chain \$ROUTOR lives on | Not announced |

***

## FAQ

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Can I cash out reward credits?">
    No. Rewards are Routor AI credits. You spend them on routed requests.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Do I need to use Routor to earn rewards?">
    No. Holding is what earns rewards. Using Routor is how you spend them.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Do rewards depend on the token price?">
    No. Rewards come from Routor's profit on paid usage, not from token price or new token issuance.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What happens if usage drops?">
    Rewards drop with it. The pool only pays out what paid usage has funded.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>


This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.