[Node Program] Referral program for node operators (track b) — design + prototype status

[xAlisher]

Intended label: node-program / sample-app (EcoDev can't self-apply here — please add).
Program owner: Marina. Design + economics tracked internally (Notion: the Proposal +
"Points & Rewards" explainer).

TL;DR

A referral program to grow the node-operator base. The reward model and economics are
done, an interactive prototype is built and demoed to a small group, and legal review is
in progress. Surfacing it here for team visibility and to close one blockchain-side open
question (transaction signing).

The model (referral-only)

• You refer new node operators; rewards propagate up the referral tree: L1 full,
  L2 ~0.3x, L3 ~0.1x.
• Your own node must stay active to collect — an eligibility gate, verified via leader
  rewards (proof of a live, participating operator), not a point source itself.
• Budget-guarded: a fixed per-period rate plus a hard ceiling, so spend is bounded.
• Anti-farm by economics, not KYC: reward stays at or below the net cost of running the
  extra node, so sybil farming does not pay. Qualification is activity-gated, not identity.

Status

• Reward model + economics: complete.
• Plain-language "Points & Rewards" explainer: done.
• Interactive prototype: built (referral-only flows) and demoed to a small internal group.
• Legal review: round 2 in progress with Marina + David.

Open question for the core/blockchain team (the one ask)

How do operators sign referral transactions in the module? Options on the table: sign via
the wallet, via the node, a faucet-funded path, or a fee-less transaction. This is the last
design dependency before the prototype maps to real on-chain actions. Guidance appreciated.

Follow-ups

• Fold the enrolled/eligible states into node onboarding once the signing path is decided.
• Reconcile with the node-operator onboarding guidance.