Overview
Token release schedules use inconsistent terms across projects, making it difficult to compare them fairly. Tokenomist solves this by standardizing unlock models into two types: periodic Cliff Release and daily Linear Release. Our Emission component provides the complete picture by tracking net supply changes from both inflation and token burns (deflation).Methodology
Definitions
How We Classify Unlocks
- Unlock Classification: We analyze each allocation’s release schedule. If tokens are released daily, we classify the model as Linear. If they are released in discrete intervals (weekly, monthly, etc.), we classify it as a Cliff.
- Emission Calculation:
- Historical: We track all inflation and deflation events from the Token Generation Event (TGE) to today to calculate the total net emission history.
- Projected: We project future inflation based on all known Cliff and Linear unlock schedules. Note: Our future projections do not include potential deflationary events (burns), as these are often variable and unpredictable.
- Lifecycle-aware emission (Hyperliquid): For tokens with unlock lifecycle tracking, emission calculations use the best available data per event: Committed amounts (announced by the project team) when available, otherwise Whitepaper amounts (from the release schedule). This means near-term emission figures may reflect higher-confidence committed data, while longer-term projections use whitepaper estimates.
Example Cases
- Case 1 (Cliff): A project’s “Advisor” tokens unlock 1,000,000 tokens on the 1st of every month. Our system shows this as a monthly Cliff Unlock with a countdown.
- Case 2 (Linear): A protocol’s “Ecosystem Rewards” release 50,000 tokens per day. We classify this as a Linear Unlock and show a countdown to the next change in this daily rate, allowing analysts to model smooth inflation.
Access
This data is a central feature of the main dashboard for every asset we track.- The Cliff and Linear unlock modules are located at the top of each token page, giving you an immediate summary of the next critical supply events.
- The detailed Emission chart is located further down, providing a comprehensive view of historical and projected supply changes.
Where To Next?
- See how emissions play out across the market with Crypto Market Emission.
- Compare dilution side by side using Emission Comparison or scan every project with the Emission Screener.
- Explore our Supply Metrics definitions for terms like circulating and unlocked supply.