Aptos (APT)

Tokenomics & Utility

Supply and distribution

At launch, Aptos created 1 billion APT. The initial allocation assigned 51.02% to the community category, 19% to core contributors, 16.5% to the Foundation, and 13.48% to investors. The community category was set aside mainly for ecosystem growth, including grants and incentives; its tokens were held by the Foundation and Aptos Labs for distribution over time. Investor and contributor allocations followed a four-year unlocking schedule, while much of the community and Foundation allocations had a longer planned release period. (aptosnetwork.com)

Staking rewards create new APT, so the amount of tokens in existence can grow beyond the launch amount. Transaction fees work in the other direction: execution fees are burned, permanently removing those tokens. Storage fees have a separate refund mechanism when stored data is deleted. These rules connect APT supply to both network security and use. (aptosnetwork.com)

In 2026, Aptos governance approved a 2.1 billion APT maximum supply, and the network’s supply dashboard identifies that cap as part of its token model. Staking reward rates can also change through governance. For readers, the main distinction is between the original allocation, the tokens later created as rewards, and tokens removed through fees: each affects supply in a different way. (governance.aptosfoundation.org)

APT has three main network uses. It pays transaction fees, can be staked to help validators secure the chain, and gives staked holders a role in governance votes on network changes. A person using an Aptos app may interact mainly with another asset, such as a stablecoin, but the transaction’s network fee is still measured in APT. (aptos.dev)