Kyber Network (KNC)
Unlock Schedule
Kyber Network (KNC) Token Unlock & Vesting Schedule
The chart shows gross modeled releases of every allocation: vesting unlocks, new issuance and reserve distributions, each allocation counted once. These have different meanings; a scheduled release is not evidence that tokens entered circulation or were sold. Review the coverage, sources and assumptions below.
Each color segment in the chart corresponds to a specific allocation group described in the Allocations section below. Underlying assumptions and data models used to reconstruct this schedule are explained in detail under Assumptions, while broader utility insights and token use cases are covered in Tokenomics & Utility.
Tokenomics & Utility
Supply and token history
KNC began as an Ethereum ERC-20 token. At the 2017 sale, Kyber minted 226 million tokens. The initial allocation was about 61% for community investors and participants, about 19% for company operations, and about 19% for founders, advisers, and early investors. The latter group’s tokens were subject to a lock-up and vesting period. (docs.kyberswap.com)
In 2021, KyberDAO approved an upgrade to a new KNC contract. The earlier token became KNCL, meaning Kyber Network Crystal Legacy, and holders could migrate it to the upgraded KNC at a one-to-one ratio. KyberDAO also approved tokens for an ecosystem growth fund. Following that mint, the project documented a maximum supply of 252,301,550 KNC. Kyber’s token design gives governance a role in future minting decisions, so the supply framework is tied to DAO proposals rather than an unchangeable rule. (docs.kyberswap.com)
What holding KNC enables
KNC’s main role is governance. Holders can stake tokens in KyberDAO to gain voting power on Kyber Improvement Proposals, or KIPs. These proposals can address ecosystem incentives and other network decisions. A holder may vote directly or delegate voting power to someone else. Voting takes place on Ethereum. (docs.kyberswap.com)
Eligible participants can receive KNC voting rewards funded by a share of fees from KyberSwap pools. Participation matters: KyberDAO’s voting rules link rewards to staking through an epoch—a set governance period—and voting on its proposals. Kyber also describes uses for KNC in liquidity pools and incentive programs. These are separate activities from simply holding a token in a wallet. (docs.kyberswap.com)
Assumptions
Kyber created 226 million original KNC in 2017 and minted another 42,050,588 replacement KNC for its ecosystem fund in June 2021. The original team allocation had a one-year lock-up and was fully unlocked by September 2019; the fund has since supported liquidity rewards and several changing governance budgets. Many treasury payments, grant milestones, migration conversions, and fee-funded voter rewards lack a complete dated payment record. The chart can show the documented mints and dated campaign windows, but campaign splits and changes between supplied replacement-token supply snapshots are estimates, not verified monthly releases.
- Original community investors and participants: Releases depend on recipients claiming tokens or on grants being awarded.
- Original company operational reserves: The sources give the amount but no release dates.
- Original founders, advisors and early investors: The sources give the amount but no release dates.
- Rainmaker Ethereum harvested-reward vesting: Releases depend on recipients claiming tokens or on grants being awarded.
- KIP-20 milestone-based ecosystem grants: Releases depend on recipients claiming tokens or on grants being awarded.
- KIP-23 trading and liquidity growth budget: The original schedule was changed and the new timing is not yet published.
- KIP-23 marketing activities budget: The original schedule was changed and the new timing is not yet published.
- KIP-23 trader gas-refund budget: The original schedule was changed and the new timing is not yet published.
- KIP-23 security fund budget: The original schedule was changed and the new timing is not yet published.
- KIP-23 KyberDAO operations budget: The original schedule was changed and the new timing is not yet published.
- KIP-30 remaining fund assigned to KyberSwap team: Releases depend on future governance or treasury decisions.
- One-for-one KNCL-to-KNC migration and observed replacement-token supply changes: Releases depend on recipients claiming tokens or on grants being awarded.
- One-for-one KNCL-to-KNC migration and observed replacement-token supply changes: Timing not yet established.
- KyberDAO voter rewards purchased with trading fees: New issuance depends on network activity, such as staking, so it cannot be dated in advance.
- 1. https://docs.kyberswap.com/governance/knc-token/knc-tokenomics
- 2. https://docs.kyberswap.com/governance/knc-token
- 3. https://medium.com/kybernetwork/burning-of-excess-knc-tokens-6f777595561b
- 4. https://blog.kyberswap.com/knc-token-migration-guide/
- 5. https://github.com/KyberNetwork/KIPs/blob/master/KIPs/kip-8.md
- 6. https://github.com/KyberNetwork/KIPs/blob/master/KIPs/kip-9.md
- 7. https://blog.kyberswap.com/kyber-partners-with-polygon-to-enhance-defi-liquidity/
- 8. https://gov.kyber.org/t/kip-20-knc-ecosystem-fund-allocation-approved/1060
- 9. https://gov.kyber.org/t/kip-23-repurposing-remaining-knc-in-the-kyberdao-ecosystem-fund-approved/1614
- 10. https://gov.kyber.org/t/kip-30-allocating-remaining-knc-in-the-ecosystem-fund-to-the-kyberswap-team-for-growth-initiatives-approved/2221
- 11. https://blog.kyberswap.com/knc-staking-and-kyberdao-voting-now-live-on-kyberswap/
- 12. https://blog.kyberswap.com/fairflow-liquidity-mining-program-500000-knc-rewards/
- 13. https://blog.kyberswap.com/fairflow-liquidity-mining-program-phase-2/
- 14. https://blog.kyberswap.com/phase-3-fairflow-liquidity-mining-program-500000-knc-rewards/
- 15. https://blog.kyberswap.com/kyberswap-liquidity-mining-is-back-200000-knc-lp-rewards-for-yield-farming/
- 16. https://etherscan.io/token/0xdeFA4e8a7bcBA345F687a2f1456F5Edd9CE97202
Allocations
Not yet scheduled: 58,764,178.035 tokens of its parts have no release date yet. The chart shows them as TBD from today, not as unlocked.
Parts of this allocation with their own release dates are charted as their own allocations; the chart shows the rest here.
Description
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Kyber Network is a decentralized, blockchain-based liquidity protocol that enables the instant exchange and conversion of digital assets without the need for an intermediary. It aggregates liquidity from diverse sources into a single pool on its network, allowing anyone to seamlessly swap tokens at the best rates.
| Sector: | Layer 2 |
| Blockchain: | Ethereum |