thestreet.com
On Jan. 21, Avalanche announced the launch of the C-Chain round of Retro9000, the retroactive grant program that rewards up to $40 million to developers strengthening the Avalanche ecosystem.
One of the components in the Avalanche blockchain network, the Contract Chain (C-Chain) is specifically designed for running Ethereum Virtual Machine- (EVM) compatible smart contracts.
Launched by the Avalanche Foundation, Retro9000 is a retroactive grant program to support builders making meaningful contributions to the Avalanche infrastructure.
Since its launch in November 2024, Retro9000 has granted over $1.25 million to projects building Avalanche Layer 1s and infrastructure tools.
The C-Chain round, as the name suggests, is committed to rewarding builders who generate genuine on-chain activity on the Avalanche C-Chain.
“The Retro9000 C-Chain Round is designed to reward what matters most: real usage. By focusing on AVAX burned through onchain activity, we’re supporting builders who are already live, shipping, and contributing meaningfully to the Avalanche ecosystem," Avalanche Foundation's board director Nicolas Lemaitre said.
"By rewarding projects based on measurable onchain activity, we align incentives with long-term growth on Avalanche.”
Builders working on projects have the chance to shine and get rewarded for shipping real products on the Avalanche C-Chain.
More News:
- Ava Labs founder explains why speed and security can coexist in blockchain
- Avalanche is betting on payments and rewards, not social media, to drive Web3 adoption
- Avalanche aims to bring clarity to music royalties long hidden from artists with Record Financial
Understanding C-Chain Round of Retro9000
Every transaction on the C-Chain burns AVAX, which creates a transparent and data-driven metric of adoption.
The more a project's application is used, the more AVAX it burns. This way, the real activity of a project can be easily verified.
So, a project earns points through onchain activity that is measured by AVAX burned through their smart contracts. All the submissions are thereby ranked on a public leaderboard.
The more transactions an app drives, the higher it ranks on the Retro9000 leaderboard. The top 40 projects at the end of each round would be eligible for rewards.
The C-Chain round is unique in that while in previous rounds, a project’s score was driven by wallet-based voting, it will be driven by AVAX burned through C-Chain transactions this time.
The first round introduces multipliers that apply directly to a project’s score, boosting its position on the leaderboard. The step is meant to support new entrants joining the ecosystem.
“The next phase of growth on Avalanche will be driven by builders who execute, ship live products, and generate real usage from day one. That’s how resilient networks are built - and how builders win on Avalanche,” said Avalanche Foundation's program manager Mehmet Dogan.
Earn up to $3K with referral program
The C-Chain round of Retro9000 has a referral program as per which referrers can earn up to $3,000 in AVAX per project, per round.
The program rewards both builders and community members who boost high-quality projects.
Getting a project referral code is simple enough. Visit the Retro9000 website, connect your wallet, submit your details, claim your referral link, and share it with builders you trust.