Frequently Asked Questions

TIME is a next-generation cryptocurrency featuring 10-minute blocks, instant transaction finality, and a four-tier masternode network. Unlike traditional cryptocurrencies, TIME uses a unique block reward emission model with no pre-mine or founder allocation.

Key features:

• 10-minute block intervals for regular immutable checkpoints
• Instant finality (transactions confirmed in under 1 second)
• Block reward emission: 100 TIME per block, distributed to masternodes
• Four-tier masternode system (Free, Bronze, Silver, Gold)
• Built in Rust for security and performance

TIME introduces several innovative features:

• 10-Minute Blocks: TIME produces 10-minute checkpoint blocks that serve as immutable checkpoints, not transaction gatekeepers
• Instant Finality: Transactions are validated and final in under 1 second through masternode consensus
• No Pre-mine: All TIME is created through block rewards — no founder allocation, no team tokens
• Fair Launch: Everyone starts equal with transparent minting
• Accessible Masternodes: Start earning rewards with just 1,000 TIME (~$5,000)

TIME is built with security as a top priority:

• Rust Language: Memory-safe, eliminates entire classes of bugs
• BFT Consensus: Byzantine Fault Tolerant, secure against up to 1/3 malicious nodes
• Deterministic Finality: No risk of transaction reversal after confirmation
• Open Source: Code is publicly auditable on GitHub
• Security Audit: Completed January 2026 — 0 critical issues

TIME has a supply determined by block reward emission — 100 TIME minted per block.

TIME tokens are created through block rewards distributed to masternodes and block producers. This fixed emission model ensures:

• Predictable, transparent supply growth
• No artificial scarcity manipulation
• Every TIME in circulation was earned through block production
• No pre-mine or founder allocation

TIME separates transaction finality from block production:

Transaction Flow:

• User submits transaction to network
• Masternodes validate via BFT consensus (under 1 second)
• Transaction is immediately final and spendable
• Every 10 minutes, all transactions are bundled into a block

Blocks serve as archival snapshots, not validation bottlenecks. This provides instant user experience with periodic immutable checkpoints.

TIME uses Byzantine Fault Tolerant (BFT) consensus among masternodes.

How it works:

• Transaction broadcast to all masternodes
• Masternodes pre-vote on validity
• If 2/3+ agree, they commit the transaction
• Transaction achieves finality with 2/3+ commits

This provides deterministic finality - once confirmed, transactions cannot be reversed.

TIME transactions achieve finality in under 100ms through masternode BFT consensus.

Unlike blockchains that require multiple confirmations over 10+ minutes, TIME transactions are:

• Immediately validated by masternodes
• Instantly final (no waiting for blocks)
• Spendable right away
• Cannot be reversed or double-spent

No. Once a TIME transaction achieves consensus (2/3+ masternodes agree), it is deterministically final and cannot be reversed.

This is different from Bitcoin or Ethereum where transactions can theoretically be reversed through chain reorganizations. TIME's BFT consensus ensures absolute finality.

TIME is built in Rust, a modern systems programming language chosen for:

• Memory Safety: Eliminates buffer overflows and memory leaks
• Performance: Comparable to C/C++ speed
• Concurrency: Safe parallel processing
• Type Safety: Catches bugs at compile time

This makes TIME more secure and performant than many other cryptocurrencies.

TIME Coin has two wallets available:

• Desktop Wallet — available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. Supports HD key derivation, QR send/receive, encrypted memos, and built-in masternode management. Download and setup guide →
• Mobile Wallet (Beta) — available for iOS and Android. Currently in beta — expect active development and updates.

To get started: install the app, create a new wallet, and securely store your 12-word seed phrase.

See the wallet documentation for more details.

A masternode is a special server that performs critical network functions:

• Validates and confirms transactions
• Participates in BFT consensus
• Maintains network connectivity
• Votes on governance proposals (Bronze tier and above)
• Produces daily blocks (selected randomly)

In exchange, masternode operators earn rewards from transaction fees and purchase fees.

TIME has four masternode tiers:

• Free: 0 TIME — no collateral required, shares 8 TIME/block reward pool
• Bronze: 1,000 TIME — 14 TIME/block pool, 1x governance voting
• Silver: 10,000 TIME — 18 TIME/block pool, 10x governance voting
• Gold: 100,000 TIME — 25 TIME/block pool, 100x governance voting

All tiers validate transactions, but higher tiers earn more rewards and have governance power.

Minimum requirements:

• 4GB RAM
• 2 vCPU cores
• 50GB SSD storage
• Public IP address
• Port 17575 open
• Linux server (Ubuntu recommended)
• Stable internet (10+ Mbps)

A $24/month VPS from DigitalOcean or similar providers is sufficient.

See the masternode setup guide for detailed instructions.

Earnings depend on your tier and the number of active nodes in the network. Each block (every 10 minutes) distributes 100 TIME as follows:

• Free: shares 8 TIME/block pool among active Free nodes
• Bronze (1,000 TIME): 14 TIME/block via fairness rotation
• Silver (10,000 TIME): 18 TIME/block via fairness rotation
• Gold (100,000 TIME): 25 TIME/block via fairness rotation

These are estimates based on $5/TIME. Actual earnings vary with network transaction volume and number of active masternodes.

Technically yes, but not recommended. Masternodes require:

• 99%+ uptime (downtime reduces rewards)
• Stable internet connection
• Public IP address
• 24/7 operation

Most operators use VPS hosting ($24-50/month) from providers like:

• DigitalOcean
• Vultr
• AWS
• Linode

Downtime affects your rewards but does not result in a stake penalty on its own:

• Any downtime: Your node is absent from the consensus_participants_bitmap for that block, making you ineligible for that block's tier reward. The reward simply goes to the next eligible node — no coins are deducted.
• Reward violations: Attempting to claim a reward you did not earn (e.g. double-signing/equivocation) counts as a violation. After 3 violations your collateral is slashed.

In short: go offline and you miss rewards; act maliciously and you lose collateral. Monitor your masternode with the built-in status tools and set up alerts to maintain uptime.

The collateral_txid in time.conf must be exactly 64 lowercase hex characters. This error often happens when users paste a full masternode.conf line — which includes the alias and IP:port — into the collateral_txid= field instead of just the transaction ID.

Find the correct txid by running time-cli listunspent on your wallet — it is the 64-character hex string in the txid field. The masternode.conf file uses a different format: alias txid vout (no IP address). Your node's IP belongs in time.conf as externalip=<your-ip>.

TIME development follows this timeline:

• Now (v1.6.0): Testnet active — TLS, on-chain governance, and AI network optimization live
• April 1, 2026 (v2.0.0): Production mainnet launch at 00:00 UTC

View the complete development roadmap for detailed milestones and progress tracking. Join our community to stay updated on progress!

Yes! TIME is fully open source under the MIT license.

You can view the code, contribute, and build on TIME:

• GitHub: github.com/time-coin
• Anyone can audit the code
• Community contributions welcome
• Transparent development process

There are many ways to contribute:

• Code: Submit pull requests on GitHub
• Documentation: Improve guides and tutorials
• Testing: Test features and report bugs
• Community: Help others in Discord/Telegram
• Translation: Translate documentation

See the contributing guide for more details.

A bug bounty program is planned for Phase 4 (Month 5) before mainnet launch.

If you discover security vulnerabilities now, please report them responsibly to: security@time-coin.io

Stay updated through:

• GitHub: Code commits and releases
• Discord: Daily development updates
• Twitter: Major announcements
• Blog: Technical deep-dives
• Telegram: Community discussions