# Node Recruitment Program

At launch, the Circular network is expected to begin with a limited set of validator nodes operated by a mix of internal and external participants. During the initial bootstrapping phase, node participation may be restricted to known operators to support stability, security monitoring, and incident response. As transaction volume grows and the network matures, we plan to expand participation through a structured node onboarding program that targets a healthy distribution of operators and helps reduce concentration risks.

Early onboarding is expected to use an allowlist process published through official project channels. Over time, and once the network reaches sufficient scale, performance, and operational maturity, we intend to relax restrictions so that additional independent operators can join, subject to minimum processing and connectivity requirements.

The node software is intended to include a benchmarking utility that helps prospective operators assess whether their hardware and network meet baseline requirements. We are working to make node setup increasingly straightforward across common operating systems and hardware profiles.

Network performance and reliability will be improved through configuration guidance, monitoring, and protocol upgrades. Where upgrades are required, the upgrade process will be governed and communicated through standard release procedures, with operators retaining control over deployment in line with security best practices.

Node operators are expected to earn rewards through network fees and protocol-defined incentives. Fees may include components such as:

* Entry fees associated with transaction routing services (where applicable),
* Fees associated with transaction propagation,
* Optional prioritization fees (where supported),
* Execution fees for smart contract or compute workloads.

Nodes may also earn protocol incentives tied to block production or other consensus-defined activities, depending on the final economic model.

We expect transaction costs to remain low relative to typical on-chain workloads, with exact pricing determined by protocol parameters and resource usage. A detailed pricing model will be published through official documentation prior to production rollout.

New nodes are expected to begin with limited reputation or trust weighting that increases over time based on measurable network participation and correctness, subject to protocol rules. Additional community-level privileges, if any, will be defined separately.

<figure><img src="/files/adHbApNRSfKNvqJ3GR65" alt=""><figcaption><p>Figure 11: Anyone can run a node</p></figcaption></figure>


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