> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.noon.capital/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.noon.capital/4.-usdnoon/the-staking-framework.md). # The Staking Framework Active vs. Open Staking: Aligning Commitment, Rewards, and Voting Power. The **Noon** Staking Framework is built on a single conviction: anyone holding **$NOON** should be able to participate in protocol governance and earn yield. To accommodate both ecosystem participants and open-market buyers, **Noon** provides two distinct staking pathways built on the same underlying reward and voting curves: 1. Active Stake: Designed for users who **earn** **$NOON** through protocol participation (i.e., **$USN** / **$sUSN** holdings and partner integrations). 2. Open Stake: Designed for users who **purchase ****$NOON** on secondary markets or complete previous Active Stake cycles. ## Active Stake vs. Open Stake: Side-by-Side Comparison Here is a summary of the comparison between **Noon**'s Active Stake and Open Stake programmes.

Feature / Parameter	Active Stake	Open Stake
Target Audience	Users who earned $NOON via $USN and / or $sUSN holdings & partner protocols.	Holders of $NOON purchased on the open market, or completed Active Stake tokens.
Staked Asset Source	Protocol-earned $NOON, via Active Stake points (ASP).	Open market $NOON, or transferrable $NOON.
Reward Pool Engine	Monthly Active Stake Pool: higher base reward rate.	Monthly Open Stake Pool: lower base reward rate, plus rule-based protocol rollovers.
Reward Cadence	Monthly conversion cycles.	Monthly fixed pools with variable growth from rollovers.
Vesting Curve	12-Month Non-Linear Exponential Curve (10% to 100%).	12-Month Non-Linear Exponential Curve (10% to 100%).
Early Unstake Penalty	Retains rewards for last completed milestone; unvested rolls over to Open Stake Pool (next month).	Forfeits 100% of rewards; forfeited tokens roll into next month's Open Stake pool.
Voting Power Scaling	Based on vested $sNOON over a 48-Month Exponential Curve.	Based on initial staked $NOON over a 48-Month Exponential Curve.
Entry Timing	Instant staking upon month-end ASP conversion.	Stake requests queue monthly; activates on the 1st of next month.

### The Shared Exponential Rewards Curve To heavily reward long-term commitment over short-term mercenary behavior, both Active and Open Staking share an identical non-linear, accelerating vesting curve over a 12-month period:

Figure 1. Shared Exponential Rewards Curve

Where *t* is the elapsed time (in months) and *T* is the full 12-month vesting duration. This translates to the following curve, in Figure 2.

Figure 2. Staking rewards curve for Active and Open Stake positions

### Vesting Rewards Progression (12-month timeline)


Month 0 (Immediate Claim)	10%
Month 3	22.1%
Month 6	38.3%
Month 9	62.4%
Month 12 (Full Maturity)	100%

## Which Staking Path Is Right For You? This simply depends on how you choose to participate in the **Noon** ecosystem, and how you come by your **$NOON** token (and token alloation). ### Choose Active Stake if: You actively hold **$USN** or **$sUSN** in your wallet or deploy assets across partner protocols. Active Stake offers a higher base reward pool and allows you to retain partial milestone rewards if you need to exit early. ### Choose Open Stake if: You acquired **$NOON** on an exchange or wish to compound existing liquid **$NOON**. Open Stake ensures that open-market buyers have full governance rights. Furthermore, the Open Stake pool is continuously boosted by tokens forfeited by early exiters—transferring value directly from short-term sellers to long-term stakers.\ \ Complete details available in the following **Mechanics** pages, for **Active Stake** and **Open Stake**.