> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://doc.pixotchi.tech/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://doc.pixotchi.tech/game-mechanics/rewards-p2e-model.md).

# ETH Rewards (P2E Model)

How Pixotchi plants earn real ETH: where the pool comes from, how shares are calculated, and the strategic cost of claiming.

Pixotchi pays players in **real ETH**, and the whole mechanism is a public smart contract. No points-to-token conversions, no promises. Just a pool and a formula.

## Where the ETH comes from

At the September 2026 check, taxable SEED buys and sells on recognized market-maker pairs use a 5% fee: 2% for the revenue-share wallet, 2% for the team, and 1% for liquidity. Exempt addresses and unrecognized pairs can behave differently. ETH reaches the rewards system when the contract processes accumulated fees.

## How your share is calculated

The contract runs continuous pro-rata accounting (the same battle-tested pattern used by staking protocols):

> **Your plant's pending ETH grows in proportion to its share of all PTS in the game.**

* When ETH enters the pool, it's distributed across every point in existence at that moment.
* A plant with 2% of all PTS accrues 2% of every distribution.
* Your accrued ETH is **never lost** by gameplay: attacks, purchases, and score changes snapshot your earnings first. What you've earned stays earned.

You can watch your plant's **Unclaimed Rewards** tick up on its card.

## Claiming, the big decision

Claim anytime from the plant panel. But know the price:

{% hint style="warning" %}
**Claiming resets your plant's PTS to zero.** Your accumulated ETH is paid out in full, and your plant drops to the bottom of the leaderboard (level 1, 0 PTS) to begin its next cycle. The app makes you type `CONFIRM` because there's no undo.
{% endhint %}

That's the strategic heartbeat of Pixotchi:

* **Claim early**: lock in gains, restart small.
* **Let it ride**: a bigger score earns a bigger slice of *every future* distribution, but you're a juicier attack target (a [Fence](/game-mechanics/attacks-and-defense.md) helps).

Two more facts worth knowing:

* Claiming is the one action that's **never gas-sponsored**. You pay your own (tiny) Base gas fee.
* If your plant dies and someone burns it, **your ETH is automatically sent to you**. Death never confiscates earnings.

## The flywheel

Rewards depend on trading activity and ETH available to the rewards system. They are not a fixed yield or a guaranteed return.