Understanding STX Token Supply
- STX has no fixed maximum supply. Issuance continues over time, unless changed via governance.
- The commonly used 1.81B figure was an early estimate of supply by 2050, not a true cap.
- Changes to emissions require public governance, modeling, and a formal vote.
- The current model is designed to adapt to evolving network needs while staying aligned with long-term decentralization and sustainability.
The STX token, the native asset of the Stacks Bitcoin Layer 2, follows an economic model designed to support long-term security, sustainability, and decentralized governance. Like other smart contract platforms such as Ethereum and Solana, the STX token does not have a fixed maximum supply.
This post explains how the STX emissions model works, how supply changes are governed, and why the number “1.81 billion” was commonly used in the past (but isn’t accurate today).
Emission Model: Ongoing, Programmable, and Transparent
STX follows an open-ended emission schedule. Tokens are issued over time according to parameters set by the protocol—similar to Solana or Ethereum—where continuous, uncapped issuance is designed to maintain long-term network incentives and security rather than enforce fixed scarcity.
Key attributes of the model:
This structure is clearly stated in the official Stacks FAQ and has been part of the token’s design since launch.
Key attributes of the model:
- STX issuance is ongoing, with rewards distributed to those who participate in consensus via the Proof of Transfer (PoX) mechanism.
- Emissions follow a predictable schedule that can be adjusted by community governance, but are not automatically capped.
- This allows the protocol to evolve its economic model over time, depending on network needs, security incentives, and development goals.
This structure is clearly stated in the official Stacks FAQ and has been part of the token’s design since launch.
Why “1.81 Billion” Was Commonly Referenced
For years, many crypto data platforms listed 1.81B or 1.82B STX as the token’s max supply. This number came from early estimates of total STX in circulation by the year 2050, based on initial emission assumptions.
It was never a true “hard cap,” and several sources, including this 2022 emission report, clarified that it was a projection and not a protocol limit.
Today, major sites like CoinMarketCap and CoinGecko have shifted to showing infinite (∞) as the correct representation of STX’s max supply.
It was never a true “hard cap,” and several sources, including this 2022 emission report, clarified that it was a projection and not a protocol limit.
Today, major sites like CoinMarketCap and CoinGecko have shifted to showing infinite (∞) as the correct representation of STX’s max supply.
Can the Supply Be Changed?
Technically, yes, but only through formal, community-driven governance.
Changes to the STX emission schedule require:
A real-world example of this is SIP-031, a proposal approved in 2025 that increased emissions over five years to fund a community endowment. Despite this change, Stacks remains among the most conservative Layer 1s in terms of inflation rate.
Changes to the STX emission schedule require:
- A public proposal, often backed by economic modeling
- Open community discussion and neutral third-party analysis
- An on-chain vote that meets governance thresholds
A real-world example of this is SIP-031, a proposal approved in 2025 that increased emissions over five years to fund a community endowment. Despite this change, Stacks remains among the most conservative Layer 1s in terms of inflation rate.