State of the Network: May

The May state of the network report continues to depict the evolving dynamics within the Swarm network, reflecting adjustments and shifts in various metrics. This analysis highlights significant trends and changes observed throughout the month, providing insights into the performance and activity within the network.

Network Total Monthly Rewards

This metric shows the total rewards paid out across the entire network for each month.

Month	Total Network Rewards (xBZZ)
December	159,865
January	157,596
February	152,974
March	104,657
April	76,024
May	109,209

In May, the total network rewards saw a notable increase to 109,209 xBZZ, reversing the declining trend from the previous months.

Monthly Median Win Values

This metric is the median win amount for each win event.

Month	Median Win Values (xBZZ)
December	48.06
January	47.43
February	49.15
March	27.43
April	22.27
May	32.65

The median win value increased to 32.65 xBZZ in May, indicating an increase from the sharp decline observed in April.

Monthly Average Win Values

This metric is the average win amount for each win event.

Month	Average Win Values (xBZZ)
December	57.75
January	51.20
February	54.42
March	34.96
April	25.43
May	36.56

In May, the average win value increased to 36.56 xBZZ, increasing from the lower values in the previous two months.

Active Staking Node Monthly Average Earnings

This metric shows the average monthly earnings for an active staking node (with an "active node" defined as a node which has submitted a commit transaction at least once in the month).

Month	Avg Total Earnings per Node (xBZZ)
December	12.40
January	13.89
February	13.21
March	7.71
April	5.64
May	10.66

The average earnings per active staking node rose to 10.66 xBZZ in May, indicating an increase in average earnings from March and April.

Total Active Staking Nodes by Month

This metric shows the total active staking nodes by month.

Month	Total Active Staking Nodes
December	12,891
January	11,350
February	11,576
March	13,571
April	13,486
May	10,245

In May, the total number of active staking nodes (nodes with at least one commit in the month) decreased to 10,198.

Total Reachable Full Nodes Regardless of Active Status

In this new reporting category, we record the total number of unique reachable full nodes, regardless of whether or not they have issued a commit transaction within the month. In May there were 16,000 unique full nodes which were reachable at least once throughout the month.

Total Winning Nodes by Month

This metric shows the total number of unique active staking nodes which have won at least once within the month.

Month	Total Winning Nodes
December	2,308
January	2,474
February	2,814
March	2,413
April	2,486
May	2,554

The number of winning nodes increased to 2,554 in May, marking a steady rise from the previous month.

Total Active Staking Nodes by Country

This metric shows the total number of active staking nodes across the top four countries and all other countries aggregated into the "Other" category, as well as the remaining nodes in the "Unknown" category.

	China	Germany	Finland	Unknown	United States	Other
December	8,333	2,001	1,919	265	312	61
January	6,696	1,937	1,769	701	181	66
February	6,787	1,958	1,952	688	116	75
March	7,785	1,953	2,232	1,408	91	102
April	7,249	1,912	2,291	1,851	92	91
May	6,014	1,671	2,075	339	83	63

In May, the number of active staking nodes declined across all categories.

In previous months there was an unintentional overcount of active nodes, primarily in the number of Unknown nodes. Its correction in this month is what accounts for the apparent large decline in Unknown nodes.

Conclusion

The data from May highlights significant shifts and adaptations within the Swarm network. While the total number of active staking nodes has decreased, this reduction along with an increase in total network monthly rewards has led to an increase in average earnings per node. The uptick in total network rewards and average win values suggests a positive trend, indicating robust activity and engagement. These changes underscore the dynamic nature of the Swarm network, showcasing its ability to adapt and sustain profitability for active nodes despite fluctuations in participation.