Aethir recently announced the Checker Node Buyback program, which allows node holders to sell their NFT licenses back to Aethir and earn exciting benefits. The buyback program is part of Aethir’s broader strategy to strengthen the Aethir ecosystem by enabling users to support onboarding new compute cohorts into Aethir’s DePIN stack.
The Checker Node Buyback program is going live on the 27th of May on this official link: checkerbb.aethir.com
Users can sell their Checker Nodes to Aethir Foundation in exchange for eATH (EigenATH), which is used to support Aethir’s decentralized cloud computing infrastructure. When Checker Node holders sell their nodes back to Aethir, they directly support our network's fresh cohorts of GPU compute by holding eATH. EigenLayer’s AVS model is a key component of the Checker Node Buyback program, allowing us to onboard new compute into the Aethir ecosystem through eATH.
The Checker Node buyback price isn’t fixed. It will fluctuate based on market conditions and buyback rates, while early buyback participants will get extra rewards for joining the program.
The Role of eATH (EigenATH) in the Checker Node Buyback Program
The Checker Node Buyback program allows Aethir Checker Node holders to sell their Checker Node NFTs back to Aethir Foundation in exchange for eATH tokens, with a lockup period of one year. Redemption of eATH becomes available on 13th June 2026. Once redemption is initiated, tokens will vest for 30 days before being released. Users will be able to exchange their eATH tokens for ATH. The one-year lockup period results from Aethir’s dedication to onboarding compute for future enterprise customers with longer contract durations. Enterprise customers need stable compute contracts, which is why we’re ensuring a one-year period without withdrawals.
We are using eATH to facilitate the Checker Buyback program to support onboarding new GPU Cloud Host cohorts into Aethir’s decentralized cloud. Aethir’s GPU cloud leverages EigenLayer’s AVS and retail staking pool to onboard compute providers. This is why the official buyback currency is eATH. By selling their Checker Nodes back to Aethir Foundation, users are enabling us to onboard new Cloud Hosts and ultimately support Aethir’s growing AI and gaming enterprise ecosystem. The more users sell their Checker Nodes for eATH, the more computing resources we can onboard in the following period.
Earn Rewards Over Time with eATH
A key characteristic of eATH is that during the one-year lockup period, it continues to earn ATH rewards, which is the main benefit for eATH holders. This means that eATH isn’t an idle crypto asset. It’s actively used in the Aethir ecosystem throughout its lifecycle, earning additional rewards for holders based on the Aethir DePIN stack’s daily cloud computing operations. The rewards accrued by eATH are directly tied to the overall market performance of Aethir’s decentralized GPU cloud. The more clients and compute we onboard, the more rewards eATH holders will receive.
Buyback participants who wish to immediately access liquidity instead of holding eATH for the one-year period will be able to do so through an upcoming eATH token utility on Pendle.
The Checker Node Buyback Program’s Impact on Node Holders
Checker Node holders who decide to keep running their nodes will continue earning the same stable ATH daily rewards and won’t be affected in any way by the buybacks. The Checker Nodes sold back to Aethir Foundation will be run by Aethir. They will continue to contribute to the stability of our global GPU network by monitoring GPU Containers and ensuring optimal quality of service for all of our clients.
eATH and Aethir’s Future Airdrops
The eATH token’s critical role in supporting our core business, decentralized cloud computing, will also be reflected in our future airdrop seasons. Aethir’s upcoming Airdrop Seasons 2 and 3 will bring special rewards for our community members.
In our forthcoming Airdrop Season 2, we will distribute rewards in eATH tokens to our stakers, Aethir Edge operators, and Checker Node holders. Season 3 of the airdrop will be reserved only for ATH stakers and ecosystem participants. All eATH stakers will be eligible for a points multiplier for Season 3 of our Airdrop.
For additional information and questions regarding the Checker Node Buyback Program, please refer to our dedicated FAQ section in Aethir's official documentation.
