What Is Subsquid (SQD) and How Does It Work?
Subsquid (SQD) is a decentralized data network designed to make blockchain data indexing and querying faster, cheaper, and more scalable. It powers a permissionless data lake and decentralized marketplace that serves on-chain data from 100+ networks, including
Ethereum,
Polkadot,
Solana,
Starknet, and more.
Launched on mainnet in June 2024, Subsquid rebranded to SQD to reflect its expansion into
AI data services in 2025.
Subsquid connects data consumers (like
dApps, bots, dashboards) with data providers (called "indexers" or "workers") through a decentralized protocol.
Here’s how it works:
1. Data Indexing: Worker
nodes continuously fetch and compress blockchain data into a decentralized storage layer called the Subsquid Data Lake. This process reduces bandwidth and storage costs.
2. Query Execution: dApps and developers use GraphQL or REST APIs to run fast, SQL-like queries on this indexed data, across multiple blockchains and layers, without running their own nodes.
3. Decentralized Marketplace: Data consumers pay for access using the native $SQD token. Payments go to indexers and delegators, incentivizing them to provide reliable data.
4. Trustless Validation (Coming Soon): SQD is integrating ZK-proofs and Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs) to validate responses, making data both fast and
cryptographically secure.
Key Features of Subsquid
• Supports 100+ blockchains:
EVM chains, Substrate, Solana, Fuel, Starknet, and more
• Modular architecture: Choose what data to index, store, or serve
• SQL & GraphQL query support: Ideal for analytics, bots, dApps,
AI agents• SQD Token utility: $SQD is used for payments, staking, governance, and rewards
• Permissionless participation: Anyone can run a node or delegate tokens to earn
When Was Subsquid Launched?
Subsquid was founded by Marcel Fohrmann and Dmitry Zhelezov (PhD in math), who previously spearheaded projects at Jsgenesis and Helix Cognitive Computing. The project raised $3.8 M in a seed round in November 2021 led by Hypersphere Ventures, supported by Polkadot ecosystem funds like Zeeprime and Lattice.
Subsquid Roadmap: Key Highlights
• Incentivized Testnet (Sept 2023): Hosted on CoinList; attracted ~20,000 developers and 60,000 indexers.
• Largest Data Infrastructure Testnet (2023): Over 60,000 decentralized indexers and 17,000 developers participated.
• Mainnet Launch: June 3, 2024, introducing a decentralized data lake architecture, bringing 811 worker nodes online, indexing 594 TB of data with ~22% APR for operators.
• Token Generation Event (TGE): SQD token went live May 15, 2024, after a fast-selling CoinList community sale (sold out in 19 minutes).
What Is the SQD Token Utility?
The SQD token powers the Subsquid Network by enabling payments for data queries, staking for network participation, and governance voting. It is used by data consumers to access blockchain data and by node operators and delegators to earn rewards for indexing and serving that data.
Key utilities of SQD include:
• Payments: SQD is used by dApps, bots, and developers to pay for querying on-chain data.
• Staking: Node operators must stake SQD to run indexer (worker) nodes. Delegators can stake their tokens to earn passive rewards.
• Incentives: Network participants (indexers, delegators) earn SQD for securing and serving the network.
• Governance: SQD holders can vote on proposals, protocol upgrades, and curation decisions.
• Burn Mechanism: A portion of SQD fees is burned, contributing to a deflationary token model over time.
You can trade SQD on
BingX spot market by logging into your account, searching for the
SQD/USDT trading pair, and placing a
market or limit order. BingX offers a user-friendly interface with real-time charts and secure spot trading for SQD tokens.
What Is Subsquid Tokenomics?
The Subsquid (SQD) token has a maximum supply of 1.337 billion SQD, with a design focused on long-term sustainability, decentralization, and ecosystem growth. Its
tokenomics incentivize network participation (indexing and delegation), governance involvement, and responsible emission through a deflationary model.
SQD Token Allocation
• Ecosystem & Community: 34.5%
• Team & Advisors: 19.5%
• Investors (Seed, Private): 16%
• Foundation Reserve: 10%
• Node Operator Rewards: 10%
• Strategic Partnerships: 5%
• Liquidity & Market Making: 5%
How to Earn SQD Tokens on Subsquid
You can earn SQD tokens by actively supporting the Subsquid Network’s infrastructure or by passively staking your tokens with trusted node operators. Here's how:
1. Run a Worker Node
• Stake 100,000 SQD and bond it on-chain to launch a worker node
• Your node indexes blockchain data, serves queries, and earns rewards
• Rewards depend on uptime, the amount of data served, and delegations received
2. Delegate SQD to Workers
• Simply delegate your SQD tokens to trusted worker nodes
• You earn a portion of the node’s rewards based on your stake and node performance
• Average delegator
APY is ~10%, with user-friendly dashboard setup included
3. Run a Gateway
• Stake SQD and set up a gateway node to route and serve data
• Earn rewards based on traffic served, ideal for users needing API-like data access without heavy infrastructure.
Here's how to get started:
1. Procure SQD: Buy from platforms like BingX and transfer to an
Arbitrum-compatible wallet
2. Connect to Subsquid Dashboard: Choose between running a node, a gateway, or delegating
3. Stake and Start Earning: Confirm the transaction, then claim rewards anytime via the dashboard
How Is Subsquid Different From The Graph?
Subsquid and
The Graph both serve the
Web3 data indexing space, but they differ significantly in architecture, performance, and flexibility. Subsquid uses a decentralized data lake model, where indexed blockchain data is stored off-chain and served through a modular, cost-efficient network. This approach separates data storage from query execution, allowing faster indexing, cheaper data retrieval, and scalability across 100+ chains, including EVM, Substrate, Solana, Starknet, and Fuel. Subsquid also supports SQL-like queries, real-time data access (even for unfinalized blocks), and is designed to power AI agents, bots, dashboards, and analytics tools.
In contrast, The Graph uses a subgraph-based model where each dApp defines a custom subgraph for indexing on a per-application basis. While it offers strong decentralization via its GRT token economy, it can be slower and more costly for developers, especially when indexing large volumes of data across multiple chains. Subsquid’s architecture is more developer-friendly and modular, allowing projects to spin up custom indexers or delegate indexing to the network, without building and hosting their own subgraph. Additionally, Subsquid is integrating
ZK-proof and TEE-based validation to enhance trustless data delivery, making it more suitable for scalable, real-time multi-chain use cases.
What Blockchain Network Does Subsquid Operate on?
Subsquid doesn’t operate on a single blockchain. Instead, its decentralized SQD Network indexes and serves historical on‑chain data from over 190 different blockchains, including all major EVM and Substrate networks, and growing beyond that.
How to Store SQD Tokens Securely
You can securely store SQD tokens directly on BingX Custody after purchase, benefiting from their robust internal security infrastructure. BingX offers industry-standard protections like two-factor authentication (
2FA), withdrawal whitelists, and
proof-of-reserves, making it a convenient and secure option for both active traders and long-term holders.
For those seeking complete control, using
non-custodial wallets, such as
MetaMask or
Trust Wallet, is another excellent option. Here, your
private keys remain in your possession, reducing custodial risk. For even greater safety, consider
hardware wallets like
Ledger or Trezor, which store keys offline and protect against hacking. Regardless of your choice, enable 2FA, back up your
recovery phrases in secure locations, update software regularly, and stay vigilant against phishing attempts.
Is SQD Integrated with AI Data Use?
Yes, SQD is deeply integrated with AI data use: it has rebranded to SQD.AI and secured multi-million dollar backing in early 2025 to become the world’s first open database network designed specifically for autonomous AI agents, enabling seamless access to reliable, scalable on-chain data.
Through partnerships with cutting-edge platforms like
Fetch.ai, SQD empowers AI agents to perform real-time, structured queries across more than 200 blockchains, supporting autonomous decision-making in DeFi, gaming, social apps, and beyond, by delivering dependable, multi-chain data streams via its modular, SDK-powered indexing architecture.