Node Activation

Node Activation is a set of one-time initiation steps for new Nodes. Each step, once completed, activates a Boost Multiplier valid for 30 days, stacking with each other and with the other upgrade mechanisms. The purpose of Node Activation is to guide a new Node through the full basic lifecycle of the network, from setting up a profile to the first Peer Meet. Five initiation steps, each performed only once:

Initiation step	Meaning	Boost Multiplier
Create Profile	Complete the Node profile: avatar, at least 3 album photos, including at least 1 verified photo showing the User's face	+5% (30 days)
First Find Node	Browse for another Node for the first time	+2% (30 days)
First Mutual Interest	The first time both sides express interest	+3% (30 days)
First Message	Send the first message to a Verified Peer	+3% (30 days)
First Peer Meet	The first Peer Meet, both sides GPS-verified through a QR scan	+15% (30 days)

Completing all five steps gives a total Boost Multiplier of up to +28%, valid for 30 days. The First Peer Meet step carries the highest multiplier (+15%) because a real in-person meeting is the highest-cost and hardest-to-fake action.

Human Presence Verification is mandatory. If a Node does not complete the Create Profile step, specifically verifying at least one photo showing the User's face, the FC produced by that Node is not recognized in the network and has no transaction value. The Node can still mine, but its FC only becomes valid after verification is complete. This is another layer of protection against fake Nodes: a network that accepts only value created by real humans.

A distinction to note: the +15% multiplier from the First Peer Meet step belongs to Node Activation and is triggered only once, for the first Peer Meet in the Node's lifetime. It is independent of, and stacks with, the recurring Peer Meet multiplier described in Section 4.4.1.