> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.bound.xyz/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# What Is Bound

**Bound is the social staking network** - a place where staking becomes identity, reputation, and long-term alignment.

Most staking today is purely financial: lock tokens, earn yield, move on.

<Note>
  Bound turns staking into a **social signal**.\
  What you bind says what you believe - while giving perks to believers.
</Note>

## The Core Idea: Social Staking

Bound introduces **social staking**.

Instead of passively holding tokens, users can **bind tokens to a hub** - a community home for a specific token.

When you bind, you don’t just chase rewards. You:

* Signal long-term belief
* Earn reputation and rewards
* Unlock access, perks, and community status
* Build identity around the tokens you support

***

## The Primitives

### Hubs

A **hub** is the core unit of Bound: a community space organized around a specific token.

Hubs are created by projects or creators and can define:

* Which token can be bound
* Reward cycles (when rewards are distributed)
* Perks, access, and reward boosts

Think of a hub as **where a token’s community actually lives**.

***

### Binding

**Binding** is the act of staking or locking tokens into a hub.

Binding generates:

* Reputation
* Status and leaderboard position
* Eligibility for rewards and perks (if the hub offers them)

Binding is a **commitment signal** — designed to reward conviction, not constant churn.

***

### Reward Cycles

A **reward cycle** is a time-boxed distribution window configured by a hub.

Hub operators can define:

* Cycle duration (e.g. 1–8 weeks)
* Reward tokens
* Reward boosts

Users typically claim rewards **after a cycle ends** (if rewards are available).

***

## Who Bound Is For

### For Projects & Creators

Most token ecosystems struggle after launch: hype fades, attention fragments, and incentives attract short-term farmers.

Bound helps projects and creators:

* Build a long-term community home around their token
* Measure commitment, not just volume
* Reward real believers with perks and rewards
* Launch without writing custom smart contracts

***

### For Users / Believers

Most holders don’t get credit for conviction — only exposure to price action.

Bound gives believers:

* Reputation and rewards tied to participation
* Status and leaderboards
* Perks and access based on commitment
* A social identity linked to the tokens they support

***

## What Bound Is Not

**Bound is not:**

* A simple yield platform
* A farming tool
* A short-term incentive engine
* A custodian of your funds

**Bound is:**

* Social infrastructure for token communities
* A conviction layer for believers
* A network where staking becomes identity

***

## How It Works (High Level)

### Users

1. Discover hubs
2. Bind tokens to the hubs they believe in
3. Earn reputation, status, perks, and rewards (if offered)
4. Build identity through long-term participation

***

### Projects & Creators

1. Deploy a hub
2. Configure reward cycles and community logic
3. Let supporters bind tokens
4. See commitment accumulate over time

***

Bound connects tokens and communities through social staking — hubs for projects, perks and reputation for believers.