Question 1

What is ONT?

Accepted Answer

ONT is one of the native tokens of the Ontology chain, primarily used for governance voting, consensus node elections, and staking. Within the dual-token system, it focuses on network participation and governance rather than being the Gas directly consumed for on-chain operations. Ontology's other native token, ONG, is used for transaction and smart contract fees. Therefore, holding ONT does not mean that a user already has the fee asset required for on-chain transfers or contract calls; in practice, the available ONG balance usually also needs to be confirmed.

Question 2

What is the difference between ONT and ONG?

Accepted Answer

The core difference between ONT and ONG is their division of functions: ONT is used for governance, node elections, and staking, while ONG is used to pay network fees such as transaction and smart contract execution fees. Both are native tokens of Ontology, but they are not interchangeable simply because they belong to the same network. This distinction has direct operational implications: governance participation or staking involves ONT, while initiating on-chain operations requires ONG that can pay Gas. Before transferring, users should separately verify the assets they hold, the network they are on, and their fee balance, to avoid holding only ONT and being unable to pay operation fees.

Question 3

How is ONT used for governance and consensus node elections?

Accepted Answer

Holders can use ONT to participate in network governance voting and consensus node elections. This mechanism allows token holders to express views on network-related choices and places node elections and network governance within the same participation framework. Voting rights do not equal fixed returns or a guarantee of any outcome. Whether participation is available, the matters voted on, and implementation results are all subject to the governance rules in effect at the time; holding ONT also does not mean automatically being elected as a node or automatically receiving ONG.

Question 4

What is the relationship between staking ONT and ONG?

Accepted Answer

ONT can be used for native staking to support network operations; the official materials link this form of participation with obtaining ONG. It is important to distinguish that staking uses ONT for network participation, while ONG is the other native token used to pay Gas on the network. “Related to obtaining ONG” should not be understood to mean that every ONT balance automatically generates fixed returns at a fixed rate under all circumstances. Participation conditions, rules, and availability affect actual outcomes; before staking, users should also confirm whether tokens are available, the relevant operational requirements, and possible liquidity restrictions.

Question 5

Why is ONG needed when using the Ontology chain?

Accepted Answer

ONG is Ontology's Gas token, used to pay fees for transactions, smart contract execution, and decentralized application interactions. Fees are paid for the on-chain operation itself, so even users who mainly hold or stake ONT need to ensure that their ONG is sufficient to complete the required operation. Gas serves as a payment medium for the network to execute operations; it is not the price of a product or application service itself. The final cost of an operation also depends on the transaction or contract call being made and its applicable fee rules.

Question 6

What is the relationship between ONT total supply and the ONG claiming mechanism?

Accepted Answer

ONT has a total supply of 1 billion tokens. Total supply is a maximum-supply measure and cannot be directly treated as real-time circulating supply, the amount available for staking, or the available balance of a particular address. Official documentation states that claimable ONG is related to the amount of ONT held and the holding period, and that the claiming rate declines across annual stages. This describes the relationship in ONG generation/claiming rules: both the amount of ONT and time affect what may be claimed; it does not mean that ONT total supply increases as a result, nor can it substitute for the actual ONG balance at any given time.

Question 7

What should be checked when using or holding ONT?

Accepted Answer

When using or holding ONT, first distinguish the purposes: ONT is used for governance, node elections, and staking, while ONG is used for on-chain fees. Understanding these two functions separately helps determine whether the need is to participate in network governance or to complete an on-chain operation. Next, verify the network and assets supported by the wallet, the fee balance, and the specific participation rules. Price fluctuations and holding or staking arrangements do not guarantee returns; in particular, ONG claiming or staking-related mechanisms must not be understood as promises of fixed, unconditional returns.

Ontology (ONT) Price