# HSTART token
# Does HStarter have a token?
Yes! HSTART, a token for use within the HStarter ecosystem powers both HPAD and HDAO and has a variety of uses to ensure only the best projects make it to the market.
# What is the total supply of $HSTART?
HSTART has a total supply of 100 million tokens.
# Is $HSTART listed anywhere?
HSTART will be listed on numerous decentralized and centralized exchanges.
Information on new listings will be released on our social media pages, specifically Twitter and Telegram.
Become a part of our community and follow us on social media:
Telegram Announcements: https://t.me/HStarterAnnouncements
Telegram Community: https://t.me/HStarterCommunity
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HStarterio
Discord: https://discord.com/invite/hstarter
Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/HederaYT
Medium: https://medium.com/hedera-blog
# What is the utility of HSTART tokens? Why should I buy them?
HSTART token powers both HPAD and HDAO and has a variety of uses.
- Members stake $HSTART in the HDAO to run the Councils of Industry, which govern the incubation and the sign-off process for projects that make it to the HPAD. Council members need to stake $HSTART tokens to mint one of the Industry Council (IC) NFT.
- Users stake $HSTART in the HPAD to gain access to allocations of projects signed-off by the ICs.
- Depending on the amount of staked $HSTART, users can reach 5 tiers with increasing allocation weights with 16x for the largest stake and 1x for the smallest stake. Also the odds of participation is larger for the higher tiers.
- 5% of every user’s allocation for an IDO on HPAD, regardless of its size, will be assigned to buy back and burn $HSTART.
- Projects will also deposit tokens into the Community Innovation Funds (CIFs) which will reward every $HSTART holder.
- Unstaking $HSTART for both HDAO and HPAD incurs a small penalty fee. Unstaking fees are redistributed across remaining stakers.
# How are the NFTs involved in the process?
- HDAO Council members need to stake $HSTART tokens to mint one of the Industry Council (IC) NFT. The eligibility is subject to approval by the existing IC members.
- These NFTs are non-transferable but can be burned to unstake the $HSTART tokens. This will incur a small penalty fee. Migration between ICs is intentionally not frictionless.
- Members stake the IC NFT to begin voting on admission of IC projects for incubation. One IC NFT enables access to one IC.
- HPAD Users are required to mint an NFT for preferential access to projects signed-off by a given IC.
- Users can lend their NFTs out for a given IDO and collect yield (interest).