Dusk ($DUSK ) has transitioned from a "theoretical" project into a live, institutional-grade infrastructure. The network is currently in a high-growth phase following its successful mainnet launch last month.
Here is the breakdown of the current mainnet status and the updated tokenomics as of February 2026.
1. Mainnet Status (February 2026)
Dusk finally moved out of its long development phase and is now fully operational.
* Mainnet Launch: The network went live on January 7, 2026, after six years of development. Unlike many hype-driven launches, this was a "quiet" release focused on stability.
* Dual-Transaction Model: The network currently supports two modes: Phoenix (fully shielded/private transactions) and Moonlight (transparent and auditable for compliance).
* Current Upgrades (Q1 2026):
* DuskEVM: The main focus right now is the rollout of the Ethereum Virtual Machine layer, allowing Solidity developers to deploy private dApps.
* Dusk Pay: A MiCA-compliant payment network is in its final testing phase, expected to launch later this quarter.
* Real-World Utility: Through its partnership with the Dutch exchange NPEX, over €200M in regulated securities (bonds/equities) are currently being onboarded for on-chain trading.
2. Updated Tokenomics & Supply
The tokenomics have shifted from speculative "placeholder" tokens to functional network fuel.
| Metric | Current Status (Feb 2026) |
|---|---|
| Max Supply | 1,000,000,000 DUSK |
| Circulating Supply | ~500,000,000 DUSK (Initial supply) |
| Emission Schedule | Remaining 500M tokens emitted over 18–36 years via staking rewards. |
| Staking Rewards | Currently offering ~12% APY for validators and delegators. |
| Utility | Gas fees, staking for consensus, and "Participation Credentials" for governance. |
Key Trend: A portion of transaction fees is now being burned, creating a deflationary pressure that offsets some of the staking emissions as network activity increases.
3. Recent Market Momentum
$DUSK saw a massive surge in January 2026, at one point rallying over 380% in 30 days. This was driven by two main catalysts:
* Mainnet Success: Proving the "Succinct Attestation" consensus could handle real institutional load.
* Chainlink Integration: In mid-January, Dusk integrated Chainlink CCIP, allowing tokenized securities on Dusk to be moved across other chains like Ethereum and Solana.
> Analyst Insight: Because Dusk requires a "MiCA compliance review" before any governance proposal can even be voted on, it is viewed as a "safe" bet for institutions, but some retail investors find it "too regulated" for the typical degen-style decentralization.