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

# Guardian Membership

## Claiming and Using Guardian Membership

Those who participated in the **Sophon Node Sale** on **30/04/24** will be able to **claim their Guardian Membership** once the mainnet is live.

***

### Claiming Guardian Membership

Requirements for Claiming Membership:

* Adherence to the **Node Sale Terms & Conditions**
* Completion of **KYC requirements**
* Guardian Memberships are **non-transferable** for the first year after genesis

***

### Using Your Guardian Membership

Once claimed, there are **two options** for using your Guardian Membership:

#### 1. Running a Node

Anyone can run a **Light Node** on the Sophon Network. Note that, at present, it is only possible to run a read-only version of a **Full Node**.

The **network criteria** for Full and Light Nodes differ and are as follows:

| Type           | Requirements                                                                                   | Notes                                                                                   |
| -------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Full Node**  | Requires **at least 1,500 Guardian Memberships** delegated to the node operator.               | Designed for larger-scale participation.                                                |
| **Light Node** | Requires **between 1 and 20 Guardian Memberships** delegated to the node operator for rewards. | More than 20 memberships? Split into **2 Light Nodes** for optimal reward distribution. |

**Example**:\
To run a **Light Node** and maximize rewards:

```plaintext theme={null}
If you have 25 Guardian Memberships, split them into two nodes:  
- Node 1: 20 memberships  
- Node 2: 5 memberships  
This ensures all Guardian Memberships are eligible for rewards.
```

#### 2. Delegating Guardian Membership

If you do not wish to operate a node yourself, you can delegate your membership to trusted node operators to:

* Help secure the network
* Earn passive rewards

<Tip>Be sure to check out our official **Guardian App** for more: [https://guardian.sophon.xyz/](https://guardian.sophon.xyz/)</Tip>

#### Delegator Rewards

<Warning>**Full Node** and **Light Node** operators must specify the reward rates for delegators. Rewards are distributed based on the number of memberships delegated to them.</Warning>