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Governance

What is Helium Governance?​

Helium governance exists to manage the process by which the network can be modified, whether in its technical architecture, the token's economic model, or meta-governance changes. It is governed by the global community of owners of Helium tokens (HNT, MOBILE, or IOT). These token owners include Hotspot deployers, network users, wireless network operators, hardware manufacturers, and more. Tokens must be locked for voting on network changes, ensuring long-term stakeholder alignment.

Anyone can submit a Helium Improvement Proposal (HIP) as a first step to modifying the network. All HIPs are published in the public Helium GitHub repository, then discussed and debated in public forums, including the Helium community Discord server, and on monthly community calls. Any Helium token owner is eligible to vote on HIPs within the domain of that specific token. To vote, a Helium token owner must first lock their tokens for a period of time, up to four years, which grants the owner voting power determined by the number of locked tokens and the lock duration.

As Helium is a network of networks, there are currently three different jurisdictions for governance:

  1. Locking HNT allows for voting on HIPs governing the Helium network as a whole.
  2. Locking IOT enables voting on HIPs governing the IoT subnetwork.
  3. Locking MOBILE enables voting on HIPs governing the mobile subnetwork.

The Helium Foundation serves as a steward for the governance process. The Foundation established the initial framework and manages the open Helium GitHub repositories. The Foundation does not vote on HIPs but does vet proposals for compliance with the law and technical feasibility. The Foundation's role is to provide expert advice and guidance and to guide implementation of the HIPs after they have passed.

Information about governance is subject to change as the Helium Network constantly evolves. It is led by the open-source community that continues to build it.

HNT, IOT & MOBILE token deposit

Monthly token deposit for governance

Participate​

Ready to participate? Join the global decentralized wireless network and participate in Helium governance, including specific HIPs, voting procedures, and working groups. Refer to the provided links and resources.

  1. Discord: The Helium Discord platform serves as the primary communication channel for the Helium Network Community. It offers real-time discussions, support, and engagement opportunities.
  2. GitHub Repository: The HIP GitHub repository provides access to the Helium Improvement Proposals and related discussions.
  3. Social Media and Ecosystem Voices: The Helium Foundation and various influencers on platforms like Twitter, Discord, and YouTube provide updates, debates, and explanations of HIPs and governance-related matters.
  4. Monthly Community Calls: The Helium Community holds monthly video calls (led by the Helium Foundation). These typically happen on the 4th Wednesday of each month at Noon ET. Each call has an open agenda, and any community member can join and add items to the agenda to be discussed.
  5. Community Calendar: The Helium Foundation maintains a calendar of ecosystem events and happenings. You can access and subscribe at: www.helium.foundation/community-calendar.

Socials + Ecosystem Voices​

As a network steward, the Helium Foundation posts important governance news, calls to vote, and more on Twitter. Follow @HeliumFndn on Twitter to stay up to date.

As a decentralized network, numerous voices discuss governance, host debates, and explain HIPs in layman's terms. You can find many of these influential voices in Discord, on Twitter, or on YouTube.