Vesting Overview
Learn how vesting schedules work in a token sale. Understand cliff periods, linear token release, and how to withdraw your vested tokens.
Vesting locks purchased tokens on the sale contract and releases them gradually over a defined schedule. This aligns investor incentives with the long-term success of the offering.
Vesting is optional
If vesting is not configured on the sale, tokens are distributed to the investor's wallet immediately at purchase time. The Vesting tab is not shown for non-vesting sales.
How vesting works
Three parameters define the vesting schedule, all set at sale creation and immutable after activation:
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
| Vesting start | Timestamp when the vesting schedule begins. Can be before or after sale end. |
| Vesting duration | Total time until all tokens are fully vested. |
| Cliff | Waiting period from vestingStart before any tokens become withdrawable. |
Release schedule
Tokens unlock linearly from the end of the cliff to the end of the vesting duration:
- Before cliff end: withdrawable = 0
- At cliff end: linear release begins from a small initial fraction
- At full vesting date: withdrawable = 100% of purchased amount
Soft cap and finalization
When the sale has a soft cap, vested tokens can only be withdrawn after the sale is finalized as SUCCESS. Until then, the vesting position shows a pending-finalization state -- the schedule is tracked, but withdrawals are held until the outcome is decided. If the sale finalizes as FAILED, investors claim a refund instead of tokens.
Withdrawing vested tokens
Investors withdraw incrementally -- each withdrawal claims only the newly vested portion since the previous one. When a soft cap is configured, the sale must be finalized as SUCCESS before withdrawals are possible.
See Withdraw Tokens for step-by-step instructions.
Viewing your vesting position
The Vesting tab on the sale detail page, and your row under Portfolio → Investments, show:
- Your total purchased amount
- The vesting start, cliff end, and full vesting dates
- The current withdrawable amount and next unlock
- Your withdrawal history
Common vesting configurations
| Scenario | Cliff | Duration | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Immediate (no vesting) | -- | -- | Tokens sent to wallet at purchase |
| Short lock, then full release | 6 months | 6 months | All tokens available 6 months after start |
| Standard employee-style vesting | 1 year | 4 years | 0 for year 1, then linear release over 3 years |
| Linear from day one | 0 | 2 years | Tokens unlock continuously from vesting start |
Next steps
Token sale presale phase
Learn how the Token Sale presale phase works, including whitelist management, discount pricing, per-address caps, and transition to public sale.
How to create a token sale
Learn how to create a new token sale using the wizard. Configure payment currencies, timing, optional presale, optional vesting, and caps.