Session Network and Migration - Key Parameters

Understanding the staking requirements and conversion rate for service node operators and contributors migrating to the new Session Network

09 May 2025 —Admin

With the migration fast approaching, key parameters have now been finalised for the new Session Network, including the staking requirement for a Session node, and the conversion rate for the swap from OXEN to SESH for OXEN holders and stakers.

Staking Requirement

The full stake amount for Session nodes will be 25,000 SESH. This is the amount of SESH that operators of single contributor nodes will need to provide. Operators of multicontributor nodes will need to stake at least ¼ of a full stake, or 6250 SESH.

Conversion Rate

The conversion rate from OXEN to SESH will be 1 OXEN = 0.54 SESH. This rate will allow as many nodes to be restaked on the new Session Network given the full stake amount of 25,000 SESH.

Please note that the conversion rate will be the same for both staked OXEN that will be automatically converted, and for OXEN that holders manually swap using the Coin Claims bridges (OXEN> SESH on Arbitrum and wOXEN>SESH Ethereum).

Migration

The staking requirement and conversion rate were carefully selected to ensure that a solo operator of an Oxen Service Node that has been active throughout the entire Service Node Bonus program will receive enough Session Tokens during the migration to fully stake a solo Session Node. This was a key consideration in the decision-making, maximising continuity of the existing node network during the transition to the Session Network.

We’ve published a FAQ here to help node operators and contributors learn more about how the migration works and what it will mean for your node.

Staking on the new Session Network

Unlike the Oxen Network, which required operators to utilise the Oxen wallet and a CLI (command line interface) to set up and maintain their nodes, the Session Network provides a more user-friendly experience. There are three components to staking on the Session Network:

The Staking Portal
Ethereum Address and Wallet
Arbitrum ETH to use for gas fees.

To stake on the new Session Network, operators are only required to use a CLI when preparing a registration for a new node, and after that point, can easily manage and maintain their nodes via a web-based interface, Session’s new Staking Portal. The Staking Portal is also where Oxen stakers whose SESH is not sufficient to be restaked to a node will be able to claim their tokens as rewards.

To use the Staking Portal, operators must have an Ethereum address and wallet. Popular Ethereum wallets include MetaMask, Rainbow Wallet and Rabby Wallet. It is also possible to use hardware wallets, such as Ledger and Trezor. This removes the need to keep Oxen wallets up to date, and operators can expect these wallets to perform more reliably than Oxen wallets.

In addition to SESH tokens, operators will need a small amount of ETH tokens on the Arbitrum network to use as gas. Staking and rewards on the Session Network will be deployed on Arbitrum One, an Ethereum Layer 2 scaling solution. This means that gas costs are significantly lower than what they would be on the Ethereum network. If you have ETH on Ethereum, you can easily convert this to Arbitrum ETH by using the official Arbitrum bridge. Note that the automatic migration and restaking of nodes at TGE will not incur gas costs to Oxen service node operators.

For contributors who wish to stake without operating a node, this can be done entirely within the Staking Portal. Contributors will also need an Ethereum Address and wallet, as well as Arbitrum ETH for gas.

Next Steps and Further Resources

Today, the snapshot for the Oxen Service Node Bonus Program was conducted, and points accumulation has ceased. SESH that you earned based on your points will be credited to the Ethereum address you registered to the program with on the Arbitrum One network, and will either be restaked on the Session Network or be unlocked and claimable by you via the Staking Portal. You can double check your address and final points here. It is no longer possible to make changes to your Ethereum address. Please note that while points accumulation has stopped, you will continue to earn OXEN as staking rewards up until the migration takes place. The next step towards the migration to the Session Network is the release of the Landing Hardfork software upgrade (11.3.0), planned for next Wednesday, May 14th. Instructions for upgrading will be published on the Oxen blog. In the meantime, please review this Migration Checklist and Migration FAQ. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to share these in the Session Token Discord, either in the dedicated #oxen-migration channel or by opening a private ticket in the #tickets channel.