At Hydro, our mission is to empower publishers with innovative tools to maximize their earnings while maintaining control over their platforms. Hydro+ marks a transformative step forward, introducing a tiered reward system designed to cater to all types of publishers—whether you're a beginner or an established creator.
Hydro’s growth over the past year has been nothing short of extraordinary. With 1.1 billion sessions, 29.2 million unique users, and engagement across 236 regions, we’ve built a thriving ecosystem fueled by proof-of-time rewards.
As we scale, ensuring sustainability and fairness becomes increasingly important. This is where Hydro+ comes in—not just as an upgrade, but as a solution to challenges that come with growth and innovation. One of the key changes? The introduction of ads—but with a unique, thoughtful approach.
As we continue to scale, rewarding proof-of-time based on validator fractionalization could possibly present certain challenges. To address this, we are introducing major changes:
1️⃣ We will only pay publishers in USDT. This reduces sell pressure on the Hydro Token and helps create a healthier ecosystem.
2️⃣ To sustain publisher growth, new monetization methods are being added, namely Freemium-based advertising and, later on, data monetization (more details on this to come).
The Logic Behind The Ad Within The Hydro Banner
Our aim is to provide publishers with multiple ways of monetizing their users. Publishers can still monetize without ads in Hydro+, ensuring flexibility for different needs. At the end of the day, if our publishers win, we win.
That’s why we came up with a way to serve a single ad placement without creating extra intrusiveness on the publisher’s UI while leveraging the high-quality inventory generated by website visitors.
Here’s everything you need to know about Hydro+, its benefits, and how to get started.
Not Just Another Ad Platform
We’ve always said we’re not like traditional platforms, and that remains true. Hydro+ introduces ads as a tool for growth—not an obstacle to the user experience.
Hydro’s ecosystem has expanded to an extraordinary scale - with a consistent audience of around 7 million unique active users monthly, with 29% of them coming from the US alone. This represents a massive untapped potential for monetization.
With such a highly engaged global audience, we saw an opportunity to create value for both publishers and Hydro itself. By leveraging this vast inventory, we’re turning what was previously just engagement into a sustainable revenue stream that drives growth, reinvestment, and innovation.
This isn’t just about ads—it’s about ensuring that the Hydro ecosystem thrives, supporting publishers with better tools, greater rewards, and a stronger foundation for the future. The scale of our user base makes this step not only logical but essential to unlock the platform’s full potential and becoming a complete platform for publisher monetization.
Earnings on Hydro+ remain fundamentally tied to Proof-of-Time, ensuring that publishers’ rewards are always based on the time users spend engaging with their content.
Here’s how we’re doing it differently:
- Unintrusive Design: The Hydro Banner isn’t disruptive or intrusive; it’s thoughtfully designed to blend seamlessly into your site, like a cookie consent notification that will close when a user clicks on it.
- Publisher-First Approach: Unlike other platforms, Hydro+ gives publishers control. The Essentials Tier is banner free, allowing you to decide what works best for your audience.
- Shared Value: Ads aren’t just about Hydro generating revenue—they’re a way for publishers to earn more. The Hydro Banner creates new opportunities for you to grow your earnings. For publishers who prefer an ad-free experience, Hydro+ offers a tier that allows you to monetize without the Hydro Banner. This flexibility ensures that all publishers, regardless of their preferences, can benefit from the platform.
What is Hydro+?
Hydro+ is an innovative monetization system designed to help publishers earn more from their platforms. It offers three distinct tiers, each catering to different needs, from entry-level users to experienced publishers seeking maximum earnings.
*Users can close the banner by clicking on it, which redirects them to the ad's landing page in a new tab. Meanwhile, the banner closes seamlessly on the original website—similar to how a cookie consent banner operates.
Hydro+ Tier Breakdown
FREEMIUM Tier
- Reward Pool: 25% of the reward pool
- Cost: Free.
- Monetization: Proof-of-time engagement
- Hydro Banner: Always displayed, unintrusive banner displayed on all publisher sites. Closes on clicking anywhere on the banner.
ESSENTIALS Tier
- Reward Pool: Second-largest tier, with 30% share of the reward pool.
- Subscription Cost: $250/month.
- Monetization: Proof-of-time engagement
- Hydro Banner: Banner is removed unless opting for ad revenue, which takes the user to Tier 3.
PREMIUM Tier
- Reward Pool: Highest earnings, 45% of the reward pool.
- Subscription Cost: $250/month.
- Monetization: Delivers maximum earning potential through proof-of-time, boosted by the Tier 3 subscription.
- Hydro Banner: Always displayed, ensuring maximum earnings potential. Closes on clicking anywhere on the banner.
Why Choose Hydro+?
Earnings Your Way: With Hydro+, your monetization strategy is in your hands. Choose to keep your site ad-free and earn less, or maximize your rewards with the Hydro Banner or subscription options. The choice is yours.
Flexibility for Every Publisher: Whether you’re just starting out or managing a large platform, Hydro+ adapts to your needs. You choose how to balance a clean site experience with maximized earnings, giving you full control over how you grow.
Scalable Rewards, Simplified: Proof-of-time remains at the core of Hydro+, ensuring fair, transparent rewards that grow with your audience.
Hydro+ isn’t just about monetization; it’s about providing publishers with the tools to succeed, no matter their size or goals.
How to Get Started with Hydro+
- Sign Up or Log In: Create or log into your Hydro account (ZK Login available).
- Choose Your Tier: Select one of the Tiers based on your goals and preferences. You can always change it later.
- Set Up Monetization: Configure the Hydro script on your website (copy/paste just like a regular Script/Pixel)
- Start Earning: Begin generating revenue through proof-of-time engagement.
What’s Next for Hydro+?
The launch of Hydro+ is just the beginning. Here’s what’s on the horizon:
TGE update is the immediate focus, followed by migration V2 of Gather assets to Hydro. Also Community Plus and Geyser Programs are in the pipeline next.
We are also working on several marketing initiatives to expand on our new offers, bring new clients and increase our reach:
- Starting new media buying campaigns on new platforms to bring in clients from Asia and other regions.
- Use our extended KOL network to push our updates on numerous communities.
- New Zealy sprints coming
- Geyser Program coming soon
These are just the high-level initiatives that we are deploying in order to solidify our market presence and grow our customer base. Expect more to come!
Join Hydro+ Today
Hydro+ represents a significant leap in digital monetization. With its tiered reward system, flexible options, and innovative advertising model, it’s designed to empower publishers and reshape how monetization works.
In the beginning, publishers will start seeing a standard Hydro Banner on their websites, which goes away when clicking anywhere on it. As we roll out, from week to week, the banner will be refined and you will see some changes as we continue to upgrade and work on the platform.
Ready to unlock your full earning potential?
Get started with Hydro+ today!
Connect with Us
Stay connected with Hydro for the latest news and updates:
- Follow us on Twitter @hydro_online_
- Join our Telegram community here
- Check out our content on Instagram @hydro.online.official
- Explore our videos on TikTok @hydro.online
- Connect with us on LinkedIn
