You just drew a light trail. Now you need to decide how to save it.
An example Perpetual Proof. Your light trail can be permanently preserved on the blockchain like this.
If you just want a record, pick Standard (free). If you want a tradeable NFT, pick Perpetual (paid). Not sure? Start with Standard — you can't upgrade later, but you can always draw another trail and mint that one.
Standard Proof (Free)
For anyone who wants to participate in the 2026 experiment without spending money. Your trail gets batched with everyone else's that day into a Merkle Tree, then submitted to the Polygon blockchain at midnight UTC. The protocol covers all gas.
What you get:
- Cryptographic verification on Polygon
- Included in the collective artwork
- Visible on the Explore page and Cosmos
- Time26 token reward
What you're giving up: verification isn't instant (it happens at midnight); there's no personal NFT to transfer or sell; storage is protocol-managed, not independently decentralized.
Perpetual Proof (Paid)
For collectors who want full, independent ownership. You get an ERC-721 NFT minted immediately, with data written to Arweave in real time. If our servers ever go dark, your trail still exists.
What you get:
- ERC-721 NFT minted directly to your wallet
- Permanent storage on Arweave
- Instant on-chain verification (seconds, not midnight)
- Exclusive collector badge on your profile
- Full ownership — transferable and tradeable
How Much Does Perpetual Proof Cost?
Pricing is based on trail length:
| Trail Duration | Cost |
|---|---|
| 10–45 seconds | Base fee only |
| 45+ seconds | Base fee + per-second rate |
Example: a 60-second trail = base fee + (60 - 45) × per-second rate
The first 45 seconds are included in the base fee.
Payment Options
POL (Polygon Token)
The most direct option if you already have crypto. Requires a wallet signature and a small gas fee on top of the mint cost.
How to get POL: buy on Coinbase, Binance, or other exchanges; bridge from Ethereum; or use a fiat on-ramp.
TIME26 Token
POE's native token. Can be used to pay at a discount.
How to earn TIME26: share your referral link (earn when friends join), engage with proofs (like, save), participate in community events.
Gasless Minting (Unclaimed TIME26)
If you have unclaimed TIME26 rewards, you can spend them directly without claiming to your wallet first — no signature, no gas fee. This is the smoothest option if you have the balance.
How to Mint a Perpetual Proof
Before you start:
- Make sure you're logged in
- Have a payment method ready
- Draw a trail you want to keep permanently
Steps:
- Draw your trail on the canvas — at least 10 seconds
- Click "Submit Proof"
- Select "Perpetual Proof" and review the cost for your trail length
- Choose your payment method (POL / TIME26 / gasless)
- Optionally name your artwork, add a description, or leave a message for future generations
- Confirm and mint — POL/TIME26 requires a wallet signature; gasless just needs a click
- Wait 5–15 seconds for confirmation
What Happens After You Mint?
Right away: your proof appears on the Explore page, the NFT lands in your wallet, and the collector badge is added to your profile.
Within minutes: metadata uploads to Arweave and becomes viewable on OpenSea and other marketplaces.
After that, permanently: your trail lives in the Cosmos visualization, and Arweave storage doesn't expire — it will outlive this website.
FAQ
Can I upgrade a Standard Proof to Perpetual later?
No. Once submitted as Standard, it can't be upgraded. If you think you might want a Perpetual Proof, choose it at submission time.
What if I don't have any crypto?
Social login (Google, Facebook, etc.) creates a wallet automatically. You can submit Standard Proofs for free, or earn TIME26 through referrals to mint Perpetual Proofs without buying any crypto.
Is my Perpetual Proof really permanent?
The NFT is on Polygon (an established public blockchain), and the artwork and metadata are on Arweave (pay-once, store-forever architecture). Even if Proof of Existence shuts down, your proof survives independently.
Can I sell my Perpetual Proof NFT?
Yes. It's a standard ERC-721 — list it on OpenSea, transfer it to someone, or hold it indefinitely.