FAQPlain answers to the questions we expect. If yours isn't here, ask in the thread.
1. What is QIE, in one paragraph?An EVM-compatible Layer 1 on the Cosmos SDK with CometBFT consensus, chain ID 1990, running since 2022. Its main application is QIE ID, which lets you see more about who you're paying before you send. The rest of the ecosystem (wallet, DEX, lending, stablecoin, bridge) supports that.
2. Why another L1?Fair question. Speed and fees no longer set a chain apart, and we don't claim they do. What QIE adds is an identity layer for payments: readable names that work across chains, a trust score attached to each name, and KYC that you do once and reuse with consent. Running our own chain lets us issue and resolve names, settle partner commissions on-chain and keep fees low for small payments. QIE ID still links addresses on Bitcoin, Ethereum and other EVM chains, Solana, TRON, XRP and TON, so users don't have to move to QIE to be paid by name.
3. What does QIE ID actually do?It mints a .qie name to your wallet. You link one address per supported chain to that name, so a sender types yourname.qie, picks a network and pays your own wallet. Each name carries a 0-100 trust score. Optional KYC through Sumsub can be shared with partner apps, with your consent. It is an application on QIE, not part of the protocol. Pricing is one-off, with no renewals: random ID free, Basic 6 USDT, Premium 18 USDT, Trending 120 USDT, and 30% off when paid in QIE.
4. How is it different from ENS?ENS turns an Ethereum address into a name, and it does that well. QIE ID also links addresses on non-EVM chains, adds a trust score and optional reusable KYC, is a one-off purchase rather than a yearly renewal, and pays resellers a flat 30% on-chain. In short: ENS tells you where to send; QIE ID also helps you see who you are sending to.
5. How is the trust score worked out? Can it be gamed?It is one score from 0 to 100 across all the wallets linked to a name. It counts verified identity (up to 33 points for full KYC), wallet age (older history on other chains counts), genuine transaction history, regular use of established apps, sign-ins at partners, and holding a paid ID. A flag or complaint alone does not lower a score; only a reviewed outcome shows, with a way to appeal. No score is impossible to game. Verified identity and long multi-chain history are the hardest parts to fake, which is why they weigh most.
6. KYC and privacy: what goes on-chain?KYC is optional. If you choose it, Sumsub runs the check. Personal data stays off-chain; only the credential status is recorded on-chain. When a partner asks for something (for example "over 18"), you approve each request, and the partner gets only what it asked for.
7. How decentralised is the network?Honestly: not very yet. On 13 Nov 2026 there were 28 registered validators and 15 in the active set (the protocol allows up to 350). The set is open: anyone can run a validator and holders can delegate. You can count the set yourself through the
validators API. Growing it is a priority. Guide:
validators; operators' chat:
t.me/QIEvalidators.
8. What is the supply?Hard cap 150,000,565 QIE. About 89.9 million circulate (13 Nov 2026), which matches CoinGecko. There was no ICO, pre-sale or private round. New QIE enters circulation only through block rewards to validators and delegators, within the cap. Part of each transaction fee (the base fee) is burned. Live figures:
circulating,
maximum,
docs.
9. Where can I get QIE?On QIE/USDT pairs at MEXC, XT.COM, BingX, Biconomy, LBank, WEEX and Coinstore; on QIEDEX on QIE itself; and as WQIE on Uniswap (Ethereum) and PancakeSwap (BNB Smart Chain). Links are in section 6. This is a list of venues, not a recommendation.
10. How does the bridge work, and who runs it?bridge.qie.digital is QIE's own bridge, not a third-party bridge network. QIE moves 1:1 to WQIE on Ethereum and BNB Smart Chain. USDC and USDT are locked on Ethereum and minted on QIE as wUSDC.eth and wUSDT.eth, then burned on QIE to release them on Ethereum. Using it means trusting QIE's bridge operation, and you should weigh that like any bridge.
11. Which WQIE contracts are official?Ethereum: 0xAC8d365ECc9074A679f75B3E6b2bbF303e466728. BNB Smart Chain: 0x775AcF0Fae2B97789eA58e775789925ADE06b867. QIE Blockchain: 0x0087904D95BEe9E5F24dc8852804b547981A9139. The BNB address on Ethereum is an old, deprecated contract; don't use it there. Full list:
mcp.qie.digital/contracts.
12. What is QUSDC?QIE's US dollar stablecoin on QIE Blockchain, used in QIEDEX pools and QIELend. Contract:
0x3F43DA82eC9A4f5285F10FaF1F26EcA7319E5DA5. We will post further QUSDC details in the Updates post when they are published.
13. Who is the team and where are you?QIE has been building since 2022 and is based near Johannesburg, South Africa. We don't list personal names in this thread. Questions go to
info@qie.digital or the official channels in section 10.
14. Have the contracts been audited?The chain runs on widely used open-source components (Cosmos SDK, the Evmos EVM module, CometBFT). We have not published a third-party audit report for QIEDEX, QIELend, the bridge or QUSDC, and DefiLlama lists them without audits. QUSDC's source is verified on the explorer. For Bondfire and OctopusWork, an independent review is a condition of mainnet launch. When an audit report is published, it will be linked in the Updates post.
15. How do I spot scams?Use only the links in section 10 and the addresses in section 5. Tokens on the QIE explorer use lookalike names such as "Wrapped QIE" or QUSDC-like symbols; check the full address. The testnet faucet never asks for a seed phrase or a deposit. Never share a seed phrase or private key with anyone, including anyone claiming to be QIE.
16. What's next?See the roadmap in section 8. In short: the public QIEDEX data API and more data aggregator listings now; then Pawsome (game), Bondfire (launchpad) and OctopusWork (work marketplace), targeted for Q1 2027. They are targets, not promises, and progress will be posted in post 3.
17. How do I build on QIE?It's standard EVM. Point Hardhat or Foundry at testnet (chain ID 1983,
https://rpc1testnet.qie.digital), get test QIE from the
faucet, and read the
developer docs. Starter repos:
github.com/qieadmin. AI agents can read chain data through the
MCP server.
18. Is the hackathon still open?Yes. QIE Hackathon 3.0 takes submissions until 23:59 CET on 30 Nov 2026. It is mainnet-only, with a 17,000 USD prize pool across five tracks. Winners are announced on 10 Dec. Half of each prize is paid then, and half after the project meets three usage milestones within 90 days. Winners and finalists are planned to get a fast lane on Bondfire.
Register.
19. Can I stake?Yes. You can delegate QIE to a validator on the
explorer's validators page. The unbonding period is 14 days, and validators that misbehave can be slashed, which affects their delegators too. Read the
guide first.
