Tangle Network is an Ethereum-compatible, Substrate-based chain that supports both Substrate and Ethereum tools for development. Tangle also employs a set of technologies that faciliate secure and private governance and easy bridging of cross-chain and private applications, in ways that improve the privacy of all applications that connect. You can get started by understanding the different networks within the Tangle ecosystem, setting up your network configurations, and funding your accounts with tTNT tokens for testing purposes. More details on how to use the Tangle Network can be found here.

The TNT token refers to the native cryptocurrency of the Tangle network, and serves several key purposes within the Tangle ecosystem:

Governance: TNT token holders can participate in the governance of the Tangle network by proposing or voting on changes to the protocol, system upgrades, and other improvements. This ensures that decision-making power is decentralized and distributed among stakeholders.

Staking: TNT tokens can be staked by validators and nominators to help secure the network. Validators are responsible for validating and producing new blocks, while nominators support validators by selecting them and staking their TNT tokens as a form of backing. Staking helps maintain network security and integrity, and those who participate in staking are rewarded with additional TNT tokens as an incentive.

‍Gas Metering: Gas is used as a computational unit to measure the cost of transactions and smart contract execution within the EVM integrated through Frontier. TNT tokens can be used to pay for this gas, ensuring that resources on the network are used efficiently and preventing abuse.

‍Network Transactions: TNT tokens can be used for conducting transactions within the network, serving as the medium of exchange for services, assets, or other tokens. This provides liquidity and facilitates economic activity on the Tangle network.The TNT token refers to the native cryptocurrency of the Tangle network.

The validator rewards are paid out every block, the rewards consists of multiple components:
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(1) Transaction fees from all transactions in the block.
(2) Tips paid by users.
(3) Network reward amount.

The validator reward is initially paid out from the validator reward pot allotted at the time of genesis. Once the initial genesis supply for validator rewards has been exhausted, the network will issue new amount of currency (at a predetermined rate of inflation) every block to continue rewarding the validator.

Yes, anyone can run both a validator and a relayer. The Tangle testnet is designed to be permissionless and decentralized, allowing for broad participation. Here's a brief overview of each role:

‍Validator: Validators are essential for block production and transaction validation. They propose and attest to the validity of blocks in the chain. Running a validator node requires you to stake a certain amount of testnet tokens as collateral. Validators are typically elected or selected through a consensus algorithm, and they are rewarded for their services.

‍Relayer: Relayers serve as bridges between different blockchain networks or between different shards within a single network. They are responsible for transmitting data and ensuring that transactions get relayed across chains. While they don't necessarily need to stake tokens, they usually earn fees for their services.

Before running a validator or relayer, you'll need to review the technical requirements and documentation specific to the role you are interested in. Note that both roles come with responsibilities and may require a stable internet connection, sufficient hardware, and uptime commitments to function effectively.