Research brief · week of September 24, 2026
A deliberately short board for users who want the next useful research lead—not another endless airdrop list. Each item has a status, an evidence trail, and a reason to stop and verify before spending money or time.
The user job
Find one sensible opportunity to investigate this week, understand what could make it unprofitable, and decide whether to act or skip.
01 · Live
Its own docs currently say weekly Omni Points continue no later than the end of Q4 2026. Zero fees, ~50% of VAR confirmed for the community, but the program and point totals remain changeable at Variational’s discretion.
02 · Live
Invite-only mainnet, no token yet, and the old 0% maker Genesis phase is historical. The current Phase 2 schedule starts at 2.0 bps maker / 3.5 bps taker and uses trailing 14-day tiers. The Challenger Series uses trading-earned Ranked Aura for weekly promotion, demotion, and Challenger playoffs; pre-deposit and BulkSOL AURA does not count toward rank. Access codes are one-time and reset weekly, so use the live access route rather than a copied list.
03 · None confirmed
Earlier research reported a points program and USDC rewards pool, but the current official app was not independently verifiable in this pass. Treat the reward amount, cadence, eligibility, and US restriction as unknown until the official terms are reachable.
This is a research shortlist, not a trading instruction. Start with the venue review, confirm the current rules on the official source, and estimate fees, spread, funding, gas, and liquidation risk before deciding whether the activity fits something you already understand.
They are pulled from the same evidence-labeled farming and season records used by the broader trackers. The selection favors a concrete program status, a specific reason to investigate, and a clear caveat for a new user—not the loudest social claim or the highest theoretical token upside.
Use the season tracker for the complete status board, the farming roundup for the wider shortlist, and the rankings directory when you want to compare the venue itself rather than the reward campaign.