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ICP No contract, only code: How node providers join an Internet computer
Running hardware on an Internet computer ($ICP) is completely different from signing contracts with traditional cloud service providers. Independent operators buy their own servers, place them in a data center of their choice, and then submit applications to the Network Neural System (NNS), the decentralized on-chain governance body that controls the entire protocol. Approval is decided by a community vote, not by DFINITY.
NNS will give priority to decentralization when evaluating applications. Applicants who can bring new jurisdictions, new hardware providers, or new ownership structures to the network are more favored than applicants who simply replicate existing coverage. The same logic applies to secondary market transfers: When nodes are sold between providers, they must move to a country that can maintain or improve the geographical distribution of the network.
Compensation is tied to scheduling work, not runtime
Once approved, providers can only be paid for computing tasks that the network actually dispatches to their machines. No benefits are generated by idleness, and reward rates are set through the NNS governance proposal rather than through bilateral agreements.
According to official documents, existing providers continue to operate under these terms and earn rewards.
New applications are currently suspended
Official documents confirm that the network has reached the target topology in December 2023, and decentralization goals can be achieved without additional capacity. DFINITY has said it will not vote to approve new node machine proposals until subnet requirements make further infrastructure necessary.
Behind all this is a broader governance architecture. DFINITY's document describes NNS as an on-chain DAO,"responsible for managing the entire Internet computer and making all decisions about the future of the network, including protocol updates and node management." This scope makes node access an open on-chain process rather than a private negotiation.
The result is that the physical infrastructure follows the same governance rules as the software it runs, and no party-including DFINITY itself-has unilateral decisions over the participants.
