To perform any transaction on the Solana blockchain including locking ATLAS or POLIS, you’ll need a small amount of SOL to cover network fees and data storage.
Solana uses a fee-based model where:
Transaction Fees: Paid in SOL to compensate validators for processing transactions. These are extremely low (typically less than $0.01).
Account Storage: When you create a new account (such as for a locker or rewards program), it must be funded with enough SOL to make it rent-exempt preventing it from being deleted due to inactivity.
How Much SOL Do I Need?
The exact amount depends on how long you lock your tokens and which program you’re using.
Here are some examples:
| Action | Estimated SOL Cost |
|---|---|
| Locking POLIS for 5 years | ~0.133 SOL (for 8 × 256-day "eras") |
| Adding 1 more era to a POLIS lock | ~0.015 SOL |
| Compounding POLIS rewards | Only the basic transaction fee (no extra rent) |
🔔 Note: The POLIS voting snapshot system stores your lock data permanently, so rent for those accounts is not refunded, unlike with some other programs.
📌 TL;DR
Always keep a small SOL balance in your wallet when using locking systems or claiming rewards in the Star Atlas ecosystem, especially for longer-term locks like POLIS Voting Power (PVP).