It's been a while since I saw an earning opportunity with low competition and strong potential like running nodes. My friend has been running a Celestia node from early on and ultimately received nearly $3,000 from an airdrop. It sounds easy, but in reality, not everyone knows how to do it correctly.

Simply put, nodes are computers or servers that run continuously to verify transactions, store blockchain data, and keep the network operational. Each node is like a small part of the decentralized system, ensuring transparency, security, and consensus of the blockchain. Without nodes, the blockchain is nothing.

But the interesting part is, earning money by running nodes doesn't necessarily require large capital like investing in tokens. I see a few practical ways:

First, many new projects have airdropped quite large rewards to those who run nodes early. Besides Celestia, Ironfish also airdropped over $1,000 to testnet node operators. Currently, projects like Zircuit, Seda, 0G are opening testnet registrations, with no tokens yet but high airdrop expectations.

Second, if you run nodes on major chains like Ethereum, Cosmos, Avalanche, you can become a validator to earn staking rewards. Of course, this requires a significant amount of tokens or delegated authority from others, but if done correctly, the income can be quite stable.

Third, providing RPC nodes or query data for dApps. This method requires strong configuration and high bandwidth, but you can cooperate directly with projects or receive grants.

Where to start if you want to earn money by running nodes? First, rent suitable VPS from Contabo, Hetzner, or AWS. The key is to carefully read the configuration requirements of each project—some L1s like Aptos, Sui require RAM >=16GB. Then, go to the project's Github to get the script, install on Ubuntu 20.04 or 22.04. Don’t forget to follow the project's Telegram or Discord for updates on new requirements—I've seen Farcaster increase requirements from 8GB to 16GB midway.

Most importantly, be persistent and keep detailed records. Save your wallet address, node ID, logs as proof for future retroactive airdrops. If you're new, start with free testnet nodes first. Once familiar, you can expand to validators or more specialized systems.

Running nodes to earn money isn't a quick way, but it's sustainable, less competitive, and doesn't require large capital. As long as you have basic technical knowledge, stay persistent, and keep updated regularly, opportunities will surely come.

But remember, this sharing is not investment advice. Do your own research (DYOR) before deploying any node activities.