Epochs

Mezo Earn operates on a weekly cycle called an “epoch.” Understanding epoch timing is crucial for maximizing your rewards on Matchbox, as votes reset each week and missing an epoch means forfeiting that week’s earnings.

What is an Epoch?

An epoch is a 7-day period that structures voting, reward calculation, and distribution in the Mezo ecosystem.

Epoch Basics

Property	Value
Duration	7 days (604,800 seconds)
Start	Thursday 00:00 UTC
End	Following Wednesday 23:59 UTC
Cycle	Continuous - each epoch follows the previous

The Weekly Cycle

Here’s how a typical epoch unfolds:

Thursday (Epoch Start)

• New epoch begins at 00:00 UTC
• Previous epoch’s rewards finalize
• Votes from last epoch are reset
• New voting window opens (after first hour)

Thursday - Wednesday (Voting Period)

• veMEZO holders allocate votes to gauges
• veBTC holders can add/adjust incentives
• APY projections update in real-time
• Votes accumulate throughout the week

Wednesday (Epoch End)

• Voting closes at 23:00 UTC (1 hour before epoch end)
• Final vote tallies are locked
• Rewards are calculated
• Claims become available

Voting Windows

Not all of the epoch is available for voting. There are restricted periods:

Voting Restrictions

Period	Status	Reason
First hour (Thu 00:00-01:00 UTC)	Locked	Epoch transition processing
Middle period (Thu 01:00 - Wed 23:00 UTC)	Open	Normal voting window
Last hour (Wed 23:00-24:00 UTC)	Locked	Final calculation period

Why Restrictions Exist

The locked periods ensure:

• Clean transitions between epochs
• Accurate reward calculations
• Fair snapshot of final vote distribution
• Prevention of last-second manipulation

Votes Don’t Carry Over

Important: Your votes reset to zero at the start of each new epoch.

This means:

• You must vote every week to earn rewards
• Not voting = forfeiting that epoch’s incentives
• Previous voting patterns don’t automatically continue

Weekly Commitment

To maximize earnings, plan to:

1. Check Matchbox early in each epoch
2. Evaluate current gauge opportunities
3. Allocate your veMEZO votes
4. Monitor throughout the week if desired

Reward Calculation

Rewards are calculated based on the state at epoch end:

For veMEZO Voters

Your reward share is determined by:

Your Rewards = (Your Votes on Gauge / Total Votes on Gauge) × Gauge Incentives

For veBTC Holders

Your boost and rewards depend on:

• Total veMEZO votes received
• Your veBTC voting power
• Resulting boost multiplier

Claiming Rewards

After an epoch ends:

When to Claim

• Rewards become claimable after epoch transition
• No deadline to claim - they accumulate
• Claim whenever convenient (consider gas costs)

How to Claim

1. Visit the Matchbox Dashboard
2. View your claimable rewards
3. Click “Claim” to receive tokens
4. Confirm the transaction

Batch vs. Individual Claims

You can often claim rewards from multiple epochs at once to save on transaction fees.

Lock Duration and Epoch Alignment

When locking BTC or MEZO, your lock duration aligns to epoch boundaries:

How Alignment Works

• Lock durations round down to full weeks
• Locks expire on Thursday 00:00 UTC
• This ensures clean unlock timing

Example

If you lock on a Monday for 28 days:

• Raw expiry would be ~4 weeks later on a Monday
• Actual expiry rounds to the previous Thursday
• This may be 2-3 days earlier than expected

Timing Strategies

For veMEZO Holders

Strategy	Timing	Benefit
Early voting	Thursday morning	Secure position early, reduce stress
Mid-epoch	Weekend	More data to evaluate
Late voting	Monday-Tuesday	See full picture, but riskier

For veBTC Holders

Strategy	Timing	Benefit
Early incentives	Thursday	Attract voters for full epoch
Responsive	Throughout	Adjust based on vote inflow
Late push	Mid-week	Attract last-minute voters

Important Dates to Track

Weekly Milestones

• Thursday 00:00 UTC - Epoch starts, previous rewards finalize
• Thursday 01:00 UTC - Voting window opens
• Wednesday 23:00 UTC - Voting window closes
• Wednesday 23:59 UTC - Epoch ends

Setting Reminders

Consider setting calendar reminders for:

• Epoch start (vote allocation)
• Mid-epoch (strategy review)
• Before close (final adjustments)

Epoch Transitions

What happens during the transition:

1. Epoch closes - Final votes locked
2. Rewards calculated - Based on final state
3. Claims enabled - Previous epoch rewards available
4. Reset - All votes return to zero
5. New epoch - Fresh voting period begins

Common Questions

What if I vote but then get more veMEZO?

Your voting power is locked when you vote. If you acquire more veMEZO mid-epoch:

• Existing votes remain at old power
• You can allocate the new power separately
• Consider waiting until next epoch for simplicity

Can I change my votes mid-epoch?

Yes, you can:

• Reset your votes and reallocate
• Adjust allocations between gauges
• Only final state at epoch end matters

What if I miss an epoch?

If you don’t vote during an epoch:

• You receive no incentive rewards for that period
• Your veMEZO still earns rebase rewards
• No penalty beyond missed earnings
• Simply vote in the next epoch

Time Zone Reference

All epoch times are in UTC. Here are some common conversions:

Time Zone	Epoch Start	Vote Close
UTC	Thu 00:00	Wed 23:00
EST (UTC-5)	Wed 19:00	Wed 18:00
PST (UTC-8)	Wed 16:00	Wed 15:00
CET (UTC+1)	Thu 01:00	Thu 00:00
JST (UTC+9)	Thu 09:00	Thu 08:00

Next Steps

Now that you understand timing:

• Voting Guide - Put your knowledge into action
• Gauge Management Guide - Optimize your gauge timing
• Dashboard Guide - Track your progress