Let’s get one thing straight before we start: I love Hive. I love this community. I love seeing people build, create, and hustle here. But can we all just admit something?
The KE Ratio is a tool. Not a character test. Not a blockchain loyalty oath. Not some magical number that determines whether or not you’re worthy of breathing Hive air.
Recently my buddy @ecoinstant made a post about his KE ratio “tanking” because—scandal alert—he powered down to fund real life adventures. The horror! Some folks seem to think this makes him less committed to Hive. Spoiler: he’s still here, still building, still showing up every day while living life on his own terms.
And honestly? That’s the whole damn point.
📊 Wait. What the Hive is KE again?
Alright, Hive nerds, buckle up. Here’s the refresher straight from @azircon:
KE = (Author Rewards + Curation Rewards) / Held HP
Or in plain English: • KE = 1.0 → You’re holding exactly what you earn. • KE > 1.0 → You’re holding less than you earn (aka you cashed some out). • KE < 1.0 → You’re holding more than you earn (you’re powering up like a boss).
When @azircon first shared the idea, he wasn’t trying to spark a new class system on Hive. He just wanted a quantitative metric to understand user behavior—are you stacking or cashing? Since then, the KE ratio has blown up. PeakD even integrated it right next to your name, so now your blockchain neighbors can quietly (or not so quietly) judge you on every comment you make.
But let’s pump the brakes for a second.
🤔 Metrics ≠ Morality
Like reputation, KE is a number. It’s a tool. It tells part of your story—but not the whole damn novel.
Let’s not forget reputation also started as a way to signal trust and filter out bad actors. It works… sort of. But we’ve all seen high-rep accounts extracting like they’re running a Hive vampire scheme. So yeah, numbers alone don’t always tell you who’s contributing or who’s just milking the cow.
The same applies to KE. A high KE could mean you’re cashing out constantly. Or maybe you’re a curation project distributing earnings to delegators. A low KE? Could mean you’re stacking Hive like a squirrel on Red Bull. Or it could mean you’ve just started earning. Context matters.
And, as @ecoinstant pointed out, sometimes you need to power down for reasons bigger than Hive: • Traveling • Funding tools • Paying rent • Buying bananas in Guatemala (true story)
Does using your rewards make you less of a Hiver? Hell no. It makes you a human who understands the difference between digital and physical reality.
🗣 “But high KE means commitment!”
Look, I get the instinct. A high KE feels like a badge of honor. But @azircon himself admitted:
“An old account with high Reputation and high KE is far worse than a new account with low Reputation and high KE.”
Why? Because behavior matters more than stats. If someone’s showing up, posting, commenting, building, engaging—they’re adding value. Whether they’re stacking or cashing.
Also, let’s remember: • KE = 3 means someone cashed out 3x what they earned. • The active community has (loosely) decided that’s still acceptable. So unless you’re seeing someone constantly drain rewards and ghost the platform, maybe give them the benefit of the doubt?
🏆 Life Before Hive. Always.
This is my motto, and it should be yours too. Hive is amazing. It’s empowering people worldwide. But if I have to choose between keeping a shiny KE ratio or putting food on the table, guess which one I’m picking?
And here’s the kicker: I can still post 3x a day, comment on 1000 posts, and be as “Hive active” as ever—even if my KE ratio spikes. The metric doesn’t tell the whole story.
🔥 Bottom line: Use tools, don’t worship them
KE Ratio? Useful. Insightful. Cool data point. But it’s not a moral compass. It’s not a loyalty test. And it sure as hell isn’t a reason to downvote or shame someone who dared to cash out.
We’re here to build, connect, and grow. Whether your KE is 0.2 or 20, the real question is: ➡️ Are you adding value? ➡️ Are you helping others? ➡️ Are you making Hive stronger?
If yes… then congrats. You’re doing it right.
⸻
Stay Hive. Stay human. Stay hungry. Power down if you need to. Power up when you can. Just keep building and creating content.
⸻
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