The Bond Market
Nations need capital to expand. Investors want returns. The Bond Market connects them. It is one of EarthStonks's most unique mechanics — a real sovereign debt system where land is the ultimate collateral and failure has permanent consequences.
For Nation Leaders — Issuing Bonds
If your nation needs cash fast — to fund a war, buy resources, or expand territory — you can issue a bond. Issuing a bond means you borrow money from investors now and promise to repay it with interest by a specific date.
How It Works
- You specify the amount you want to borrow, the interest rate you're offering, and the number of days until repayment
- The bond appears in the market — investors can browse and purchase it
- You receive the cash immediately
- On the due date, you must repay the full amount plus interest
/n before issuing. Defaulting has severe consequences — see below.
For Investors — Buying Bonds
If you have spare capital and want passive income, buy bonds from nations you trust. Open /bonds to browse available bonds. Each listing shows the issuing nation, the amount, the interest rate, and the repayment deadline.
Return on Investment
When the bond matures and the nation repays, you receive your principal plus the agreed interest. A bond for $10,000 at 20% interest returns $12,000 at maturity. The risk is that the nation may default.
Sovereign Default & Liquidation
If a nation fails to repay a bond by the due date, it enters Sovereign Default. This is not just a financial penalty — it is a geopolitical crisis with cascading consequences.
Phase 1 — The Freeze (Sanctions)
The defaulting nation is immediately sanctioned. They cannot claim new land or start new wars while in default. Growth and aggression are locked.
Phase 2 — Liquidation
The bondholder can trigger Liquidation on the defaulted bond. The server bank then seizes a random chunk of the nation's land (excluding the capital) and unclaims it — permanently removing it from their territory.
Land is the ultimate collateral. Lend wisely. Borrow carefully.
Strategic Use of Bonds
War Bonds
The most dramatic use of the bond market is funding war. When a nation wants to siege an enemy but lacks the capital to cover the upfront siege costs and warchest, it can issue a War Bond — borrowing from investors who believe in the war's profitability. If the siege succeeds, the seized resources and plunder pay back the bond. If it fails, the nation is on the hook.
Hostile Finance
Advanced players use the bond market offensively. Buy bonds from a nation you're planning to war against, then trigger liquidation the moment they miss a payment. Strip their land before you even swing a banner.
Forced Default
Economically isolating an enemy — destroying their resource production through sieges, cornering the resources they need to pay upkeep, and cutting off their trade — can force them into default without ever buying their bonds. Starve the economy, then bankrupt the nation.