Table of Contents
The Two Construction Currencies
Upland has two currencies beyond UPX that power building and the Life system:
Sparklet
The original construction currency. Used for building structures, merging Uppies, and various game mechanics. Sparklet is tradeable — you can buy, sell, and bridge it between the game and external exchanges.
STEM
Introduced in April 2026 as a conversion from Protem. Used exclusively for the Life system (planting, feeding, caring for plants on properties). STEM is NOT tradeable and never will be. Upland describes it as “ever-inflationary by design” — it’s meant to be spent, not held.
How to Get Sparklet
| Method | Details |
|---|---|
| In-app store | $5, $10, $25 bundles (mobile). Now contains 35% less Sparklet per package as of March 2026. |
| Web store | $50, $100, $300 bundles (web only since March 2026) |
| External exchanges (DEXs) | Buy on Uniswap (Ethereum) or Aerodrome (Base) and bridge into the game via Upland’s Portal feature. Best value per Upland’s own recommendation. Sparklet exists on Ethereum and Base blockchains. |
| Gameplay | Earned through various activities, Totem Cycles, and rewards |
In March 2026, Upland reduced in-app Sparklet packages by 35% and moved larger bundles to web-only. Their stated reason: push players toward exchanges where “real player demand” sets the price. In practice, this means Sparklet costs more per dollar through the app than it used to.
Security Warning: Always verify the official contract address when buying Sparklet on a DEX. Scam tokens exist. The official Ethereum contract address is: 0x0bc37BEA9068a86C221B8bd71eA6228260DAD5A2. Sparklet can be bridged in and out of the game through Upland’s Portal feature.
Security Warning (Base): If buying on Aerodrome (Base network), verify the official Base contract address: 0x9cd44eca3d1e0ada6fbdaf5793031c3a500089b1. This is a LayerZero OFT (cross-chain) deployment of SPARKLET, verified on BaseScan as deployed by Upland. Do not trust any Base contract with a different address.
How to Get STEM
| Method | Details |
|---|---|
| Protem conversion | 1 Protem = 1,000 STEM (automatic, one-time) |
| Upland Store | $1 = 1,000 STEM (permanent base rate) |
| Future: Trove system | Upland plans to let players earn STEM through gameplay |
Important: STEM costs may change. Upland reserves the right to “adjust how much STEM it costs” for gameplay balance. The $1 = 1,000 rate is the starting point, not a guarantee.
What Sparklet Is Used For
- Building structures on properties (Spark Hours determine build time)
- Merging Uppies (costs vary by level and demand — K Twice spent 1,300 Sparklet on a single merge during peak demand)
- Staking in cities (required for some Gamified Earnings missions)
- Totem Cycles (stake to earn Protem/STEM)
- Various game mechanics across seasons
What STEM Is Used For
- Feeding plants (Health system — keeps plants alive)
- That’s it. STEM is single-purpose fuel for the Life system.
Plants die permanently if neglected. STEM is the ongoing cost of maintaining the Life features on your properties. Think of it as a recurring maintenance fee.
Sparklet Store Changes (March 2026)
| What Changed | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Sparklet per package | Standard amount | 35% less |
| $50/$100/$300 bundles | Available on mobile | Web-only |
| $5/$10/$25 bundles | Available on mobile | Still on mobile |
Upland’s reasoning: reduce store supply to make the exchange/bridge the primary source, where “player demand” drives pricing. This was part of the March 2026 Developer Update alongside the Trade Routes announcement.
Strategy
For Sparklet: Buy through exchanges and bridge in — Upland themselves say this is the best value. Only use the in-app store for convenience on small amounts.
For STEM: Only buy what you need for active plant maintenance. It’s non-tradeable and inflationary by design — holding excess STEM has no investment value.
For merging Uppies: Sparklet costs spike during high-demand periods (new Uppie releases, merge events). If you plan to merge, stockpile Sparklet BEFORE demand spikes, not during.
Community Perspectives
Community Perspectives Coming Soon
Player insights on this topic will appear here.
Sources
- Sparklet store changes documented in Upland’s March 2026 Developer Update on uplandme.medium.com
- STEM conversion rates from official Upland announcements
- Merge cost data from personal experience (K Twice) and community reports
- Exchange pricing recommendations from Upland’s own communications