TLDR
- Aave Labs has introduced a proposal to send 100% of revenue from Aave-branded products to the Aave DAO treasury.
- The proposal aims to formalize Aave Labs’ role as a long-term contributor under a token-centric model.
- Aave V4 upgrade will play a key role in expanding markets and financial products more efficiently.
- The proposal includes the creation of a foundation to manage and protect Aave’s intellectual property.
- If approved, the proposal will strengthen the alignment between product development and token holder incentives.
Aave Labs has introduced a new governance proposal that could reshape the future of Aave, one of the largest decentralized lending platforms in the crypto space. The proposal, titled “Aave Will Win,” seeks to direct 100% of the revenue from Aave-branded products to the Aave DAO treasury. This shift aims to formalize the role of Aave Labs within the DAO while promoting long-term growth.
Aave Labs’ Proposal Seeks Full Revenue Flow to DAO Treasury
The proposal marks a pivotal moment for Aave as it aligns the protocol’s financial future with its decentralized governance. If approved, all revenue generated from Aave-branded products, including institutional tools and user interfaces, will flow into the community treasury rather than Aave Labs.
Stani Kulechov, Founder of Aave Labs, emphasized the importance of this change in a press release, stating, “This framework positions Aave to capture major growth markets and win over the next decade.”
The plan comes in the wake of ongoing discussions within the Aave community about control over the protocol’s intellectual property. In late 2025, debates surfaced regarding whether Aave Labs or the DAO should retain ownership of trademarks, domains, and social accounts. These tensions highlighted broader concerns over the balance of power between a founding team and a decentralized organization.
Aave V4 Upgrade Central to Proposal’s Success
The proposal highlights the upcoming Aave V4 upgrade. It aims to simplify the launch of new markets and financial products. V4 will boost scalability, enabling faster and more flexible expansion. It ensures security while allowing Aave to stay competitive in the growing DeFi space.
The proposal also includes creating separate markets with varying risk profiles and revenue structures. This will support specialized use cases, including institutional participation. The revenue distribution shift will help the DAO diversify income and align product development with token holders’ interests.
A key component of the proposal is the creation of a dedicated foundation to manage Aave’s brand and trademarks. As decentralized organizations cannot directly own intellectual property, the foundation will ensure that Aave’s intellectual property is protected. This new structure will be further defined in a follow-up vote, providing clarity on how the foundation will function.
If the proposal is approved, further governance votes will be held to define how the V4 upgrade will be implemented and how the DAO will handle funding. Aave Labs‘ vision for the future underscores the ambition to transform Aave from a leading DeFi lending protocol into a significant player in the global financial infrastructure.
