TLDR
- Optimism introduces Season 8 governance update on Aug. 1 with four stakeholder groups: tokenholders, end-users, apps and chains
- New “optimistic approval” process allows most proposals to auto-pass unless a stakeholder vetoes them
- Citizens’ House subdivided into three categories with public definition of citizenship based on Superchain activity
- Protocol upgrades will be voted on by independent Developer Advisory Board instead of general governance
- Changes aim to reduce platform risk and lower barriers to governance participation while maintaining accountability
Ethereum layer-2 scaling solution Optimism will roll out major governance changes on August 1. The update marks the second governance revamp this year for the network.
These updates blend time-tested ideas from political science and corporate governance with three years of practical experimentation – the result is a more resilient Superchain for all.
Season 8 changes will take effect August 1st.https://t.co/R8Bg4uqySP
— optimism.eth (@Optimism) June 16, 2025
The Season 8 changes introduce four distinct stakeholder groups. These include tokenholders, end-users, apps and chains that operate on the Superchain ecosystem.
New Voting System Targets All Stakeholders
The governance model moves away from purely financial voting. Previous systems gave most power to those with the largest token holdings.
Under the new structure, each stakeholder group gets representation. End-users contribute through gas fees paid on the network. Apps generate revenue through smart contract transactions.
Chain operators provide revenue sharing to the collective treasury. Tokenholders continue participation through token-weighted voting in the Token House.
The Citizens’ House will split into three categories. End-users must show sustained Superchain activity and valid proof-of-personhood. Up to 1,000 citizens can register in this group.
Apps qualify based on gas usage from their smart contracts. At least 100 applications will be eligible for citizenship status.
Chains earn citizenship through revenue contributions to the collective. A minimum of 15 chains will qualify for this category.
Auto-Pass System Reduces Governance Burden
Most proposals will use “optimistic approval” starting in August. This means proposals automatically pass unless stakeholders actively veto them.
The system aims to reduce time commitments for governance participants. Contributors won’t need to spend hours reading forum posts or managing complex processes.
Resource budgets will follow the same auto-pass model. The budget board proposes allocations that pass unless vetoed by stakeholders.
Protocol upgrades get special treatment under the new rules. An independent Developer Advisory Board will vote on technical changes. The board acts for both the Token House and Citizens’ House.
Any of the four stakeholder groups can still veto protocol upgrades. They can block changes that unfairly impact their interests.
The governance team tested citizenship models over three years. Previous experiments helped create the current public definition of citizenship. All criteria can be verified on-chain.
Current citizens don’t automatically qualify for Season 8. They must meet new activity thresholds to maintain citizenship status.
Dynamic veto thresholds will adjust based on stakeholder consensus. Lower thresholds activate when more groups agree on proposals.
Some decisions still require active voting approval. These include collective intent ratification, elections and operating budget decisions.
The Optimism team says Season 7 focused on interoperability features. It ran from January 16 to June 11 this year.
Platform risk drives the governance changes according to team statements. This risk occurs when platforms make decisions against user interests after gaining market dominance.
Season 8 represents three years of governance experimentation for Optimism. The network launched its collective governance model in 2022 with the Citizens’ House introduction.
