Aave Labs has unveiled a major proposal that would see all revenue from Aave-branded products redirected to the Aave DAO treasury, marking a notable structural transformation for the decentralized finance protocol. The plan introduces a token-centric approach, known as “Aave Will Win,” and was published after an extended period of community review. If approved, every dollar generated by the platform’s suite of financial products would flow directly to the DAO, deepening the integration between protocol operations and community governance.
Aave Will Win: Centralizing Revenue For Token Holders
The core element of the “Aave Will Win” initiative is the shift of all Aave product revenue, including from services such as aave.com, Aave App, Aave Card, Aave Pro, Aave Kit, and Aave Horizon, to the DAO treasury. This means Aave Labs would cease retaining any product-level earnings, and the protocol’s financial returns—estimated at $12 million to $24 million per year from the swap integration alone—would move entirely under DAO stewardship as soon as the new model is implemented.
Aave Labs clarified its exclusive focus on the protocol, remarking that it will now build only Aave-specific products and avoid projects outside this ecosystem. Funds for operations will be sourced directly from the DAO, while resulting value accrues to token holders through heightened treasury inflows. The governance process includes quarterly, independently verified financial disclosures and transparent reporting of revenues and deductions within the community forum.
DAO Funding Request And Accountability Risks
This realignment of revenue means Aave Labs will relinquish self-funding and rely solely on the DAO for operational support. The team is seeking a $25 million stablecoin grant and 75,000 AAVE tokens over a 12-month period. Of the stablecoins, $5 million is to be disbursed at the start, while the remainder is delivered through two concurrent monthly streams, completing at the six and twelve-month marks. Unused funds are to be returned to the treasury at year’s end.
Aave Labs explained the 75,000 AAVE tokens would vest linearly over four years and are designated for employee compensation — they will have no voting rights within governance to avoid conflicts of interest. Additional milestone-based grants are included, with $7.5 million allocated to the Aave App and another $10 million for further product advancements tied to Aave Pro, Aave Card, and Aave Kit.
Aave founder Stani Kulechov highlighted the proposal’s intent to route all product-layer revenue to the DAO, positioning Aave Labs in a fully token-centric arrangement, and transitioning the ecosystem toward a single-asset model benefiting AAVE holders.
Revenue Expansion Aspirations With V4
The new approach coincides with broader plans for growth as Aave prepares to roll out V4 of the protocol. Aave V3 currently brings in more than $100 million annually for the DAO, and V4 is designed to push this figure higher. The next iteration introduces Spoke modules that include permissioned markets, LP collateral support, debt trading, and multi-chain capabilities—each with its own revenue sources and risk models.
Aave V4 will also feature a reinvestment module, giving the DAO the ability to deploy idle pool liquidity into pre-approved, low-risk yield strategies. Historically, this liquidity has been seen as an underutilized resource for the community treasury, and the upgrades may unlock additional returns.
Another key aspect is Aave Labs’ expanded role, which will now encompass governance infrastructure, tooling, and security functions previously managed by BGD Labs and ACI. This broader set of operational responsibilities is said to surpass any earlier agreements with outside service providers.
