Stani Kulechov calls for expansion beyond DeFi lending as community debates governance, value capture, and long-term growth
Following a contentious governance vote, Aave founder and CEO Stani Kulechov has presented a broader strategic vision for the protocol, signaling a push to transform Aave beyond its core decentralized finance lending model and redefine how tokenholders benefit from the ecosystem.
Governance Vote Sparks Strategic Reset
The debate was triggered after Aave tokenholders rejected a proposal to transfer brand assets and intellectual property to the protocol’s decentralized autonomous organization. The outcome highlighted growing tension around governance structure, revenue ownership, and long-term control, prompting Kulechov to address the community directly.
Kulechov emphasized that Aave must evolve beyond traditional DeFi lending to remain competitive. He outlined opportunities in real-world assets (RWAs), institutional lending, and consumer-focused financial products, arguing that DeFi alone may not sustain long-term growth. He described the protocol as being “at a crossroads” amid uncertain market conditions.
A key announcement was the plan for Aave Labs to distribute non-protocol revenue to AAVE tokenholders, potentially expanding the token’s role beyond governance. Kulechov also confirmed that a revised governance proposal addressing intellectual property and brand rights will be introduced.
Aave remains one of the largest DeFi protocols, with total value locked exceeding $45 billion at its recent peak, underscoring the scale at stake as the protocol charts its next phase of growth.
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