Aave’s “Aave Will Win” framework has cleared its first governance milestone after passing the Temp Check stage.
The off-chain Snapshot vote concluded Sunday with 52.58% in favor, 42% opposed and 5.42% abstaining. With the proposal approved at this preliminary stage, it now moves to the Aave Request for Final Comment (ARFC) phase, where the terms can be refined before proceeding to a binding onchain vote.
The framework seeks approval for up to $42.5 million in stablecoins and 75,000 AAVE tokens to be allocated to Aave Labs. In exchange, Aave Labs would direct 100% of revenue generated from Aave-branded products to the Aave DAO treasury under a DAO-funded operating structure.
The slim margin of support underscores divisions within the community as the protocol weighs significant changes to its funding model, revenue alignment and long-term development strategy.
The proposal now enters the ARFC stage, where feedback raised during the debate may lead to revisions before a formal Aave Improvement Proposal is submitted for an onchain vote.
Split vote reflects governance tensions
Stani Kulechov, founder of Aave, said in a post on X that the Temp Check result moves the protocol closer to a “fully token-centric model.” He added that structural refinements would be made during the ARFC phase in response to community input.
Critics had earlier raised concerns about the scale of the proposed funding package, particularly the allocation of 75,000 AAVE tokens, which carry governance voting power. Others pushed for clearer definitions and more robust disclosure standards regarding governance-related holdings.
On Feb. 25, differing narratives emerged ahead of the vote. Marc Zeller, founder of the Aave Chan Initiative (ACI), released a transparency report examining Aave Labs’ historical funding. In response, Aave Labs published its own account highlighting its contributions to building Aave since 2017.
What happens next in the Aave governance process?
Under Aave’s governance structure, proposals typically progress from a Temp Check to the ARFC stage before moving to a formal onchain Aave Improvement Proposal (AIP). Only AIPs that are executed onchain are binding.
If the framework clears the ARFC phase, tokenholders will vote on whether to formally adopt the DAO-funded operating model and confirm Aave V4 as the protocol’s long-term technical foundation.
The final outcome could significantly influence how the Aave ecosystem approaches development funding, revenue alignment and stewardship of the brand going forward.
