Enforce a Hard Supply Cap and Reduce Staking Emissions to Strengthen BLD

Governance
1

This proposal addresses a fundamental issue affecting the Agoric ecosystem: persistent dilution and sell pressure caused by an inflationary supply model at a time when the token trades at very low valuations.

1. Enforce a hard maximum supply of 721 million BLD

We propose burning excess tokens to permanently fix the maximum supply at 721,000,000 BLD — no more, no less.

A hard cap introduces real scarcity. Scarcity is not speculative by nature; it is a game-theoretic mechanism that aligns long-term incentives for holders, validators, builders, and users. With a finite supply, value creation comes from demand and usage, not from continuous emissions.

2. Reduce staking rewards to approximately 2% annually

Current staking rewards generate ongoing sell pressure, particularly from large holders who have already accumulated significant balances through historical emissions.

Reducing staking rewards to ~2% per year preserves network security while dramatically limiting dilution. It shifts staking incentives from short-term extraction toward long-term alignment with the network’s success.

3. Improve game-theoretic dynamics and holder alignment

A scarce token changes behavior. When supply is finite and emissions are minimal:

  • Holding becomes rational

  • Selling becomes a strategic decision, not an automatic reflex

  • Even modest increases in demand can positively affect price discovery

This creates a healthier equilibrium where usage amplifies value instead of merely offsetting inflation.

4. Why this is necessary now

Utility alone cannot compensate for weak monetary structure. Waiting for usage to solve inflation is risky and places unnecessary pressure on new products such as Ymax.

A strong token increases confidence. Confidence attracts users, builders, and capital. A continuously weakening token does the opposite.

Scarcity, disciplined emissions, and clear monetary rules are prerequisites for sustainable growth.

This proposal does not aim to create short-term price action. It aims to establish a sound, long-term economic foundation for the Agoric ecosystem.

1 Like
2

I’m aligned with the view that adoption and monetary policy operate on different layers. Orchestration and product usefulness are what will drive usage as the product moves into real use; monetary policy governs how value is retained and distributed once that usage emerges. In the absence of fees, low fixed staking rewards don’t disappear, they tend to be reallocated via higher validator commissions, which affects how value flows to delegators rather than driving adoption itself. Even with low staking rewards sell pressure among large delegators would still exist.

3

I agree that adoption and monetary policy operate on different layers, and I think that distinction is important. Orchestration and product usefulness clearly drive usage, while monetary policy determines how value is retained once usage exists.

Where I think the urgency comes in is timing. While these layers are conceptually separate, they interact in practice through perception and incentives. If the monetary layer is continuously weakening, it actively undermines confidence and slows adoption before usage even has a chance to emerge.

You’re right that lowering staking rewards alone does not eliminate sell pressure, and that value can be reallocated through validator commissions. That’s exactly why I don’t see this as a single-lever fix, but as a structural adjustment: finite supply + reduced emissions + clearer scarcity dynamics.

Even if some sell pressure remains, a hard cap fundamentally changes behavior. It shifts the system from “continuous dilution that must be offset by future usage” to “fixed supply where usage amplifies value instead of compensating for inflation.”

In that sense, I don’t see monetary policy as something that should wait for adoption data. It defines the conditions under which adoption becomes rational in the first place, especially for users and builders deciding where to commit capital.

So I agree with you on the separation of concerns — I just believe the monetary layer needs to be stabilized now so that the adoption layer has a fair chance to succeed

4

A agree with a hard cap.

As far as staking goes I would be keen to hear a few ideas and options.

5

That’s a very valid concern, and it’s exactly the right question to ask.

With the current circulating supply at ~693M BLD and a proposed hard cap of 721M, we only have ~28M BLD remaining before the cap is reached. The staking rate therefore determines how aggressively we are betting on near-term usability and fees.

At current supply levels, the timeline looks roughly like this:
• 13% staking rewards: ~90M BLD/year → cap reached in ~4 months
• 10% staking rewards: ~69M BLD/year → cap reached in ~5 months
• 5% staking rewards: ~35M BLD/year → cap reached in ~9–10 months
• 2% staking rewards: ~14M BLD/year → cap reached in ~2 years

Anything above ~5% effectively assumes that Ymax and orchestration fees will fully replace emissions within months. That is a very aggressive assumption and creates a high risk of an emission cliff.

Once emissions are exhausted, the network is forced into a sudden transition: staking rewards collapse, validator commissions increase, delegators react, and confidence can be disrupted.

A lower staking rate (around ~2%) is not an anti-validator stance. It’s a risk-management decision. It extends the lifetime of the remaining supply, reduces structural sell pressure, and gives real usage time to grow into the role of supporting network security.
In short: high staking rewards with a hard cap is an extreme bet on immediate usability. A lower rate makes the transition to a fee-supported model gradual, predictable, and far healthier for the ecosystem.

1 Like
6

Would setting the hard cap higher- (say 800M) still prove scarcity, yet allow rewards to sit higher (eg. 7%) and extend the supply level timeline ~14 months.

  • at 2% I feel that people may not bother staking -im not sure that I would.

That could give time for Ymax to build and gain traction, time for devs to get some things built using the platform… Just a thought (obviously I’m no expert).

1 Like
7

That’s a reasonable question, and I think it’s important to add one more constraint to the analysis: time is not unlimited.

As far as I understand, the core BLD / Agoric team currently has runway for roughly 14–16 months. That matters a lot from both a mathematical and game-theoretic perspective.

With that in mind, increasing the hard cap to ~800M and keeping rewards around ~7% does not really buy us meaningful extra time. At current circulating levels (~693M), that setup still reaches the cap in roughly ~2 years, while introducing substantially more dilution and ongoing sell pressure during the most critical window.

In contrast, a lower hard cap (721M) combined with reduced emissions (~2%, or a clear step-down toward it) does two important things:

It maximizes credibility immediately, which is essential when runway is limited. Strong scarcity signals help stabilize expectations and behavior now, not later.

It reduces the need for constant selling by both large holders and, indirectly, by the ecosystem itself, preserving optionality during this 14–16 month window.

From a game-theory standpoint, this is about coordination. When participants believe dilution is ending soon and supply is truly finite, the dominant strategy shifts from “sell before others do” to “hold and wait for usage to materialize.”

With limited runway, relying on extended emissions to “buy time” is risky. It weakens the signal precisely when trust and confidence are most needed. A stronger monetary commitment upfront increases the probability that Ymax and other products succeed within the time we actually have.

In short: when time is scarce, credibility matters more than flexibility. Lower emissions and a hard cap improve our odds during the window that truly counts.

1 Like
8

Thanks for putting this together — it’s a thoughtful proposal and a useful way to get the conversation started on some important topics. A few thoughts from my perspective:

I think it helps to separate two things that are getting mixed together here: what governance can realistically change today, and what would require protocol changes and engineering work. I’m suggesting this framing mainly as a practical “what can we actually get done now” lens.

On the governance-feasible side, reducing emissions is a reasonable and worthwhile discussion. Parameters like inflation bounds, inflation rate change, goal bonded ratio, community tax, and unbonding time are adjustable by governance. Lower emissions can send a credibility signal and reduce structural sell pressure, and a clear emission taper or step-down path is a real lever governance can act on.

Where things get more complicated is the hard cap and burn. That isn’t a parameter change — it would require protocol changes and raises hard questions about how burns are applied across bonded, vesting, DAO, and contract-held tokens. It also depends on a supply assumption that doesn’t match current data: total supply is ~1.16B BLD, so a 721M cap would imply burning roughly 38% of existing supply, which is a very different class of decision.

More broadly, I agree that monetary policy and adoption interact through incentives and perception. Where I’m more cautious is assuming that scarcity alone can substitute for usage or revenue in the near term. And, while lower emissions can reduce sell pressure, validator economics and network security still need a credible path as inflation declines.

A constructive way forward may be to refine this discussion to focus on emission tapering and related parameters we can actually adjust today, while treating hard caps and burns as a separate, much heavier conversation that would require engineering design and broad consensus.

My two cents.

9

Thanks for the thoughtful and grounded response — I think this framing is extremely helpful, and I largely agree with it.

Separating what governance can realistically act on today from what requires protocol changes and engineering work is the right way to move this conversation forward. From that perspective, I fully agree that emission reduction and tapering are the most immediately actionable levers available to governance.

I also agree that a hard cap and burn are not parameter changes. Enforcing a hard cap would require protocol-level design, clarity on scope (bonded, vesting, DAO-held, and contract-held supply), and broad consensus. Burning ~38% of total supply is not a small decision, and treating that discussion as a heavier, Phase 2 effort is reasonable.

That said, I want to emphasize why I believe acting decisively on emissions now is not optional, but foundational.

With an estimated 14–16 month runway for the core ecosystem, time is a binding constraint. In this window, credibility and expectation-setting matter more than long-term optionality. Continued high emissions at current price levels cause irreversible dilution and structural sell pressure precisely when trust is most fragile.

Lowering emissions is not meant to substitute for usage or revenue. I fully agree that long-term security must ultimately be supported by fees and real economic activity. Rather, emission discipline is a prerequisite for giving adoption a fair chance to succeed, not a replacement for it.

From both a mathematical and game-theoretic standpoint, emissions are a continuous control variable. Reducing inflation and introducing a clear, explicit taper or step-down path:

Immediately reduces forced selling

Extends the effective lifetime of remaining supply

Avoids an eventual emission cliff

Improves holder and validator coordination

Preserves network security while expectations adjust

In contrast, deferring emission changes while waiting for usage places the entire burden of stabilization on adoption alone — which is a high-risk bet given current conditions.

I therefore strongly support focusing next steps on a concrete emission taper proposal that governance can act on immediately, for example:

Lower inflation bounds

Reduced inflation rate change

A step-down schedule toward ~3% delegator APR

@ricDCF

A review clause after 60–90 days using real bonded ratio and fee data

In parallel, I think it makes sense to continue the broader design discussion around long-term supply constraints, including hard caps and burns, as a separate Phase 2 effort that can mature with proper engineering input and consensus.

In short: emission discipline now, structural supply changes next.

This sequencing maximizes what governance can realistically accomplish today while laying the groundwork for stronger long-term monetary commitments.

Appreciate the engagement — this is exactly the kind of serious discussion the network needs right now.

10

Under a 721,000,000 BLD hard cap, an alternative transition approach could route part of the would-be burned supply into a temporary, taxed pool for validator and delegator commissions. This maintains supply discipline while mitigating operational cliffs as the network transitions toward fee-based security.

11

Just to clarify, I see this more as a directional transition concept rather than something that can be implemented purely through governance knobs. Parts of it (like inflation tapering and pooling via existing mechanisms) could be explored via governance, while a full implementation would clearly require careful protocol engineering and sequencing.