Aave proposal clears first hurdle with 52.6% support amid governance split

Aave’s “Aave Will Win” framework passed its Temp Check vote, clearing the first formal stage of the protocol’s governance process.

On Sunday, the off-chain Snapshot vote closed with 52.58% voting in favor, 42% against and 5.42% abstaining. The result advances the measure to the Aave Request for Final Comment (ARFC) stage, where terms may be revised before any binding on-chain vote.

The framework asks tokenholders to approve up to $42.5 million in stablecoins and 75,000 Aave ($AAVE) tokens for Aave Labs. In return, the organization would route 100% of revenue from Aave-branded products to the Aave DAO treasury under a DAO-funded operating model.

The narrow margin highlights a divided governance base as the protocol considers structural changes to its funding, revenue alignment and long-term development.

Aave DAO’s Temp Check voting results. Source: Snapshot

The ARFC stage will determine whether concerns raised during the debate will translate into revisions before a formal Aave Improvement Proposal is submitted on-chain.

Split vote reflects ongoing governance tensions

Aave founder Stani Kulechov said in a post on X that the Temp Check brings the protocol closer to a “fully token-centric model,” adding that structural improvements will be incorporated at the ARFC stage based on community feedback.

Source: Stani Kulechov

Critics previously questioned the size of the funding package and the inclusion of 75,000 $AAVE tokens, which carry voting power.

Others called for clearer definitions and stronger disclosure standards around governance holdings.

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On Feb. 25, competing reports from Aave Chan Initiative (ACI) founder Marc Zeller and Aave Labs offered contrasting interpretations of past funding and value creation ahead of the vote.

The ACI published a transparency report reviewing Aave Labs’ historical funding, while Aave Labs outlined its role in building the protocol since 2017.

What happens next in Aave governance process?

Under Aave’s governance framework, proposals typically move from Temp Check to ARFC before advancing to an on-chain Aave Improvement Proposal (AIP) vote. Only AIPs executed on-chain are binding.

If the proposal advances beyond ARFC, tokenholders will vote on whether to formalize the DAO-funded model and ratify Aave V4 as the long-term technical foundation.

The outcome could reshape how the Aave ecosystem structures development, revenue and brand stewardship.

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