Aave Community Debates DAO Ownership of Brand Assets Amid Token Price Slide
The Aave governance community is currently debating whether the decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) should directly own brand assets such as domains, social media handles, naming rights, and gateways, which are presently managed by third parties. The core issue centers on preventing unilateral control over Aave’s brand that could influence narratives, product distribution, and monetization.
Ernesto Boado of BGD Labs argues that token holders should formally own the brand assets, emphasizing an ownership-first approach to the matter. After several days of discussion, the proposal to transfer ownership was moved to a Snapshot vote. Boado criticized the timing, stating that the vote was rushed and that proper notification procedures were not followed. In contrast, Stani Kulechov, a prominent figure in the Aave community, maintained that the governance process was legitimate and consistent with established norms, noting that proposals can be put to vote even if introduced by third parties.
The dispute has highlighted broader tensions within decentralized finance (DeFi) over whether DAOs can own on-chain assets while key branding elements remain predominantly off-chain. Reflecting market sentiment around these governance uncertainties, the AAVE token price slid approximately 11% within a 24-hour period.
