Catenaa, Wednesday, January 07, 2026- Aave Labs on Friday said it may share non-protocol revenue with AAVE token holders to ease governance tensions with the Aave DAO over profit rights and control.

The proposal was outlined by Aave founder Stani Kulechov amid a growing dispute between the development firm and the decentralized group overseeing the lending protocol.

The debate centers on how revenue should be distributed and who controls assets tied to one of decentralized finance’s largest lending platforms.

Tensions rose after a token holder questioned a decision by Aave Labs to redirect frontend fees away from the Aave DAO.

Aave Labs created the original version of the protocol, while the DAO now maintains and governs its ongoing operations.

Kulechov said the firm intends to align more closely with token holders by sharing revenue generated outside the core protocol.

A formal proposal detailing the structure and mechanics of such distributions is expected to follow.

The governance dispute reflects broader questions about ownership, incentives and long term coordination between builders and decentralized communities.

Aave Labs supports a model where independent teams build products on top of the open protocol. In that structure, the protocol benefits indirectly through higher usage and revenue rather than direct control.

The statement also addressed concerns over branding and intellectual property.

Some DAO members have pressed Aave Labs to transfer control of the Aave brand to the decentralized group.

The statement signals an effort to reset relations as the protocol seeks to scale while preserving decentralized governance.