The Aave community has voted in favor of the 'Aave Will Win' proposal, marking a significant shift in the protocol's governance structure. This proposal, deemed the most important in Aave's history, ensures that 100% of revenue from all Aave-branded products is redirected back to the DAO, consolidating economic rights under the AAVE token.
As a result, the DAO will now be responsible for funding Aave Labs' activities, with a $25 million stablecoin grant and 5,000 AAVE token allocation approved. The Aave DAO, a community-run decision-making body, will oversee the protocol's upgrades, fees, and treasury use. The 'Aave Will Win' proposal resolves a dispute that arose when swap fees were redirected away from the community treasury, exposing a deeper tension over control of the protocol's revenue-generating products. With this proposal, token holders have decisively gained control over protocol revenue, which reached $140 million in 2025 and is expected to match that in 2026.
The application layer, including Aave Pro, Aave App, Horizon, and Aave Kit, will generate additional revenue, with swaps on Aave.com and Aave Pro already producing $10 to $20 million in extra revenue. Aave App aims to provide a 'fintech-like experience' with $1 million account protection per user and a card launch, generating fees for the treasury. The proposal also addresses 'value leakage' by requiring service providers to build exclusively for Aave, with measurable goals and governance process improvements. Technically, Aave V4's reinvestment feature will turn idle float capital into yield-generating positions, and new 'Spokes' will expand collateral options.
With roughly $25 billion in total value locked, Aave is the largest lending protocol in DeFi, and the $140 million annual revenue figure positions it alongside Uniswap and Lido as one of the few protocols generating nine-figure income. The target is to scale from $40 billion to $1 trillion, positioning Aave as a financial network that any fintech, bank, or asset manager can plug into.