diff --git a/proposals/00009-emissions-and-locked-staking-multiplier-adjustment.md b/proposals/00009-emissions-and-locked-staking-multiplier-adjustment.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2df5ace --- /dev/null +++ b/proposals/00009-emissions-and-locked-staking-multiplier-adjustment.md @@ -0,0 +1,108 @@ +--- +number: '00009' +title: Emissions and Staking Multiplier Adjust +authors: Jack Chan (jack.chan@piplabs.xyz) +sponsors: Leo Chen (leo@piplabs.xyz) +created: 2026-01-18 +type: Standard +status: Released +supersedes: +superseded-by: +extends: +--- + +## Summary + +This proposal reduces annual token emissions from approximately 25 million to +15,315,000 IP tokens and decreases the locked token staking reward multiplier +from 0.5x to 0.025x. These changes intend to adjust the emissions resulting +from higher-than-expected block production under a per-block emissions +schedule and align incentives for long term sustainability of the network. + +## Motivation + +Story's original design targeted 20 million IP tokens emitted annually, based +on an expected 10,368,000 blocks per year. Engineering optimizations have +improved block production to approximately 13,140,000 blocks per year — a +testament to network performance gains. However, the per-block emission rate +remained unchanged, resulting in approximately 25 million tokens emitted +annually. + +Story's 0.5x locked staking multiplier is a unique mechanism that allows +locked token holders to earn staking rewards at a reduced rate. As locked +tokens transition to unlocked status over time, aligning incentives toward +unlocked staking promotes healthier stake distribution across the validator +ecosystem. Reducing this multiplier to 0.025x aligns locked token holders with +the long term vision of Story while maintaining voting power for block +production and, when available, onchain governance voting. This new multiplier +change also redirects the majority percentage of staking rewards toward +unlocked token stakers. + +With the locked staking multiplier change, and without a corresponding +reduction in total emissions, this shift would significantly inflate APY for +unlocked token stakers. To recalibrate this, annual emissions will need to be +updated from 20,000,000 IP tokens per 10,368,000 blocks, to 15,315,000 IP +tokens per 13,140,000 blocks. This achieves two goals: it maintains a +sustainable 6-7% APY for unlocked stakers rather than artificially boosting +yields, and it reduces overall inflationary pressure on circulating supply. + +## Proposal + +### Token Emissions Adjustment + +| Parameter | Pre-launch | Actual | Proposed | +| --- | --- | --- | --- | +| IPs minted per block | 1.9290 IP | 1.9290 IP | 1.1655 IP | +| Blocks/year | 10,368,000 (est) | ~13,140,000 | 13,140,000 | +| Annual emissions | 20,000,000 IP (est) | ~25,347,060 IP | 15,315,000 IP | + +The emissions per block is now recalculated to be 1.1655 IP tokens per block +produced to achieve the target annual emission of 15,315,000 IPs. + +### Locked Staking Multiplier Adjustment + +| Parameter | Current Value | New Value | +| --- | --- | --- | +| Locked flexible period multiplier | 0.5x | 0.025x | + +### Rationale + +Reducing the locked staking multiplier to 0.025x redirects rewards toward +unlocked token holders, promoting healthier stake distribution. The +corresponding emissions recalibration to 15,315,000 IP tokens per year ensures +this shift maintains a sustainable 6-7% APY rather than artificially inflating +yields. + +Voting power remains 1:1 between locked and unlocked validators. Operators in +the active set choosing to continue running locked validators will retain +their governance participation capabilities. + +### Drawbacks + +Locked token stakers and locked validator operators will experience +significant reward reduction, potentially causing some Validators to exit the +active set and operate Unlocked Validators instead. This is an expected and +healthy outcome as locked tokens transition to unlocked status. + +### Alternatives Considered + +- **Complete elimination of locked staking rewards:** Rejected as too + disruptive to existing locked validators +- **Gradual phase-out over multiple upgrades:** Rejected due to implementation + complexity +- **Maintaining current emissions:** Rejected as it would not address + long-term sustainability concerns + +### User Impact + +**For Unlocked Token Stakers:** Yields are expected to remain competitive in +the 6-7% APY range for flexible staking, with higher returns available through +fixed staking periods. + +**For Locked Validators and Delegators:** Validators accepting locked +delegations will see significantly reduced rewards. Delegators to locked +validators will receive proportionally lower returns. + +**Token Unlock Context:** As locked tokens transition to unlocked status, +stake distribution is expected to naturally shift toward the unlocked +validator set--a healthy evolution for network decentralization.