Fluid Moves to Establish Foundation for Long-Term DAO Control

• Token holders gain real control over Fluid’s IP and protocol decisions for the first time.

• The $250K/month Foundation budget sparks debate on fair value and incentives.

• Fluid aims for $50B TVL in 2026, with DEX v2, Venus Flux, and Solana growth driving expansion.

Fluid Protocol is making a strategic shift by proposing the creation of the Fluid Foundation, signaling a new chapter in its governance and institutional ambitions. The move comes as DMH, former Fluid team lead, steps into the director role at the Foundation.

He explained that while a fully DAO-owned protocol empowers token holders, a DAO alone cannot meet AML, KYC, banking, or regulatory obligations without compromising decentralized governance. Hence, the Foundation would act as a recognized legal entity serving the protocol while operating through custodians and directors.

According to DMH, the Foundation will manage all intellectual property, including smart contracts, front-end domains, and other assets. “Rather than remaining with the team or early contributors, for the first time, token holders will get real, enforceable control over Fluid’s IP,” he emphasized.

The proposed operational budget of $250K monthly, funded as a DAO grant, will cover engineering, growth, risk, security, finance, and marketing. Furthermore, DMH highlighted that DEX v2 audits are completed, and the launch is planned immediately after the ongoing sherlockdefi contest concludes around March 10. The team anticipates v2 becoming the largest DEX by volume across all chains this year.

Institutional Access and Expansion Plans

Fluid is actively working with multiple institutions that seek more robust DeFi offerings than traditional vaults or curated systems provide. Onboarding institutions involves six months or more of legal and compliance coordination. The first institutional partners are nearing launch.

DMH outlined additional initiatives: Lite USD vault deployment expected this week, Venus Flux launch on BNBCHAIN in partnership with venusprotocol on February 26, and rapid growth on Solana via jup_lend. Following the DEX v2 launch, Fluid plans an insurance protocol to safeguard lenders. The internal goal for 2026 is $50B TVL, with multiple off-chain initiatives in progress.

However, some governance members question the $3M annual Foundation budget, arguing it risks overcompensating the Foundation without guaranteeing proportional value for FLUID holders. A proposed alternative uses a lower base compensation with a commission on protocol revenue, aligning Foundation incentives with token holders during revenue booms.

Ignas, another community participant, supported the proposal, noting it prevents potential equity-token conflicts seen at platforms like Aave. He also raised questions on token-holder authority, liability, and legal responsibilities.