What is the issuance and circulation of LDO coins?

Lido's governance token LDO, with a maximum supply of 1 billion, was released via initial distribution, staking rewards, and treasury allocation, with 600 million currently circulated, primarily held by stakers and the Lido treasury.

Oct 07, 2024 at 02:30 am

What is the Issuance and Circulation of LDO Coins?

1. Issuance
LDO coins are the native governance token of the Lido decentralized finance (DeFi) protocol. They were launched on November 12, 2021, with a maximum supply capped at 1 billion tokens.

Methods of Issuance:

• Initial distribution: A portion of LDO tokens was distributed to early Lido users, developers, and investors during the initial coin offering (ICO).
• Staking rewards: LDO tokens are distributed to users who stake ETH on the Lido protocol, earning rewards in proportion to their stake.
• Treasury allocation: A reserve of LDO tokens is allocated to the Lido treasury, which is used to fund development and governance initiatives.

2. Circulation
As of November 2023, approximately 600 million LDO tokens are in circulation. The remaining tokens are held in reserve by Lido's treasury or are yet to be released.

Distribution of Circulating Supply:

• Staking: The majority of LDO tokens (approximately 40%) are held by users who stake ETH on the Lido protocol.
• Treasury: The Lido treasury holds a significant portion (approximately 25%) of the circulating supply.
• Exchanges: LDO tokens are listed on multiple cryptocurrency exchanges, where they can be traded by investors.
• Individuals: A small percentage of LDO tokens is held by Lido developers, community members, and other individuals.

3. Token Utility
LDO tokens play several key roles within the Lido ecosystem:

• Governance: LDO holders have the right to vote on proposals for protocol updates and governance decisions.
• Staking rewards: Users who stake LDO tokens alongside ETH on the Lido protocol earn additional staking rewards.
• Stability mechanism: LDO tokens are used to stabilize the Lido staking pool by adjusting the interest rate offered to stakers.
• Incentivization: Lido uses LDO tokens to incentivize liquidity providers and other ecosystem participants.

4. Market Valuation
LDO's market valuation is influenced by factors such as the growth and adoption of the Lido protocol, the demand for staked ETH, and overall crypto market conditions.

Conclusion
LDO coins are the governance token of the Lido protocol, used to incentivize staking, participate in governance, and stabilize the staking pool. Issuance of LDO tokens continues through staking rewards and treasury allocation, with a significant portion of the circulating supply currently held by stakers and the Lido treasury. The token's utility and market valuation make LDO an important component of the Lido ecosystem and the broader decentralized finance landscape.