Optimism Foundation Proposes Allocating Half of Super‑Chain Revenue to OP Token Buybacks
January 22, 2026 – Governance vote scheduled; buybacks to commence in February if approved.
The Optimism Foundation, the non‑profit entity that supports the growth and development of the Optimism Layer‑2 ecosystem, has lodged a governance proposal that would earmark 50 % of the network’s Super‑Chain revenue for a twelve‑month OP token repurchase program. The vote is set to begin on 22 January, with the first purchases slated for February, subject to community approval.
How the program would work
- Revenue source: The Super‑Chain’s income is derived from the suite of OP‑Stack based Layer‑2s that operate under the Optimism umbrella, including Base, Unichain, Ink, World Chain and the OP mainnet itself.
- Amount earmarked: Roughly half of the annual revenue – estimated at about 5,900 ETH (≈ $18 million) for the most recent twelve‑month period – would be used to acquire OP tokens each month for one year.
- Goal: The Foundation states the initiative is intended to “align the OP token with the Super‑Chain’s success,” effectively linking token price performance to the financial health of the underlying infrastructure.
Market context
OP is currently trading near $0.31, translating to a market capitalization of roughly $612 million. That figure marks a steep decline from the token’s March 2024 peak of $4.69, a 93 % drop from its all‑time high and an 82 % fall over the past twelve months. The proposed buyback would therefore represent a sizable infusion of capital relative to daily trading volumes.
Analyst perspective
The buyback model is not new in the crypto space—several projects have deployed similar mechanisms to support token price and incentivize long‑term holding. However, Optimism’s approach is distinctive for three reasons:
- Revenue‑backed funding: The program relies on actual protocol revenue rather than a pre‑allocated treasury, which could be viewed as a more sustainable source of financing.
- Limited duration: By confining the buyback to a single year, the Foundation mitigates the risk of creating a permanent market‑support structure that might distort price discovery.
- Cross‑chain effect: Since Super‑Chain revenue aggregates fees from multiple Layer‑2s, the initiative could benefit from broader ecosystem growth, potentially scaling the buyback amount over time if the proposal is renewed.
Critics caution that a one‑off influx of buying pressure may provide only a temporary price lift, especially if broader market sentiment remains bearish. Furthermore, the success of the program hinges on the continued generation of fee revenue across the OP‑Stack ecosystem—a factor that could be impacted by competing Layer‑2 solutions and evolving Ethereum gas dynamics.
Key takeaways
- Governance vote: Community members will decide on the proposal starting 22 January; a “yes” vote triggers monthly OP purchases beginning February.
- Funding level: Up to half of the Super‑Chain’s annual revenue (~5,900 ETH or $18 M) would be allocated to the buyback for a 12‑month period.
- Potential price impact: At current market caps, the proposed buybacks represent a non‑trivial proportion of circulating value, which could help stabilize or modestly increase the token price if executed as planned.
- Temporal limitation: The program is expressly limited to one year, after which the community would need to approve any extension or renewal.
- Ecosystem alignment: The initiative seeks to tether OP token performance more closely to the financial health of the broader Optimism Super‑Chain.
The outcome of the vote will be closely watched by investors and developers alike, as it may signal the community’s appetite for revenue‑backed tokenomics and set a precedent for other Layer‑2 networks exploring similar mechanisms.
Source: https://thedefiant.io/news/blockchains/optimism-foundation-proposes-using-50-of-revenue-for-buybacks
