Velodrome

Velodrome Finance is an automated market maker (AMM) and integrates features from Curve, Convex, and Uniswap to establish itself as the primary liquidity hub for OP Mainnet. It boasts unique functionalities like a self-optimizing liquidity flywheel and NFTs representing liquid locked positions, directing 100% of protocol incentives and fees to its voters.

Velodrome Finance is a remarkable and innovative automated market maker (AMM) that melds the strengths of Curve, Convex, and Uniswap. It's uniquely positioned as the primary liquidity hub for OP Mainnet. At the heart of Velodrome's distinctiveness is its flywheel mechanism, which efficiently channels $VELO emissions directly to liquidity pools. This mechanism is pivotal in establishing substantial liquidity while optimizing capital usage, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of liquidity provision in the ecosystem. Velodrome's array of features makes it a standout in the DeFi space. It facilitates both stable and volatile trading with the promise of low fees. In a move to empower its users, Velodrome directs 100% of its protocol incentives and fees to its voters, acknowledging their contribution to the governance process. The platform also innovatively employs NFTs to represent liquid locked positions, further diversifying its use case scenarios. A defining aspect of Velodrome is its permissionless nature, allowing the creation of pools, gauges, and incentives without centralized permissions. Coupled with this, its self-optimizing liquidity flywheel ensures that liquidity provision is continuously enhanced. To safeguard its voters from dilution, Velodrome implements anti-dilution rebases.

Velodrome operates on a governance model that enables token holders to actively participate in key decision-making processes. These decisions span across a range of critical areas, including protocol upgrades, fee structures, and the overall development of the platform, ensuring that the evolution of Velodrome aligns with the needs and preferences of its user base. The governance framework of Velodrome is underpinned by two distinct types of tokens. The $VELO, an ERC-20 utility token, is primarily used to reward liquidity providers through emissions. Meanwhile, the $veVELO, an innovative ERC-721 governance token in the form of an NFT, represents a deeper layer of governance. $VELO holders can lock their tokens for up to four years, converting them into $veVELO. The longer these tokens are locked, the greater the holder's voting power and rewards, incentivizing long-term commitment and stability within the ecosystem. At the core of Velodrome's governance is the ve(3,3) mechanism, which rewards behaviors that correlate with the platform's success, such as liquidity provision and extended token holding. This mechanism ensures that liquidity providers are compensated with $VELO emissions, while $veVELO holders gain from protocol fees, bribes, rebases, and, importantly, governance power.

As a utility token, VELO is integral to Velodrome Finance, facilitating value transfer and ensuring secure settlements – a cornerstone for the smooth functioning of the platform. The design of the VELO token is adept at incentivizing positive behavior within the ecosystem. For liquidity providers, the appeal lies in receiving VELO emissions as rewards for depositing tokens used in trading. This not only encourages users to contribute to the platform’s liquidity but also enhances its overall efficiency and stability. In the realm of governance, VELO token holders, especially those holding veVELO, possess the power to vote on pools eligible for VELO emissions. This governance mechanism not only fosters active participation but also aligns the users’ actions with the platform's strategic direction. In terms of value capture, the VELO token mirrors the growth and success of the Velodrome platform. Ideally, as the platform expands in use and services, this progress should be reflected in the token’s market value. While not explicitly stated, if the VELO tokens entitle holders to a share of transaction fees or other generated revenues, it would further align the token's worth with the prosperity of the platform.

Velodrome has received significant funding from the Optimism Foundation. The project was granted 3,000,000 $OP from the Optimism Foundation Partner Fund. This grant, received in July, was aimed at bolstering Velodrome's incentives, with the existing incentives aligned to be exhausted in accordance with the distribution timeline set by the Foundation. Velodrome additionally received grants from the Optimism Collective, Specifically, grants of 360,000 OP, 150,000 OP, and 4,000,000 OP, were passed through as incentives to support ecosystem onboarding, spread the Optimistic Vision, and foster ecosystem growth.