Aave DAO Demands Full Control Over Brand and Domains: The Battle for Decentralization

• Why Is the Aave DAO Fighting for Brand Control?
• What’s in the Proposal?
• Who Supports the Move?
• What’s Next for Aave?
• FAQs: Aave DAO’s Brand Ownership Battle

The Aave DAO is making waves in the DeFi space by pushing for full ownership of its brand assets, including domains and social media accounts. This move comes after Aave Labs allegedly redirected $10M in annual fees away from the DAO treasury. Key contributors like Marc Zeller and Ernesto Boado are leading the charge, arguing that the DAO—not Aave Labs—should control the brand’s monetization. Here’s a deep dive into the conflict, the proposal, and what it means for decentralized governance.

Why Is the Aave DAO Fighting for Brand Control?

The AAVE DAO, a decentralized autonomous organization governing the Aave protocol, is locked in a high-stakes battle over who truly owns the Aave brand. On December 4, 2025, Aave Labs reportedly diverted around $10M in annual fees to its own accounts instead of the DAO treasury. This sparked outrage among token holders, with Marc Zeller, founder of Aave Chan Initiative, accusing Aave Labs of "privatizing revenues" without community consent.

Ernesto Boado, an independent contributor since 2022, has now proposed "AAVE Token Alignment - Phase 1: Ownership," demanding that critical assets—like aave.com, GitHub organizations, and social media handles—be transferred to the DAO. Boado argues that Aave Labs’ ability to monetize the protocol relies entirely on the brand recognition built by the DAO. "Without the DAO’s reputation, these products wouldn’t generate revenue," he wrote.

What’s in the Proposal?

The proposal outlines a transfer of all brand assets to a neutral legal structure, independent of service providers like Aave Labs or BGD Labs. Key demands include:

• Full ownership of aave.com and onaave.com domains
• Control over social media accounts (@aave on X, Discord, Instagram)
• GitHub organizations ("aave" and "aave-dao")
• The npm package "aave"

Boado emphasizes that the proposal isn’t an attack on Aave Labs but a clarification of ownership. "Aave Labs could still manage these assets in the future," he notes, "but the DAO must hold the keys."

Who Supports the Move?

Marc Zeller backs the proposal, stating: "Ownership should belong to the DAO, management can be delegated under binding terms, and monetization must align with AAVE token holders." Jordan Lazaro Gustave, Aave co-founder, has also voiced support. Notably, Boado suggests that entities with conflicts of interest abstain from voting—though the vote remains permissionless.

What’s Next for Aave?

The proposal doesn’t require executable code, meaning a simple on-chain vote will decide. If passed, it could set a precedent for how DAOs assert control over their brands. For now, the community awaits the outcome, with many seeing this as a litmus test for decentralized governance.