Orca token revenue share model

Hello all

Noticing the upcoming positive changes to crypto regulation in the United States, Orca could consider a revenue share model with token holders. Below I’ve outlined an initial proposal to begin discussions and seek feedback. It would be great to hear what community thinks.

Orca token revenue share model:

Model was developed by examining Orca’s fee mechanism and rewarding ORCA token holders who show long-term alignment with the project.

Understanding Orca’s Fee Mechanism

Orca generates revenue primarily through trading fees on its liquidity pools:

  • Constant Product Pools: A 0.30% fee is charged per trade. Of this, 0.17% goes to liquidity providers (LPs), 0.10% is allocated to the Orca Treasury, and 0.03% supports the Orca Impact Fund (for charitable causes like climate initiatives).

  • Whirlpools (Concentrated Liquidity Pools): Fees range from 0.01% to 1% depending on the pool tier (e.g., 0.01%, 0.05%, 0.25%, 1%). For this model, we’ll assume a representative fee of 0.25% per trade, with 0.20% currently going to LPs and 0.05% allocated to the Treasury.

The Orca Treasury, which accumulates fees (primarily in tokens traded on the platform), ties the protocol’s financial health to ORCA’s value. These funds can be used for development, token buybacks, revenue sharing, or other initiatives benefiting the ecosystem.

Goals of the Revenue Share Model

  • Reward Long-Term Alignment: Incentivize ORCA holders to lock tokens for extended periods, reducing sell pressure and increasing the token’s value.

  • Leverage Fee Revenue: Distribute a portion of trading fees to committed holders, aligning their interests with the protocol’s growth.

  • Sustain Ecosystem Growth: Ensure sufficient Treasury funds remain for development and liquidity incentives.

Proposed Token Revenue Share Model

Here’s a detailed model that integrates Orca’s fee mechanism with a revenue-sharing system for long-term ORCA holders:

Long-Term Alignment Mechanism

  • Staking/Locking Program: ORCA holders can lock their tokens in a smart contract for predefined periods (e.g., 6 months, 1 year, 4 years) to qualify for revenue sharing. Longer lockups yield higher rewards to reflect commitment.

  • Alignment Score: Assign a multiplier based on lockup duration:

    • 6 months: 1x

    • 1 year: 1.5x

    • 4 years: 4x

  • Minimum Threshold: Require a minimum stake (e.g., 100 ORCA) to participate, ensuring meaningful commitment while remaining accessible. This would also encourage investors to increase their holding to meet the minimum threshold, increasing buy pressure on Orca.

Revenue Distribution

  • Revenue Pool: 50% of the Treasury’s fee revenue (0.05% from Constant Product Pools and 0.025% from Whirlpools per trade) is allocated to the revenue share pool. The remaining 50% supports development, buybacks, and other protocol needs.

  • Distribution Frequency: Fees are distributed quarterly to staked ORCA holders, converted to a stablecoin (e.g., USDC) or SOL for simplicity and predictability.

  • Pro Rata Share: Each participant’s share is calculated based on their staked ORCA amount multiplied by their alignment score, divided by the total weighted staked amount:

    • Individual Share = (Staked ORCA × Alignment Multiplier / Total Weighted Staked ORCA) × Revenue Pool

Example Calculation

Assumptions:

  • Daily trading volume: $50 million (consistent with Orca’s historical averages).

  • Treasury fee per trade: 0.10% for Constant Product Pools, 0.05% for Whirlpools (assuming equal volume split for simplicity).

  • Revenue share pool: 50% of Treasury fees.

  • Total ORCA staked: 10 million (20% of circulating supply, assuming ~50 million circulating as of early 2025).

Daily Treasury Revenue:

  • Constant Product Pools: $25,000,000 × 0.0010 = $25,000

  • Whirlpools: $25,000,000 × 0.0005 = $12,500

  • Total: $25,000 + $12,500 = $37,500 (e.g., $37,500 in mixed tokens).

Revenue Share Pool:

  • $37,500 × 0.5 = $18,750 ($18,750 daily).

Quarterly Pool:

  • $18,750 × 90 = $1,687,500 ($1,687,500 per quarter).

Individual Example:

  • Holder A stakes 5,000 ORCA for 4 years (4x multiplier) = 20,000 weighted ORCA.

  • Total weighted staked ORCA = 18 million (hypothetical total with multipliers).

  • Holder A’s share:

    • (20,000 / 18,000,000) × 1,687,500 = $1,875 ($1,875 per quarter).
  • APY ≈ 81%

Governance Integration

  • Voting Power: Staked ORCA retains governance rights, with voting power scaled by the alignment multiplier, further incentivizing long-term participation.

  • Proposal: Initial implementation requires a governance vote by ORCA holders to approve the fee adjustment and revenue share framework.

Benefits of the Model

  • Long-Term Alignment: Locking tokens reduces circulating supply, potentially increasing ORCA’s price and rewarding holders who believe in the project’s future.

  • Revenue Incentive: Holders earn a passive income stream tied to Orca’s trading volume, aligning their financial interests with the DEX’s success.

  • Sustainability: Retaining 50% of Treasury fees ensures funds for development and liquidity incentives, balancing rewards with growth.

Conclusion

This revenue share model leverages Orca’s existing fee mechanism to reward long-term ORCA holders with a share of the DEX’s trading fees, fostering alignment with the protocol’s success. By adjusting Whirlpool fees, establishing a staking program with alignment multipliers, and distributing revenue quarterly, Orca can create a compelling incentive for committed holders while maintaining funds for ecosystem growth. Given Orca’s position as a leading Solana DEX with significant trading volume, this model could enhance its tokenomics, making ORCA not just a governance tool but a revenue-generating asset for the faithful.

This could seriously shift the meta on Orca if investors could realise a potential APY of circa 81% each and every year, over a 4 year lock-up. This would be a exciting and compelling investment opportunity and make Orca stand out.

All feedback welcome.

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Hi Reegan,

Thank you for the thoughtful proposal. I’m a member of the governance council, and we’re currently working on a proposal that closely aligns with many of your ideas. We plan to post it on the forum in the next few weeks.

While I’ll let the official council proposal speak for itself, here are some of the big-picture ideas I’ve been advocating for within the council:

  1. 50% Split:
    I agree that a 50% split is reasonable. It’s important to ensure the existing development team and future development efforts remain well-funded so we can continue to grow and capitalize on new opportunities.

  2. Simplified Eligibility Requirement (ORCAx Model):
    Rather than the more complex Long-Term Alignment Mechanism you outlined, I’m advocating for a simpler model. Under ORCAx, holders who want to be eligible for value accrual can stake their tokens and immediately receive their pro rata share. This approach also draws CEX ORCA holders to our platform’s UI, potentially converting them into DEX users and further growing the on-chain economy. A short unstaking “cool-down period” would prevent bots from gaming the system, but I don’t believe long-term lockups are necessary.

  3. Buybacks Over Payouts:
    In my view, protocol revenue should be used to buy back ORCA tokens rather than paying out protocol fees in USDC or SOL. This could be more tax-efficient for some long-term holders (depending on their jurisdiction and other individual circumstances) because ORCAx will appreciate against ORCA over time, meaning each ORCAx will represent more underlying ORCA. Holders can choose when to sell, thus controlling when they have a realization event for tax purposes. Additionally, since the crypto “risk-free rate” can be high—especially during bull markets—more constant buy pressure on ORCA could ultimately provide more compelling long-term value than a stablecoin payout.

  4. Token Burn:
    Although not mentioned in your proposal, I’m also pushing for a significant burn of ORCA tokens held by the DAO. When researchers look at sites like CoinGecko or CoinMarketCap, they see a large discrepancy between Market Cap and FDV (fully diluted valuation), implying a lot of tokens could enter circulation. In reality, many tokens are simply sitting in the DAO treasury. By burning a significant portion and clarifying supply expectations, we’ll provide market confidence that we won’t be flooding the market with new tokens. Instead, we’ll strategically buy ORCA on the open market as needed for future ecosystem incentives.

Thank you again for your thoughtful contributions. Please let me know if you have any questions!

Best,
Cortina

2 Likes