Marinade DAO Greenlights Fee Flow and Major MNDE Allocation for Sustainability

MIP-15 Governance Milestone Overview

On August 14, 2025, the Marinade DAO passed MIP-15, a governance proposal to activate protocol fees flowing to the Marinade Foundation and grant 100 million MNDE tokens to Marinade Labs for operational expenses. This decision aims to enhance the sustainability of the Marinade protocol, a leading liquid staking platform on Solana, while supporting ongoing development and community-driven governance.

Defining MIP-15's Core Proposal

MIP-15 is a governance proposal approved by the Marinade DAO, the decentralized autonomous organization overseeing the Marinade protocol, which enables liquid and native staking of SOL on Solana. The proposal activates a fee structure where all protocol fees are directed to the Marinade Foundation’s treasury and allocates 100 million MNDE governance tokens to Marinade Labs to fund operations, ensuring the protocol’s long-term viability and growth.

Core Components of the Update

• Protocol Fee Activation: All fees generated by the Marinade protocol, such as those from staking activities, will now flow directly to the Marinade Foundation’s treasury, managed by the DAO.
• MNDE Grant for Operations: Marinade Labs, the development team behind the protocol, receives 100 million MNDE tokens to cover operational costs, including team compensation and infrastructure development.
• Community Governance: MNDE token holders voted to approve MIP-15, reinforcing the DAO’s role in shaping the protocol’s financial strategy through the Realms governance platform.

Gains for Stakers and Solana's Network

• Enhanced Protocol Sustainability: By directing fees to the treasury, users benefit from a financially stable protocol that can fund ongoing improvements, potentially leading to better staking rewards and services.
• Transparent Governance: MNDE holders maintain control over fee allocation and operational funding, ensuring decisions align with community interests.
• Strengthened Solana Staking: The fee structure and operational funding support Marinade’s role as a leading staking protocol, contributing to Solana’s decentralization by delegating stakes to over 150 validators.
• DAO-Driven Growth: The MNDE grant empowers Marinade Labs to innovate, potentially introducing new features that enhance Solana’s DeFi ecosystem and attract more users.

Steps to Join Governance Voting

1. Acquire MNDE Tokens: Purchase MNDE on Solana-based decentralized exchanges (DEXs) like Orca or Raydium.
2. Lock MNDE on Realms: Visit app.realms.today/dao/MNDE, connect your Solana wallet, and lock your MNDE tokens to receive veMNDE, granting voting power in the DAO. Note that locked tokens are subject to a 30-day unlocking period.
3. Participate in Proposals: Monitor the Marinade forum (forum.marinade.finance) for new proposals like MIP-15 and vote using your veMNDE to influence protocol decisions.

Optimizing Participation in DAO Decisions

• Stay Informed: Regularly check the Marinade forum and blog (marinade.finance/blog) for updates on governance proposals and their impact on staking rewards or protocol features.
• Engage Actively: Propose or discuss ideas on the forum to shape future governance decisions, ensuring the protocol aligns with user needs.
• Monitor Treasury Use: Since fees now flow to the DAO treasury, track proposals on Realms to ensure funds are allocated effectively for ecosystem growth.

MIP-15's Role in Marinade's Evolution

The approval of MIP-15 marks a pivotal step for Marinade, ensuring financial sustainability through protocol fees and supporting development with a 100 million MNDE grant. For Solana users, this strengthens the protocol’s reliability and governance transparency, while bolstering the broader ecosystem’s decentralization and innovation. By participating in Marinade’s DAO, users can directly influence the future of one of Solana’s leading staking platforms, driving value for both themselves and the network.