PIP10-B: Migrating PATH token to VIRTUAL token

As PathDAO transitions to the Virtual Protocol, we propose the migration of the $PATH token to the $VIRTUAL token. This rebranding to $VIRTUAL will enhance public understanding of our offerings and bolster our marketing efforts.

The $VIRTUAL token will not only continue to govern the DAO and treasury, as was the core utility of the $PATH token, but will also introduce new utilities:

  1. Development Incentivization: Rewarding contributors and validators involved in the Virtual Persona stack with $VIRTUAL tokens.

  2. Support and Emission Decision: Enabling token holders to directly impact virtual persona development through staking, which dictates resource allocation and community interest alignment.

  3. Buyback Scheme: Utilizing DApp revenue to repurchase $VIRTUAL tokens, thereby bolstering token value and ecosystem stability.

  4. Airdrop Benefits: Offering airdrops in line with the roadmap for new token offerings, promoting long-term community engagement.

The migration plan includes:

  1. Conversion Ratio: A 1:1 conversion from $PATH to $VIRTUAL, ensuring no supply inflation or dilution. All $PATH tokens, including those staked or locked, across Ethereum and Polygon chains, are eligible for conversion.

  2. Snapshot and Airdrop: A snapshot of all $PATH token holders will be taken on a pre-announced date, followed by an airdrop of $VIRTUAL tokens.

  3. Liquidity Pool Transition: Existing $PATH/ETH liquidity pools will be replaced with $VIRTUAL/ETH pools on the Ethereum chain, with a target of 10% of the total $VIRTUAL supply, paired with DAO-owned ETH at the market price of $PATH upon snapshot.

  4. Budget: The estimated budget for this migration, primarily for airdrop gas fees, is 5-10K USD.

  5. Suspension of Current Staking Program: As we transition to the new Virtual Protocol token, we propose the following actions regarding the existing staking program:

  • Pause of the Program: We plan to suspend the current staking program. The specific date for this suspension will be announced in advance and will coincide with the initiation of the migration process.
  • Release of Staked Tokens: Upon pausing the program, all tokens that are currently staked will be promptly released and returned to their respective holders.
  • Future Staking Program: Post-migration, we will introduce a new staking program for the Virtual Protocol token. This program will be detailed in a separate proposal, ensuring stakeholders have ample time to understand and engage with the new system.
  1. Immediate Vesting: As of November 2023, the vesting status of $PATH tokens is as follows: Team- 50% vested, Advisors- 66% vested, Private Investors- 78% vested, Staking Rewards- 89% vested. With most tokens nearing full vesting within the next 12 months, we propose the immediate vesting of all locked tokens during the migration process. This strategy offers several advantages:
    A. Market Trends: The crypto market currently shows a preference for tokens without unlocking schedules, reducing supply overhang.
    B. Reduced Sell Pressure: The current Fully Diluted Valuation (FDV) of our tokens is lower than the book value of our treasury, suggesting minimal sell pressure post-vesting.
    C. Streamlined Holder Base: Our goal is to ensure a smooth transition for non-supporters from day one of migration, aligning our holder base with those who share our vision. For details on facilitating this transition, please refer to PIP10-C.
    Additionally, it’s crucial to note that 35% of treasury-owned tokens will remain in a DAO-controlled multi-sig wallet and will not have more than 10% emission per year for the next 3 years, subject to deployment only after receiving governance approval.

This proposal is crafted with the aim of smoothly transitioning PathDAO into a more aligned and efficient ecosystem under the Virtual Protocol, ensuring continuity and growth for our community and stakeholders.

Voting:
A) Agree to new tokenomics
B) Disagree on new tokenomics

1 Like

EdDefi — Today at 4:52 AM
If the path tokens immediately vest, will we need to claim the path tokens to transform to the virtual tokens or will it all just vest and then transfer over?

EtherMage | Sage — Today at 11:25 AM
if passed, we will try our best to reduce gas fees on the holder side. Likely we are able to snapshot your tokens even when they are staked.

EdDefi — Today at 11:30 AM
Yeah I meant for the unclaimed that haven’t vested, will everything vest, we have to claim, and then it airdrops or will they just snapshot what we’ve already claimed and then add what’s unvested, or if we have 7000 claimed, 3000 unclaimed, and 10000 waiting to vest what happens

EtherMage | Sage — Today at 11:31 AM
the latter.
We will snapshot all 3, and you will have 20,000 of new protocol tokens

EdDefi — Today at 11:32 AM
Perfect!

B) Disagree

Agree with everything except for the buyback scheme. Token value should come from bids of investors buying into fundamentals or speculation. Not hard-earned money from successful ecosystem/dapps - that should go into investing into growth/fixing econs then grow, or investor relations to support bids.

i do agree a token migration can be beneficial, especially if you accelerate vesting and offer a RQ.
current plan however can be done with the current token. maybe looking into convex / curve token model and tailor it to our needs is better, before doing a token migration. if no new innovation in virtual token, why migrate? once migration is done, you cant upgrade the token with new functions, better to have this clear before so you only do migration once, when it makes sense.

i do think moving away from ethereum will be beneficial for attracting new users as well there are also plenty of bounty programs going on since its L2 season, they are eager to fund new and existing projects to migrate.

Good points. Let me reach out to some L2 BDs.
Do you have any specific recommendations on L2s that can be most beneficial to what we are building?

Elon.Kongz.Eth (Twinkle) — Today at 6:30 AM
Can we airdrop the new tokens to existing holders when the token shows 0 value?
Tax reasons for us in the US btw

EtherMage | Sage — Today at 11:32 AM
so airdrop before the LP pools go live. Yeah, possible.

if we continue with the path token and gamefi narrative i would suggest game7 and bitdao chain. chain is new but they invested 100m in game7 for gamefi + have grant programs that allign with gamefi.

for vitual idk, its basicly a whole new project with the disadvantage of having a lot of legacy thats incompatible. maybe this other contributor in the proposal threads is right in saying its better to stop this project first and raise funds for your new idea like any other new project would.

1 Like

Accelerating team and VC vesting, giving them MORE tokens to sell, will somehow cause REDUCED sell pressure? That’s a very impressive line of logic.

A financially responsive move to deal with your FDV being below your book value would be to buyback your tokens, perhaps like how you were actually supposed to do with your “Realised $1.1Mn in profits from $RLB” according to PIP-6?

Please exercise your vote on the Snapshot if you disagree ser. We are taking a DAO-wide stock take on the topic now. Voting is live.