Aave founder Stani Kulechov pushed back against information circulating in the market about a possible negotiation involving the Kraken exchange and the group responsible for developing the protocol. According to him, any interpretation that AAVE tokens were being sold at a 70% discount does not correspond to reality.
The comments emerged after reports that Kraken was discussing an investment valued at approximately 35 thousand ETH in exchange for 250 thousand AAVE tokens and a 15% stake in Aave Group. The operation would have an estimated valuation of about US$ 71 million, while the company would be valued at around US$ 385 million.
Kulechov did not rule out the existence of strategic talks. However, he explained that Aave Labs holds a stake in AAVE and that different market participants have already shown interest in acquiring this exposure through long-term agreements and broader partnerships.
The executive highlighted that there is a clear separation between Aave Labs, responsible for developing the protocol, and Aave DAO, the governance structure that manages the resources linked to the ecosystem. According to him, all revenue generated by the Aave Protocol and the GHO stablecoin is directed to AAVE token holders through the DAO.
According to Kulechov, the same model also applies to revenue from the Aave App, Aave Pro, and swap services, after the implementation of the proposal known as Aave Will Win. Under this format, Aave Labs does not maintain a direct share in product revenues, being funded by the DAO to continue developing the platform.
The founder also stated that the protocol currently generates about US$ 134 million in annualized revenue, an amount allocated entirely to the governance structure. He added that the Aave brand, the protocol software, and other intellectual property developed for the ecosystem belong to the AAVE token within the project's new organization.
Another point highlighted was the development of Aavenomics 3.0, an update that is expected to introduce an automated AAVE token buyback mechanism. Although details about launch, volume, or funding have not yet been disclosed, the proposal seeks to create a more predictable connection between protocol revenue and token purchases in the market.
In addition to the cryptocurrency lending segment, the Aave team is also working on expanding into areas related to real-world asset tokenization and other financial markets. Meanwhile, the AAVE token recorded strong recent movement, reaching an intraday high of US$ 87,50 before retreating to the US$ 81 region, keeping investors' attention on the project's next steps.