1/13: 🚨 @Chainlink Labs has been building some truly groundbreaking technology over the past few years.
This 🧵 will dive into each innovation Chainlink is working on and offering, and how each of these services are a staple for the future of finance.
Let’s dive in ⬇️
A duck was raised by eagles after being brought to the wrong nest.
On February 12, 2025, a nest camera captured an eagle sitting on two eggs when her mate returned with a third mystery egg.
Nobody knew where it came from, and even the mother eagle seemed confused for a moment. But instead of pushing it away, she tucked it under her body and raised it with the others.
Then the first egg hatched. It wasn’t an https://t.co/qmzgXWpDBq was a duckling.
A week later, the two eagle chicks hatched beside it, and viewers thought the duckling wouldn’t last long in a nest full of predators. But the mother eagle never treated it like food. She treated it like hers.
Fifteen weeks later, the same camera showed all three still together, with the duck growing beside the eagle chicks like a sibling. Researchers were stunned when they noticed the mother bringing back fish and softer food, almost like she knew the duckling couldn’t eat the same meat as the others.
Now everyone watching is waiting for the next impossible moment. Soon the juvenile eagles will fly away but how will the duck get down from the nest?
Question for $LINK bulls:
Why doesn’t Chainlink implement an on-chain mechanism to enforce transparency into the Revenue <> Reserve relationship?
With ZKPs, PoR, and DONs; the team has the tools to deliver aggregated, anonymous proof directly linking revenue to reserve inflows.
@fulltimelinkie@chainlink It is indefensible, from my perspective, for Chainlink to not disclose any of the mechanisms in play for determining what off-chain revenue flows to the Reserve.
It creates ambiguity.
ZKPs, PoR, and DONs unlock access to post aggregated, anonymized insights into this.
The Reserve is still very new, so scaling deposits will come with increased adoption over time.
However, there is no mechanism in place to enforce revenue into the Reserve.
The deposits are completely up to the decision of key leaders at Chainlink Labs.
This creates ambiguity.
@fulltimelinkie@chainlink We’ve already exceeded $1.2M in a weekly buyback over half a year ago.
Why wouldn’t we enforce cryptographic guarantees on a set % of off-chain revenue to flow to Reserve deposits?
Chainlink owns the tech to make this happen, they should lead by example.
@aris_jewels@The_dude__80@chainlink@ChainlinkReserv To start, all deposits are up to the discretion of CLL.
Unlike $HYPE, and other mechanisms tying revenue <> buybacks, $LINK has zero on-chain enforcement on deposits.
Why wouldn’t we hold CL to cryptographically guarantee some % of off-chain revenue to the Reserve?
The Reserve is still very new, so scaling deposits will come with increased adoption over time.
However, there is no mechanism in place to enforce revenue into the Reserve.
The deposits are completely up to the decision of key leaders at Chainlink Labs.
This creates ambiguity.
@ChrisBarrett Curious when we exceed $1.1M / week in deposits.
Investors are under the impression that deposits should be SCALING given the adoption Chainlink claims/posts about all week, every week.
Another week, another $1.1M worth of $LINK deposited.
When should we expect this figure to rise?
Surely Chainlink’s off-chain revenue has grown drastically over the past several months,
Yet, we have no way of knowing what % of value $LINK token holders are receiving.
@LINK_Dilettante You’re making assumptions on revenue.
What source material do you have to support this claim, revenue flowing to CLL is likely a rounding error compared to the $LINK on their balance sheet?
I can’t help but to feel as though without data, this is reckless to assume.
Fishy flags LayerZero Labs equity as a 🚩- it splits value away from $ZRO holders.
Yet on Chainlink, he emphasizes there’s “no conflicting equity, only $LINK” with full alignment.
Question:
What’s the key difference in how the 2 Labs structured their value incentives?
>- Finally, all fees generated from LayerZero, Stargate, and Zero will directly accrue to ZRO. There is no other token and never will be.
No one cares that there is no other hypothetical token.
What isn't hypothetical is the fact that both Tether and Ark invested in LayerZero Labs equity.
Can you explain what LayerZero Labs equity is and what it has a claim to?
@armyant77@CatfishFishy@AndrewMcMarkets 100% agree, this is a good addition regardless.
Just not as impactful for the $LINK token as Fishy had claimed imo.
Lots of areas to be excited about within Chainlink, but more communication into the unknowns is the sole area I’m looking out for.
@NoBullCryptoBen $LINK’s largest problem: Lack of transparency/ability to be transparent.
Today, we’re forced to make a lot of assumptions. Investors don’t like assumptions.
-NOP reward behavior trends
-CLL equity holders
-Mechanisms behind revenue -> Reserve
-Staking plans
All of these are ❓
@armyant77@CatfishFishy@AndrewMcMarkets This role is more client-facing than it is focused on tokenomic alignment.
I can’t find the exact posting for this role online anymore but I did find this one: https://t.co/Nf2nNEjmAO
Sure there’s crossover to some degree, yet this is not part of the main responsibilities.
@LINK_Dilettante Counterpoint: Labs today collects virtually all the revenue and selectively decides what funnels to the Reserve.
What do you suppose happens to the revenue that DOES NOT flow into the Reserve?
@CatfishFishy@AndrewMcMarkets focused on the disparity between the network adoption <> $LINK token price.
Objectively, today’s tokenomics aren’t where they need to be in terms of value flowing to the token.
More transparency is needed in key areas to boost token price.
None of which are in Andrew’s role.
@NoBullCryptoBen $LINK’s largest problem: Lack of transparency/ability to be transparent.
Today, we’re forced to make a lot of assumptions. Investors don’t like assumptions.
-NOP reward behavior trends
-CLL equity holders
-Mechanisms behind revenue -> Reserve
-Staking plans
All of these are ❓
@CatfishFishy@AndrewMcMarkets Seems the main responsibilities are business development, relationship-building, and GTM strategy targeted at financial institutions.
I’m failing to see how this is “very bullish for $LINK itself.”
Andrew likely will help speed up adoption (already quite fast), but not really
@LINK_Dilettante Good point, rewarding mid-to-lower level employees $LINK does help create alignment to token value.
But the point stands: Discretionary Reserve deposits made by CLL are likely done by the decision of those with more Labs equity than $LINK in terms of value.
Conflict of interest
Great write-up from @ChainLinkGod
A solid explanation on why Chainlink Labs is $LINK driven.
But I’m left wondering:
How do $LINK Reserve deposits impact Chainlink Labs value?
This 🧵 will highlight this dynamic, shedding some light on the big picture.
Let’s dive in ⬇️
@LINK_Dilettante Chances are: Largest owners of CLL equity work at high-level positions at Chainlink Labs.
This conclusion means: The people who decide what flows into the Reserve…
are also the same people who own more value in CLL equity than $LINK tokens.
This is a conflict of interest.
@LINK_Dilettante I’d like to believe this, but want to ask: Who owns CLL equity then?
If it’s not VCs, who is it?
They did a small equity sale back in the day if I’m not mistaken.
Regardless, point is someone owns CLL.
I question if that creates a conflict of interest.
@Zedzies@ARiHBARi@NoBullCryptoBen Id rather be a real one and highlight issues with $LINK than a shill who can’t handle objective criticism 🤡
Sorry that the truth can hurt lil bro
@NoBullCryptoBen Feel free to DM me any questions you may have regarding $LINK.
I’m certainly not the most in-the-know marine out there, but can assure you I will remain objective and reasonable and not tell you it’s hitting $1k EOY.
@NoBullCryptoBen $LINK’s largest problem: Lack of transparency/ability to be transparent.
Today, we’re forced to make a lot of assumptions. Investors don’t like assumptions.
-NOP reward behavior trends
-CLL equity holders
-Mechanisms behind revenue -> Reserve
-Staking plans
All of these are ❓