Aave's $33 Billion Civil War: DAO and Labs Clash Over Control of the Brand

Who runs the $33 billion DeFi empire Aave? That's the question at the heart of a deepening crisis, as a sharp dispute over brand control has divided the community between its decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) and Aave Labs, the centralized firm that built its core technology. The conflict cuts to a central tension in crypto: the clash between decentralized governance and the centralized teams that drive execution.

A Dispute Sparked by Swap Fees

The dispute was triggered by Aave's integration of CoW Swap, a trade execution tool. When resulting swap fees flowed to Aave Labs instead of the DAO treasury, it ignited a firestorm. While Labs argued the revenue was for its interface-level development work, critics said it exposed a deeper issue: who ultimately controls the Aave brand. That question over ownership of trademarks, domains, and social accounts has now become the central battleground.

The Case for DAO Control: "The Storefront Belongs to the Engine"

Supporters of DAO ownership argue that control should align with those who bear economic risk—the token holders. Marc Zeller, a longtime contributor and founder of the Aave-Chan Initiative, argued on X that the DAO has become the "engine that maintains risk, ships upgrades and generates recurring revenue." In this view, the brand assets are the storefront, and the DAO that runs the engine should own it. They fear that if a private entity retains control, token holders will lack leverage over Aave's long-term direction and monetization.

The Case for Aave Labs: "Don't Sacrifice Speed for Politics"

Conversely, those backing Aave Labs counter that its operational autonomy is critical for the protocol's ability to compete. "DAOs are structurally incapable of shipping competitive software," former Aave Labs employee Nader Dabit stated on X, warning that "every fast-moving opportunity dies in a forum thread." This camp believes shifting control to the DAO would slow execution, complicate partnerships, and blur accountability at a critical moment for DeFi.