Status L2 Alpha Drop: Aragon Pre-Deposit Vault Details Coming Wednesday

Aragon is developing the **Token Ownership Index** to address a fundamental problem in crypto: investors can't easily verify what rights their tokens actually grant them. The challenge stems from three issues: - Onchain rights are difficult to inspect - Offchain structures lack transparency - Token and equity misalignment obscures real risks The index will help distinguish between "ownership tokens" - which grant verifiable control over protocol parameters, incentives, or capital flows - and tokens without meaningful rights. Projects like Aave, Lido, Curve, and Aerodrome serve as examples of ownership tokens. Aragon's 2026 strategy focuses on three pillars: 1. **Ownership** - making tokenholder rights explicit and verifiable 2. **Automation** - streamlining governance to reduce overhead 3. **Value accrual** - ensuring tokens have defensible value Version 1 of the Token Ownership Index launches soon. [Read the full post](https://blog.aragon.org/making-tokens-investable-in-2026-through-ownership-automation-and-value-accrual/)

The crypto market revealed a harsh reality in 2025: **most token failures weren't caused by market conditions**. The real culprits were fundamental structural flaws: - **No ownership rights** for token holders - **No enforceable claims** on underlying assets - **No real value accrual** mechanisms - **Zero legal protections** or recourse This pattern exposed a critical gap between token marketing promises and actual utility. Many projects issued tokens without establishing genuine economic rights or asset backing, leaving holders with essentially worthless digital receipts when projects struggled.

Aragon has introduced a monthly newsletter to keep the community informed about developments in governance and tokenomics. **What's Covered:** - Updates on what Aragon is building - Key trends and changes shaping the governance space - Insights into tokenomics developments The newsletter aims to provide regular updates for those interested in DAO governance and token economics. Community members can subscribe through Aragon's Substack at [https://substack.com/@aragon](https://substack.com/@aragon).

**Aragon has completed a comprehensive governance advisory report** for the Mina Foundation, providing strategic recommendations for the protocol's decision-making evolution. The report, authored by governance expert @governingweb3, focuses on: - **Modular governance structures** that can adapt as Mina Protocol grows - **Upgrade-safe decision-making processes** to ensure protocol stability - Clear implementation pathways for enhanced governance This advisory work represents a significant step in Mina Protocol's organizational development, addressing the complex governance challenges faced by evolving blockchain protocols. [Read the full report](https://forums.minaprotocol.com/t/mina-foundation-governance-recommendation-report/7027) on the Mina Protocol forums for detailed recommendations and implementation strategies.