Gnosis Chain Community Reconsiders Gas Token Amid MakerDAO’s Rebranding

As a seasoned analyst with extensive experience navigating the ever-evolving landscape of blockchain technology, I find myself intrigued by the current predicament faced by Gnosis Chain’s community. The decision to switch gas tokens or maintain the status quo is indeed a crucial one that could shape the future trajectory of this promising sidechain.


The Gnosis Chain community, which operates on a well-known Ethereum sidechain, is facing a significant choice: should they stick with their current gas token, xDAI, or consider other options in light of MakerDAO’s recent rebranding and the launch of their new stablecoin, Sky Dollar (USDS).

On Gnosis Chain, they’ve been using xDAI – a linked form of MakerDAO’s stablecoin DAI – to handle transaction costs within their network. However, MakerDAO has now moved towards a broader long-term strategy, which includes allowing DAI holders to swap their tokens for USDS at a 1:1 rate, along with rewards in their native token.

Concerns Regarding USDS Stablecoin

The new USDS stablecoin has raised concerns within the Gnosis community due to its potential centralized features. For example, it holds the power to freeze wallet addresses and restrict access for users in certain jurisdictions, like the United Kingdom and the United States.

These features contradict the core principles of decentralization that Gnosis Chain upholds, leading to a reevaluation of xDAI’s role as the network’s gas token. Community discussions have revealed a strong sentiment against adopting USDS as the primary gas token. One community member stated:

“This adjustment contradicts the fundamental principles of Gnosis, as they are built on the ideas of decentralization and unrestricted access.”

Suggested Alternatives

In response, the Gnosis Chain community is actively investigating potential replacements for xDAI. One suggestion on the table is adopting another decentralized stablecoin, such as RAI, HAI, LUSD, crvUSD, or even a mix of these digital currencies.

Additionally, it’s been proposed to transition to a centralized stablecoin such as USDT. Although this might seem contradictory for a decentralized network, some advocates argue that combining a decentralized Layer 1 (L1) blockchain with the most widely used centralized stablecoin could be practical.

Additionally, it’s been proposed that the native staking token of Gnosis Chain, GNO, could be utilized for transaction costs. This setup would make Gnosis similar to other blockchain networks that employ their own tokens as fees, often referred to as “gas”.

At present, GNO is worth approximately $157, marking a nearly 50% rise in value compared to this time last year. With a market capitalization of $406 million, it ranks as the 127th largest cryptocurrency based on market cap size.

An alternative plan suggests discussing terms with MakerDAO for shifting DAI’s governance authority to GnosisDAO. This transition could help Gnosis preserve its close association with DAI, but it’s unclear whether this idea is viable or not.

To clarify, these conversations are just beginning, as we haven’t seen any official suggestions put forward at this point.

According to recent figures, the current total value locked (TVL) on Gnosis Chain stands at approximately $244 million, signifying a fourfold rise in this metric over the past year. Notably, last week, DeFiLlama – a renowned analyst in the decentralized finance (DeFi) sector – started tracking StakeWise V3, a versatile liquid staking platform designed for both DeFi enthusiasts and institutional investors on Gnosis Chain.

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2024-08-30 12:38