STON: how power, incentives, and governance actually work at STONFI
$STON is not just a DEX token. It represents the ownership level of the STON.fi ecosystem and the foundation of its DAO. It combines trading fees, income from Omniston routing, and long-term governance into a single system that rewards commitment rather than speculation.
Protocol economics
STON.fi creates value in several areas: swap fees, income from the Omniston aggregator that finds the best liquidity routes, and the development of new products on TON. This value is returned to the ecosystem through the treasury and long-term participants. However, mere ownership of $STON does not provide influence — governance begins only with commitments.
Locking and ARKENSTON
When blocking $STON, the user receives ARKENSTON — a non-transferable NFT that serves as a governance identity. It cannot be sold or transferred, which excludes vote markets and short-term manipulation. ARKENSTON clearly signals one thing: a temporary and economic commitment to the protocol.
$GEMSTON is a source of influence
Simultaneously with ARKENSTON, participants accumulate $GEMSTON — a real unit of governance power. $GEMSTON accrues over time and depends on the size and duration of the lock-up. Short locks provide minimal weight, while long-term ones create substantial influence. Here, power is earned through patience, not speed or trading volume.
How decisions are made
Holders of $GEMSTON determine the future of STON.fi: they vote on proposals, protocol parameters, treasury distribution, and updates. This model reduces the risk of rapid takeovers and makes speculative attacks costly and slow.
Why this design is important
The combination of $STON, ARKENSTON, and $GEMSTON transforms STON.fi from a simple trading platform into a governed infrastructure. The system encourages long-term participation, reduces governance volatility, and gradually leads the protocol towards sustainable decentralization.
STON.fi is not just a place for token exchanges, but an ecosystem driven by participants willing to invest not only capital but also time.
