Hey everyone,

I wanted to open up a discussion on minting the remaining "Growth" token allocation for Hydration. As it stands, this allocation would ultimately be minted and distributed via governance anyway—any referenda to distribute would also need to mint the tokens first. By minting them now, the governance process would focus solely on distribution when the time comes, as the tokens would already exist.

Beyond procedural efficiency, there’s a larger benefit to consider: optics. For a protocol with no inflation, having all tokens fully minted and visible creates a perception of stability. It sends a clear signal that no future unlocks are coming, which can help mitigate concerns about potential dumps tied to token unlocks.

If we mint all remaining tokens now, including those for team rewards, the circulating supply would increase from ~4.5B to ~6.5B, making everything clear and upfront. This simplifies the tokenomics narrative and ensures there are no further surprises for the community or investors down the line.

This is a straightforward decision that benefits the protocol’s image and long-term health. We need to set the standard for transparency and stability—minting these tokens now achieves that.