Optimism Foundation promotes token buyback, with 50% of Superchain revenue used to support OP value

The Optimism Foundation has initiated an important proposal to allocate 50% of Superchain’s revenue for 12 consecutive months starting from February to buy back OP tokens. This move directly reflects the Foundation’s emphasis on the value of OP tokens and also indicates steady growth in the revenue of the Superchain ecosystem. According to data, Optimism has earned 5,868 ETH over the past 12 months. Based on this proportion, approximately 2,934 ETH will be used for OP buybacks.

Core Logic of the Proposal

Why buy back OP

The Optimism Foundation explicitly states that the purpose of this proposal is to tie the success of OP tokens more closely to the Superchain. Simply put: the better the Superchain ecosystem develops, the higher the revenue; the higher the revenue, the more funds are available for buybacks; and the increase in OP value will, in turn, enhance the attractiveness of the entire ecosystem. This creates a positive feedback loop.

How large is the buyback scale

What does 2,934 ETH mean? At current ETH prices, this is a substantial amount of funds. This not only demonstrates the Foundation’s serious attitude toward this plan but also indicates that the revenue-generating capacity of the Superchain has reached a level capable of supporting buybacks of this scale.

Importance of the Superchain Ecosystem

Which chains are included

Superchain is not a single chain but an ecosystem comprising multiple chains, currently including Base, Unichain, World Chain, and others. These chains are built on OP Stack technology and form an interconnected network. Base, as one of the most mature chains, has already become an important part of the Ethereum ecosystem.

Where does the revenue come from

Superchain’s revenue mainly comes from transaction fees on its various chains. As the Ethereum Layer 2 ecosystem matures and applications increase, activity on these chains continues to grow. Especially after Ethereum’s upcoming Glamsterdam upgrade, with blob limits increased to 21, L2 transaction fees will further decrease, potentially attracting more users and applications to migrate to the Superchain ecosystem.

Other Key Aspects of the Proposal

In addition to the buyback plan, this proposal also includes authorization for the Optimism Foundation to flexibly manage remaining Ethereum treasury assets. This means the Foundation can more freely allocate assets for staking profits, liquidity enhancement, and ecosystem support. Compared to requiring governance approval for each action, this authorization can significantly improve decision-making efficiency.

The OP tokens bought back will not be immediately sold or burned but will be stored in a collective treasury. These tokens may be used in the future for burning (reducing circulating supply), ecosystem incentives (rewarding developers and builders), or rewarding token holders who participate in network security. This provides the Foundation with ample flexibility to make optimal choices based on the actual needs of ecosystem development.

Impact on OP Tokens and Ecosystem

Price support

From an economic perspective, continuous buybacks generally provide price support for the token. While buybacks may not immediately push prices higher, they demonstrate the Foundation’s confidence in OP’s long-term value. Additionally, if the bought-back tokens are burned, this will directly reduce circulating supply, potentially exerting a positive effect on the price.

Ecosystem incentives

Using the repurchased tokens for ecosystem incentives can attract more developers and builders to participate in the Superchain ecosystem. This creates a virtuous cycle: more applications and users generate higher revenue, higher revenue supports more incentives, and more builders are attracted.

Long-term value proposition

The launch of this proposal reflects the Optimism Foundation’s focus on long-term ecosystem development. It is not short-term hype but an optimization of fundamentals. Especially considering the upcoming wave of technological upgrades in Ethereum’s Layer 2 ecosystem by 2026, Superchain’s position and revenue potential have significant upward space.

Summary

The Optimism Foundation’s buyback proposal is an important enhancement to the OP token economics. By directly linking Superchain’s revenue to OP token value, the Foundation not only demonstrates confidence in the token’s long-term value but also creates stronger incentives for ecosystem growth. Against the backdrop of rapid development in the Ethereum Layer 2 ecosystem, Superchain’s revenue growth potential is substantial, which means the buyback scale over the next 12 months could exceed current expectations. For OP holders and ecosystem participants, this is a positive signal.