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- Optimism Foundation has proposed using 50% of Superchain revenue for monthly OP token buybacks starting in February, pending a governance vote.
- The plan aims to align the OP token more closely with network growth and expand its role beyond governance as Superchain adoption increases.
The Optimism Foundation has submitted a governance proposal vote scheduled for January 22 to repurchase OP tokens using half of all incoming revenue from the Superchain. The proposal is designed to tie the OP token more directly to the growth of the Layer-2 ecosystem built on the OP Stack. If passed, the monthly buybacks will begin in February, funded by sequencer fees generated across participating chains such as Base, Unichain, and World Chain.
Optimism collected 5,868 ETH in Superchain revenue over the past year, currently valued at around $18 million. These funds have been governed by the community treasury. Under the new proposal, 50% of future revenue would be directed toward acquiring OP tokens over the counter. Purchased tokens would return to the treasury, where they could either be burned or distributed as staking rewards, depending on future governance decisions.
Optimism Foundation has proposed using 50% of Superchain revenue to buy back OP tokens. Pending a January 22 vote, the program is set to launch in February, with repurchased tokens returned to the treasury for potential burning or staking rewards. Over the past 12 months,…
— Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) January 8, 2026
The Foundation stated that the buyback mechanism would scale with Superchain activity. The more demand grows across chains using the OP Stack, the more support this mechanism provides for the OP token. The model is built around a flywheel in which usage drives revenue, revenue funds development, and development brings more usage, creating a feedback loop.
The remaining 50% of ETH revenue would be retained by the Foundation for direct treasury management. However, buybacks would be paused during months when revenue falls below $200,000 or if execution costs exceed a set limit.
Optimism Repositions OP as a Growth-Linked Token
The OP token currently functions as a governance asset but has faced criticism over its limited connection to protocol growth. With this proposal, the Foundation seeks to expand the role of OP by linking it to actual economic activity within the network. As CNF reported, this model mirrors other projects like Hyperliquid and Pump, which have also redirected protocol revenue into token buybacks.
The Superchain continues to grow in adoption, powering over 61% of Ethereum Layer-2 activity. Chains like Base, incubated by Coinbase, and Sony’s Soneium contribute sequencer revenue back to Optimism. Subsequently, each new participant adds to the collective economic base supporting the network.
The Foundation explained that buybacks are just one part of a broader strategy. Over time, OP could take on additional roles in securing infrastructure, governing sequencer rotation, or participating in shared settlement layers.
Meanwhile, before the vote, according to the tokenomist, there is a token unlock scheduled for January 10 for 4.47 million OP tokens, worth approximately $1.41 million. This comes as a continuation of the $8.3M token unlock announced back in 2025, which has already reached 44.95% of the plan.
Ahead of the unlock, the Optimism (OP) token has performed well, soaring over 2.5% in the last 24 hours to trade at $0.3150.
