Aptos is proposing one of the most significant overhauls to its tokenomics since the network launched, with a package of measures designed to push $APT toward a deflationary supply model. 210
Aptos is proposing one of the most significant overhauls to its tokenomics since the network launched, with a package of measures designed to push $APT toward a deflationary supply model.
The centrepiece of the plan is the permanent lock of 210 million APT tokens. The Foundation plans to permanently lock and stake those tokens, representing about 18% of current supply, and would not sell or distribute them. Staking rewards generated by the locked holdings would instead be used to fund foundation operations. The Aptos Foundation has described the move as "functionally equivalent to a token burn."
Alongside the lock, the proposals would introduce a hard ceiling on total supply. One proposal is to set a hard cap of 2.1 billion tokens, as APT currently has no maximum on its total supply. There are currently 1.196 billion APT in circulation. One billion APT was minted at mainnet, and 196 million APT has been distributed as staking rewards since then. With a hard supply cap of 2.1 billion, this leaves 904 million APT of headroom, or approximately 43% of the total cap.
A potential buyback programme is also on the table. The Foundation is considering a buyback programme funded by cash reserves and future revenue.
Annual staking rewards are being cut roughly in half, from about 5.19% to 2.6%. Fewer tokens paid out to stakers means slower growth in new supply. The decrease is expected to be paired with a future governance proposal that would offer higher reward rates to users who commit to longer staking terms, while short-term stakers would be subject to the 2.6% rate.
Gas fees are going up tenfold. All of those fees will be burned, meaning tokens used to pay for transactions are removed from circulation permanently. The Foundation claims that even after the increase, network fees would "still be the lowest in the world at around $0.00014."
The Decibel exchange is expected to play a key role in driving burns. The planned Decibel decentralised exchange may introduce significant burn dynamics, and at scale the protocol could burn more than 32 million APT annually, creating a deflationary component tied directly to ecosystem activity. The overarching goal is for token burns to outpace new issuance, tipping $APT into net deflation over time.
Future grants have also shifted to performance-triggered distributions tied to strict KPIs, transitioning the network from high-yield incentives that previously attracted yield farmers to mechanics that reward actual network usage and growth. The full set of proposals still requires community approval before taking effect.
Sources:Crypto Briefing: Aptos overhauls tokenomics with 10x gas fees, halved staking rewards, and a 2.1B APT hard capCoinTelegraph: Aptos eyes tokenomics overhaul to scale APT deflationThe Defiant: Aptos Pivots Tokenomics Towards Performance-Driven Deflation
