Summary
This proposal suggests deploying 500,000 $ARB tokens from the 1inch DAO treasury to four Uniswap V3 pools on the Arbitrum network via Yield IQ to enhance income, liquidity, and strengthen $ARB as a cornerstone asset of Arbitrum DeFi. We expect this test to run over 90 days and deliver income to the 1INCH DAO.
Abstract
Yield IQ is an innovative strategy built on ICHI that maximizes earnings from trades by deploying tokens into Uniswap V3. Yield IQ is launching on the Arbitrum network on July 9th, 2023, and we recommend allocating the $ARB tokens to the following pools: ARB-USDC (100k ARB), ARB-wETH (100k ARB), ARB-wBTC (100k ARB), and ARB-1INCH (200k ARB).
Background
1inch DAO currently holds a significant number of $ARB tokens. 1inch publicly acknowledged receiving these tokens on Twitter on March 27, 2023, and invited community suggestions on how best to utilize these tokens. This proposal addresses this call.
Motivation
Our key objective is three-fold:
- Enhance income for the 1inch DAO.
- Improve liquidity for the 1inch token.
- Strengthen $ARB as a fundamental asset of Arbitrum DeFi.
This strategy leverages the idle $ARB tokens, generating an income stream, adding liquidity, and simultaneously boosting the Arbitrum ecosystem.
Specification
The Yield IQ mechanism works in a straightforward yet efficient manner to deploy tokens into liquidity pools. This process starts with the deposit of the chosen token (in this case, $ARB tokens). These tokens are then placed into a concentrated liquidity automated market maker (AMM), such as Uniswap V3, for the purpose of earning trading fees. Importantly, no swap is conducted prior to this deployment.
In exchange for the deposit, liquidity provider (LP) tokens are issued to the depositor. Yield IQ, leveraging Chainlink Automation, manages these LP tokens through a dynamic algorithm that auto-adjusts the concentrated liquidity position. This auto-adjustment is informed by the inventory status of the single deposit asset and works to avoid over-selling this asset while maximizing income.
As trades occur within the liquidity pool, the depositor earns trading fees. This process serves to supplement any appreciation of the original token, thereby enhancing potential returns.
In the final stage, 1inch DAO may withdraw their initial deposit and any earnings they have accrued at any time. This process involves the exchange of LP tokens for the depositor’s share of the assets in the liquidity vault.
By utilizing this method, we can deploy the $ARB tokens into the proposed pools, thereby enabling the 1inch DAO to earn trading fees, improve the liquidity of the 1inch token, and strengthen the Arbitrum ecosystem.
Impact
The execution of this proposal will positively affect the main stakeholders: 1inch, ICHI, Yield IQ, the Arbitrum network, and the wider 1inch community. It promises increased income for the 1inch DAO, improved liquidity for the 1inch token, and bolsters the stability of the Arbitrum ecosystem.
Yield IQ’s performance on Polygon has resulted in a median 28.98% internal rate of return (IRR) for vaults over the last 127 days since inception. This return is denominated in the deposit token for each vault. See attached screenshot.
Go to https://app.ichi.org/ and select the Polygon network to view the latest results and/or make a test deposit.
Considerations and Objections
While we anticipate this proposal will be met with enthusiasm, we also expect potential objections given other proposals being considered for the use of ARB airdrop tokens.
The significant point of differentiation between Yield IQ approach and other proposals lies in the handling of the ARB tokens themselves. As an example, the Arrakis PALM strategy, as part of its automated liquidity provision, progressively sells off the ARB tokens until it achieves a 50-50 balance between ARB and WETH. This process can result in the gradual depletion of the DAO’s ARB holdings over time, which may not be the optimal strategy, especially if ARB appreciates in value significantly.
On the contrary, the Yield IQ proposal aims to not only maintain but potentially increase the number of ARB tokens held. Yield IQ’s algorithm auto-adjusts the concentrated liquidity position based on the user’s token arrangement and market conditions. With the addition of trading fees earned from the liquidity pools, the Yield IQ strategy should result in holding more ARB tokens than initially deposited within 12 months. This difference becomes even more critical if ARB tokens appreciate significantly in value, as the Yield IQ strategy inherently benefits from such price increases, while the PALM strategy may lose out on potential upside by selling off ARB tokens early on.
Therefore, if the 1inch DAO believes in the long-term potential of Arbitrum and its ARB token, the Yield IQ strategy would be more aligned with such a belief, as it aims to grow the ARB token holdings instead of selling them off.
Risks
Like any DeFi strategy, deploying $ARB tokens into Yield IQ involves inherent risks, including market fluctuations, smart contract vulnerabilities, and potential regulatory changes. We have worked to mitigate these risks with security audits, backtesting, and monitoring.
Proposal
We invite the 1inch community to review this proposal, provide valuable feedback, and ultimately vote in favor of deploying the $ARB tokens to the proposed Arbitrum pools via Yield IQ. This strategic move promises to open new avenues for income generation, enhanced liquidity, and contribute to the strength of the Arbitrum ecosystem.