PANDA DAO explores staking-based utility for its products

PANDA DAO is considering a model that would link the use of its products with utility for PANDA token holders, following a discussion on the Internet Computer forum about how projects such as Anda, TokenList and dMsg could create value for the DAO.

The question raised by a community member was straightforward: if these products succeed, how would that success translate into benefits for PANDA holders?

According to the proposal, the three projects would play different roles. Anda is expected to contribute open technology, developer relationships and credibility, while TokenList and dMsg are being positioned as potential sources of revenue from paying customers.

The proposed PANDA utility centres on membership through staking. Customers could either pay a subscription fee or lock a published amount of PANDA in an SNS neuron for a set period to access certain services. The tokens would remain owned by the customer, subject to membership limits and qualification rules.

The intended model is that useful products could generate demand for memberships, leading customers to acquire or retain PANDA and keep the tokens locked for the required period. The project team expects dMsg, because of its broader potential audience, to play an important role in this model.

PANDA DAO is not proposing profit dividends for token holders. The DAO would instead use revenue to cover server operations and necessary marketing, while the team says it does not intend to use DAO funds for team salaries.

The team has also committed to keeping 100 million PANDA permanently staked, with the resulting rewards directed towards DAO operations.

If product revenue eventually covers the DAO’s operating costs, the proposal suggests that fewer rewards may need to be sold. Any rewards deemed unnecessary could potentially be burned through SNS governance proposals, with token issuance, sales and burns reported together.

However, the model remains under development. Membership terms, costs and arrangements for directing product revenue to the DAO have yet to be formalised, and there is no established evidence yet that the proposed system will generate economic benefits for PANDA holders.

The discussion is open on the Internet Computer forum, where the community can review the proposal and share feedback.