The Optimism Foundation is stirring the crypto world with a bold new idea for its layer-2 network token, OP. The plan?
Direct half of the Superchain’s revenue straight into regular buybacks of the token.
The move is being pitched as a way to give OP real-world utility tied to the activity of the network itself, rather than leaving it as “just a governance token,” as one foundation member put it.
OP Token to Finally Link Value to Network Growth
Michael Vander Meiden, a member of the Optimism Grants Council, shared the proposal on X, emphasizing that the token’s value has long been disconnected from the network.
“After many years of being a ‘useless gov token,’ the value of the OP token will finally be tied to network activity,” he wrote.
The idea is to make the token more than a voting instrument and give holders a tangible stake in the Superchain’s growth.
The proposal, first posted on the Optimism governance forum, lays out a plan to allocate 50% of Superchain revenue to monthly OP buybacks.
These tokens would either be burned or potentially used as staking rewards, depending on governance decisions.
“Governance will retain oversight over parameters that control the buyback and the token treasury,” the foundation clarified.
Expanding OP Beyond Governance
Optimism isn’t just focusing on buybacks—they’re thinking bigger.
The foundation wants OP to have a role in the network’s evolution.
The proposal suggests the token could eventually participate in tasks like securing shared infrastructure, coordinating sequencer rotation, and even enabling collective governance over core protocol functions.
“This isn’t just about financial value,” the proposal notes.
“It’s about making OP a functional part of the Superchain’s long-term decentralization and resilience.”
By linking the token to network operations, the foundation hopes to make OP essential for builders, developers, and active participants across the ecosystem.
Superchain Growth Highlights Need for Token Alignment
The proposal also frames OP as needing to reflect the rapid growth of Optimism itself.
The Superchain now handles 61.4% of all layer-2 fees and processes 13% of crypto transactions overall—a figure that continues to climb.
The foundation argues that the OP token should mirror this momentum, giving holders a stake in the network’s expanding influence.
Since its February 2023 launch, the Superchain has grown into a web of L2 chains, including Unichain, Ink, and Coinbase’s Base.
These chains are all built on Optimism’s open-source OP stack, and together they form the backbone of the growing L2 ecosystem.
OP Token Price Faces Headwinds Despite Proposal
Despite the promising announcement, OP hasn’t seen an immediate boost in price. 2025 was a rough year for the token, with its value dropping nearly 83%.
Analysts note that while the proposal could improve fundamentals, market confidence may take longer to respond.
For Optimism, the move signals a strategic shift—one that ties the network’s financial incentives directly to its operational growth.
If adopted, the buyback program could reshape how OP is viewed, moving it from a governance tool into a functional, revenue-backed asset for the entire Superchain community.
Looking Ahead
The proposal now awaits discussion and approval through the Optimism governance process.
If implemented, it could mark a significant turning point for OP holders and the network at large, tying the token’s future directly to the expansion of one of Ethereum’s most prominent layer-2 ecosystems.
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