The decentralized dream on TON just got a major reality check. Earlier this month, STON.fi officially launched the first full-fledged on-chain DAO in the TON ecosystem.

As someone who lives and breathes the STON.fi ecosystem, I see this as the moment the protocol officially hands the keys to its 5.6M+ users.

How the Governance Engine Works

The DAO operates on a simple, dual-token staking model designed to reward long-term conviction over short-term speculation:

- Stake STON: You lock your $STON tokens (from 3 to 24 months).

- Receive ARKENSTON (Voting Power): A soulbound (non-transferable) NFT that represents your weight in the DAO. The longer the lock, the louder your voice.

- Receive GEMSTON (Engagement Rewards): A fungible reward token you can trade, swap, or hold as you participate in the ecosystem.

What benefit is this to you? Keep reading.

The DAO is where the roadmap happens. During the 4-week testing phase alone, the community submitted 115 proposals ranging from UI tweaks to strategic protocol shifts. By joining, you aren't just using a DEX; you are deciding:

1. Which new assets get prioritized.

2. How protocol fees are utilized.

3. The direction of future integrations (like the upcoming Limit Orders and Margin Trading).

If you’re already a STON holder, your path to governance is open. If not, there has never been a better time to step in.

1. Acquire STON on the https://app.ston.fi

2. Stake via the Staking tab to mint your ARKENSTON.

3. Vote at https://dao.ston.fi on active proposals.

Decentralization is an operating system you should be part of.