Circle Acquires Axelar Team but Excludes Token, How Should Token Holders Respond to Value Stripping?
Circle, the stablecoin giant, has announced the acquisition of the core team and technology behind Axelar Network's initial team, Interop Labs, to advance its cross-chain infrastructure strategy. However, the acquisition explicitly excludes the Axelar Network project itself, its foundation, and the AXL token, which will continue to operate independently under community governance. This has led to a sharp 15% drop in AXL's price.
The move has sparked significant controversy, highlighting the ongoing debate over "equity vs. token" interests in the crypto industry. Critics, including VCs and industry figures, argue that the acquisition effectively abandons token holders who supported the project, calling it a "rug pull" and morally questionable. They emphasize that while the team and intellectual property were monetized, token investors were left with depreciating assets.
Supporters, however, view it as a standard market practice, noting that tokens sit at the bottom of the capital structure in traditional finance, behind debt and equity. They argue that Circle’s decision reflects rational business logic, where acquirers prioritize valuable assets like talent and IP without obligation to token holders.
The core issue revolves around the ambiguous legal and economic nature of tokens—often treated as "quasi-equity" during bullish phases but stripped of rights in events like acquisitions. The incident underscores the need for clearer definitions and structures for tokens to protect investors and ensure fairness in future deals.
比推12/16 15:08
