Core Engineering Q4 2025 / Q1 2026 Funding Proposal Part I

[isaac9905]

Core Engineering Q4 2025 / Q1 2026 Funding Proposal Part I

Summary

This proposal seeks community approval to reimburse the Overclock Labs core team for efforts related to the implementation of the Burn Mint Equilibrium (BME) framework and its supporting infrastructure during Q4 2025 and Q1 2026. Building on the foundation laid by the Mainnet 14 upgrade (Cosmos SDK v53), the core team has been focused on delivering the chain-level modules required for BME, enabling CosmWasm smart contract support, and integrating on-chain oracle infrastructure.

• AEP-76: Burn Mint Equilibrium on Akash
• AEP-78: Enable CosmWasm Smart Contracts on Akash Network
• AEP-80: On-Chain Oracle Module
• AEP-81: Pyth Price Feed Integration

This proposal represents Part 1 of a two-part funding request covering the Q4 2025 / Q1 2026 period. Overclock Labs is requesting approximately 50% of the total budget for these AEPs in this initial proposal. A second proposal for the remaining balance will be submitted in the May–June 2026 timeframe. This phased approach reduces the single-proposal draw on the Community Pool.

For details on the technical scope see the GH roadmap here: Core Product and Engineering Roadmap (view)

Motivation

With the Mainnet 14 upgrade complete, the Akash chain is now on a modern Cosmos SDK v53 foundation with dramatically reduced technical debt. The next critical milestone is deploying the economic infrastructure that aligns AKT demand directly with network usage. AEP-76's Burn Mint Equilibrium addresses the demand gap created when AEP-23 shifted payments to stablecoins, re-centering the economic model on AKT.

Key drivers include:

• Restoring and amplifying structural demand for AKT through burn mechanics tied to compute usage.
• Enabling stable USD-equivalent pricing for tenants without sacrificing AKT's role as the network's value-accruing token.
• Unlocking programmable smart contract infrastructure (CosmWasm) that allows BME logic to be implemented as auditable, upgradeable contracts rather than hardcoded protocol logic.
• Deploying reliable on-chain oracle infrastructure (Pyth via x/oracle) to support real-time AKT/USD pricing for BME settlement.

Background

The BME framework represents the most significant tokenomic change since AKT's launch. Every dollar spent on compute will drive an immediate AKT market buy, with the purchased AKT burned to mint ACT compute credits. Outstanding ACT sits in the BME Vault as escrowed AKT, removing it from circulating supply until providers are paid at settlement. If AKT appreciates between top-up and payout, fewer AKT are needed to pay providers — creating a net burn (deflationary).

Total Costs

For the Q4 2025 / Q1 2026 Core Proposal, Overclock Labs is requesting $405,345.04 from the Community Pool, representing approximately 50% of the total $648,552.06 budget covering labor costs directly attributable to the core AEPs for this period, alongside a 25% volatility buffer.

The remaining balance will be requested in a follow-up proposal (Part 2), anticipated for May–June 2026.

	Request from CP
Engineering hours	4,293.71
Engineering rate per hour	$144.91
Engineering total cost	$622,205.07
Support hours	196.57
Support rate per hour	$134.03
Support total cost	$26,346.98
Labor Subtotal	$648,552.06
50% Request	$324,276.03
AKT Volatility Buffer (25%)*	$81,069.01
Total Request (Part I)	$405,345.04

*AKT Volatility Buffer

Prior proposals calculated the volatility buffer using a 28-day trailing average of daily AKT price volatility. Due to recent periods of heightened volatility that fall outside that historical window, a 25% buffer has been applied to this request to ensure adequate coverage during liquidation. All unused AKT will be returned to the Community Pool.

Cost Breakdown

	Hours	Cost
BME, WASM, Lease close reasons, Events forwarding, Price Oracle (Core)	3,432.00	$448,864.17
As a percentage of total labor budget	76.08%	69.21%
Post Upgrade - Core Support, Bugs & Fixes	35.20	$4,777.06
As a percentage of total labor budget	0.78%	0.74%
BME, WASM, Lease close reasons, Events forwarding, Price Oracle (Client)	836.40	$154,578.44
As a percentage of total labor budget	18.54%	23.83%
Post Upgrade - Client Support, Bugs & Fixes	207.60	$40,332.39
As a percentage of total labor budget	4.60%	6.22%

AEP Summary

AEP-76: Burn Mint Equilibrium on Akash

Specification: https://akash.network/roadmap/aep-76/

Community Discussion: https://github.com/orgs/akash-network/discussions/1034

Problem Addressed:

While AEP-23's stablecoin integration boosted revenue growth, it inadvertently reduced direct demand for AKT by shifting payments to USDC. BME restores AKT's foundational role by introducing ACT (Akash Compute Token) — a non-transferable, USD-pegged compute credit minted by burning AKT — creating structural buy pressure proportional to network usage.

Key Features Introduced:

• Every dollar spent on compute drives an immediate AKT market buy and burn to mint ACT, creating constant structural demand for AKT.
• Outstanding ACT sits in the BME Vault as escrowed AKT, reducing circulating supply until providers are paid at settlement.
• Automatic net-burn when AKT appreciates between top-up and payout — fewer AKT are needed to pay providers than were originally burned.
• AEP-23 take-rates eliminated and re-centered on an AKT-native economic model.

AEP-78: Enable CosmWasm Smart Contracts on Akash Network

Specification: https://akash.network/roadmap/aep-78/

Problem Addressed:

Without smart contract infrastructure, Akash is limited to hardcoded protocol logic that requires hard forks for updates, restricts developer innovation, and offers no composability with the broader Cosmos ecosystem. BME's burn-mint logic, oracle integration, and future governance capabilities all benefit from being implemented as auditable, upgradeable smart contracts.

Key Features Introduced:

• Integration of the x/wasm module from the CosmWasm stack into the Akash blockchain.
• Governance-gated contract upload permissions to prevent malicious code deployment during initial rollout.
• Smart contract-based BME implementation — burn-mint logic as auditable, upgradeable contracts rather than hardcoded protocol.
• Foundation for future programmable cloud infrastructure including automated resource management, advanced settlement mechanisms, and on-chain governance.

AEP-80: On-Chain Oracle Module

Specification: https://akash.network/roadmap/aep-80/

Problem Addressed:

BME requires trustworthy, real-time AKT/USD price data for settlement calculations. Without a native oracle module, the chain has no mechanism to accept, aggregate, and validate external price feeds on-chain — making BME settlement impossible.

Key Features Introduced:

• x/oracle — a native Cosmos SDK module accepting price submissions from authorized CosmWasm contracts.
• Time-Weighted Average Price (TWAP) calculation with staleness and deviation health checks.
• Aggregated prices exposed to other modules via keeper queries for BME settlement.
• Custom CosmWasm querier and message filter allowing smart contracts to both read oracle parameters (including Wormhole guardian sets) and submit verified prices.

AEP-81: Pyth Price Feed Integration

Specification: https://akash.network/roadmap/aep-81/

Problem Addressed:

The x/oracle module needs a high-quality, cryptographically verifiable external price source. Pyth Network provides the AKT/USD feed required by BME with the latency, security, and Cosmos compatibility needed for production settlement.

Key Features Introduced:

• Cryptographically verifiable AKT/USD price feeds via Pyth Network with 400ms low-latency updates.
• Multi-source data aggregation from major exchanges, market makers, and trading firms with confidence intervals.
• Proven Cosmos integration already deployed on Osmosis and other Cosmos chains.
• Feeds directly into x/oracle (AEP-80) forming the on-chain backbone for BME (AEP-76).

Conclusion

The Q4 2025 / Q1 2026 core engineering work represents the most significant tokenomic and infrastructure upgrade since the launch of the GPU marketplace. BME (AEP-76) fundamentally re-aligns AKT demand with network usage, creating structural buy pressure, supply reduction, and deflationary mechanics tied to real compute spend. The supporting infrastructure — CosmWasm (AEP-78), x/oracle (AEP-80), and Pyth integration (AEP-81) — provides the programmable, oracle-fed foundation that makes BME possible and positions Akash for future smart contract-driven features.

BME and other initiatives referenced deliver the economic infrastructure Akash needs to scale sustainably.

Limited Market Impact & Transparent Reporting

Overclock Labs will custody the requested funds in a new, distinct wallet so that funds from any other source are not commingled.

All funds will be liquidated and managed to minimize market impact. These funds will be handled with the same care and attention as all previous Community Funding Proposals, with liquidations done in a fashion that will not adversely affect the market. In practice, the effort of this liquidation will add depth to the AKT market for buyers looking to enter.

In some cases, Overclock Labs will use structured market-making (MM) activity to manage funds responsibly. Conversions will take place gradually over defined trading windows rather than through large sell transactions. Spreading activity over these longer windows helps ensure that each trade reduces the likelihood of noticeable price movements and helps maintain a stable market for all participants. This measured approach allows Overclock Labs to meet operational needs while minimizing market impact and supporting steady liquidity within the AKT ecosystem.