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2025 January Polkadot OpenGov Report

Since March 2024, we have advocated for the idea that bounties should function as departmental bodies within the executive branch of OpenGov. At its core, the concept is straightforward: OpenGov is an assembly of all DOT holders, yet individual holders do not have the time or energy to engage in every single governance decision. Therefore, the assembly should delegate executive power to specialized departments, which can be both bounties and collectives. OpenGov’s primary role should be overseeing these departments, ensuring they function effectively, making necessary adjustments, and stepping in to decide on major expenditures that surpass departmental budgets. Additionally, OpenGov's permissionless nature allows it to serve as a higher court for proposers who may disagree with departmental decisions, providing a layer of checks and balances.

We are very pleased to see that our advocacy has resonated with the community, as token holders have actively shaped the system in alignment with this vision. While new bounties continue to emerge, efforts to refine and optimize existing structures are also underway. Ecosystem agents are proactively addressing inefficiencies by pushing for cleanup proposals. Starting with Leemo’s initiative a few months ago, which closed multiple expired and unused bounties, ecosystem participants are proposing the closure of specific bounties that are currently inactive to ensure that resources are allocated efficiently.

Department Updates​

Bounty Check-Up​

Two bounty closure proposals were introduced during December and January. The first, closing the BD Bounty, passed in December. The second, closing the Parachain Assets Onramp Bounty, is currently in the confirmation period. Initiated by Saxemberg, both proposals followed evaluations that deemed the bounties inactive, leading to the decision to shut them down.

Currently, all remaining bounties appear active. We think that its the time to move beyond simply assessing activity and instead evaluate bounties based on qualitative measures, such as compliance with the bounty standards approved by OpenGov in November.

There are several ways to ensure compliance. One approach is asking bounty curators to provide the requirements for these standards during their budget top-up proposals. Another option is leveraging the bounty expiration mechanism to enforce compliance when reactivating bounties or reassigning curators.

One good example of an evaluation opportunity was from the Meetups bounty. The bounty recently expired due to curators forgetting to renew their seats and thus the bounty had to push a new proposal to OpenGov to reassign the same curators.

Finally, OpenGov should proactively review bounties that still have a runway and don't require top-ups soon, and enforce them to comply with the standards.

A much-needed initiative of a legal support mechanism was proposed by the Amforc team. This bounty aims to provide crucial support to ecosystem projects by:

  • Offering legal guidance on governance and treasury-funded initiatives.
  • Establishing frameworks for subDAOs and ecosystem organizations to operate within various jurisdictions.
  • Providing resources and documentation for teams facing regulatory challenges.

The bounty proposal received overwhelming support, passing with 98% approval. Currently, a curator assignment proposal is underway. When passed, the bounty will become operational within the next three weeks, enabling the ecosystem to navigate legal complexities with better clarity and support.

Branding Guidelines​

Led by Remy from Parity, a new Wish for Change (WfC) proposal mandating branding guidelines for all OpenGov-funded projects has been officially approved. Under this directive, projects and organizations receiving funding from Polkadot must display a "Secured / Powered / Funded by Polkadot" designation in a publicly visible location.

Ingredient branding has long existed in the tech industry, with campaigns such as "Intel Inside" and "Dolby Digital" as prime examples. Many Polkadot projects have already implemented this practice before, but with this WfC proposal, it is now a formal requirement for all funded initiatives.

Interestingly, the Ethereum ecosystem is also moving towards a similar branding approach. Once again, Polkadot continues to lead in governance and innovation, setting trends that other ecosystems are beginning to follow.

Notable Mentions​

‘Partnerships’ in, ‘sponsorships’ out: Three sponsorship proposals surfaced in OpenGov this month. While it's encouraging to see an emphasis on measurable KPIs and technical integrations beyond simple logo placements, these proposals still largely lack thorough planning, especially considering their high costs. Two of the proposals involve e-sports teams, Vitality and G2, while the third is the Conor Daly sponsorship proposal, which was already rejected twice, in October and January. Despite its repeated failures, the proposal was immediately resubmitted following the January rejection, claiming improvements in user funnel strategies as well as an increased number of races compared to the previous versions.

Billfold-enabled events on the vote: Following the approval of Billfold integration in September, OpenGov is now voting on the first events that will utilize the Billfold payment system. This initiative is designed to generate on-chain transactions by enabling attendees to create wallets and actively interact with the Polkadot ecosystem.

Discord server revamped: The Polkadot Official Discord server has undergone a major overhaul, driven by the Marketing Bounty and newly onboarded community managers. A new ranking system has been introduced to reward contributors, encouraging more interaction and participation.

Parallel hack: The emergency runtime upgrade to reclaim control of the Parallel chain from hackers has been approved. However, before the proposal could be enacted, the attacker managed to freeze all funds, effectively preventing the team from regaining access. While the attack is currently "paused," the situation remains unresolved, and further action may be required to mitigate the impact of this breach.

Bitcoin Strategic Reserve: A WfC proposal was introduced to diversify the Polkadot Treasury by accumulating Bitcoin. The plan involved allocating 1 million DOT to gradually acquire Bitcoin, aiming to establish a strategic reserve to strengthen the treasury's diversification. The proposal failed due to the absence of a decision deposit, and it currently serves as a signal for a properly structured future proposal.

OpenGov.Watch Bounty Report​

Marketing Bounty​

We have decided to finalize our role as a curator in the Marketing Bounty, having successfully implemented key improvements such as a transparent accounting system, an auditable transparency page, and internal bounty rules. These include proper invoicing standards that enable the network to easily track fund recipients. To ensure accountability, we required all funded organizations and individuals to provide their legal name, address, and a detailed description of services rendered. This information is partially available to the public, with individual addresses redacted for security purposes. The Bounty is now operating with four curators and is actively seeking a replacement for the fifth vacant seat.

UX Bounty​

The UX Bounty is undergoing a significant transformation, as the previous curator model (6/9) proved difficult to manage. We have supported and advised on reforming the curator structure to a more agile 3/5 model, similar to the Marketing Bounty. Four curators have chosen to remain, while others, including OpenGov.Watch, has transitioned into advisory roles. The fifth seat has been advertised within the community, and one candidate has recently approved and waiting for the change in the curator seats. Alongside this structural reform, plans are underway to expand the bounty through initiatives such as direct grants and UX audits, with finalization expected in February.

Open Source Developer Grants Bounty​

To support teams wanting to build small proof of concepts, libraries, or tools, the Open Source Developer Grants Bounty was opened to offer up to $30k per team. As OpenGov.Watch, we are one of the five curators, helping to set up and promote the bounty. We also review grant proposals and help proposing teams make the right connections and adapt their proposals to ecosystem needs.

Support the Watch​