BERA (BERA) tokenomics

Berachain is a DeFi-native Layer-1 blockchain built on the Cosmos SDK that utilizes a novel Proof-of-Liquidity (PoL) consensus mechanism. This system is designed to align network security with liquidity provision, addressing the capital efficiency limitations found in traditional Proof-of-Stake (PoS) models.

Token Issuance and Dual-Token Model

Berachain operates using a multi-token system, primarily consisting of BERA and BGT, alongside the HONEY stablecoin.

• BERA (Native Gas Token): BERA is the functional currency of the network, used to pay for transaction fees (gas) and to activate validators. It is the primary tradable asset that captures the market value of the ecosystem.
• BGT (Bera Governance Token): BGT is a non-transferable (soulbound) governance token. It is issued exclusively through emissions to users who provide liquidity to "whitelisted" pools and protocols. While BGT cannot be traded on the open market, it can be burned at a 1:1 ratio to receive BERA.
• HONEY: A stablecoin used as the primary borrowing asset and collateral within the network's native money markets and perpetual exchange.

Allocation and Incentive Mechanisms

The core of Berachain's economic engine is the Proof-of-Liquidity model, which dictates how rewards are allocated:

Proof-of-Liquidity (PoL)

In this model, liquidity providers (LPs) are the primary beneficiaries of network inflation. Instead of rewards going solely to those who stake a native token, BGT emissions are directed to LPs in core DeFi protocols like the BEX (Berachain Exchange).

The BGT Flywheel

1. Liquidity Provision: Users provide liquidity to DEX pools or other native protocols.
2. Earning BGT: These users earn BGT emissions as a reward for their liquidity.
3. Delegation: Users delegate their BGT to validators.
4. Governance & Direction: Validators use the delegated BGT to vote on which liquidity pools will receive the next round of BGT emissions.
5. Bribes: A "bribing" market (x/bribe) allows protocols to offer incentives to BGT holders/validators to direct emissions toward their specific pools.

Usage and Value Capture

Berachain captures value through several native "enshrined" protocols:

• BEX (Berachain Exchange): A portion of swap fees is collected by the chain and distributed to BGT stakers.
• Berps (Perpetual DEX): Fees generated from leveraged trading are captured by the blockchain.
• Bend (Money Market): The chain retains fees from swapping between USDC and HONEY (peg stability fees).

Locking and Unlocking Mechanisms

The locking mechanism is inherent to the BGT token, which is non-transferable. This ensures that governance power remains with active participants (liquidity providers and validators) rather than being purely speculative.

BERA Unlock Schedule

The native gas token, BERA, follows a structured unlocking schedule for its initial allocations. Significant unlock events are scheduled to occur monthly starting in 2027.

These unlocks represent a consistent monthly increase in the circulating supply of BERA, typically impacting the supply by approximately 5.43% per event during this period.