World Liberty Financial opened staking for its WLFI governance token on Oct. 1 with an initial $1.25 million USD1 rewards pool to be distributed over 180 days, according to company documentation and a governance proposal approved by token holders.

The first rewards deposit is scheduled for Oct. 2 between 8 and 9 a.m. ET, the firm said. "You voted. It's live," World Liberty Financial posted on X, confirming the program after a Snapshot vote held Sept. 21–28.

That vote drew roughly 2.11 billion WLFI in voting power—more than double the 1 billion WLFI quorum—and support reached 82.1% of voting power cast, including abstentions, according to The Defiant's calculation from the final Snapshot tally.

What do holders have to do to earn rewards?

Participants must open a 180-day position using unlocked WLFI on Ethereum with no early exit. To claim rewards, they must personally cast one governance vote for every 90 days staked, meaning two votes by day 180.

Votes must originate from the staking wallet itself; a delegate's votes do not count. The proposal does not lower the required vote count if too few governance items are available, per the staking agreement.

World Liberty said it intends to propose at least one governance vote per calendar quarter. Participants can wait to qualify or withdraw after the lock expires without rewards.

Is the $1.25 million a fixed yield?

No. The capital funds a shared pool, not a guaranteed payout. Individual rewards depend on the available pool, each participant's share of all WLFI staked, and how long tokens have been locked.

With funding unchanged, additional stakes dilute the rewards available per token. The dashboard's annualized rate is an estimate, not a return a holder locks in.

Participants who withdraw without meeting the voting requirement forfeit accrued rewards back to the pool. World Liberty can reduce, suspend, or end the program at any time, the agreement states.

How does this design differ from the original plan?

The September proposal replaced a March 12 blueprint that tied voting power to both the amount staked and remaining lock duration. Under the earlier rules, locking unlocked tokens was effectively a prerequisite for voting.

The current framework separates voting from the incentive to lock. Holders retain voting rights without staking, and staking does not increase a token's voting weight.

The incentive to surrender liquidity therefore comes from the reward pool rather than additional governance power. Locking plus direct voting qualifies a holder for potential rewards.

What backs the program financially?

The approved proposal envisages top-ups every two weeks from sources that may include the treasury and fees from World Liberty Markets. Allocations remain discretionary.

Still-locked early-supporter tokens cannot be staked for rewards. From day 180, participants who meet the voting threshold can claim USD1 and either withdraw their WLFI or roll into another 180-day lock.

The program faces its first operational test with the Oct. 2 deposit, followed by an initial claims window opening when the earliest 180-day locks mature roughly six months after launch.