[Aptos Updates Tokenomics Model: Supply Cap Set at 2.1 Billion, Gas Fees Increased Tenfold, Buyback Program Initiated] Odaily Planet Daily News: Aptos has announced updates to the APT tokenomics model, shifting to a performance-driven token supply mechanism that ties APT supply to actual network usage. Specifically, this update includes the following seven key changes: 1. **Lowering staking reward rates and incentivizing long-term stakers.** The Aptos Foundation has proposed reducing the annual staking reward rate from 5.19% to 2.6%. Additionally, the Aptos Foundation is exploring a governance proposal to modify the staking framework to better align incentives with long-term network participation. 2. **Increasing Gas fees tenfold.** Aptos is currently one of the most cost-effective blockchains. Given the current low transaction fees, the Aptos Foundation will propose through governance to increase Gas fees to 10 times the current amount. Even after the increase, stablecoin transfer fees on the network will remain as low as approximately $0.00014. 3. **Transaction utilization and fees.** A new deflationary mechanism will be introduced via the decentralized exchange protocol Decibel on the Aptos chain. High-frequency trading activities will significantly consume and burn APT. Currently, all forms of transactions or "Gas fees" paid on the network in APT are permanently burned. Decibel, incubated through collaboration between Aptos Labs and the Decibel Foundation, represents one of the first fully decentralized exchanges where all trading activities occur on-chain: every order, match, and cancellation is executed on-chain. With 100% on-chain execution, the launch of Decibel's mainnet will greatly enhance the transaction throughput of the Aptos blockchain. 4. **Hard supply cap fixed at 2.1 billion APT.** Once approved by the community, no new tokens can be minted beyond this cap. 5. **Foundation permanently locks 210 million APT.** The Aptos Foundation will ensure that 210 million APT are locked and permanently staked within the network. These tokens will never be sold or distributed and will remain permanently locked. 6. **Performance-based grant issuance.** Moving forward, the Aptos Foundation will primarily focus on providing future grants and rewards that will only be disbursed upon achieving key milestones related to Aptos' role as a "global transaction engine." 7. **Initiating a programmatic buyback plan.** The Aptos Foundation has committed to exploring a protocol buyback plan or reserve, which will programmatically repurchase APT on the open market based on market opportunities.