Router Protocol is shutting down, and they're burning 303 million ROUTE as a final move. The team admitted that all the protocol fees they received in the past were used for buybacks and burns, instead of becoming treasury reserves. Meanwhile, cross-chain fees kept shrinking, and the cost of 24/7 maintenance remained. The crypto space loves to frame buybacks and burns as value capture. The lesson Router leaves behind is simpler: A protocol that requires continuous maintenance and backing needs money to survive first.