Kraken’s Ink Network to Launch INK Token with Aave-Powered Airdrop

The Ink Foundation, which oversees development on the Kraken-backed Layer-2 Ink network, announced on June 17, 2025, the upcoming launch of its native INK token. With a fixed supply of 1 billion tokens, the initial distribution will be conducted via an airdrop powered by lending giant Aave.

Ink's Aave-powered liquidity protocol will serve as the first application for INK tokens. The foundation designed the airdrop to reward network participants rather than allocate tokens to governance or venture investors. A dedicated subsidiary will manage the airdrop using anti-farming measures to ensure fair distribution.

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The INK token's primary utility will be to power DeFi applications on the Ink network, such as lending and trading protocols.

It is important to note, however, that INK is not a governance token for the network itself. The Ink network, built on Optimism's OP Stack, will continue to be governed by the Optimism Collective for all core protocol upgrades and security decisions.

The foundation set the 1 billion token supply cap to prevent future inflation. Users must actively participate in the native liquidity protocol to qualify for airdrop eligibility. The foundation aims to incentivize actual capital deployment rather than passive token holding.

The INK token is designed to support the DeFi ecosystem on the Ink layer-2 at the community and application level,” the Ink Foundation Board of Directors stated. “From lending to trading and beyond, the Ink Foundation envisions a future where INK powers a robust DeFi ecosystem governed by its users and aligned with their success.

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The foundation has not disclosed the exact launch date, contract address, or detailed tokenomics. These details will be released after security audits complete. The announcement follows Kraken's May 2025 hints about a potential token launch for its Ink network.

Ink operates as part of the Optimism Superchain, sharing security with other networks in the ecosystem. The network has seen gradual adoption since its launch, and the INK token represents the first native asset designed to accelerate on-chain activity and liquidity provision on the platform.