TLDR
- kpk (formerly karpatkey) has fully transitioned to a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) with the launch of its KPK governance token
- The total supply is 1 billion KPK tokens with limited initial transferability and no exchange listings at launch
- kpk is a non-custodial DeFi asset manager serving major DAOs including Uniswap, Aave, Lido, and Arbitrum
- The company is pioneering a “token-for-equity” strategy, swapping KPK tokens for stakes in crypto companies like Hypernative
- The transition fulfills kpk’s founding vision of community-led financial stewardship with governance via Snapshot and Tally
kpk, formerly known as karpatkey, has officially launched its governance token KPK as it completes its transition to a fully decentralized autonomous organization (DAO). The announcement made on May 15, 2025, marks a major shift for one of DeFi’s most established asset managers, which counts Uniswap, Aave, Lido, Arbitrum, and ENS among its partners.
The organization has created 1 billion KPK tokens to serve as the exclusive instrument for governance within the DAO. At launch, the token has limited transferability with no exchange listings, though investors may transfer ownership to pre-approved third parties with permission from the DAO foundation.
Token distribution has already begun through multiple channels including contributor vesting, investor allocations, token swaps, and airdrops to key partners. Full token transferability will be enabled at a future date determined by the kpk DAO.
Founded in 2021 within the Gnosis ecosystem, kpk has built a reputation as a trusted partner for on-chain asset management. The company has grown to over 50 contributors and maintains a cash-flow positive operation while serving major DAOs.
Marcelo Ruiz de Olano, Co-Founder of kpk, explained the significance of the transition: “We’ve spent the last several years proving the strength of our model. The launch of KPK is the culmination of all our efforts to establish our products, partners and reputation across the industry.”
Token-for-Equity Strategy
In conjunction with its rebrand from karpatkey to kpk, the organization is pursuing an innovative “token-for-equity” strategy. This approach involves exchanging KPK tokens for ownership stakes in promising crypto companies.
The first such transaction was completed with Hypernative, a specialist in real-time Web3 monitoring and response. By swapping KPK tokens for Hypernative equity, kpk has created what it describes as a “long-term, incentive-aligned partnership.”
The company has also invested in early-stage projects like Lagoon Finance and Resolv, combining strategic KPK token deployments with selective cash investments. These moves reflect kpk’s broader expansion into crypto mergers and acquisitions.
Community Governance
The kpk DAO Governance Forum will function as the center for community discussion and decision-making. The forum is already operational, providing information about governance processes and templates for creating new proposals.
Social and on-chain governance will be coordinated through Snapshot and Tally platforms, enabling token holders to participate in the organization’s direction and decisions.
“From the beginning, active participation in DAO governance has been a core element of our approach to asset management,” said Alice Corsini, Governance Specialist at kpk. “We want our growing community of stakeholders to have a place in the governance of kpk.”
With the DAO governance model now activated through the KPK token launch, kpk is preparing to welcome new contributors, community participants, and strategic partners.
The timeline for enabling broader token transferability will be determined through the governance process itself, after completing operational milestones and external integrations.
During this transition period, kpk continues to focus on ensuring secure and scalable expansion of its platform while maintaining its position in DeFi treasury management.
