Optimism Collective Opens RFP: 8.6K ETH for Liquid Staking

The Optimism Collective has announced a new Request for Proposals (RFP) to deploy part of its 21.5K ETH treasury directly on OP Mainnet, marking a strategic move to make the treasury an active contributor to ecosystem growth. The initiative focuses on liquid staking solutions that can generate sustainable yield, deepen liquidity & strengthen Optimism’s DeFi economy.

• Treasury Strategy: From Reserves to Growth Capital
• RFP Objectives & Requirements
• Evaluation Framework & Risk-Adjusted Score
• Security, Transparency & Governance

Treasury Strategy: From Reserves to Growth Capital

The Optimism Collective currently holds ~21.5K ETH in its treasury. While 60% of this amount (around 13K ETH) is already staked natively on Ethereum Mainnet, the remaining 40% (approximately 8.6K ETH) will now be deployed through liquid staking protocols on OP Mainnet.

The decision represents a key shift, i.e., from simply holding ETH as a reserve asset to using it as productive capital that reinforces the network’s economic foundations. By allocating treasury ETH within its own ecosystem, Optimism aims to drive on-chain activity, boost capital efficiency, and ensure that benefits flow back to the Collective’s mission of scaling Ethereum sustainably.

RFP Objectives & Requirements

The Liquid Staking RFP, issued by the Elected Representatives (Budget Board), calls for projects that can securely manage Optimism’s ETH while expanding DeFi utility on OP Mainnet.

Applicants must address specific criteria, including:

• System Overview & Design: A technical breakdown of how the liquid staking solution works, including its architecture & decentralization model.
• Risk Mitigation Plans: Coverage for smart contract audits, governance design, collateral transparency & liquidity safeguards.
• Yield & Fee Models: Clear articulation of historical performance, fee structure & projected returns.
• Strategic Benefits: Demonstration of how the proposal will expand OP Mainnet’s DeFi ecosystem, grow DEX liquidity & create new economic use cases.

The submission timeline runs from November 7, 2025, with final approvals expected by December 5, 2025.

The Optimism Collective currently holds ~21.5K ETH in its treasury.
The Collective’s ETH isn’t just a reserve, it’s capital to be used in service of Optimism’s growth.

Now, we’re inviting proposals for how to put ETH to work on OP Mainnet with the goal to deepen liquidity, grow…

— Optimism (@Optimism) October 29, 2025

Evaluation Framework & Risk-Adjusted Score

Proposals will be reviewed using a Risk-Adjusted Return Score (RARS) framework that balances potential ecosystem benefits against identified risks.

The formula is simple yet insightful: Risk-Adjusted Score = (Liquidity + Net Yield + Ecosystem Benefit) / Risk

Each project’s Benefit Score reflects tangible outputs like yield, liquidity contribution, and ecosystem alignment (rated 0–5), while the Risk Score accounts for factors like technical vulnerabilities, counterparty exposure, and reputational concerns.

Projects with higher RARS values indicate stronger net value, i.e., maximizing returns without compromising safety. The evaluation will be conducted collaboratively by the Optimism Foundation, OP Labs, and the Budget Board, ensuring a balanced review of both quantitative and qualitative metrics.

Security, Transparency & Governance

Given the strategic importance of this initiative, the Optimism Collective has set a high technical bar for participants. Priority will be given to projects that meet the following standards:

• Formally verified codebases
• Multiple third-party audits with remediated findings
• Active bug bounty programs with transparent disclosure history
• Proven uptime & performance (minimum 12 months without incidents)

Transparency is equally vital. Protocols must provide on-chain performance dashboards, yield tracking tools, and periodic progress reports.

Furthermore, all deployed ETH will remain under the custody of the Optimism Foundation, ensuring recoverability and adherence to governance protocols. Yield, rewards, and any related fees will accrue back to the Collective Treasury, reinforcing Optimism’s goal of self-sustaining on-chain capital growth.

If you find any issues in this blog or notice any missing information, please feel free to reach out at yash@etherworld.co for clarifications or updates.

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