DeFiLlama Apologizes for Internal Conflict Over LLAMA Token Launch

Decentralized finance analytics firm DeFiLlama apologized for the internal conflict that brewed over the weekend. In an update shared on Twitter, the team cited “poor communication and a misunderstanding.” The drama centers around a native LLAMA token.

The team, however, confirmed that there are no plans to launch the token currently planned, and any airdrop will be discussed with the community while assuring that necessary steps will be taken to “operate in a more transparent manner to ensure this doesn’t happen again.”

The Drama

It all started with a rift between pseudonymous co-founders – 0xLlam4 and 0xngmi – due to the project’s lack of revenue. As explained by a pseudonymous DeFiLlama contributor, “Tendeeno,” 0xLlam4 wanted to launch a DeFiLlama-branded token but planned to do so “with or without the approval of a single member of the team.” While this claim has been refuted by 0xLlam4, they did not provide any further explanation.

The DeFiLlama team, on the other hand, has always been against launching a token. Tendeeno, for one, said that such a launch would “stain” the project’s reputation. Notably, 0xLlam4 also controls DeFiLlama’s Twitter account, as well as the domain. This sparked concerns that they could essentially announce a token at any time and “essentially hold the team hostage.”

0xngmi also confirmed the same. The co-founder claimed that DeFiLlama was being taken over in a hostile manner and directed people to a forked version of the blockchain data platform on Twitter. Less than an hour after the initial tweet, a message sent in one of the project’s Telegram channels claimed that 0xngmi had “gone rogue.”

Resolution

A day later, 0xngmi stated that “everything has been solved” and added that the fork has been canceled while planning to continue all work on DeFiLlama.

signature verification https://t.co/4cVFncOOvb

— 0xngmi (llamazip arc) (@0xngmi) March 19, 2023

Meanwhile, Tendeeno also confirmed the same and tweeted,

“After a lot of back and forth, the team has resolved the issues internally and has decided to continue running DL as normal. the team wants to move on and not continue the conversation in public, but rest assured everyone at DL is happy with the outcome.”