Thank you @EzR3aL for starting this discussion. We’re happy to clarify the distinction between the protocol layer and the product layer.
The interface is operated by Aave Labs and sits entirely outside the protocol the DAO stewards. This has always been the separation of responsibilities. In practice, this means the DAO funds protocol development and approves changes to the protocol’s smart contracts on-chain. Aave Labs funds, builds, and maintains its own interface. The licensing reflects this separation clearly. The interface is a product, not a protocol component, and Aave Labs has the discretion to operate and monetize it in a way that supports its continued development. Any monetization applies only to accessory features such as collateral swaps and does not touch the core economics of the protocol, including borrow interest or other protocol-level flows. That separation keeps the protocol neutral and avoids the kind of centralization that can emerge when a product layer captures value from the core system itself.
This also means Aave Labs carries the responsibility of creating a product that presents the Aave Protocol in a way users find reliable and appealing. That work is grounded in our alignment with the protocol as a core contributor, stakeholder, and token holder. We choose to support Aave exclusively in the lending domain because that alignment is strong and long term. Additionally, the application layer now carries its own attack surface, as the recent Safe ByBit incident showed, and the resources required to operate a secure interface continue to rise as the ecosystem evolves.
As such, maintaining a production interface at this scale requires a full product organization. Engineering, design, application security, DevOps, and adjacent functions all contribute to the interface the community uses today, and each of those roles carries ongoing cost. The team also fields a continuous stream of requests that originate from governance outcomes or from operational needs across the ecosystem. Parameter changes, new markets, new assets, incentive programs, and new initiatives such as governance V3, Umbrella, and sGHO all require immediate support so the interface remains consistent with what the DAO has approved on-chain. Many of these changes arrive with tight timelines and limited notice, and the team has consistently adapted the interface quickly so new features are available when the community expects them. Customer support for the interface and for the programs connected to it adds another layer of daily work.
These responsibilities pull time away from the new product that will support Aave V4, yet they are essential to keep the experience stable for users today. The DAO has never been asked to cover these expenses, nor to fund the initial development of the app, and that separation has been part of Aave Labs’ operating model since the beginning. Aave Labs built and maintained the V1, V2, and V3 versions of the app, each operating flawlessly without a security incident. That level of reliability is uncommon in DeFi and reflects the same standard the protocol aims to uphold.
CowSwap was integrated into the app.aave.com interface because it improves the experience for users, and because many interface users, who we interact with on a daily basis, asked for a path that offered more reliable execution during volatile periods. The batch-auction model reduces exposure to MEV and sudden price movement, which is important for users adjusting collateral or managing debt positions. It also resolved gaps we observed in the earlier ParaSwap implementation. The original swap adapters used to support this flow were built by Aave Labs and have always been maintained by Aave Labs. The team also built the CowSwap adapters for the full set of integrations and funded that work itself. This routing option remains entirely optional. It does not affect protocol behavior and exists to give users a path that performs more consistently when markets move quickly.
The interface also plays a significant role in the protocol’s growth. It brings a substantial share of total traffic into the Aave protocol and has been one of the most consistent sources of revenue flowing toward the DAO. At the same time, nothing is exclusive to this interface. Users can interact directly with the contracts, they can self-host their own interface, and the DAO is free to create a DAO-run interface if that direction is ever desired. A diverse set of interfaces would strengthen the ecosystem by reducing counter-party risk and giving users more ways to access the protocol.
Aave Labs aims to offer a product that respects the permissionless nature of Aave while giving users the best in class experience. We welcome feedback from the community and will continue refining the interface so it showcases the protocol without shaping how the protocol itself functions. As the ecosystem moves toward V4, Aave Labs will decide on the product features that best highlight the new capabilities and present them in a way that strengthens the user experience. Our alignment with the protocol as a core contributor, technical service provider, and large stakeholder guides that work. We will support the full range of features introduced by the protocol, while also remaining opinionated about the product so we can deliver a coherent and best in class DeFi experience. Users remain fully in control of how they interact with the protocol, and the interface is one of several paths available to them.
Just use Aave.