SIP-3: Convert UP Only Rewards to Staked UP (sUP)

Abstract

This proposal converts UP Only rewards from $UP to Staked UP (sUP) for Superform’s flagship incentive program.

Background

Superform’s incentive structure has evolved deliberately since TGE:

  • SIP-1 directed 20% of protocol fees to sUP stakers via SuperBank
  • SIP-2 extended the unstaking cooldown to 2 weeks and set 500,000/month rewards — aligning stakers with long-term governance participation
  • SIP-3 completes this progression: depositors who earn via the UP Only Program will now receive sUP directly, ensuring every participant in Superform’s incentive ecosystem is also a governance participant with fee share access

The UP Only Program currently distributes raw $UP to depositors monthly via Merkl. Recipients who want to participate in governance or earn fee share must manually stake their rewards. Converting to sUP distribution removes this friction and directly aligns depositor incentives with protocol ownership.

Mechanism

Starting Epoch 4, the UP Only Program will distribute sUP to eligible depositors in lieu of $UP. Distribution mechanics via Merkl remain unchanged.

Current:

  • Reward Token: $UP
  • Distribution: Merkl (Monthly)
  • Action Required: Manually stake to earn

Proposed:

  • Reward Token: sUP
  • Distribution: Merkl (Monthly)
  • Action Required: None - sUP earns automatically.

Recipients may unstake via the sUP vault subject to the 2-week cooldown established in SIP-2.

## Rationale

Converting to sUP distribution ensures all incentive recipients hold governance rights from day one. It removes the manual step that creates a gap between “earning rewards” and “participating in protocol ownership.” This is consistent with Superform’s positioning as a user-owned neobank.