Kraken-supported Ink L2 will launch the INK Token with a unique non-governance model.

Gate News bot news, the non-profit organization Ink Foundation supporting the Ethereum Layer-2 network Ink has officially announced the upcoming launch and airdrop of INK tokens. This development poses potential competition to Coinbase's Base network, which has consistently rejected plans to launch a native token.

According to a press release, the supply of INK Token will be fixed at 1 billion, permanently capped, and will not be affected by future changes in governance mechanisms. The foundation clarified that this token will not influence any governance decisions in the Ink Layer-2 protocol.

On the contrary, the original intention of INK's design is to promote actual use rather than speculation. "No empty talk, no governance gimmicks, just a unified incentive mechanism from day one," the official Ink X account stated, emphasizing that its single-token design aims for functionality rather than market hype.

Unlike other Layer-2 networks that tie tokens to governance or validator staking, INK will primarily be used to incentivize liquidity and drive the application usage across the ecosystem. This model aims to promote sustainable growth through activity rewards rather than relying on speculative behavior.

Coinbase's Base L2 is a tokenless network built on Ethereum, using only ETH to pay for Gas fees, which has drawn significant attention. The launch of INK has provided a notable contrast, positioning Ink as an alternative incubated by Kraken, combining use-centered token economics with long-term ecosystem alignment.

As people's expectations for airdrops and the broader ecosystem launch continue to grow, Ink's approach may attract users seeking utility-driven participation without being disturbed by governance speculation.