Linea is the Ethereum Layer 2 (L2) built to serve one purpose: to strengthen Ethereum. It does not simply scale Ethereum; it reinforces its value, its developer ecosystem, and its long-term economic model. With a credibly neutral, Ethereum-equivalent architecture and a token design that channels value to ETH and public goods, Linea offers a ecosystem-centered L2 funding design reminiscent of the original launch of Ethereum itself.

This post introduces the LINEA token primarily as an economic coordination tool that is used to reward real usage, bootstrap aligned applications and builders, and fund Ethereum’s long-term development. 

On Linea, ETH is used as gas. And ETH and LINEA are burned from L2 fees.

• LINEA is not a gas token. ETH is used as gas.

• LINEA currently carries no onchain governance rights and the protocol operates without a DAO.

• No LINEA tokens have been allocated or sold to employees or investors. Consensys Software will retain 15% of the tokens with a five year unlock. 

Instead:

• A portion of net ETH revenue, defined as the L2 fees after Layer 1 costs, is used to buy and burn LINEA.

• LINEA is used to fund builders, users, liquidity providers, and Ethereum public goods.

• LINEA is earned by participating in the network’s growth. Access is granted through use, not capital.

Linea’s total token supply is 72,009,990,000 LINEA, which is 1,000 times the initial circulating supply of ETH. Its allocation echoes Ethereum’s genesis distribution to signal long-term alignment with the broader ecosystem: 85% of the supply is dedicated to the ecosystem, with the remaining 15% allocated to the Consensys treasury. See below for a more detailed breakdown.

Early users receive tokens from an allocation equal to 9% of token supply, to be airdropped and fully unlocked at TGE.

Eligibility for all airdrop recipients will be determined using a range of activity-based metrics, including LXP and onchain metrics designed to recognize authentic usage and meaningful ecosystem participation. Full details and individual eligibility will be revealed via the official eligibility checker, prior to TGE.

Alongside the user airdrop, 1% of the LINEA token supply is reserved for strategic builders across the Linea ecosystem, fully unlocked at TGE. This includes core applications and communities.

These tokens are not distributed by formula, but through a curated process that prioritizes long-term alignment, protocol-level impact, and sustained ecosystem participation. Allocations may be structured as direct grants, milestone-based vesting, or collaborative deployment with ecosystem partners.

75% of the LINEA token supply is allocated to the Ecosystem Fund, the largest such fund in the space. It is managed by the Linea Consortium: a council of Ethereum-native stewards including ENS Labs, Eigen Labs, SharpLink, Status, and Consensys. The Ecosystem Fund will live in a U.S.-based non-stock entity which will apply for non-profit status.

This fund is governed under an Ethereum-first mandate and deployed in two complementary phases:

1. Ecosystem Activation

A portion of the Ecosystem Fund is reserved for near-term ecosystem activation, including support for liquidity provisioning, exchange readiness, strategic partnerships, future airdrops, and early builder engagement. 

2. Long-Term Alignment

The remaining majority of the fund supports long-term ecosystem growth and Ethereum public goods. It will be distributed over a 10-year period following a decaying emissions schedule, with more tokens available in the early years to accelerate adoption and fewer tokens over time to preserve sustainability. Roughly 25% of the Fund is expected to support ecosystem activation in the first 12–18 months, with the remaining 50% released gradually over 10 years. This capital will fund protocol R&D, shared infrastructure, open-source tools, and strategic partnerships with mission-aligned builders.

15% of the total token supply is allocated to the Consensys treasury. These tokens are subject to a five-year lockup and are non-transferable until the full vesting cliff expires. During this period, they may be deployed within the ecosystem, for example, as liquidity or staking capital, to support protocol health and alignment.

This allocation reflects Consensys’ long-term commitment to Ethereum and its public infrastructure. As one of Ethereum’s earliest and most consistent contributors, Consensys has incubated Linea with the intent of reinforcing the Ethereum ecosystem. The locked treasury ensures that value accrual remains focused on community outcomes in the near term, while reserving a future role for Consensys as an aligned and accountable stakeholder over the long term.

At TGE, approximately 22% of the total token supply (15.8B LINEA) will be circulating. This includes the early contributor airdrop, ecosystem activation programs, and liquidity provisioning allocations. All other categories remain locked or vest over time.

Linea reinforces ETH and LINEA value through its unique dual-burn mechanism:

• ETH is the exclusive gas token on Linea. All user fees are paid in ETH.

• Twenty percent of gas fees after accounting for Layer 1 costs are burned—reducing ETH supply and reinforcing its monetary premium.

• The remaining eighty percent of the gas fees are used to burn LINEA.

This creates a direct economic link between network usage and value accrual for both ETH and LINEA.

There is no tokenholder governance in the LINEA system.

Instead, strategic decisions regarding token emissions, grants, incentives, and fund allocations are overseen by the Linea Consortium. This body is composed of Ethereum stewards and is legally wrapped in a U.S.-based non-stock corporation to ensure durability, credibility, and adaptability in a changing regulatory landscape. The full Consortium charter—including seat allocation, voting thresholds, and veto rights—will be published ahead of TGE.

This governance architecture avoids the pitfalls of token-based voting while still offering a credible and collaborative model for ecosystem oversight.

Linea is an L2 built as a public good with mechanisms designed to support and strengthen Ethereum for the long-term.

The LINEA token is a tool for economic alignment with incentives to ensure that both networks grow stronger together. Together, they create the conditions for Ethereum to grow stronger—economically, socially, and institutionally.

Believe in somETHing.

Disclaimer: This announcement is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy any securities. The LINEA token does not currently exist, and this post should not be interpreted as a guarantee that the token will be created or will function as described. Any future implementation will be subject to legal, technical, and governance review.