The GG24 InfoFi Domain deploys information markets as capital allocation infrastructure for Gitcoin and proves measurable ROI improvements over existing capital allocation mechanisms.
Domains are the vehicles through which trusted and experienced stewards manage capital within clearly defined areas to solve Ethereum’s Biggest problems per Gitcoin 3.0’s vision. GG24 is the first Gitcoin Grant round to utilize Dedicated Domains as allocation managers and will take place in October 2025.
InfoFi Domain
The InfoFi Domain deploys information markets as capital allocation infrastructure for Gitcoin to prove measurable ROI improvements over existing capital allocation mechanisms. The domain executes a two-phase Market Discovery Program that uses information markets to forecast Ethereum ecosystem KPIs and allocate capital based on predicted outcomes. By creating markets where accurate information pays, InfoFi transforms truth from a public good into a profitable venture, addressing the root cause of our information crisis: misaligned incentives. The domain builds on successful experiments like the Optimism Futarchy Experiment, which achieved 220x improvement in capital efficiency, and aims to discover which funding-market designs the Ethereum ecosystem can sustain beyond subsidies while publishing templates that can be replicated in future rounds.
Programs overview
| Program | Description | Lead(s) / Operator(s) | Target Budget |
|---|---|---|---|
| A. Phase 1: Sensor Validation (45 days) | Deploy 3–5 subsidized sensors (forecasts a single KPI or event) and shadow markets (forecasts the impact of a decision or event on a sensor). Apply decommission rules; only proceed if two-thirds of markets are not decommissioned during the Sensor Validation period. | Butter | $30,000 |
| B. Phase 2: Funding Markets (30 days) | Launch 1–2 conditional funding markets that allocate a subset of the domain budget based on rules such as: “Fund project X if predicted KPI is > projects Y, Z.” | Butter | $80,000 |
| TOTAL | $110,000 | ||
| Fees | $15,000 |
Funding summary
- Cofunding Targeted: $50,000
- Requested Gitcoin Match: $75,000 in matching funds from Gitcoin.
Co-funding (update):
We are in discussions with the Ethereum Foundation (EF) as a potential co-funder (participation TBC). We expect to raise $125K total for this domain: $30K subsidy budget (markets), $15K opex (infra, dashboards, audits), and $80K to be distributed via a funding market in Phase 2 (or via an advisory mechanism if funding markets are not feasible).
Fees (ops/administration)
In line with the emerging Fair Fees discourse, approximately 13.6% of the Domain budget will be used to cover operations, communications, software, and admin costs.
Program Operations & Domain Governance
Operator: The Butter team brings deep operational expertise from running successful experiments generating $100M+ in TVL impact. Our advisory board includes Robin Hanson, Yiling Chen, and Bo Waggoner.
Mechanism: We’ll use Butter, our own InfoFi venue to deploy all markets. **In Phase 2, a subset of the domain budget is allocated directly via conditional funding markets, with allocation decisions derived from transparent, public market data.
Success Discovering which markets and funding-market designs deliver improved ROI relative to existing mechanisms, which the Ethereum ecosystem can sustain beyond subsidies, and publishing templates that can be replicated in future rounds.
Access: The application will be geofenced as per our Terms & Conditions.
Detailed program plans
A. Phase 1: Sensor Validation (45 days)
Description. Deploy 3–5 information markets targeting Ethereum ecosystem KPIs.
Round Mechanism: Apply decommission rules; only proceed if two-thirds of markets are not decommissioned during the Sensor Validation period.
Core Criteria:
Confidence rule: sunset any market that misses one of:
- volume < $10K by week 4
- <10 forecasters by week 4
Proceed to Phase 2 only once two-thirds of markets meet the confidence rule.
Timeline / Milestones:
- Oct 1–4: Finalize market list.
- Oct 7: Launch (3–5 markets).
- Nov 4: Phase-1 mid-review; decommission markets, prepare Phase-2 specs.
- Nov 18: Phase 2 go/no-go (2/3 pass); launch 1–2 funding markets.
B. Phase 2: Funding Markets (30 days)
Description. Launch 1–2 conditional funding markets that allocate a subset of the domain budget based on rules such as: “Fund project X if predicted KPI Δ ≥ Y.” Measure capital efficiency (ROI per dollar allocated) versus a control allocation mechanism, e.g., EF.
Core Criteria: Fallback: Return capital if markets fail the confidence check.
Timeline / Milestones:
- Nov 18: Phase 2 go/no-go (2/3 pass); launch 1–2 funding markets.
- Dec 9: Interim ROI readout vs. committee cohort.
- Dec 20: Final report: ROI uplift, methods/data, Market Templates published, and next-round recommendations.
Menu of Candidate Markets (Selected by Approvers)
| Sensor | Description | Shadow Markets (examples incl. funding) | Duration | Approver |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ethereum Share of Stablecoin Settlement | % of all-chain stablecoin settlement that occurs on Ethereum (L1 + major L2s). | • “Will ETH’s share of stablecoin settlement be ≥ S% by EOM?” (30D) • “Conditional on Gitcoin funding bridge integration X, will ETH’s share ↑ by Δpp?” (60D) | Sensor: 7D / 30D • Shadow: 30D / 60D | Gitcoin Steward, Ethereum Foundation |
| L2 Blob Utilization | Avg blob utilization and blob gas price post-4844 across major L2s. | • “Will median blob utilization ≤ Y% by EOM?” (30D) • “If EF funds DA infra project Z, will utilization fall by Δ% by 60D?” | Sensor: 7D / 30D • Shadow: 30D / 60D | Gitcoin Steward, Ethereum Foundation |
| ETH Fees | Median $ per 100k gas on L1 (and companion L2 effective cost index). | • “Will L1 median cost/100k gas ≤ $X by EOM?” (30D) • “If fee market upgrade F is funded, will fees fall by Δ% within 60D?” | Sensor: 7D / 30D • Shadow: 30D / 60D | Gitcoin Steward, Ethereum Foundation |
| Share of DeFi TVL | Ethereum’s share of cross-chain DeFi TVL. | • “Will ETH share of DeFi TVL ≥ S% by Q+1?” (60D) • “Conditional on Gitcoin-funded protocol incentives, will ETH share ↑ by Δpp?” (60D) | Sensor: 7D / 30D • Shadow: 60D | Gitcoin Steward, Ethereum Foundation |
| Spot DEX Volume | Monthly spot DEX volume on Ethereum (L1+L2) and ETH’s share vs all chains. | • “Will ETH(+L2) DEX volume ≥ $V this month?” (30D) • “If Gitcoin funds aggregator Y, will DEX share ↑ by Δpp within 60D?” | Sensor: 7D / 30D • Shadow: 30D / 60D | Gitcoin Steward, Ethereum Foundation |
| Bridge TVL | TVL and net flows in canonical/major bridges to L2s. | • “Will net L1→L2 bridge TVL increase by ≥ $Δ this month?” (30D) • “If Gitcoin funds bridge B, will total bridge TVL ≥ $V in 60D?” | Sensor: 7D / 30D • Shadow: 30D / 60D | Gitcoin Steward, Ethereum Foundation |
| Perp OI | On-chain perp open interest on ETH(+L2) venues; ETH’s share vs all venues. | • “Will ETH(+L2) perp OI ≥ $V by EOM?” (30D) • “Conditional on Gitcoin funding margin infra project P, will perp OI ↑ by Δ% by 60D?” | Sensor: 7D / 30D • Shadow: 30D / 60D | Gitcoin Steward, Ethereum Foundation |