Vote Decay Calculator
Calculate how voting power diminishes over time
Decay Calculator
0.9 = 10% decay per period, 0.95 = 5% decay
Time periods until power drops to 50%
Fixed amount subtracted each period
Decay Results
Calculate to see decay results
Enter values and click Calculate
Decay Milestones
Decay Curve Visualization
Decay Rate Comparison (Starting with 1000)
| Decay Rate | Half-life | After 7 periods | After 14 periods | After 30 periods | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| α = 0.80 | 3.1 periods | 210 | 44 | 1 | Very Fast |
| α = 0.90 | 6.6 periods | 478 | 229 | 42 | Fast |
| α = 0.95 | 13.5 periods | 698 | 488 | 215 | Moderate |
| α = 0.98 | 34.3 periods | 868 | 754 | 545 | Slow |
| α = 0.99 | 69.3 periods | 932 | 869 | 740 | Very Slow |
Half-life → Decay Rate
Decay Rate → Half-life
When to Use Vote Decay Calculator
Conviction Voting Planning
Planning to support a proposal in Gardens or Aragon? Calculate how long your conviction lasts after withdrawing. A 10,000 token stake with α=0.9 drops to 4,780 in a week. Time your exit strategically.
DAO Parameter Design
Designing your DAO's governance? Use the comparison table to choose decay rates. Too fast (α=0.8) and proposals never pass. Too slow (α=0.99) and stale votes dominate. Most start with α=0.9-0.95.
Governance Analytics
Analyzing historical votes? Backtest how different decay rates would have changed outcomes. That controversial proposal that barely passed - would it fail with α=0.85 instead of α=0.95?
Timing Vote Refresh
Some systems let you refresh votes. Calculate when your conviction drops below threshold to know when refreshing matters. At 60% of max, refresh. At 90%, wait. Don't waste gas on negligible gains.
Half-life Conversion
Your DAO docs say "7-day half-life" but the contract uses decay rate. Quick convert: that's α ≈ 0.9057. Or reverse - contract shows α=0.95, that's ~13.5 period half-life. Essential for understanding specs.
Security Analysis
Evaluating governance attack vectors? Calculate how long borrowed tokens remain effective. With α=0.9, an attacker's 1M borrowed conviction drops to 349K in 10 days. Fast decay = stronger attack resistance.
Frequently Asked Questions
My conviction decayed to almost nothing - is this normal?
Yes, if you withdrew support. Exponential decay is aggressive early, then slows. With α=0.9, you lose half in ~6.6 periods. After 20 periods, only 12% remains. After 40 periods, 1.5%. If you need influence, stay actively staked - that's the whole point of conviction voting.
How do I choose between fast and slow decay for my DAO?
Fast decay (α < 0.9): More responsive, requires constant engagement, harder to pass proposals, better attack resistance. Good for fast-moving protocols. Slow decay (α > 0.95): More stable, rewards patience, easier to pass proposals but votes get "stuck". Start at α=0.9, adjust based on actual participation.
Does decay apply while I'm actively staking?
No - active staking BUILDS conviction, not decays it. The full formula is: Conviction(t+1) = Conviction(t) × α + staked_tokens. While staking, you add tokens each period. Decay only dominates when staked_tokens = 0. Keep staking = keep growing. Withdraw = decay takes over.
What's the math behind half-life conversion?
Half-life means power drops to 50% after T½ periods. So: Initial × α^(T½) = Initial × 0.5. Solve: α^(T½) = 0.5, take ln both sides: T½ × ln(α) = ln(0.5), thus T½ = ln(0.5)/ln(α) ≈ -0.693/ln(α). Reverse: α = 0.5^(1/T½). These converters do this for you.
Can vote decay prevent governance attacks?
Partially. It stops "vote and dump" - where someone votes then sells tokens. Their old conviction fades. But it doesn't stop flash loans within one block or sustained attacks. It's one defense layer. Works best with: time-weighted staking (prevents quick accumulation), proposal thresholds (requires broad support), and timelock delays.
Why does exponential decay never reach zero?
Math: any positive number × 0.9 is still positive. After 100 periods with α=0.9: 0.9^100 ≈ 0.0000266. Technically not zero, but effectively zero for governance purposes. Linear decay DOES reach zero (after Initial/rate periods). Most systems use exponential because it's smoother and matches physical decay processes.
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!