Centralization Creeps In as Sky Backs USDS With Treasury Bills

The USDS implementation has got Sky's user base and the wider crypto community worrying about the implications of a centralized stablecoin.

MakerDAO, a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) known for its stablecoin DAI and MKR governance token, has unveiled a new branding identity as SkyDAO. This rebranding also introduces a new stablecoin, USDS, and an upgraded governance token, SKY. MakerDAO's MKR governance token will also see an upgrade as part of the rebranding, with the new governance token being called SKY.

According to the SkyDAO team, this rebranding is intended to help the protocol reach the next level of adoption, particularly among users who have yet to experience the benefits of decentralized finance (DeFi). For example, SkyDAO hopes to attract centralized exchange (CEX) users with its new stablecoin, which will be backed by US treasury bills. This contrasts with the previous iteration, DAI, which was backed by other cryptocurrencies to maintain its decentralized issuance and functioning. However, the team and SkyDAO's CEO have emphasized that the protocol itself will remain decentralized and maintain the same community-driven governance that it had under the MakerDAO banner. The shift to the US dollar and dollar-backed reserves to fuel the stablecoin is a decision that was made in order to compete with USDT and USDC, the top two stablecoins.

Centralization Concerns Arise as SkyDAO Backs USDS With Treasury Bills

The implementation of USDS has got SkyDAO's user base and the broader crypto community discussing the implications of a centralized stablecoin. For one, USDS will have a freeze feature, similar to USDT and USDC, which allows SkyDAO to halt the movement of funds if it deems it necessary. While USDT has notably used this feature to prevent cybercriminals from absconding with stolen funds, it does still bring into question the level of control that a company can have over a cryptocurrency. That sentiment was felt particularly strongly by the community as DAI, a decentralized stablecoin, transitioned into USDS, a centralized stablecoin.

Moreover, users have noticed that the SkyDAO website has VPN blockers enabled for certain regions. These moves suggest that MakerDAO, now SkyDAO, is prioritizing global adoption by taking a regulation-first approach, which unfortunately entails sacrificing complete decentralization by integrating centralized processes into some aspects of its ecosystem and operations.

Adam Cochran, partner at Cinnemhain Ventures, noted that this was to be expected given the path that SkyDAO is undertaking. “The reality is, if you want T-bill yield backing, even by secondary treasury deals, you're going to have a freeze function, and a VPN jurisdiction blocker.” He continued, “A trade off this industry needs to decide on, because you can't reap the benefits of the US tradfi system without its rule set.”