Cosmos Labs has launched an urgent search for external economists to redesign the ATOM token amid the digital asset price war.
According to the company, the Cosmos SDK is widely used as a framework for launching blockchain networks. This includes projects related to major corporations and government initiatives, which are often cited as evidence of “Fortune 500” interest.
Why Cosmos wants to completely overhaul ATOM’s design
However, because the software is open source, these users can deploy independent sovereign chains without paying fees or royalties to Cosmos Hub.
As a result, these institution builders will be able to use the network’s core technology without having to hold or interact with ATOM.
Call for proposals: ATOM Tokenomics Research ⚛️
Tokenomics RFP invites qualified research firms to submit proposals > https://t.co/96lGdAyCAI
— Cosmos Hub ⚛️ (@cosmoshub) December 12, 2025
Blockchain development companies hope to change this by promoting a new “revenue-driven model.” This approach monetizes both on-chain and off-chain usage.
“The goal of this research effort is not to design a new tokenomics model based on first principles, but rather to provide research and design support for a revenue-driven model that synergizes various sources of potential ATOM revenue with updates to ATOM’s supply dynamics and inflation schedule. Ultimately, the utility of ATOM will be driven by these fees, either in the form of ATOM buybacks, ATOM staking rewards, other mechanisms, or a combination thereof.”
Meanwhile, this initiative is also a strategic cornerstone of the Cosmos ecosystem.
Cosmos Labs admitted that Interchain Security, the shared security framework once promoted as a key value driver for ATOM, “was unable to find a product market fit.”
“Interchain security is being phased out, and the economic structure of the hub remains relatively isolated from the broader activities of the Cosmos ecosystem. Beyond transaction fees incurred on the network, a comprehensive fee model is currently lacking,” the company explained.
As a result, this redesign effort points to an economic model that is closer to the norm for enterprise software, such as consumption-based pricing tied to usage rather than security rentals.
However, implementing any proposal would face significant political constraints. Any material changes must be approved by the Cosmos Hub DAO. The Cosmos Hub DAO has historically resisted measures considered centralization.
Cosmos Lab pointed to a previous proposal aimed at curbing inflation, which passed by a narrow 3% margin. This decision caused a sharp withdrawal of staked assets and shows how sensitive token economics remains within the community.
With this in mind, the company said a successful proposal will outline potential revenue channels, analyze supply-side constraints and provide practical guidance in line with stakeholder interests. RFP ends January 15th.
Meanwhile, the move comes as ATOM has fallen nearly 76% this year to a nearly five-year low of around $2.1.
Despite the Cosmos software stack gaining broader support among blockchain developers and pilots, this price performance reflects severe stress across the ecosystem.
The article Cosmos Eyes ATOM Radical Redesign Amid Price War appeared first on BeInCrypto.
