In a detailed post on X, Omer Goldberg explained that Chaos Labs had priced every loan on Aave since 2022 and managed risk across all V2 and V3 markets. However, the team decided to step down because the engagement no longer aligned with how they believe risk should be handled during the V4 transition.
Key reasons cited:
Aave Labs CEO Stani Kulechov responded by emphasizing that V4 is additive, not a forced migration, and V3 remains fully operational with no deadlines.
Chaos Labs is the latest high-profile contributor to leave amid ongoing governance tensions at Aave. Previously:
Goldberg stressed that while he disagrees with the direction, he believes Aave Labs is acting in what it sees as the protocol’s best interest.
Aave remains the largest on-chain lending platform and continues to generate consistent revenue. The rollout of Aave V4 (with its hub-and-spoke liquidity model) is a major upgrade aimed at expanding into new markets, including real-world assets. However, the simultaneous departure of key technical and risk contributors raises questions about execution risk during this transition period.
Chaos Labs’ exit leaves Aave with fewer independent risk management voices at a time when the protocol is becoming more complex.
The departure highlights growing tensions between Aave Labs’ ambitious expansion plans and the risk management standards preferred by long-standing contributors. While Aave V4 brings exciting new capabilities, the loss of experienced partners like Chaos Labs could complicate the upgrade process.
