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What is vote-escrow?
Vote-escrow is a design in which you lock a project's token for a chosen period and receive voting power, and often a share of fees or boosted rewards, in return. Longer locks give more power, and the locked tokens cannot be withdrawn until the lock ends.
What it means for you
A vote-escrow lock is a commitment you cannot undo: you cannot sell or withdraw the tokens before the end date, even if their price collapses, and the escrowed balance cannot be transferred. Check the lock length before confirming.
How it works
In the reference design, the maximum lock is four years, and voting power equals the amount locked times the years left until unlock, divided by four. Locking 100 tokens for four years gives 100 units of voting power; for one year, 25. The balance shrinks as the unlock date approaches, so holders who want to keep their power have to extend the lock. Holders use it to vote on proposals and on how reward emissions are split between pools, and may receive a share of trading fees. Early withdrawal is not possible.
Source: Curve documentation: What is veCRV? (vote-escrow design) · checked 4 October 2026
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Educational content, not financial advice. Written by hand and checked against the source named above. Something wrong? Tell us and we reply within two business days.