Aave Hands Lens Control to Mask Network, Refocuses on DeFi

Crypto News DeFi

Written by Aaron S.,

Editor-In-Chief

Last Updated: January 21, 2026

Key Takeaways

Aave has transferred Lens leadership to Mask Network, which allows Aave to refocus on its DeFi operations;
Mask Network will manage Lens’s product planning, UX, and app development, including social apps like Orb;
Lens remains open source with no change in ownership or governance, while Aave continues as a technical adviser.

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Aave Hands Lens Control to Mask Network, Refocuses on DeFi

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Aave AAVE $162.59 , a decentralized finance (DeFi) protocol, has handed over the leadership of its social protocol, Lens, to Mask Network.

The decision shifts responsibility for building user-facing applications to Mask, while Aave keeps its focus on decentralized finance.

The update was confirmed by both Lens and Aave’s founder, Stani Kulechov. In a post on X, Kulechov said Aave will now provide technical guidance rather than lead development.

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Mask Network, known for adding blockchain tools to social and messaging apps, will guide Lens through its next phase. It will take charge of product planning, user experience, and daily operations for applications built on the protocol.

These include social platforms like Orb, as well as other projects that use Lens to connect users via on-chain profiles.

Although the transition was described as a change in "stewardship", both teams clarified that it was not a sale or ownership transfer.

Its main parts, such as the social graph, profiles, follows, and smart contracts, will stay accessible to anyone who wants to build on them.

There is no sign of a transfer involving governance, intellectual property, or treasury assets.

Aave’s role will be limited to providing protocol-level advice, while Mask Network will handle everything related to the user side and app development.

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