The Ethereum Layer 2 expansion network Optimism will reserve $3.3 billion worth of Optimism (OP) tokens for its community to award projects or individuals who are deemed to have made significant contributions to the blockchain ecosystem.

On March 26, the governance and community department of the chain, Optimism Collective, announced that a portion of the 850 million OP tokens will be distributed in four rounds starting from May and continuing until the end of 2024. 40 million OP tokens, worth approximately $158 million, have already been allocated in the past three rounds.

Blockchain developers will launch the fourth round of Optimism's Retroactive Public Goods Funding (RPGF). The community will vote to decide which projects will receive tokens based on the value demonstrated by the project.

Rounds five to seven will reward contributors to infrastructure, governance, and development tools, and anyone who contributes to improving Optimism is eligible for these funds. The final round will end in mid-November.