# RFR: GAIA **Request for Ragnarok of GAIA (Cosmos Hub / ATOM)** **Status:** Draft for team review. **Updated:** October 5, 2026. **Data through:** October 4, 2026 UTC. THORChain should remove GAIA support after it meets the exit requirements below. Node approval of this request starts that process. A separate execution vote must approve Ragnarok. GAIA requires repeated upgrades, repairs and operator coordination. Its ATOM pool produced approximately **0.22% of THORChain’s gross swap fees** in the 30-day period. ## Scope GAIA connects THORChain to Cosmos Hub. ATOM is the Hub’s native token. This request covers GAIA, the `GAIA.ATOM` pool and services that depend on them. [Cosmos Hub](https://docs.cosmos.network/hub/latest) THORChain’s own Cosmos SDK and CosmWasm support are outside this request. Teams must resolve GAIA-dependent services before removal. ## Volume and fees All periods end at **October 5, 2026, 00:00 UTC**. Fees are gross swap liquidity fees. Their USD values are estimates. | Completed UTC window | ATOM volume | Share of TC volume | ATOM gross fees | Share of TC fees | | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: | ---: | | 7 days, Sep 28–Oct 4 | $413,322 | 0.064% | $463 | 0.067% | | 30 days, Sep 5–Oct 4 | $4,502,607 | 0.188% | $6,584 | 0.220% | | 90 days, Jul 7–Oct 4 | $6,393,999 | 0.168% | $8,658 | 0.190% | Sources: [ATOM swap history](https://gateway.liquify.com/chain/thorchain_midgard/v2/history/swaps?pool=GAIA.ATOM&interval=day&from=1783382400&to=1791158399) and [THORChain swap history](https://gateway.liquify.com/chain/thorchain_midgard/v2/history/swaps?interval=day&from=1783382400&to=1791158399). The 7-day and 30-day results use the last 7 and 30 daily records. The ATOM pool earned approximately **$219 per calendar day** during the 30-day period. ATOM had swaps on 22 of those 30 days. Its fee share was only **0.271%** when both totals use those same 22 days. All three periods start after the May–June network halt.  *Historical ATOM volume and fees. Blue: daily volume. Amber: daily fees. Green: cumulative fees. The flatter green line shows slower fee growth.* ## Reasons for removal - **March 2024:** Two GAIA upgrades required trading pauses. The second pause lasted from March 20 to March 26. Operators needed a snapshot and a Bifrost patch because the upgrade required more memory. [Report](https://blog.thorchain.org/tcu-thorchain-updates-mar-2024/) - **June 2026:** The restart plan required a GAIA repair and recovery of approximately 42,000 blocks before signing and churn. [Report](https://blog.thorchain.org/thorsday-209-restart-dynamic-fees-pol) - **September 3, 2026:** A GAIA pause caused problems for the next churn during a security investigation. [Report](https://blog.thorchain.org/thorchain-churns-again-pol-goes-live-rujira-resumes-and-blo-debate) - **September 17, 2026:** Developers reported further interruptions because GAIA nodes were behind the chain tip. [Report](https://blog.thorchain.org/thorchain-returns-to-shipping-zcash-monero-and-self-sufficiency) GAIA brings little measured fee income but needs repeated technical support. Problems with GAIA can also affect shared operations, including churn. ## Benefits and costs Removal can reduce maintenance, infrastructure and coordination work. It can free developers and operators for security and more productive services. Users will lose native ATOM swap routes. Teams must support withdrawals and resolve services that depend on GAIA. IBC deposits into GAIA vaults are an existing use. Teams must assess the effect on these routes. [IBC support](https://blog.thorchain.org/thorchain-q3-2025-ecosystem-report-q4-roadmap/) Chad’s public position was that profitable chains should remain supported. Low gross fees alone do not prove a loss. Total income and operating costs still matter. [Discussion](https://blog.thorchain.org/thorchain-returns-to-shipping-zcash-monero-and-self-sufficiency) A team can propose continued support with a funded operating plan, measured benefits and a fixed review date. ## Team review Before the vote opens, record each team’s position and requirements. All formal responses below are pending. | Team or group | Position | Required input | | --- | --- | --- | | Maya | Pending | Shared maintenance, user routes and migration needs | | Liquify | Pending | Operating costs, incidents and infrastructure removal | | Rujira | Pending | Contracts, collateral, oracles, IBC and token migration | | Core developers | Pending | Technical requirements, security, owner and work estimate | | Node operators | Pending | Costs and operating experience | | Wallets, aggregators and users | Pending | Notices, withdrawals and unresolved claims | Record each response, reason, condition, owner, due date and source. Include objections. Do not treat silence as approval. Existing exposure includes Savers, synths, trade assets, secured assets and enabled GAIA token-switch settings. These need an exit plan. [Pool](https://gateway.liquify.com/chain/thorchain_api/thorchain/pool/GAIA.ATOM), [secured assets](https://gateway.liquify.com/chain/thorchain_api/thorchain/securedasset/GAIA.ATOM), [trade assets](https://gateway.liquify.com/chain/thorchain_api/thorchain/trade/units), [settings](https://gateway.liquify.com/chain/thorchain_api/thorchain/mimir) ## Proposed node vote **Proposal identifier:** `RFR_GAIA`. **Proposed Mimir key:** `RFR-GAIA`. **Question:** Should THORChain remove GAIA support after it meets the exit requirements and gets approval in a separate execution vote? - **1 — Approve:** Support removal and preparation of the execution plan. - **0 — Reject:** Keep GAIA support under this proposal. - **Abstain:** No valid 0 or 1 vote at close. A comment cannot cancel an on-chain vote. Operators need a verified procedure to withdraw an earlier vote. Approval permits preparation for removal. It does not permit immediate Ragnarok or shutdown of GAIA observation and signing. If the threshold is not met, the proposal does not pass. ## Exit requirements After approval, publish an execution plan. Assign an owner to each requirement. Record evidence that each requirement is complete. 1. **List affected assets and services.** Include LPs, Savers, synths, trade assets, secured assets and protocol-owned liquidity. Include pending transfers, swaps, refunds, contracts, collateral, IBC and token migration. 2. **Define the exit process for each position.** Specify deadlines, fees, expected slippage and user support. Define how to resolve trapped funds. Verify the process for each asset type. 3. **Give users time to exit.** Allow at least 14 days after a usable withdrawal or migration path is available. Coordinate deposit restrictions and route removal. Keep withdrawals available. 4. **Test the execution plan on the deployed release.** Define monitoring and stop conditions before irreversible steps. Confirm gas and signing capacity. Get readiness statements from the responsible teams. 5. **Publish the execution vote.** State the exact controls, effects, threshold and sequence. Review `RAGNAROK-GAIA-ATOM` separately from `RFR-GAIA`. The first key can start pool Ragnarok. [Code](https://gitlab.com/thorchain/thornode/-/blob/v3.20.3/x/thorchain/keeper/v1/keeper_ragnarok.go) 6. **Get separate approval to execute.** Start only after the execution vote passes and all requirements are complete. Keep GAIA observation, signing and recovery available until settlement is complete. 7. **Close the process.** Verify settlements. Record a resolution plan for remaining claims. Remove infrastructure only when it is no longer needed. Update `thornode/docs`, public documentation, APIs and affected interfaces.