1. What is MaiaDAO?

MaiaDAO is a comprehensive DeFi ecosystem designed to provide users with a wide range of financial services on the blockchain. It offers:

  • Swapping: Exchange tokens seamlessly.
  • Liquidity Provision: Provide liquidity to earn fees and rewards.
  • Yield Farming: Stake assets to earn additional tokens.
  • Governance: Participate in decision-making processes.
  • Token Bridging & OFT 1:1 Swaps: Move assets cross-chain instantly via intent-based bridging and zero-slippage OFT routes.

MaiaDAO operates across multiple blockchain networks, offering cross-chain functionality and optimized yield strategies. Its goal is to maximize capital efficiency and provide users with diverse opportunities to engage in DeFi activities.

Understanding the Maia Ecosystem

The Maia Ecosystem is composed of several interconnected protocols and components:

  • Hermes Protocol: An omnichain Automated Market Maker (AMM) and Yield and Liquidity Marketplace (YLM).
  • Talos: Transparent Automated Liquidity Omni-chain Strategies for managing liquidity positions.
  • Maia Protocol: Decentralized strategy vaults for yield optimization.
  • Ulysses Protocol: An omnichain liquidity protocol designed to enhance capital efficiency.

2. Using MaiaDAO

Connect Your Wallet

Before interacting with MaiaDAO, you need to connect your wallet. This allows you to access your funds and participate in the ecosystem.

  1. Navigate to the MaiaDAO website.
  2. Click on the “Connect Wallet” button in the top right corner.
  3. Choose your preferred wallet from the available options.
  4. Follow the prompts to connect your wallet to the MaiaDAO platform.

3. Swap

The Swap feature on the Swap page of the MaiaDAO platform allows users to exchange tokens, either within the same blockchain network or across different networks. Cross‑chain transactions uses Across Intents plus ParaSwap routing for a time‑efficient (< 2s) settlement.

MaiaDAO supports cross-chain swaps across 7 different networks: Ethereum, Arbitrum, Optimism, Base, Metis, BNB Chain, and Avalanche.

Swap page sub‑modules at a glance

  • Fast Mode – intent‑based bridge+swap in ≈ 2 s (supports 1:1 OFT bridging).
  • Classic Mode – intra‑chain routing via Hermes + ParaSwap.
  • Send – simple same‑chain transfer.
  • Ulysses – deposit/withdraw omnichain liquidity.
  • Virtual – cross‑chain smart account for Arbitrum dApps.

3.1  Swapping Tokens

3.1.1 Fast Mode (Cross‑Chain, Intent‑Based)

  1. Navigate to the Swap tab from the top navigation bar.
  2. Toggle ⚡ Fast at the top of the Swap card (purple pill).
  3. From section:
       • Select the source chain (Ethereum, Arbitrum, Optimism, Base — more coming).
       • Choose the token you want to swap. 

    • White-tether icon = OFT -> guarantees 1:1, zero-slippage bridging. 
    • Enter the amount.
  4. To section:
       • Select the destination chain.
       • Choose the token you want to receive.
  5. Review the intent quote: bridge fee, ETA (~2 s), minimum received, and gas estimate. OFT routes will always display 0% price impact in the quote.
    • Note: liquidity may not exist for very illiquid pairs on branch chains.
  6. Click Swap to open the confirmation window, which shows:
       • Amount you pay
       • Amount you receive
       • Implied token exchange rate
       • Bridge/network costs
  7. Confirm the intent signature in your wallet.
  8. Funds arrive on the destination chain in ~ 2 seconds.

3.1.2 Classic Mode (Intra‑Chain)

  1. Navigate to the Swap tab.
  2. Toggle Classic at the top of the card.
  3. From section:
       • Current chain is auto‑detected (no bridge).
       • Choose the input token.
       • Enter the amount.
  4. To section:
       • Select the output token on the same chain.
  5. Review the routing quote: price impact, liquidity source (Hermes pools + ParaSwap DEX aggregation), and gas cost.
  6. Click Swap to open the confirmation window, displaying:
       • Amount you pay / receive
       • Exchange rate & slippage
       • Network gas fee
  7. Confirm the transaction in your wallet; it finalises in a single block. Classic Mode (Intra‑Chain)

3.2 Send (Same-Chain Transfer)

 

The Send feature on the swap page of MaiaDAO allows you to transfer tokens to another address on the same or different chain. It simplifies the process of sending tokens to other users or your own wallets on different chains. 

Note: This is not for cross-chain transfers but for sending within the chain your wallet is connected to.

  1. Click on the “Send” tab on the swap page.
  2. Select the token you want to send and enter the amount.
  3. Enter the recipient’s wallet address or ENS name.
  4. Review the transaction details and click “Send” to proceed.
  5. Confirm the transaction in your wallet.

3.3 Ulysses

Ulysses is MaiaDAO’s cross-chain liquidity protocol, designed to optimize liquidity across different blockchain networks. Ulysses allows you to efficiently manage your liquidity across multiple chains, potentially increasing your yield opportunities and reducing idle assets.

When you deposit funds into Ulysses, you’re essentially making your token “omnichain.” This means your token becomes part of MaiaDAO’s unified liquidity pool on Arbitrum, which is connected to other chains via cross-chain gauges. This architecture allows for trading of these tokens from other chains through MaiaDAO’s platform.

It’s important to note that deposits into Ulysses are possible from Ethereum, Optimism, and other supported chains, but not from Arbitrum itself. This is because the unified liquidity pool is already on Arbitrum, and tokens on Arbitrum are automatically available for cross-chain trading through MaiaDAO’s platform. Steps on how to deposit into Ulysses:

  1. Click on the “Ulysses” tab on the swap page of MaiaDAO.
  2. Choose between “Deposit” and “Withdraw”.
  3. Select the source and destination chains and tokens.
  4. Enter the amount you want to deposit or withdraw.
  5. Click “Confirm” to proceed with the transaction.

3.4 Virtual

The Virtual tab refers to MaiaDAO’s virtual account system, which provides cross-chain functionality for seamless interactions between different blockchains and Arbitrum-based dApps. This allows users to manage assets and perform various actions (e.g., swapping tokens, adding liquidity) across multiple networks using the virtual account.

The Virtual Account is a smart contract that provides encapsulated user balances for dApps operating in the Arbitrum root chain environment. It allows users to access their balances and perform actions like swapping tokens, adding liquidity, and farming from any Ulysses branch chain. By using the Virtual Account, users can interact with Arbitrum-based dApps from different blockchain networks.

  1. Click on the “Virtual” Tab on the swap page of MaiaDAO.
  2. Deposit to Your Virtual Account:
    • Choose the token you want to deposit.
    • Input the amount of tokens you wish to deposit into your virtual account.
    • Click “Deposit”.
    • Confirm the transaction in your wallet, which deposits the tokens into your virtual account.
  3. Withdraw from Your Virtual Account:
    • Choose the token you want to withdraw.
      Input the number of virtual tokens you wish to withdraw from your virtual account.
    • Click “Withdraw”.
    • Confirm the transaction in your wallet, withdrawing the tokens from your virtual account.

4. Liquidity

Providing liquidity allows users to earn fees and rewards by depositing their assets into liquidity pools. By carefully selecting the price range of LP, users can potentially increase their returns compared to traditional liquidity provision.

4.1 Talos & Dynamic Liquidity Strategies

Talos (Transparent Automated Liquidity Omnichain Strategies) is MaiaDAO’s automated liquidity management system designed to simplify the process of managing liquidity, specifically for Uniswap V3. It transforms LPing into a choose‑deposit‑earn flow while still offering advanced presets for power users.

What is Talos Dynamic?

Talos Dynamic is the newest upgrade: an on‑chain smart‑liquidity engine that keeps capital inside the most efficient tick ranges without manual re‑balancing. Two dynamic flavours exist:

  • Decentralised Dynamic Strategies: an on‑chain Manager Contract that re‑mints positions trustlessly whenever price, liquidity imbalance, or tick drift triggers the preset.
  • Centralised Dynamic Strategies: an EOA handles re‑balances (more flexible strategy design but introduces a trusted operator).

Key benefits

  • Automated Rebalancing: maximise fee capture 24 / 7.
  • Simple Access: pick a vault, deposit one token or both, done.
  • Composable: other protocols can integrate Dynamic vaults as money‑legos.
  • Open Strategy Ecosystem: community or protocol teams can publish competing vaults.

Talos currently offers three vault archetypes:

Vault Type Rebalancer Management Needed Typical Use‑Case
Fixed None Low Hands‑off LPs who prefer predictable parameters
Decentralised Dynamic  On‑chain Manager Contract (trustless) Zero (contract handles re‑ranges) Users chasing max fee capture without active upkeep
Centralized Dynamic Strategy Manager EOA (trusted) Zero (manager handles) Experimental or niche strategies requiring human discretion

Both vault types support single-token entry and live APR/IL preview.  

Note: If the vault creator linked a Boost Aggregator, everyone in that vault inherits the boost; your personal $bHERMES balance won’t change the vault’s APR.

4.1.1  Creating a Strategy (Fixed or Dynamic)

  1. Open Strategies in the main nav.
  2. Click + New Strategy (top‑right) to open the stepper wizard (screenshot above).
  3. Step 1 — Pool: choose the liquidity pair and Fee tier, then Next.
  4. Step 2 — Optimizer / Range: pick a preset (Passive, Super‑Wide, Aggressive, Insane) or define custom ticks.
  5. Step 3 — Boost Aggregator: attach an existing aggregator or Create New (≥ 10 k $bHERMES). Set Max Fee % (0–2 %) and confirm.
  6. Step 4 — Strategy Type: select Fixed or Dynamic (decentralised / centralised).
  7. Step 5 — Deposit Amounts: supply one‑sided or balanced tokens.
  8. Review & Confirm: final checklist shows range, optimiser, boost, network gas. Click Create Strategy.
  9. Sign the transaction; you’ll receive a vault‑share NFT (Fixed) or ERC‑4626 share token (Dynamic). (Fixed) or ERC‑4626 share token (Dynamic).

Deposits must fit within the optimiser’s active range. Out‑of‑range liquidity is rejected by the contract.

4.1.2 Joining / Managing an Existing Strategy

  1. Strategies page ➜ filter by Fixed / Dynamic or search by pair.
  2. Click any row to open details: liquidity, tick range, optimiser, APR.
  3. Increase Liquidity: add tokens (single or both).
  4. Remove Liquidity: withdraw partially or fully.
  5. Claim: harvest pending HERMES emissions + external bribes.
  6. Dynamic vaults show Re‑balance log (tx hash, new ticks, time).

Joining an existing strategy allows you to benefit from pre-set optimizations and liquidity management without the need to configure settings. You can simply add liquidity and let the strategy work for you.

5. Earn

The Earn feature allows users to stake their liquidity pool (LP) positions and earn rewards, helping you maximize the yield on your assets. By staking your LP tokens, you can earn rewards on top of the trading fees you receive from providing liquidity.

5.1 Staking in Pools

  1. Navigate to the “Earn” tab.
  2. Browse the list of available liquidity pools and click on the pool you want to stake in (e.g., $MAIA/$WETH).
  3. Add Liquidity if Necessary:
    • If you don’t already have a position in the pool, you need to provide liquidity first. Click Add Liquidity in the position window to create a liquidity position.
    • This takes you to the Add Liquidity page where you can deposit the token pair (e.g., $MAIA/$WETH), select your fee tier, and set your desired price range for liquidity provision.
  4. Stake Your LP Position:
    • Once you have a position, go back to the Earn tab and click on the pool again.
    • In the Positions tab, click the Stake button to stake your LP tokens.
  5. Enter the amount you want to stake and confirm the transaction.

6. Vote

Voting is a fundamental part of MaiaDAO’s decentralized governance, allowing users to influence how rewards are distributed across various liquidity pools. This process is referred to as Gauge Voting. Users vote on their favorite gauges, and these votes direct the distribution of emissions (rewards) toward the chosen liquidity pools.

Users vote using $bHERMES-Gauges, which are obtained by holding and staking $bHERMES tokens. The more $bHERMES you have, the more influence you have over the emissions distribution. Additionally, bribes can be offered by projects or users to incentivize others to vote for certain gauges. Bribes are extra rewards that voters receive for supporting specific pools. Steps on how to obtain $bHERMES-Gauges for voting are below in the Burn section.

Gauge Voting Steps:

  1. Navigate to the “Vote” page on MaiaDAO:
  2. Browse the Available Gauges:
    • Here, you can view the stats of different liquidity pools such as APR (Annual Percentage Rate), Total Value Locked (TVL), and Total Votes.
    • Select a gauge by clicking the Vote button on the desired pool (e.g., $MAIA/$WETH or $HERMES/$WETH).
  3. Review Gauge Details:
    • After clicking on a pool, you’ll see detailed stats about that pool, such as the total votes, bribes available for voters, and your current voting power.
  4. Check for Bribes:
    • Many pools offer bribes to voters. Bribes are extra incentives given to users who vote for certain pools. You can see if a pool offers bribes under the Bribes section of the voting window.
  5. Allocate Your Votes:
    • Use the slider to allocate the amount of bHERMES-Gauges you want to vote with or manually enter the percentage.
    • You can allocate between 25%, 50%, 75%, or 100% of your $bHERMES-Gauges.
  6. Submit Your Vote:
    • Once you’ve allocated the amount you wish to vote with, click Vote to confirm.
    • Your vote will be added to the gauge, influencing the emissions and rewards directed toward that liquidity pool.

Voting strategically can also support the growth of pools that are important to the ecosystem. Also, participating in bribe-heavy pools can provide extra rewards for your votes.

7. Burn

The Burn feature allows users to burn their $HERMES tokens in exchange for $bHERMES, granting access to governance, boosting, and gauge voting capabilities. 

7.1 Burning $HERMES for $bHERMES

  1. Navigate to the Burn Tab:
    • Go to the “Burn” page on the MaiaDAO site.
  2. Initiating the Burn Process:
    • On the “Burn” sub-tab, you will see fields where you can enter the amount of $HERMES you wish to burn.
  3. Enter Amount to Burn:
    • In the “From” field, specify the amount of $HERMES you want to burn.
    • The “To” field will automatically calculate the amount of $bHERMES you will receive, based on the Burn Index.
  4. Complete the Burn:
    • Review the burn transaction details and click on “Enter an Amount.”
    • After confirming, approve the transaction in your wallet to finalize the burn process.

7.2 Activating $bHERMES

After you have burned $HERMES and received $bHERMES, you need to activate your $bHERMES for use within the ecosystem. This activation step lets one participate in governance, vote on gauge emissions, and boost liquidity rewards.

  1. Navigate to the Activate Tab:
    • From the same Burn page, click on the “Activate” sub-tab.
  2. Enter the Amount of $bHERMES to Activate:
    • In the “From” field, input the amount of $bHERMES you want to activate.
    • This amount is required to unlock governance, boosting, and gauge voting capabilities.
  3. Activate $bHERMES:
    • Once you’ve confirmed the amount to activate, click “Activate Utility Tokens” to finalize the activation.

Activating your $bHERMES gives you the ability to influence gauge emissions, participate in governance, and maximize the returns on your liquidity through boosting rewards.

7.3 Releasing $bHERMES

If you wish to transfer or remove your $bHERMES for any reason, you must first release them from active governance or boosting status. This step ensures that you relinquish any active governance rights or boost features before transferring.

  1. Navigate to the Release Tab:
    • Click on the “Release” sub-tab.
  2. Enter the Amount to Release:
    • In the “From” field, enter the amount of active $bHERMES you want to release.
    • This will move your $bHERMES from the active pool, and you can then transfer or remove them from the system.
  3. Complete the Release:
    • Click “Release Utility Tokens” to complete the process.

Releasing $bHERMES is necessary if you want to transfer them to another address or stop participating in governance or reward boosting. It’s an important step if you want to liquidate or transfer your tokens.

8. Stake

The Stake feature allows users to lock in their $MAIA tokens to participate in governance and earn rewards.

8.1 Staking MAIA

  1. Navigate to the “Stake” page on MaiaDAO site.
  2. Ensure you’re on the “Stake” sub-tab.
  3. In the “From” field, enter the amount of $MAIA you want to stake.
  4. Review the amount of $vMAIA you’ll receive in the “To” field.
  5. Click “Enter an amount” to proceed with staking.
  6. Confirm the transaction in your wallet.

8.2 Unstaking MAIA

  1. Navigate to the “Stake” page and select the “Unstake” sub-tab.
  2. In the “From” field, enter the amount of $vMAIA you want to unstake.
  3. Ensure that the next unstaking epoch is available (visible on the screen).
  4. Click “Enter an amount” and confirm the transaction to complete the unstaking process.
  5. Once confirmed, your $vMAIA will be converted back to $MAIA.

8.3 Activating vMAIA

  1. Navigate to the “Stake” page and select the “Activate” sub-tab.
  2. In the “From” field, enter the amount of $vMAIA you want to activate.
  3. Review the activation details and click “Activate Utility Tokens” to proceed.
  4. Confirm the transaction in your wallet to finalize the activation.

8.4 Releasing vMAIA

  • Navigate to the “Stake” page and select the “Release” sub-tab.
  • In the “From” field, enter the amount of active $vMAIA you want to release.
  • Click “Release Utility Tokens” to proceed with the release.
  • Confirm the transaction in your wallet to complete the process, allowing your $vMAIA to be unlocked.

9. Governance

The Governance feature allows users to view, create, and vote on proposals that shape the future of the MaiaDAO ecosystem.

9.1 Viewing and Voting on Existing Proposals

  1. Navigate to the “Governance” page on MaiaDAO site.
  2. Browse the list of existing proposals on the “Proposals” page.
  3. Click on the active proposal you’d like to vote on.
  4. View the details of the proposal, including its objective, description, and any accompanying discussion or data.
  5. When you are ready to vote, follow the link to Snapshot.org, where the voting process takes place.
  6. On Snapshot, select whether to vote “For” or “Against” the proposal.
  7. Submit your vote using your $bHERMES tokens.

Participating in governance allows you to have a direct say in the development and direction of the MaiaDAO ecosystem. Each vote represents a stake in the future of the platform and impacts decisions on liquidity strategies, token emissions, and new integrations.

9.2 Creating New Proposals

  • Navigate to the “Governance” page on MaiaDAO site.
  • Click on the “Create Proposal” button to initiate a new proposal.
  • Select the type of action you want to propose (e.g., “Transfer Token from Maia Treasury” or “Change Emissions Schedule”).
  • Fill out the required fields, including the proposal title, summary, methodology, and conclusion.
  • Ensure your wallet is connected to the Arbitrum network before submitting the proposal.

By creating new proposals, you can suggest important changes or updates to the protocol, such as adjustments to liquidity pools, token distribution strategies, or the introduction of new features.

10. Important Links

11. Disclosures

Alea Research has a commercial relationship with MaiaDAO. All protocols carry inherent risk so interact with DeFi protocols at your own risk. Always stay informed about the latest updates and changes to the protocol, and never invest more than you can afford to lose.