# Reference for triggering the $AZTEC Token Generation Event (TGE)

**URL:** <https://forum.aztec.network/t/reference-for-triggering-the-aztec-token-generation-event-tge/8366>\
**Category:** Governance\
**Created:** [January 16, 2026, 4:15pm UTC](https://forum.aztec.network/t/reference-for-triggering-the-aztec-token-generation-event-tge/8366 "2026-01-16T16:15:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![koenmtb1](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/forum.aztec.network/koenmtb1/32/2660_2.png) [@koenmtb1](https://forum.aztec.network/u/koenmtb1)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2026, 4:15pm UTC](https://forum.aztec.network/t/reference-for-triggering-the-aztec-token-generation-event-tge/8366/1 "2026-01-16T16:15:43Z")

</div>

Aztec Labs, prompted by a request from the Aztec Foundation, has prepared a reference governance payload for the Token Generation Event (TGE) and to unlock the $AZTEC token for transfer as early as February 11th 2026 at 14:00 UTC. If you participated in the $AZTEC token sale, no action is required at this time. Please stay tuned for updates on the voting process in the coming weeks.

## Preamble

The goal of this forum post is to share this reference payload with the community for review and describe the governance steps required for a payload to be executed.

## Reference payload and contracts

The reference TGE payload has been implemented and published in the Aztec “ignition-contracts” repository.

- Repository: `AztecProtocol/ignition-contracts` [Github](https://github.com/AztecProtocol/ignition-contracts/), this contains the contracts used for protocol upgrades, including a TGE reference payload.

- TGE payload contract: `src/tge/TGEPayload.sol`, this contract encodes the sequence of calls that, when executed through Aztec governance, will unlock the $AZTEC token.

The payload is a contract which can be deployed on Ethereum mainnet and which conforms to the governance “payload” interface used by the Aztec Governance contracts.

If the Governance contract executes this payload after a successful vote, it will make a series of calls to trigger TGE. Note: This post refers often to Aztec Token Positions (ATPs). This term is interchangeable with the term Token Vault.

### What the reference TGE payload does

The reference TGE payload needs to accomplish three key goals:

- Allow public sale participants to withdraw their $AZTEC

- Allow the claiming of staking rewards, proving rewards, and flushing rewards

- Enable the Uniswap v4 pool which was created after the end of the public sale

To accomplish these goals, the payload encodes a series of calls to contracts which are owned by the Aztec Governance Contract. A quick glossary:

- **ATPs** → Token vaults which holds AZTEC tokens, used primarily for vesting or locking of tokens. The owner of an ATP can use their tokens in restricted ways, depending on the type of ATP.

- **ATP Registries** → controls existing configurations for ATPs. The owner of the Registry contracts can register new Staker implementations.

- **Staker implementations** → each ATP can make use of a Staker contract which extends that ATP with specific staking functionality. The specific implementation of a staking contract can be specified by the owner of the ATP Registry, and can also be upgraded with new versions.

- **Rollup contract →** the canonical rollup contract, which manages all reward distribution

- **Uniswap v4 Pool Strategy** → the Uniswap v4 Pool created at the end of the AZTEC public sale

 ![image](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/uploads/aztec/original/2X/f/fbf4315529e0d7c695483c98032ad4d7fc56c39c.jpeg)

The reference payload will specifically:

**For Non-Genesis NCATP Holders (≥ 200k tokens):**

1. Accept ownership of the Registry contract via `GovernanceAcceleratedLock`

2. Register a new Staker implementation with a `WITHDRAWAL_TIMESTAMP` set to the past, allowing immediate token withdrawal (if already registered at least one sequencer).

**For LATP Holders (\< 200k tokens):**

1. Update `unlockStartTime` to a past timestamp, enabling immediate token claims via `claim()`

**Network-Wide Changes:**

1. Enable Uniswap v4 trading by calling `approveMigration()` on the pool strategy contract

2. Enable transferability of block building rewards by calling `setRewardsClaimable(true)` on the Rollup contract

3. Enable voting power delegation for non-genesis sequencers in the new Staker implementation

## Reference

### **How ATPs currently work**

**NCATPs (≥ 200k tokens and Genesis Sequencers)**

NCATPs have their `claim()` function disabled:

```javascript
function claim() external override(IATPCore, LATPCore) onlyBeneficiary returns (uint256) {
    revert NoClaimable();
}

```

NCATP holders can only exit their tokens through their Staker contract using `withdrawAllTokensToBeneficiary()`. However, this function enforces a `WITHDRAWAL_TIMESTAMP` of **1794578400** (November 13, 2026 at 9:00:00 AM EST) as well as a minimum one time staking requirement.

```javascript
function withdrawAllTokensToBeneficiary() external override onlyOperator {
    // ...
    require(block.timestamp >= WITHDRAWAL_TIMESTAMP, WithdrawalDelayNotPassed());
    require(hasStaked(), StakingNotOccurred());
    // ...
}

```

**LATPs (\< 200k tokens)**

LATPs have an `unlockStartTime` parameter that currently prevents claims. The TGE payload will update this value to enable immediate claiming.

### The TGE Mechanism

**1. Registry Contract**

The Registry contract controls which Staker implementations are available to ATPs. The owner of the Registry contract can register new Staker implementations:

```javascript
function registerStakerImplementation(address _implementation) external onlyOwner {
    // Registers a new staker implementation version
}

```

**2. GovernanceAcceleratedLock Contract**

At deployment, ownership of the Registry was transferred to the `GovernanceAcceleratedLock` contract. This contract acts as a time-locked intermediary between Governance and the Registry:

```javascript
contract GovernanceAcceleratedLock is Ownable {
    uint256 public constant EXTENDED_LOCK_TIME = 365 days;
    uint256 public constant SHORTER_LOCK_TIME = 90 days;
    bool public lockAccelerated = false;

    function relay(address _target, bytes calldata _data) external onlyOwner returns (bytes memory) {
        uint256 lockTime = lockAccelerated ? SHORTER_LOCK_TIME : EXTENDED_LOCK_TIME;
        require(block.timestamp >= START_TIME + lockTime, GovernanceAcceleratedLock__LockTimeNotMet());
        return Address.functionCall(_target, _data);
    }
}

```

- Extended Lock: 365 days from START\_TIME

- Accelerated Lock: 90 days from START\_TIME (requires governance vote)

The `START_TIME` is November 13, 2025 (ICO date). With acceleration, the earliest possible TGE is **February 11, 2026 at 14:00 UTC**.

**3. Aztec Governance**

The owner of `GovernanceAcceleratedLock` is the Aztec Governance contract. Governance can:

- Call `accelerateLock()` to enable the 90-day lock period

- Call `relay()` to execute functions on the Registry after the lock period

## Governance lifecycle for the TGE payload

Aztec’s onchain governance defines a standard lifecycle for any protocol upgrade payload, including the eventual TGE payload.

The key stages are:

- Payload deployment:

- Signaling by sequencers:

- Proposal creation:

- Voting:

- Execution and TGE:

## How to structure a forum post for a TGE proposal

Community members who want to champion TGE should start by opening a forum thread that clearly documents the intent and technical details of the proposal.

A suggested structure:

1. **Title**

2. **Summary**

3. **Motivation**

4. **Specification**

5. **Governance details**

6. **Security and audits**

7. **Implementation plan and timeline**

8. **Open questions and feedback**

## How the Foundation will support this process

To support a smooth and transparent TGE governance process, the Aztec Foundation intends to:

- Maintain up‑to‑date documentation and links for the TGE payload, including the deployed payload address and any audit reports. (this post)

- Provide verification of the proposed payload, to ensure all stakeholders are confident of what the governance payload contract will do upon execution.

- Coordinate with sequencers and infrastructure providers to ensure the network is ready for TGE execution and post‑TGE operations.

The Foundation will not unilaterally trigger TGE. Instead, TGE will only occur if governance participants choose to support and execute the proposal defined by this payload.