What is ALPHA? A Concise Guide to This Emerging Token

Yael

/Nov 19, 2025

Key Takeaways

• ALPHA is the native token for Alpha Finance Lab, primarily used for governance and staking.

• The tokenomics include fee distribution to stakers and tiered utility based on staking amounts.

• Past security exploits have influenced the protocol's design and user trust.

• Always verify contract addresses and use hardware wallets for secure storage.

• Stay updated with official channels for the latest information and developments.

Introduction ALPHA is the native token originally associated with Alpha Finance Lab (also called Alpha Venture DAO), a DeFi-focused project known for products like Alpha Homora. Over the years ALPHA has been used for governance, staking and fee distribution across the protocol’s product suite — but the token’s story also includes major security events, evolving tokenomics and corporate rebranding efforts that every holder and DeFi user should understand before interacting with ALPHA or related dApps. This guide explains what ALPHA is, how it’s used, where it trades, key risks, and practical custody advice for users. (blog.alphaventuredao.io)

What is ALPHA (at a glance)

Origin: ALPHA launched as the governance and utility token for Alpha Finance Lab’s DeFi products, most notably Alpha Homora (leveraged yield farming) and other lending/strategy modules. (blog.alphaventuredao.io)
Primary utilities: governance voting, staking to earn protocol fees and rewards, access to product-level features (e.g., tiered perks and leverage boosts), and incentives for liquidity providers. (blog.alphaventuredao.io)
Supply & networks: ALPHA has an on-chain supply schedule and has been available on multiple EVM-compatible networks (Ethereum, BSC, Avalanche, etc.), making it an ERC‑20/BEP‑20 style asset in many contexts. (coinmarketcap.com)

A brief history and recent evolution Alpha Finance Lab launched several DeFi products (Alpha Homora being the best-known) that aimed to enable leveraged yield strategies and cross-product composability. In February 2021 Alpha Homora suffered a high-profile exploit that led to a multi-million-dollar loss; the event had long-lasting effects on user trust and protocol economics. Over time the team introduced ALPHA tokenomics — a staking and fee-distribution model intended to pay protocol fees to stakers and align incentives across products. In late 2024–2025 the project has been associated with rebranding efforts (for example, public listings and aggregator pages reference the name “Stella” or “Alpha Venture DAO”), making it important to check the project’s official channels for current naming and product mappings. (cointelegraph.com)

How ALPHA tokenomics work (core points)

Fee distribution: The tokenomics design shares a large portion of protocol fees to ALPHA stakers; the protocol has published mechanisms for staking, sALPHA accounting and a 7‑day unbonding window. Stakers can receive rewards in ALPHA and other yield sources depending on how tokenomics are implemented onchain. (blog.alphaventuredao.io)
Tiered utility: Staking ALPHA historically unlocks product-specific tiers that can provide perks (for example, higher leverage on certain strategies). These features tie token demand to product usage. (blog.alphaventuredao.io)
Governance: ALPHA holders have on‑chain governance rights to vote on protocol parameters and product-level proposals. Governance scope and process may change as the protocol further decentralizes. (blog.alphaventuredao.io)

Where ALPHA trades and liquidity notes ALPHA has been listed on major centralized and decentralized exchanges (Binance, OKX and various DEXs on supported chains). Market pages and aggregators show live price, circulating supply and markets; because ALPHA is multi‑chain, always confirm you’re transacting on the correct network and contract address before trading or bridging. Use reputable market pages for contract verification and liquidity checks. (coinmarketcap.com)

Security history and controversies — what to watch

2021 exploit: Alpha Homora V2 was exploited in February 2021, resulting in roughly $37–38 million stolen. The incident involved complex protocol‑to‑protocol interactions and highlighted risks in composable DeFi. This event influenced later design, risk management and the relationship between Alpha and other DeFi primitives. (cointelegraph.com)
Debt, governance and rebrands: In subsequent years the project has publicly discussed debt-relief measures, tokenomics adjustments and name changes (references to “Stella” / Alpha Venture DAO appear on market pages). Independent reporting and community research have raised concerns about unresolved on‑chain liabilities and the implications of rebranding for user funds; these discussions illustrate why users should track on‑chain disclosures, multisig governance, and official remediation plans. (rekt.news)

Practical guidance — how to interact with ALPHA safely

Verify contracts: Always confirm the token contract address on an authoritative project page or major market aggregator before you buy or bridge tokens. Tokens with identical tickers may exist; contract mismatch leads to loss. (coinmarketcap.com)
Use small test amounts: When bridging or interacting with a new dApp, use minimal amounts first to validate the flow and fees.
Follow official channels: Use the project’s official blog, GitBook or verified social accounts for announcements about tokenomics, staking launch details, and migration steps. (blog.alphaventuredao.io)
Keep up with investigations and audits: For older incidents and ongoing remediation, read independent reporting and post‑mortems (these provide context on what happened and whether claims for compensation or reserve mechanisms are credible). (cointelegraph.com)

Custody and storage: hardware wallet recommendations ALPHA is an EVM‑compatible token in many deployments, so it is best stored in a secure, offline private key solution when holding significant amounts. Hardware wallets protect private keys from phishing and device compromise during on‑chain interactions. For users who want an easy dApp experience while keeping keys off of hot devices, a hardware wallet that supports multiple EVM chains and integrates with Web3 dApp connectors is recommended. When selecting a wallet, check whether it:

Supports the network you plan to use (Ethereum, BSC, Avalanche, etc.).
Lets you review and sign contract calls safely (so you can detect dubious approvals).
Provides an easy way to verify token contract addresses and transaction details before signing.

If you’re evaluating OneKey specifically: OneKey offers cold private‑key storage, multi‑chain EVM support and desktop/mobile app integrations that simplify connecting to staking UIs and DEXs while keeping your keys offline. For ALPHA holders who need multi‑chain access and secure on‑chain signing, such hardware wallets are a practical custody option. (Always buy hardware wallets from official channels to avoid tampered devices.)