Solana drama continues as leading DeFi founder quits amid $150 million outflows

Decentralized finance lending platforms MarginFi, SolBlaze, and Solend have found themselves embroiled in a heated dispute, with accusations of misconduct and misinformation being leveled by all sides. The controversy stems from MarginFi’s alleged failure to replenish BLZE token emissions for its users over an 8-day period, which MarginFi attributes to blockchain congestion and prioritizing user safety.

MacBrennan, co-founder of the MRGN group, claims it has consistently paid out more than the required guidelines to BLZE lenders and borrowers, with the excess coming out of the team’s personal funds. MacBrennan also claims that the tweet accusing MarginFi of failing to replenish BLZE for three weeks is “completely wrong” and that he was only reached out to for comment at 4:46 am on the day the “hit piece” was published.

The situation escalated as Rooter, founder of Solana DeFi protocol Solend, shared the backstory of its conflict with MarginFi. Per Rooter, MarginFi allegedly attempted to blackball Solend with peers, spreading falsehoods about Solend’s total value locked (TVL) and attacking its oracle configuration. Rooter claims that MarginFi constantly criticized Solend to farm engagement on social media, justifying their actions by alluding to a “fabled 20-page risk report” that has never been made public.

Amid the drama, Edgar Pavlovsky, MarginFi’s founder, announced his resignation from the MRGN group and all related projects. Pavlovsky cited disagreements with the way things have been handled internally and externally, emphasizing his commitment to working on projects that matter to society. MarginFi confirmed Pavlovsky’s resignation, assuring the community that core contributors, the company, and investors are actively engaged in ensuring a smooth transition.

Despite the internal turmoil, MarginFi maintains that its products remain fully operational and unaffected by Pavlovsky’s departure, highlighting the decentralized nature of DeFi protocols. The MRGN development team has pledged to carry on the work towards full decentralization, expressing gratitude for Pavlovsky’s contributions while reaffirming their commitment to building a decentralized source of yield for everyone.

Over the past 48 hours, MarginFi has seen its two largest withdrawal days on record, totaling over $150 million. The total TVL stands at around $660 million as of press time.

As the situation continues to unfold, the SolBlaze organization has provided updates and clarifications. SolBlaze has been in communication with the MarginFi team, who have committed to reimbursing users for the missing BLZE emissions over the last 8 days and investigating user reports of missing emissions from earlier periods. MarginFi seeks to repair its relationship with the SolBlaze community and continue supporting the integration of bSOL and BLZE within its protocol.

The controversy between the three DeFi entities highlights the challenges and complexities of the rapidly evolving DeFi landscape. As the Solana ecosystem attempts to handle demand and fix congestion issues, the controversy highlights the importance of open communication, transparency, and a commitment to user welfare in the rapidly evolving world of decentralized finance.